Greg Widmar - The Road to Mastery: The Smart Way to Begin, Continue, or Redirect Your Riding Journey

The Road to Mastery:

The Smart Way to Begin, Continue, or Redirect Your Riding Journey

Greg Widmar

Copyright Greg Widmar
All rights reserved.
First Edition, 2019.

No part of this publication may be reproduced without prior written permission from the Publisher.

Published by:
MotoJitsu, LLC
San Diego, CA 92169

ISBN: 978-1-086-57269-8

www.motojitsu.com

Back cover photo by Karen E Ott Photography

SPECIAL THANKS

Special thanks to Andy of Immortal Concepts Studios for creating an amazing cover image and to Keith of Yamaha Champions Riding School for your insights and showing me whats possible. Your selfless dedication is truly appreciated.

I met Greg Widmar towards the outset of his quest for motorcycle riding and education enlightenment. Right about that time, he got completely hooked on taking every new class he could get his hands on, and I watched him transition to that more enlightened and well-rounded rider. The more classes he took, the more tools he put in his toolbox. More importantly, I watched him become an advocate for rider training.

In early 2019, I was happy to get Greg into our Yamaha Champions Riding School ChampDay class at the Streets of Willow and really enjoyed watching his lightbulb get even brighter and seeing him leave with more tools. To see the culmination of all of these tools from all of these classes mold Greg into his own voice via his online presence and now his second book is impressive. The Road to Mastery is an easy-to-read and easy-to-follow road map for anyone wishing to get into motorcycling the right way and grow within the sport. Anyone new to motorcycle riding would be wise to read this book and use it as a reference.

I read somewhere that only 20% of students taking the new rider courses stick around as lifetime motorcycle riders. If that is true, it means we lose 80% of them and having more people like Greg would surely lower that number. Rider-education enthusiasts cannot affect all the reasons for these losses. However, we can help in our little segment by educating riders to be safer. Safer riders have more fun and the best way to make safe riders is to make good riders. Good riders, who are safer and thus having more fun, will most likely stick around and be fellow riders for a longer time.

I am glad that Greg has joined the privileged group who wake up every day with a plan to make motorcycle riders better. I join him in encouraging all riders to continue their education with qualified expert instruction. We need more advocates like Fast Eddie.

Practice makes permanent not perfect. The most important upgrade to the motorcycle is the rider. I thought I had 10 years of riding experience and then I took a school and realized I had one year of riding experience10 times. The dedicated instructors in our industry have all coined phrases like these and, who knows, maybe someday someone will include Shut up and Practice in this list of wisdom-inspired quotes.

Keith Culver
Chief Operating Officer, Yamaha Champions Riding School
Coaching Leader, United States Motorcycle Coaching Association

This book is about the Road to Mastery. It isnt easy, and the majority of riders do not seek it. Most take the wide-open trail. Its clear, well lit, and inviting. There are signs to tell you which way to go, what to expect, and how many miles until your next rest stop. There are ropes and fences to keep you going in the right direction. The ground is well maintained, flat, and predictable. You can see whats ahead with few surprises to worry about. You can even look forward to restrooms and water fountains along the way for your convenience. Due to these features, it will feel as if this is the correct path to take. Dont be fooled.

The Road to Mastery isnt found on a wide-open trail. Its on a small path most people never notice, even though its at the same starting point. Many people dont initially choose to start on the Road to Mastery. It usually takes a painful experience for them to wake up and realize that more gear, courses, and practice are required to ride safely on public roads. Years on the wide-open trail will only offer a false sense of security due to repeating basic techniques over and over again.

On the Road to Mastery, there are rocks and roots to trip you up. Steep hills and sharp boulders are scattered in every direction. The path seems to disappear every 20 feet, frequently causing you to second-guess where youre going. Its dimly lit with unpredictable footing at every step. There are no signs, markers, or directions to follow. For many riders, this path doesnt seem to be worth the trouble, but the Road to Mastery will give you tools not found anywhere else.

You will learn to be resilient and to adapt to an ever-changing environmentexactly what is needed to ride on the public roadways. You will be better equipped to respond to traffic, your judgment will sharpen, and the likelihood of you becoming another accident statistic will be lower. You will learn to not give up, how to go through hardships and setbacks, mistakes and disappointments and still move forward. You will learn to do whatever it takes to accomplish your goals. The thrill and pleasure of riding a motorcycle will be enhanced and the satisfaction gained from the experience will be priceless. This is the Road to Mastery.

To begin, youll need your motorcycle endorsement. In the United States, there is a variety of options for obtaining your license. The most preferred method is to take the approved basic course for your state. The other is to make an appointment with your local Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to set a date to take the written and riding evaluations. If you pursue this option, you will need to provide your own motorcycle and will be starting your riding career already going in the wrong directionnot a smart choice.

I recommend attending whichever formal course is available in your state before you obtain your license. The curricula are constantly being updated with better techniques, materials, and exercises to ensure that you get the most up-to-date information about motorcycle riding. The two, or more, days you spend with instructors will provide a solid foundation to build upon; if not, youll resemble a person trying to build a home in the sandits not going to last. If you already have experience, some of the information may be a refresher. However, I guarantee that you will learn a lot more than you expect. Additionally, you will be provided one-on-one feedback while riding in order for you to understand what youre doing well and how to improve.

Some of the more popular courses for those with no experience in the United States are the Motorcycle Safety Foundations Basic RiderCourse, which can be found at msf-usa.org; Californias Motorcyclist Safety Programs Motorcyclist Training Course at cmsp.msi5.com; and the Total Control Beginner Riding Clinic at totalcontroltraining.net. A simple Internet search can determine which course is available in your state.

If you already have riding experience and your own motorcycle but still want to attend a motorcycle course, many states in the U.S. offer a one-day course as a licensing waiver instead of the two-day basic course. This way, you will get feedback from instructors on your own motorcycle: win-win! In Texas, for example, completion of the Total Control Intermediate Riding Clinic results in the student earning his/her endorsement. For more information and to see if this course is available in your state, contact Total Control Training, Inc., at totalcontroltraining.net.

Once you enroll in the appropriate course for you, the site will send you an email with key information to look over prior to starting. This will include directions to the course location, what to bring, what gear is required, policies on arriving late, your schedule, and so on. Its recommended that you read through all information and contact the staff with any questions you may have prior to the start date.