Originally posted by stangale
Besides the most basic things - always keep it fun and never bawl him out if he's slow or when he crashes....
1st. Show him one control at a time - tell him about it and have him tell you about it so you know he knows. (For instance, show him the front brake lever, master cylinder, brakeline, caliper, pads, disc and explain their roles -then have him show it to you.
If you don't do this - then when you say "Let the clutch out slowly." how is he supposed to know what a "clutch" is or does or where it is or how it works? How will he ever get comfortable with all the elements of riding without understanding and doing each one individually?
2nd. Have him play, mess around, push the bike around, lube chain, put air in the tires, bounce on it, etc. WITHOUT the motor running.
Let him get real familiar with the thing.
3rd. Go to a very big wide open area with no obstacles. Give him a push and have him stop using just the front brake until he can do it smoothly. Do the same for the rear. Then do the same using both.
4th. Push him and have him stop with more precision ("See if you can stop smoothly with your front wheel on that big leaf over there.") Do these steps as quickly as he can smoothly and easily do them. If it takes 5 minutes, fine. If it takes 10 hours, he may not be the next Ricky Carmichael. (Joke.)
5th. Push him aound with the engine running but in neutral. Make sure he's not going to accidently grab a handfull of throttle when he's trying to turn or/and slow down. Do it until you both know he can do it easily.
6th. Demonstrate and narrate pulling in the clutch, putting it in 1st, letting out the clutch slowly while applying a little throttle etc. patiently and repeatedly. Show him how to do it wrong i.e. popping the clutch/making it stall. Then demo starting off in 1st, getting going, pulling in the clutch, using the brakes to make a full stop.
7th. Have him do what you just did until he can do it easily and smoothly. Don't mix him up with shifting gears yet. Don't send out to do a triple!
8th. Actually do this first but start applying it now. Get Gary Semics book and if you want to get it all - get his videos too. (GSMSX.com) Read "How to use this book" and start him on the chapter "Body Position" and proceed onward.
When you read this book you'll learn stuff you never knew that anyone could know! You'll be much faster/ safer and so will your boy.
Best,
Stan Gale
Los Angeles
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