KD school

Originally Posted by Blue_SV650S

I'll do some internal digging about the Chobham site and its availability. But any big bit of tarmac would do. I was also considering trying to talk to the circuits to use their carparks the day before a TD ...

I think that the site is the key here and how much it costs you as to whether it is financially viable. Plus there is the liability insurance etc. for cover of students and probably quite a few other hidden costs.

I think a smart idea would be to couple it with a trackday - or at least and evening trackday - KD school during the day and then onto the track. I think that getting you knee down in a car park on a bike that won't fall over at 20 mph might be a little unrewarding for some, but if you can then take what you have learned and apply it to the track (with you following - instructor like) then it would be much more worthwhile. Kneedown does have a purpose other than bragging rights and I think taught and used in correct context would be very useful.

[northwind]

I remember that article- the school wasn't teaching good riding, it was teaching "kneedown posture", catering for the eejits who just want to scrape a knee and don't care how badly they ride while they do it. Every picture in teh article had someone hanging off like a gibbon but with everything else wrong, usually reaching towards the ground with a knee while the bike's almost vertical.

Originally Posted by northwind

I remember that article- the school wasn't teaching good riding, it was teaching "kneedown posture", catering for the eejits who just want to scrape a knee and don't care how badly they ride while they do it. Every picture in teh article had someone hanging off like a gibbon but with everything else wrong, usually reaching towards the ground with a knee while the bike's almost vertical.

Great - Sounds like the competition are rubbish...

Originally Posted by TuonoGrant

Great - Sounds like the competition are rubbish...

Indeed

The idea would be to start DIY, then open more and more centres under my brandname and become more of a management/fat-cat than a standing in the cold do-er ?

I think expanding to include 'cornering confidence' would be a wise move. Lots of people like shell might want to regain confidence after an off!! I think that is probably just as large as KD market, if not larger!

Blue, if i learn something about machine control and discover new limits to both myself and my motorcycle, and therefore become a bit of a safer rider (since I know I have more room for error)...

....then I'll have a bit of knee down tuition

Matt

Having never had any instruction I just kind of went out and did it myself. Probably totally the wrong way as well. Not sure I would do just a KD school but if it were to teach proper cornering techniques as well then it would be more valuable to the everyday rider. Any monkey can get their kneedown but to corner smoothly and quickly and safely takes skill. Good luck though Blue, sounds like you could be onto a niche in the market.

Originally Posted by HooliganDan

Having never had any instruction I just kind of went out and did it myself. Probably totally the wrong way as well. Not sure I would do just a KD school but if it were to teach proper cornering techniques as well then it would be more valuable to the everyday rider. Any monkey can get their kneedown but to corner smoothly and quickly and safely takes skill. Good luck though Blue, sounds like you could be onto a niche in the market.

I too am all self taught, but that isn't the point ... If we are thinking/quantifying demand, wheelie school seem to have been running a while, CSS and the like seem to have high demand for track tuition ... IAM are never short of new punters ... so don't underestimate the continuing demand of people wanting to learn how to ride/ride better/ride differently!!

its important to understand that the school can teach all maner of things with these outrigger bikes, from

• KD
• Cornering
• Braking
• Managing Slides and other deviations from the norm.

You might be on to something with the Knee Down School Blue, it is the confidence that most people lack and the outrigggers would be a huge confidence boost!

I believe your biggest customer base would be the 'I have more money than skill' sector, you know the ones which have to have the latest bikes type! Would be worth doing some serious research in this venture.

Out of interest are there many people on here that can't get there knee down?

Originally Posted by Blue_SV650S

I too am all self taught, but that isn't the point

As long as you understand the dynamics and mechanics of whats going on, and you can relay that back to me so I understand what Im doing wrong (i.e. sitting like that causes this to occur) then I don't see why you should be a bad teacher; certificates, qualifications etc mean diddily squat if you can't relay certain things, especialy cause and effect, back to your students

I would like some training involving the control of slides; at least, getting to understand what its like to have one and not panic. A few years ago, I spent a bit of time locking up the front wheel on a feild bike, just to see what I could get away with. It was a very good experiance, although I havn't done anything similar since.

Matt

sounds like a great idea. Ive scraped my toe sliders so i know I can get down, but I get cramp in my leg when I stick it out trying to get my knee down!