Ever wonder how our riding school began? Want to know what makes us different from other riding schools? Then keep listening to hear Jimmy and Heather Lewis talk about how our riding school got started, our teaching philosophy, and a little bit about what makes them qualified to teach you how to ride a dirt bike or adventure bike. This is our first episode and we have more episodes on the way that will make you a better rider.
In this week’s episode Jimmy Lewis will introduce you long time coach, Matt Mattoon. Matt started helping out with the schools after he showed up as a student himself at the young age of 14. Since then, he has been helping coach students on and off again when school would allow him. Now that he has graduated, he is back and helping the riding school both in person, and develop the online courses we are offering now.
He may not say much, but what he has to say is important. That is what we tell our students at the Jimmy Lewis Off-Road Riding School. Since he was 12, Logan has been helping out with the schools, starting by picking up bikes before becoming a coach himself. Having been helping us for a 5th of his life, he knows a thing or two about how you can improve your riding. We love having him around and you’ll learn a lot from him if you take one of our classes.
A question we often see is “How do I get into riding a dirt bike/adventure bike?” and we have found a lot of bad answers to this question on Google. To combat this, we decided to dedicate a full episode of the Better Rider podcast to help beginners learn the best, and safest, methods for just starting out on riding a motorcycle off-road. Host Jimmy Lewis brought in the beginner rider coach Matt Mattoon to talk about this issue, and yes, there is a nugget in this episode for those who have some, or a lot of riding experience.
What is the difference between a good riding coach and a bad one? Most people wouldn’t be able to immediately tell the difference, especially beginner riders who are just learning how to ride a dirt bike or adventure bike. That’s why in episode 5 of the Better Rider Podcast, Jimmy Lewis and Matt Mattoon break down what we believe makes a good or bad coach and what you should look for in your riding coach.
Even pros can learn a thing or two from our curriculum, just ask Paul Neff! Paul is the owner of Cispus Cycles Off-Road Training in Washington state and teaches our curriculum up there. In this episode he talks about his experience with learning why we teach what what we teach, and how we teach it. He and Jimmy also talk a little bit about his experience racing and his goals in the Dakar Rally.
In a very special episode of the Better Rider podcast, we talk with Crazy Nate Sciacqua. He was one of the earliest helpers at our school and could be often found driving the school’s chase truck. He may not help as much with the school these days, but he still drops by and shares some great stories with us every now and then. This episode may not make you a better rider necessarily, but you’ll laugh at the stories that get shared on this show.
Meet a fan favorite, or student favorite we should say, Jorge Jestes. He is a retired motorcycle cop who has been helping out with the school for quite some time now. He and Jimmy go into Jorge’s experience with the school, what’s helped him the most, and they give you another little nugget for you to practice on your own!
Episode 9 of the Better Rider Podcast features Jimmy introducing you to one of our coaches, Jim Bartell. Jim shares his previous experience with riding motorcycles before taking our class, and what it was like incorporating our philosophy to his riding style. Jimmy and Jim also give you a nugget about how you can improve your braking when you are out on the trails.
We’re back with another episode of the Better Rider Podcast and in this episode, Jimmy Lewis talks with one of the first coaches, Ryan Hanna. They go into how Ryan became involved when he was 16, how the school helped him, and how we’ve evolved since he helped out. This was a great episode that shows how we change as time goes on and what separates us from the other schools!
If you are thinking you need bar risers, tall seats, or other accessories to make your “small bike” fit you better, you’ll want to listen to this episode first! Jimmy Lewis welcomes long time former coach John Perkins onto this episode to discuss when you need “tall guy accessories” or if you just need to change your body position. John also gives his tip of the episode that can help you feel more comfortable on the bike if you feel that you are too big for it!
Have you heard the popular advice telling off-road riders to stand up? We’ve heard this advice everywhere on the internet, and while we also say standing up can help, we have some points we’d like to make. Like if you should stand up all the time, how to make sure you’re standing up properly, and when standing up can actually hinder your ride. Listen to Jimmy Lewis and Matt Mattoon break all this down in episode 12 of The Better Rider Podcast.
How many times have you been told to grip the motorcycle with your knees, ankles or handlebars? We’ve heard from numerous students that they’ve been told this, and some of which had heard it from us in the past. However, in the last few years we’ve realized that gripping the bike actually may not be the best technique for riders to be using 100% of the time. In this episode of the Better Rider Podcast, Jimmy Lewis and Matt Mattoon break down the misconception of needing to grip your bike the whole time you ride!