WOLFE DEN
This part of the site will include testing results, safety tips and what's new etc.
More Training makes you a better rider!
In the years I spent investigating and reconstructing motorcycle/car crashes, there were two phrases that came up often. One was, "I never saw the motorcycle" and the other was "I made eye contact with the driver". In some cases both phrases were stated at the same crash. This was a bit confusing to me until I became a police motor officer and instructor. The more students I talked with, the more crashes I reconstructed and the more I talked with drivers of four wheeled vehicles, it became clear to me that most drivers do NOT view a motorcycle as a threat to them in the event of a crash.
I cannot prove this, however, I would bet money that when a motorcyle is approaching a intersection and a car waiting to turn left, starts to turn and abruptly stops, there was a larger vehicle behind or off set from the motorcycle. And if the vehicle turns in front of the motorcycle, there was NOT a larger vehicle close to the motorcycle. If you take time and think about it you just might reach the same conclusion.
I know these see and be seen safety campaigns mean well, but, I don't believe they will ever be very effective. Instead, I believe the key to being safe when riding is the rider being trained PROPERLY and being able to respond instantly, correctly and without having to think about it when confronted with a dangerous situation. Proper training and practice is the best way to have a safe and fun ride. You should always continue to improve your riding skills and practice, practice, practice!
I hope all have a safe and enjoyable riding season, and I hope to see you and your friends at one of our classes.
Doug Wolfe
Midwest Police Motorcycle Training Inc
Lead instructor
03/23/14
______________________________________________
We completed the first phase of testing on the 2014 Road King Police motor.
I must admit I was pleasantly surprised by the results. Keep in mind these are the first tests we have performed and we have several more to do just in braking. I did do a little slow work but was not able to be to aggressive due to the new clutch. I will address the slow ride testing and then the braking.
The 2014 Road King was more than able to complete a 17' 9" Keyhole with a 4' entry and a 4' chute. It turns very much like a 07 without stops. I'm very confident the 2014 can do a 16' keyhole and will attempt this as soon as the clutch is broken in. The torque curve is noticeably different and will take some getting used to. I did not notice the slingshot effect when accelerating hard to a gate and then braking hard to enter the gate that is present with the 12 and 13 Road Kings. Overall I give the 2014 a B+ in slow work until further testing.
Ok, now for the braking. Folks, I think Harley got it right this time. The 2014 stops really well. There is NO free wheeling when the front brake is applied aggressively. When the ABS engages there is not violent pulsating as is with the 2012 and 2013's. And it stops fast! I've listed the stats comparing ABS and non ABS brakes. The non ABS motorcycle is a 2011 Road King Police and the ABS is a 2014 Road King Police motorcycle. If you have any questions or comments you can respond on Midwest face book. I give the 2014 a A- in braking until we complete all of the testing.
Rear brake only- 2011 30mph 88.3' (brake locked) 2014 30mph 62.8'
Maximum controlled braking
30 mph 2011 38'3" 2014 29'4"
35 mph 2011 45'9" 2014 42'4"
39-40 mph 2014 50'
40 mph 2014 (without engaging ABS) 62'3"
The 2011 was ridden by Larry Telling and I rode the 2014.
Pittsburgh Rides: Motorcycle Boot Camp
Article in Newspaper!
Pittsburgh Rides: Motorcycle Boot Camp
October 21, 2010
The Midwest Police Motorcycle Training School for Civilians helps riders break bad habits.
By Al Iaconis
Rather than chance a U-turn on a narrow road, do you ride a quarter mile out of the way just to find a parking lot? Or when you approach a stoplight or stop sign, do you look like an airplane coming in with your feet out to the sides like landing gear?
Any of you who ride big touring bikes know what I'm talking about. Anyone can ride an 800-pound motorcycle straight down the road at 60 miles per hour, but it's that tight maneuver in a gas station lot that increases the pucker factor.
Ride and Write
Welcome to Pittsburgh Rides, our regular feature on motorcycling. Here we bring you the latest in rides, trends and events, but we need your input. We're looking for voices from the local biking community willing to share (in roughly 500 words) your experiences on the road and what you think is hot on wheels. Send your story or pitch to Weekend editor Scott Mervis at smervis@post-gazette.com.
If the above strikes a chord, you are not alone.
For years, riding like a cop was always a goal or maybe a fantasy. No longer. This summer I attended the Midwest Police Motorcycle Training School for Civilians. It's an intense four days of learning how to make those tight maneuvers and controlled braking exercises that you see motor cops perform. Maybe a better description is breaking bad riding habits and learning new safer techniques. After 50 years of riding, breaking those bad habits was harder than learning how to make a tight U-turn.
Doug Wolfe runs the training school. He is a no-nonsense retired motor cop from Troy, Mich. He along with Larry Schultz, a current motor cop, conduct the course in a professional and demanding style. They are both competition riders and accept only perfection from their students. A student can use his/her own motorcycle or rent a Harley-Davidson Police model Road King. My recommendation is that you rent a motorcycle. (By the way, don't call it a bike; it's a motor or motorcycle.) Their motorcycles are in excellent condition and, as you learn to master the more difficult maneuvers, it will not be uncommon for the motorcycle to meet the asphalt.
The school offers three levels of training: Primary, Advanced Level 1 and Advanced Level 2. Before a student can progress to the advanced levels he or she must successfully complete the primary course. The primary course is a challenge no matter how many years of riding experience you may have.
The first day begins with four hours of classroom instruction. After lunch, they move to the range where Mr. Wolfe and Mr. Schultz start by teaching the student how to mount and dismount the motorcycle and how to lift the heavy Road King after dumping it. From that point on, it's learning five close-quarter maneuvers: the cone weave, a 90-degree left and right pull out from a stop, a rolling 90-degree left and right turn, a figure-eight maneuver and a left and right U-turn. After successfully practicing and demonstrating the close-quarter maneuvers, students progress to road speed avoidance and controlled breaking exercises.
The primary class had the most demanding series of exercises I ever performed on a motorcycle. The course challenges the rider physically and mentally. You need to get your head into these moves, and Mr. Wolfe and Mr. Schultz are there to correct any bad habits you demonstrate. It's not a class for the faint of heart or those with a thin skin.
To gain a certificate of completion and qualify for the advanced classes, the student must successfully demonstrate these primary exercises. The demonstration is the afternoon of day four.
I plan to return to the school, but if you are wondering, it won't be to attend an advanced level class.
To learn more about Midwest Police Motorcycle Training for Civilians go to www.midwestmotorcycletraining.com.
Al Iaconis is a cyclist living in McMurray.
First Published October 21, 2010 12:00 am
Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/life/pittsburgh-rides/pittsburgh-rides-motorcycle-boot-camp-269480/#ixzz2T3K52vfE
Pittsburgh Rides: Motorcycle Boot Camp
October 21, 2010
The Midwest Police Motorcycle Training School for Civilians helps riders break bad habits.
By Al Iaconis
Rather than chance a U-turn on a narrow road, do you ride a quarter mile out of the way just to find a parking lot? Or when you approach a stoplight or stop sign, do you look like an airplane coming in with your feet out to the sides like landing gear?
Any of you who ride big touring bikes know what I'm talking about. Anyone can ride an 800-pound motorcycle straight down the road at 60 miles per hour, but it's that tight maneuver in a gas station lot that increases the pucker factor.
Ride and Write
Welcome to Pittsburgh Rides, our regular feature on motorcycling. Here we bring you the latest in rides, trends and events, but we need your input. We're looking for voices from the local biking community willing to share (in roughly 500 words) your experiences on the road and what you think is hot on wheels. Send your story or pitch to Weekend editor Scott Mervis at smervis@post-gazette.com.
If the above strikes a chord, you are not alone.
For years, riding like a cop was always a goal or maybe a fantasy. No longer. This summer I attended the Midwest Police Motorcycle Training School for Civilians. It's an intense four days of learning how to make those tight maneuvers and controlled braking exercises that you see motor cops perform. Maybe a better description is breaking bad riding habits and learning new safer techniques. After 50 years of riding, breaking those bad habits was harder than learning how to make a tight U-turn.
Doug Wolfe runs the training school. He is a no-nonsense retired motor cop from Troy, Mich. He along with Larry Schultz, a current motor cop, conduct the course in a professional and demanding style. They are both competition riders and accept only perfection from their students. A student can use his/her own motorcycle or rent a Harley-Davidson Police model Road King. My recommendation is that you rent a motorcycle. (By the way, don't call it a bike; it's a motor or motorcycle.) Their motorcycles are in excellent condition and, as you learn to master the more difficult maneuvers, it will not be uncommon for the motorcycle to meet the asphalt.
The school offers three levels of training: Primary, Advanced Level 1 and Advanced Level 2. Before a student can progress to the advanced levels he or she must successfully complete the primary course. The primary course is a challenge no matter how many years of riding experience you may have.
The first day begins with four hours of classroom instruction. After lunch, they move to the range where Mr. Wolfe and Mr. Schultz start by teaching the student how to mount and dismount the motorcycle and how to lift the heavy Road King after dumping it. From that point on, it's learning five close-quarter maneuvers: the cone weave, a 90-degree left and right pull out from a stop, a rolling 90-degree left and right turn, a figure-eight maneuver and a left and right U-turn. After successfully practicing and demonstrating the close-quarter maneuvers, students progress to road speed avoidance and controlled breaking exercises.
The primary class had the most demanding series of exercises I ever performed on a motorcycle. The course challenges the rider physically and mentally. You need to get your head into these moves, and Mr. Wolfe and Mr. Schultz are there to correct any bad habits you demonstrate. It's not a class for the faint of heart or those with a thin skin.
To gain a certificate of completion and qualify for the advanced classes, the student must successfully demonstrate these primary exercises. The demonstration is the afternoon of day four.
I plan to return to the school, but if you are wondering, it won't be to attend an advanced level class.
To learn more about Midwest Police Motorcycle Training for Civilians go to www.midwestmotorcycletraining.com.
Al Iaconis is a cyclist living in McMurray.
First Published October 21, 2010 12:00 am
Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/life/pittsburgh-rides/pittsburgh-rides-motorcycle-boot-camp-269480/#ixzz2T3K52vfE
