I can't believe 2017 is here. It seems like a year flies by in no time.
MCrider was announced in July of 2016 with our initial episode. In episode 1 I talked about why I started MCrider. MCrider is an extension of what I do on a regular basis, teaching the MSF class in the Dallas / Ft Worth area. But, it is also more than just the MSF class. The Motorcycle Safety Foundation has some pretty strict guidelines and a script that they want coaches to follow when teaching a new rider class. Those guidelines are for good reason, they want to assure that all the basics are covered and that everyone gets similar training available to them. I wanted to teach more, there is much more to riding a motorcycle than can be taught in a two day class. MCrider gives me an outlet to teach some other things besides what is included in the two day MSF class. Also when I teach a class I am restricted to 8 students at a time. When I release a new video on MCrider I teach hundreds of people in the first 24 hours of the video's release… and those numbers are growing every week.
Since MCrider was launched on YouTube we have gained 1000 subscribers, with 518,000 views and if you total the number of minutes our videos have been watched in the months since launch in July of 2016 they have been watched for 2 years, 159 days.
To my knowledge there is not another YouTube channel or website quite like MCrider. There are others who have some motorcycle or product reviews, many motorcycle vloggers and a few that release the occasional training video. But there are none that offer a weekly motorcycle training video that focuses on a single topic with a single goal, to help you become a better rider. I hope MCrider can continue to grow, we need it to continue to grow for it to become the site that I have pictured in my head.
In a sense MCrider started as an experiment to see if it would work. I did not know if it would find success but I wanted to release videos that were more than some biker riding around through the streets talking about random subjects as they rode. I wanted MCrider to be more than a review of the latest bike or gear, though we will continue to release those types of videos on occasion. MCrider is about you. Of all the things that make up effective riding and control of a motorcycle the most important component is you.
My challenge for myself this year is to become a better rider, I hope you will follow me on that journey. I will share with you what I know, I will share with you what I learn, we will make mistakes together but hopefully when we recap 2017 we will all be better riders. Riders with more control and a better understanding of the strategies that help us enjoy the ride.
Here are a few of the topics and series I have planned for the 2017 season of MCrider.
- Cornering Series – This series will not only break down the art of cornering a motorcycle but will give you other options than what is taught in the two day MSF class. Our last episode of 2016 focussed on how a motorcycle turns.
- Ride Like a Cop Series – This one I am really excited about. I do some of this type of riding on my own now and I have taken a few classes that teach the techniques of some of the most controlled riders on two wheels but I have a lot to learn. We will have a series of videos this year that will teach the majority of the techniques that Moto Officers are taught in their Moto Officer training class. If this type of riding interests you…stay tuned.
- New Rider Series – I often forget that not everyone has sound riding techniques to build from. We will focus on the fundamentals for new riders and help many experienced riders break bad habits that have crept into your riding technique.
- Many other riding topics – Head and eyes, trail braking, touring tips and break & swerve.
It will be an exciting year! I can't wait to get started with the release of Episode 14 on January 10th.
Godspeed,
Kevin
See you on the road!
