Snowmobile training-Beginner class. Learn what is taught in a beginner snowmobile riding course. As a beginning student in a snowmobile training course, patience and safety skills are taught. Our OHV expert,...
As a beginning student in a snowmobile training course, patience and safety skills are taught. Our OHV expert, Bill Uhl, a professional with 48 years experience in the industry, says beginning classes teach people to become comfortable with their machine, whether it be a snowmobile or three-wheeler.
"The first thing is to have a basic understanding of the machine. For example, we explain how the machine works, and show them where the most important stuff is: where the throttle and brakes are at. I put the machines up on the stand so that the track can turn. Then, they understand the engagement of the clutch. You work from a sound and feeling as well as the instrument depending on the learning style or modality of the individual student. Some have to see an instrument to see that this machine's clutch engages at 4500 rpm. Another student, once he or she is able to feel it, he or she won't look at the instrument at all. They want to feel when the clutch engages, so they know when the machine is going to move forward," Uhl says.
In beginning classes, instructors learn how to tune into each student.
"I have to individually breakdown what I do depending on the learning styles of each individual student. That becomes kind of tricky when you're working with groups. You can interweave this whole training thing so that it is possible to train to the student, not trying to have the student learn in the way that you teach," Uhl says.
You can expect similar teachings in the beginning snowmobile classes. Uhl says he likes students to check out the equipment before ever getting on. He says students have to understand they have control over the machine not vice-versa.
"I let them feel and see when the machine is about to go forward. With a snowmobile you have to push the throttle in just the right way. If you push too little nothing happens. If you push too much you will take off like a rocket ship. To alleviate that danger you start with it on a stand, so they get a feeling of what is going to happen. They are scared; they don't know what will happen. Everything is brand new. Another thing that I do, which is not traditional, is to have a person actually kneel on the seat, because you kneel on a snowmobile; you are never in a fixed position. You use your body weight to counterbalance the weight of the machine for cornering and all kinds of maneuvers. If I have them kneel in the seat when they start, the safety factor is if by chance they do push the throttle all the way on and the machine takes off, which you make sure they have a clear field of view so nobody is out there, it bucks them off, and they fall off in the snow. If they are sitting in the machine, they freeze and they grabble on their handle bars. They run into a tree, fence post, or into a big ditch," Uhl says.
Uhl says it's essential to practice right when you are a beginner. If not, it can lead to fear. Then, you quit.
"You have to play in safe arenas to get them introduced to machinery, how they function, what they do, what they sound like, what they feel like, and what they smell like. It takes time for them to learn something very new and different. Example, the other day I had a woman in my motorcycle class who had never drivern a car. She had no idea about equipment, throttles, or clutches. She had no experience in any way, shape or form. That was the first for me. It was really interesting to be able to get her to ride in one afternoon, to get her where she felt comfortable riding a motorcycle and shifting gears," Uhl says.
Beginning classes for off the highway vehicles like snowmobiles can help save your life. Uhl says that's why you'll never regret taking them.
