Bike Requirements
We keep the bike requirements simple. Any lens that could shatter if the motor goes down needs to be covered with tape. The most common tape used is blue painter’s tape. It’s cheap, easy to put on, and it comes off easily at the end of the training. Other than that requirement, you’ll be riding your motor as you drove it in.
Rider Requirements
We recognize that you are all professional motorcycle riders, and as such you can decide what you need to wear for rider gear. Helmets are not optional, but after that you can dress as your department dictates. We would recommend full coverage (boots, gloves, pants and long sleeves) as you will be riding as speeds well above what you are used to for training. Think highway speeds and above, and you’ll get the right idea. We have had departments in the past who wanted to ride in leather jackets, but their department had not issued them. If that’s the case, our instructors have garages full of spare riding gear. Let us know if that’s your situation, and we’ll have all sorts of gear you can borrow. Our attitude is We’re All In This Together.
We do ask that you do not ride with your sidearms. In the past, departments have stored them in the bags of a motor that will not be on the track or in a separate vehicle.
The Schedule
We will accommodate the fact that you are on the clock and may have to stay within a normal duty day, and so the times and flow of the day are somewhat flexible.
0730 – Fishtail staff arrives to get the all-important coffee maker up and running (you’ll be drinking Vermont Artisan Coffee, and we’ll warn you now that it will ruin you for anything else). We’ll have pastries, fruit and water waiting as well.
0800-0900 – Departments arrive and prepare their motors.
0900 – Safety brief
0920 – First motors on track
0920 – 1200 – We’ll split everyone into 2 groups for the day. You will alternate between the classroom and the track for 20-minute on-track sessions.
1200 – 1300 – Lunch break. The Smoke Shack from Boscawen, NH caters our events, and the barbeque is amazing. If you need something other than charred flesh for lunch, just let us know in advance, and we’re happy to make that happen.
1300 – End of duty day – We have the track until 1700 for the day, and we’ll use just about all of it. However, again, we understand you may be restricted by your duty day and may have to leave before then. We are here to serve you, so let us know what you need, and we’ll make it happen.
We are more than excited to have you join us. This has become one of the most rewarding days of the season for us, and on multiple occasions we’ve had return officers come up to us at the beginning of the day and say, “You saved my life this past year.” That’s as good as it gets.
Don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or need us to tweak to fit your department’s needs.