I took a private lesson with their instructor, Jason, yesterday. I have never ridden a dirt bike before and am not the best version of myself in group class scenarios (I'm sort of shy person). Jason was so kind and generous with me during our lesson. He got me so much further along in terms of my skills and riding ability in a few hours than I thought would be possible, while also being patient and flexible with his teaching method. There's no question I was humbled by some of my own limitations, but Jason identified them and made it a point to not skip over them but help me focus to get better at them. By the end of the class, I even got to ride on a trail beyond him, which seemed far beyond my reach when I first got there. Highly recommend! Can't wait to go back!
-Tyler J. 33 / Snohomish, WA
"As Max's father, I must say Max really enjoyed his training day. It would be a gross understatement to say Max had such a great time because he loved every moment. We are searching now for a bike, which will likely be a Honda like the one he rode. Thanks again to you and Jason for making a remarkable day for Max. Kevin"
-Max W. 13 / Shoreline
Thanks to the guys from DirtFirst for bringing their amazing training to the Tourtech Rally. The course was perfectly balanced between verbal instruction and drills to instill great riding skills for us adventure riders on bigger bikes. When I went on my first major ride the next day, I could still hear Whitney and Jason's instructions and encouragement in my head for an awesome and safe ride. Check it out!
-Garth B. 53 / Vancouver, B.C.
I am a beginner motorcyclist with no experience whatsoever. I took the level 1 class on a cold and rainy day and as I got there I wasn't sure how I was feeling about it. At the end of the day I can truly say that I have enjoyed this class and left feeling more confident. Jason was very patient and knowledgedable. I would definitely go back for level 2. I highly recommend this class!
-Karine C. 47 / Burien, WA
I attended a level 2 course. What a great learning experience! I am really glad I took this course. Jason is an excellent instructor and Ben was right there to help. Both were encouraging and good communicators. If you are considering getting training from this company--do it! You will learn a ton and you will hear "elbows up" a lot, especially if most of your riding was on street bikes. I am moving to more off road riding and this class was an excellent way to build some foundation.
-Jeff R. 60 / Issaquah Wa
I have less than 200 miles on my first motorcycle and it was suggested that by a very experienced rider that I take Whitney's class at DBST.
I spent most of the day with Whitney yesterday, and I can say that Whitney is an unusually gifted instructor. We executed a series of drills, which were reinforced by a series of trail rides, which significantly scaled up my riding. I walked away with far better skills than those with which I walked in. I also walked away with legs that felt like jello and that continue to burn today.
I'm confident that whatever your level of riding experience the folks at DBST will be able to help you scale up. I look forward to returning with more questions after more real world experience and leveling up further.
We're very fortunate here in the general Western Washington area to have this great training resource so close by.
Gerry Z
-Gerry Z. 58 / Bellevue, WA
Nothing short of awesome!!! Jason and Brandon provided private lessons for my family (wife 39, brother 31, son 9) and me (38). The range and coaches are everything you could ever want. Jason knew exactly how to coach me out of some ‘bad’ street bike habits and was able to patiently break down skills so they were easy to execute. Everyone who attended was blown away by the great experience today :-) thanks fellas!
-Force T. 38 / Tulalip
Such an awesome experience! The structure of the program is set up so well you can see your progress throughout the class and practice those skills that you feel are lacking. The hands on training provided by the instructors is wonderful: they are extremely patient, very knowledgeable, and eager to help you become the better rider we all want to be. I very much recommend any of the classes provided for your skill level!
-Stephanie W. 27 / Marysville
I've ridden street bikes most of my life and picked up a few dirt bikes a few years ago. My kids and I have had a great time on them, but without any formal instruction, always felt we didn't have the foundation for the skills needed to ride the trails we wanted to explore. My son and I took the Intermediate class and, now, things make a lot more sense. Wish we could have had these foundational techniques in place before we formed some bad riding practices, but it's never too late. Now we have solid methods we can practice and work on. Looking forward to the advanced class at some point in the future.
Jason and Whitney are excellent instructors: genuine, enthusiastic, and skilled. There was a range of experience and personalities in our class and I enjoyed watching how they adapted to everyone's needs. Everyone seemed to learn, enjoy the day, and express gratitude and a desire to return once it was over.
Most people didn't bring their own bikes and I heard several say they wanted to learn on something they weren't afraid to bang up. We brought our own bikes. My opinion is I want to learn and be trained on the bike I'm riding. That option worked out great for me, and if you have your own dirt or dual sport, I'd suggest you consider taking the training on your own machine. Email Jason and Whitney. Based on your experience, they can give you a recommendation on which option might work best for you.
-Warren H. 47 / Snohomish County
Hi Jason and Whitney! I took your level 2 class on 4/29, and wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed it. Though I had ridden on the street for 30 years, I had never been off-road. I was leaving for an 1,100-mile motorcycle tour in Morocco two days after the Dirt First class, and knew it would include about 10% off-road riding, so I hoped your course would at least give me the basics to be able to participate fully in the tour. Well, it did much more than that. I was not only able to do the entire trip confidently, I even was able to give a fellow novice off-road rider a few tips on how to navigate turns while seated or standing, side hills, and so on! I am so grateful for the expertise that you imparted, and I am 100% sure that it made the difference for me to be able to experience all of what the tour had to offer. In fact, there were several times where I simply could not have continued the tour, had I not had the skills that I acquired at Dirt First. I hope to be back soon for more practice with you, and thank you again for the great day! Best, Ben
-Ben M. 47 / Washington
Jason worked with me and my work schedule to get me out for a private lesson. Upon arriving he took the time to find out where I was at with my riding and where I want to go in the in the near future with it. Not only did he coach me through techniques and drills but explained the body mechanics of how the bike should respond to me and I should respond to the bike. He left me with awesome things to practice and how I can add challenges to the drills as I progress.🕺 Thanks Jason!
-Chad C. 38 / Leavenworth
This was excellent. I took the level one class. It was my first time. The team at dirt first. They did a great job at showing everything little detail step by step in a way that was very easy to comprehend, that builds your confidence helps you feel safe, definitely did a great job at taking any intimidation out of it, I felt super comfortable and it was extremely fun! I’ll definitely be back
-Chad A. 30 / Marysville
A good class, I was able to learn new skills and use them immediately. Thanks for being at Rally in the Gorge 2015.
-Cliff R. / Hood River OR
I attended the intermediate class on fathers day, with the company of my boyfriends dad! We both thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. We learned so many new techniques, and especially as a new rider, learning the correct form of your body positioning was a huge help!! I learned so much about riding in general!
I would definitely take this class again, and I highly recommend it to anyone that is a brand new rider or even with 10 years of experience!
-Sonya S. 23 / Everett
Took the ADV class with Jason. I thought it was better to learn on my Africa Twin, since that was what I would be riding. After watching me ride it for a few minutes, Jason recommended trying a few things on a smaller bike. I was immediately more comfortable and confident. I elected to stay on the smaller bike all day. I recently went on a ride with my Africa Twin and found the training I received on the smaller bike was immediately transferable and made me a much better and more confident rider. Thanks to Jason and his training.
-Mark S. 59 / Puyallup
I consider myself a seasoned off-road adventure rider, having dedicated considerable time to training and honing my skills. After relocating to Seattle, I came across DBST and promptly approached Jason for an advanced level course. To my surprise, he recommended the intermediate level instead. Though hesitant at first, I took his advice. Just an hour into the course, I realized Jason's assessment was spot-on. The day-long session was both challenging and enlightening. I picked up invaluable insights on handling and significantly enhanced my riding skills to use on my KTM 1190 Adventure R. Looking forward to more training opportunities with DBST!
-Renat B. 38 / Seattle
