I took the ADV bike safety class a few months ago and have made an earnest effort to put the skills I learned into practice since that time.
I decided to post this testimonial because I'm earnestly astonished that my off-road abilities have improved so drastically after just 1 day of education and application of proper off-road technique. Today, I'm safely conquering terrain that would have sent me flying off my bike previously, haha!
1 caveat: the class is physically demanding, and it's a full day. Be prepared.
I'm looking forward to signing up for the next class in the series!
-Jake M. 49 / Tigard, OR
I took the level one class and was very impressed with how much I learned in one day. I bought a Beta 125 RR-S and came back for the second level class. I couldn't have been happier by the end of the day. I started the class being very nervous and scared of my own bike. I left the class with a ton of confidence, enough to start learning how to do jumps which is something I never thought I would have the courage to do. I will definitely be back in the near future for more lessons to perfect my skills and body positioning. Thank you again!
-Rachel 30 / Seattle
I took the Level I and II courses a month into learning to ride, and, a year later, I can say they were the best thing I did to improve my riding. The clear instruction combined with the controlled low traction environment reveal so much about the fundamentals of good riding (lean angle, body position, traction management, ...). Also, the dirt experience prepared me to turn down fire roads and rip on some fun light adventure rides.
I took Level II again a year later as a refresher / skill assessment. Definitely worth coming back to the course more than once as so much is covered and the instructors will find ways to push you.
Also, it's just plain fun. Friendly atmosphere. Small class sizes. A single track course with swoopy turns and just enough sticker bushes to keep your adrenaline up.
-Marc 33 / Seattle, WA
Our 10 year old son begged us to let him ride a dirtbike for quite awhile. We were hesitant, especially since neither my wife nor I have any experience riding. Jason and Whitney are great. They are super knowledgeable and friendly!! They truly enjoy what they do and it shows! The lessons our son has taken with them have been terrific. We now have a dirtbike addict in our family. We would highly recommend Dirtbike Safety Training here in Washington!
-Josh C. 44 / Seattle
Attended level 2 class. It was my first experience on dirt and it was fantastic. Instructors were positive and encouraging the whole time. I was particularly impressed with Jason's ability to explain the exercises in a variety of different ways so that they made sense to all the riders there, not just what to do but why to do it that way. The school bikes are nice rides, too. Wholeheartedly recommend training here for anyone who wants to learn to ride off pavement safely, efficiently, and enjoyably.
-John C. 39 / Redmond, WA
I attended the 2022 Odessa 100 Clinic today. Amazing! I cannot express how impressed I was with Jason and his training. You can certainly tell that he loves what he does and he is great at it too. I hope to attend more training classes in the future.
Feeling exhausted yet super excited with the new riding skills I learned today.
I cannot thank you enough, Jason.
-Holly S. 53 / Odessa WA
I had a level 2 class today. I'm not a good rider and I was looking to polish skills and focus on technique to gain confidence in my dirt rides. I've taken other classes in the past but Jason is not only a great teacher (awesome communication and energy) but also his knowledge of body posture and bike handling offroad is second to none.
if you are considering this class, stop and sign up. This is investing on you. I know now how to really break offroad without an Ohh S××t moment.
thank you DBST and Jason.
-Jose R. 41 / Burien, WA
As a seasoned street rider, with 20+ yrs exp, riding everything from imports to Harleys, I figured there wasn't a whole lot of curriculum that would apply to me.... Boy was I wrong!!! I hired Mr. Jason Sherman to take me out on a private lesson. Wow, was I ever grateful. To Begin, Mr. Sherman was polite, professional, great at communicating and demonstration, and an all around pleasure to ride with. It amazed me, through his instruction, how much different the dirt from the street really is. In every exercise he was very thorough and helpful. He even helped me fine tune some of the control aspects of the Honda CRF 450x to fit me personally. From beginning to end, I had fun, and most importantly, learned valuable skills to keep the ride safe. I have already booked a follow up appointment for my next lesson! Thank you very much Dirt First and Mr. Jason Sherman.
-JD S. 40 / Marysville, WA
My husband and I took the Advanced Skills (Level II) class together on July 14th and were so glad we took this class! This was a fantastic class and just what we needed to get to the next level to improve our techniques and skills. It exceeded my expectations! Jason was so patient, professional and passionate about teaching which made it so easy to pick up the new skills he demonstrated and helped us practice. He is an excellent instructor and easy to learn from. I highly recommend taking this class at least a few times. Can't wait to take the level III class when I am ready... hopefully soon! :)
-Irina P. 35 / Bothell
If you’re a street rider and need more confidence and applicable skills to get more from your road rides, then consider getting dirty in one of these classes.
Not only will you hear plenty of relevant 80s references, like a VH1 flashback show, but you’ll be perched atop dirt bike seats as comfortable as an Olympic gymnastic balance beam. You’ll learn about “V Traction” techniques and proper elbow placement while your thighs burn as you push through practice drills and (thankfully) short, but fun trail rides.
You’ll soon discover almost everything you knew about riding a street bike is null and void if you want to ride in the dirt. However, don’t turn in your cruiser or sport bike just yet. The skills you learn are fully transferable back to your street ride and will also be handy if you decide to pursue more dirt riding.
Allow co-owner Jason to delight you with his tremendous depth and breadth of riding knowledge and real-world (ah, an 80s reference) experience. He’s demanding and detailed, yet incredibly supportive and very safety-minded…kinda like your grandmother with a mustache.
I recommend anyone looking to improve themselves to try a class with this group, especially if you like ballroom dancing. It’s an inside, but useful, reference so you’ll have to take the class to find our more.
-Matt S. 52 / Bremerton, WA
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
Grew up with a dirt bike that I rode daily. Stopped riding dirt in my late teens. Got back into riding street more than 10 years ago and ride a lot. All that adds up to YEARS of bad habits for riding dirt the way it should be ridden to be safe. Enter Dirt Bike Safety Training with Jason and Carrie. We rode at the site near Tulalip and I can't recommend it enough. The dirt there is magic. The most confidence inspiring possible. And that doesn't mention the real jewels! The instructors were fun and engaging. They made me want to practice a skillset even though it was challenging. Just sign up for the appropriate class for you. And practice after you go!
-Paul K. 44 / 98290
Great learning experience! It was awesome having the trail rides, then doing a couple exercises and being able to immediately apply the skills on the trail. Very cool see how you improved through out the day. Patient instruction and willingness to take the extra time to ensure you understand and do it correctly. Super fun day on the dirt bikes!
-CANDACE B. 26 / MARYSVILLE
I'm normally a rider in the middle of the pack, not the fastest, but I can handle pretty much any type of single track. Went into the level 2 class expecting to learn a few tricks, maybe a new way of doing something, at the least I'd have a fun day on two wheels, but what could I really learn, right? Boy was I wrong, way wrong, well I still had a great day on my bike, but I couldn't believe how many things I was doing wrong.
From the start it was obvious the instructors where excited to help, and fully vested in your learning and saftey. Every drill we ran was designed to build confidence, slowly adding things to make your riding base better. Can't wait to practice more and use what I've learned. I'll be taking the level 3 class later, can't wait to see what improvements that will bring!
-Cassidy S. 38 / Tulalip
I've been a street rider for 15 years and got my first dual sport a few years back. I've done a little off road riding, but frankly I'm terrified of it. My husband thought this would help me gain some skills that would boost my confidence and make it more enjoyable. He decided he could probably learn a thing or two as well, so we took the level 2 class together.
First of all, wow! it's hard work! I learned so much from this class though! I think it was definitely a little harder since I've been a street rider for so long; there are a lot of things that are quite opposite between the two riding methods. To be honest, I was beside myself with anxiety; how many times am I going to drop my bike, how many people are going to be waiting for me, how frustrated are people going to be with my lack of skill, etc. But our instructor (the owner, Jason) was absolutely fantastic and so incredibly patient with me. There was no judgement from anyone and it seemed like everyone in our group was learning and having fun too. Even in our group of 8, which they considered large, everyone got some real personal attention and coaching. By the end of the day I was able to ride and actually maneuver in sand, which is something I've never been able to do - skill or confidence-wise. And my husband, who has done some pretty extreme off road riding learned a lot as well. The principles behind the teaching methods here are pretty spot on and I'm definitely excited to ride more now! I also believe it would be worth taking the class again to really master some of the skills learned here. I would recommend this operation to pretty much anyone interested in off road riding - there are 3 levels of skill courses, so there's something for everyone and you'd be amazed at how even just a little coaching can improve your riding. Thank you Jason!
-Lara D. 40 / Portland, OR
I had a great time learning a lot of new information to help transfer some of my "seasoned " street abilities over to off road. A very humbling experience ; ) but that is exactly why I decided to take the Level II class to gather more information and experience to become a better/safer rider while out on my adventure rides. Our groups instructor Jason was very hands on, informative, encouraging making sure everyone understood the principles that were being taught! I will definitely be looking forward to the next class that I will be able to take.
-Gary P. 58 / Tulalip
