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
I took a private class with two friends. The instructor was super positive and helpful and the curriculum was top notch. There was plenty of opportunity to practice the skills in the practice area and then go put them to use on the single track at the facility. The instructor took a lot of extra steps to make sure our day was smooth, but the thing I appreciated to most was the attention to safety.
I highly recommend DBST.
-Seth W. 43 / Enumclaw, WA
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
Had so much fun with Jason and Whitney! Those guys really know their stuff, and teaching an old horse new tricks can be a real disaster, but I had a great time. Ladies, these guys can teach women without all that macho stuff that makes us uncomfortable. If you're thinking of taking a class, my advice is: Don't Wait! Once you take their class, you can't look at a dirt trail and not think to yourself "I want to ride that!" Thanks again, guys, I'll be taking another class of yours when I want to better my skills. :)
-Vicky S. 55 / Tri-Cities, WA
I've ridden street for over a decade, but learning how to handle dirt has always been high up on my list of aspirations. I couldn't have imagined a better instructor than Whitney. He was a patient and attentive instructor who adapted to each of his students' levels and progress, and not only showed us the hows & whats, but took the time to make sure we understood the whys.
The course site was perfect - comprehensive and well-maintained, with some fun little trails to zip through between lessons.
Highly recommend these classes for any skill level of riding.
-Benjamin 36 / Seattle
I attended the Dirt First course at the 2017 Touratech Rally using their bike.
Unfortunately I didn't get to practice the techniques right away. I thought I may have wasted the course but I have recently done some dirt rides where the training kicked in and WOW.
My Dirt riding with my 2015 F800GS has improved dramatically. It's like I have a whole new set of tools to draw on when riding. The enjoyment level has gone up twofold.
Thank guys!
-Michael F. 65 / Joseph, Oregon
I had a fantastic private class with Jason. Having barely ridden a motorcycle for many years, I was looking forward to the class but nervous, especially on a large 450 bike. However, even the most basic initial instruction from Jason was enough for me to feel comfortable and confident right away, setting me up to enjoy and learn from all of the training exercises. I think Jason might be one of the best teachers/instructors of anything that I have learned, setting a mood for enjoyment and being professional but approachable. As well as being encouraging and patient, his explanations were clear, he was happy to thoroughly answer questions with deep knowledge and skill, and his demonstrations were incredibly useful. More generally the bikes and riding gear were perfect, and the riding area was well suited to a relative novice. Very impressed, thank you for a great experience DBST!
-Ro 36 / Redmond WA
I've been riding street for over 35 years. In a cross country trip a couple years ago I ran into a couple young men in a small Utah town riding the TAT... After talking with them I had a new bucket list item. But then I knew I'd need to learn some new skills and chance my riding style significantly.
I started with the intermediate class and it was freaking AWESOME!! I learned so much and gained a crazy amount of confidence. Not only with the dirt bike but also with skills that carried over to street riding. I will be going back a few more times over the next couple years ago when I head out on my big adventure in 2020 I can do it with confidence.
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!!
-Jennifer P. 52 / Castle Rock
I recently took the Level 2 class. Jason was our instructor for the day and he was great. He was patient, communicated the lessons very well and made sure everyone was taken care of. His enthusiasm for teaching is obvious. I liked the structure of the day - the lesson, demonstration and practice of what we learned was very helpful. The techniques he taught us were the solid basics I was looking for. And small adjustments made all the difference. I would highly recommend taking this class before you get out and ride. You will enjoy it much more!
-Ashlie M. 50 / Bellevue, WA
I have been riding various street (Harley's, BMW GS, etc.) for the past 10 years, watching the dirt bikes and dual sport scene from the sidelines. I finally made a goal this year to do WABDR, picked up a new bike and started hitting local fire roads. I quickly found that my pavement skills didn't translate to dirt/gravel/rocks, and I was incredibly uncomfortable. Even had a couple incidences that could have ended up really poor. I decided it was time to put the ego aside and get some proper instruction when I found dirt bike safety training.
Fast forward to today, and what I got was the best - and most personalized - instruction I've ever had. Jason and his team are amazing. I learned more in 6 hours than in the past 10 years of riding. I have no doubt this has put me 6 months ahead of where I'd be at learning on my own. The class has an excellent progression of skills, that all build off of the previous skill learned. Riding position on dirt is completely different, and I walked away from today much more confident on dirt than I had ever hoped. Can't wait to come back.
-Travis G. 37 / Snoqualmie, WA
Thank you Lisa and Jason.
I learned a ton and have lot’s to work on. It was a worthwhile class and your teaching skills are great, especially the “Carlton Dance”.
Thank for a great weekend.
Matt
-Matthew W. /
Rode the Oct 2016 training course with Cody Webb, Jason and Whitney. These guys where great to work with, between their descriptions and technical advise pointing out body position, brake , and throttle control. It was awesome seeing how cody pull off going over large tires ,rock sections, and the endurocross track. He made it look effortlessly.
The new skills I learned helped me understand my bad riding habits, and a new derection in what I need to do to better my skills. These guys took the time with each of us on what we could do better. Once we started getting the hang of it. I was rewarding and the enthusiasm from the coaches kept us all wanting more. By the end of the day my skills improved and I now know the proper technics to better practice, and grow in off road riding. I'll be back for more training..
-Aaron R. 45 / Olympia, wa
Our 5 year old daughter Bryn took the beginner class with Jason. I can't thank him enough for his patience and excellent teaching skills. She's now hooked and has her own PW50 and can't wait to take another class.
Troy
-Troy H. 49 / Edmonds
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
I completed the 2-day ADV training class on my BMW 1250 GSA this past weekend and it definitely pushed me beyond my comfort zone, in a very good way. Day 1 was spent getting used to riding dirt in a controlled and safe environment. Jason’s coaching was hands-on, direct and very supportive. I left the day tired and sore but feeling good about my progress. Day 2 was a glorious sunny day riding forest service roads in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. There were some very challenging sections that Jason was able to coach me through when I was doubting my ability to make it. I made it to the top and was very happy I persevered and was able to complete the ride. I now have skills and knowledge that I can utilize both on and off the road that will make me a safer rider. I feel much more confident when my bike loses traction and I know how to react, and more importantly how the bike will react, in those situations. I highly recommend this course to anyone that wants to improve their overall riding skills and get more comfortable riding in the dirt.
-Mark R. 60 / Bothell
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
