Probably have 100K miles on BMW plus several K on other bikes. Proves that any on with some mechanical skills can ride mostly on pavement, in a straight line, and fast. Switch to dirt and the game changes. A little late in life maybe to learn off road but I chose well. Jason of DBST did a fine job of keeping me on track and my head AND body in the game. Great demeanor, patience and skills. Even picked up my bike on a trail ride when the vegetation pulled me off the track : >}. I learned a lot. especially to practice practice on a lighter bike before taking my R1200GS on single track. I intend to be back to glean more confidence and skills. Thanks Jason.
-Dave 71 / Puyallup WA
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
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
Our 10 year old Grandson took this class yesterday and we are still talking about the amazing experience. He did not want to stop at the end of the day and will not stop talking about getting on his bike to practice (like the "guys" told him he should do). He went from being very tentative to now knowing how to control his bike, brake, shift, get safely off a hill and on and on. We will be signing him up for more classes. The best way to describe what these guys offered is my favorite 3 P's: Pride, Perseverance, and Patience!
-Jayden R. 10 / Monroe, WA
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
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 recently purchased an adventure bike and was looking for an introduction to off-road riding, I participated in the level 2 class this past weekend in Marysville. I have ridden a road bike on and off for a handful of years but had never even sat on a dirt bike before this class.
The lead instructor was Jason and the second instructor was David, both exceptional riders and great teachers. Jason taught the level two class, made up of 7 or 8 students of all different shapes, sizes and abilities. The class and all of the lessons were useful to each and everyone of us. Each of us tested our abilities and I think we all felt greatly improved by the end of the class albeit each a little humbled.
Off road riding is difficult and this class showed me how little I knew of it. I hope to be able to practice riding over the next 6 months or a year and then take level two again to further improve and add to the skills I am building.
Jason as a teacher was extremely likeable and while demanding of the students, was always there to applaud and reinforce the students as they succeeded and/or improved.
I rented the bike from them, which I would highly recommend, they have a variety of sizes of bikes and made sure to have everyone on an appropriately sized machine. The bike they assigned me was in great shape and clearly well taken care of.
Overall, I am very satisfied with the class and thought both Jason and David were great instructors, I'd be happy and lucky to take another class with either of them and will definitely be returning to Dirt Bike Safety Training in the future for more lessons.
-Keith M. 40 / Seattle, WA
I have known Whitney and Jason for some time and have ridden and trained with both. They are both amazing dirt riders and are out riding and participating in many events within the community. They are also wonderful rider coaches and are patient, knowledgeable and have the ability to help you greatly improve your riding skills.
I highly recommend, no matter what level of skills you posses, to get with them to build your skill level and become even a better rider both on and off road. They don't teach "on-road" curriculum but I honestly feel that off-road training will hugely benefit you on the street. In fact, I think it is beneficial for new riders to get some off-road training before they venture out on the street. Hope to see you out on the trails.
-Tracy J. 41 / Mercer Is.
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 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
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
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
6 hour private lesson with Jason, on DBST bike, to prepare for an adventure bike outing. Logical, building block instruction, clearly communicated. Terrific experience; planning on following up with several additional Group II sessions.
-George M. 75 / Friday Harbor
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
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
My 13-yr old daughter and a friend signed up for the 2-day camp in July. Jason is an amazing teacher, he is very knowledgeable and a great coach. My daughter said riding a dirt bike is much harder than she thought it would be but Jason made learning fun. He is direct in his approach without being intimidating and is very patient. I would highly recommend Jason and his school to anyone! Well worth the investment in time and money.
-Mike M. 55 / Bellevue
