Dirt Wise with Shane Watts

[GasGas]

Just spent 2 days doing a Dirt Wise School with Shane Watts. If you ever have the opportunity to do one of these schools I would highly recommend it. Shane is an awesome instructor and delivers what you paid for. We all learned a ton of stuff and now know why we are making mistakes out on the trail and what steps we need to take to fix them. Get a group of guys together and book a school. He will come to you if you have the place and the people.

Day 1 http://dualsport.smugmug.com/2012RideReports/Day-1/2012-05-20-Shane-Watts/23101490_dM9zNB#!i=1859922475&k=DPgvGgK

 

[Mazikeen]

Nice, I am anxiously awaiting confirmation for their Denver NC class later this year, vacation is saved, wife knows, this is a must have thing for me! Glad to hear it is what I expected from reading reviews.

 

[pscook]

June 29-30 near Seattle. Secured the last open spot last month. Lucky me! Can't wait to get some pointers on my (many) shortcomings.

 

[Tim H]

Great class, you won't regret it.
Amusing story: I have the distinction of having suffered the worst injury ever at a Shane Watts school (by far, according to Shane), and I wasn't even taking the class! My son took it a couple of years ago, and I went along to watch/help with the class (volunteer flagger for starting drills so Shane was free to critique). Just after lunch on day one, another kid taking the class totally lost control of his WR250F Yamaha, whiskey throttled it across about 60 feet of free ground behind my back, and just as I was turning around to see what was coming he fell off and the bike launched off of a little berm and flew straight into my left knee cap, folding my knee backwards (about 70 degrees according to my Ortho doc's estimate), completely crushing the tibial plateau (weight bearing surface of the bottom of the knee, the radiologist that did the CAT scan compared the top of my tibia to a handful of Rice Krispies). Got a ride to the hospital while the kid finished class on day 1, went to the Everett Endurocross that night, let the boy finish school the next day, then went home and got it all fixed up (6 hours or reconstructive surgery to put the pieces back together, 3 months of ZERO weight bearing on the left leg, lots of therapy). Works amazingly well now. Thank God for a great surgeon and really good genes (I have always healed well).

Tim H

 

[GasGas]

Just make sure your bikes are all serviced with clean oil and filter, because your going to ride the crap out of them. Eat well and hydrate before you go and get some good sleep because your going to need it. By the end of the second day you will be pretty worn out.

Shane critiquing on the right.

 

[GasGas]

Day 2
http://dualsport.smugmug.com/2012RideReports/Shane-Watts/Shane-Watts-Day-2/23125979_9vZSPJ#!i=1862624017&k=7mjtCGJ

My brother

 

[GasGas]

Shane Watts.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pj2l8zG6QIk

 

[mcnut]

I'm no Mr. Watts but I'd say you show good form. Where's your bro's plastic?

 

[GasGas]

My bro's pathetic rad shroud is back in the field some where. The rad shrouds need a serious rethink GasGas. Such a nice bike, with such crappy rad shrouds.

 

[mcnut]

We've put zip ties on the mounting tabs. I also put a dab of silicone on all the hardware and those little clips that connect the upper & lower shrouds. Haven't lost a part since.
I probably just jinxed myself.

 

[GMP]

Maybe the factory could give the '12 owners revised '13 plastic considering the late deliveries? Would be a nice gesture and good PR for customer service/support.