THERE is something more important than making sure your kids have the right bike, the right helmet, the right boots and the right protective gear: decent rider training.

You don't actually need protective gear on the rides where you don't crash…

I've enjoyed a number of rider training courses over the years, and now my sons Damien (aged 10) and Matthew (aged 6) have too. Over three Sundays we made the trek down to Sydney to the Trailblazers riding school, where the incredibly patient chief instructor Mike Coles put the kids through their paces and brought their skills up from wobbling around to confidently taking on new challenges.

The Course
Trailblazers doesn't run motocross-based training, this is far more basic than that: from raw beginners who have never thrown a leg over a motorcycle through to kids who have ridden around paddocks, the basic Trailblazers course is aimed at improving skills and technique, not smashing berms, railing ruts and winning races.
Thus, it was absolutely perfect for my kids. Matthew is still wobbling around on his pushbike, let alone able to ride a motorcycle, but with Mike's patience and persistence he was soon lapping the short oval at Trailblazers' Dural venue on a TT-R50, while Damien was riding the bigger TT-R90.

Trailblazers run their courses for two hours each Sunday for three weeks. Dural is a bit of a hike from our Newcastle base - nearly four hours of driving to get the kids there and back - but the kids were mentally, if not physically - drained from the concentration required when learning to ride, so I now understand why they only run for two hours each day.Trailblazers kicked off a few years back when of Coles' sons wanted a bike-themed birthday party - but Mike couldn't find anyone who was hosting such a thing, so he started doing so, and you can still book a birthday party at Trailblazers.Since then the company has moved into training, mainly for youngsters 5-15 years old.The training is based on Motorcycling Australia's Kick Start program, which covers the safety aspects of riding (Trailblazers can supply armour, helmets, gloves, neck braces and other gear, you just need to wear jeans and long-sleeved shirt and decent footwear to participate), how to operate the different bikes and then given some one-on-one training with an instructor.

As the kids' skills improve they are moved on to different areas of the six acre property – there are six different trails winding around the place, and each one offers different challenges. Matthew, being the only youngster on a TT-R50, didn't attempt some of the tougher trails, but the older kids were attacking the off-camber uphills, tight trails and steep climbs with gusto - and the occasional bruise. Crashing is a part of learning, which is why Trailblazers always state 'safety first', and there are always first-aid trained staff on hand. They bounce well when young though: both my boys had big 'offs' but got back on and into the riding once the tears were wiped away – I would have been nursing bruises and telling tales for weeks after crashes like theirs.By the end of the course the more advanced kids are mud sliding and jumping logs: for Damien the biggest benefit of the course was improving his confidence, while Matthew went from complete novice to expert rider (just ask him, he will tell you) in just three two hour lessons.Graduates of the Trailblazers course can return for Open Riding Sessions which run a few times per month to keep their skills up, too.

Bikes and gear
Trailblazers is support by Yamaha: there's a fleet of machines from 50-250cc and ATVs too. They are equipped with Barkbusters, tethered kill switches and restricted throttles. Yamalube/Inox oils and lubricants and Kenda tyres are used, too. RXT helmets are used and Yuasa batteries.

Costs
The Trailblazers course is $300 per students (two hours per weekend for three weeks). A birthday party costs $540 for a two hour session of up to eight children between seven and 13 years. Family training sessions and Father and Son training session are also popular and there's also Trailblazers' program for talented juniors. Check with Trailblazers for details on these courses.

Who and Where
Website - www.trailblazers.net.au
Facebook - Trailblazers Sydney
Youtube - Trailblazers Sydney
Phone: 02 9653 9815
Email: contactus@trailblazers.net.au
-Nigel Paterson