Some short videos
about the courses:
Click on the picture to view
Welcome to the Ride
Basic RiderCourse Highlights
Group Riding
Common Road
About The Management
Motorcycle Training Specialists Inc.
The RiderCoaches and leaders of the company have been around for quite a while. The leadership of this organization have over 50 years of experience with MSF courses. Along with the other RiderCoaches that work with MTSI we can offer you the most experienced staff providing rider education in this area.
We look forward to many years of providing the most up-to-date courses available from The Motorcycle Safety Foundation
Rick Shipman
President and Rider Coach
My name is Rick Shipman and I have been involved with Motorcycle Safety Classes for ten years now. I took my first course in 1990 and became so pleased with it that I started volunteering as a range aide four years later. Although I have been riding for over 30 years I learn more with each class that I have been a part of ever since.
I have been a certified as an instructor for ten years now and have taught over 300 classes. It has been a pleasure to work with so many people from the classes because usually the unique interest we share is motorcycles and the thrill of “knees in the breeze”. And the different perspectives presented in the classroom provide a richer learning experience for everybody present.
My “real “job at this time is as an Research machinist in the Industrial Engineering Department at Wichita State University. I have also graduated with a B.S. in Manufacturing Technology, from Southwestern College.
I have lived in the Wichita area for 20 years now and have a 16 year old daughter that I hope to hire as a range aide this year. She is really looking forward to helping her "ol man" out with the classes now that I have taught her to ride her dirt bike around the yard.
I have been involved with Motorcycle Rights organizations for 20 years and have made lots of good friends over the years.
I look forward to teaching another three or four hundred classes with this new company as well as meeting all of the students that want to improve their riding skills
Ride Safe
Mike Harlan
Treasurer/RiderCoach
Hi! Let me introduce myself, my name is Mike Harlan. Call me Mike.
I’m a husband, father and grandfather. I’ve just recently retired from a long career in the U.S. Air Force. Now, when I’m not teaching folks to ride motorcycles I can be found taking classes at Wichita State University in pursuit of a Business Management degree.
I first started riding motorcycles in 1976. Over the years, I was given the opportunity to take several motorcycle safety classes. I noticed that these classes made sense. There was noticeable improvement in my riding skills after taking them. This realization developed into the desire to learn as much as I could. I eventually decided to become an Instructor and teach others. In April 1993, I became a Motorcycle Safety Foundation Instructor after surviving a rigorous twelve-day certification course. Since then, I’ve taught classes in Texas, Louisiana, California, Germany and now Kansas.
I was born and raised in California graduating from Apple Valley Senior High School. Education has always been a passion with me. You should learn some thing new everyday. During the last part of 2003, I completed an advanced level of instruction with the Motorcycle Safety Foundation and earned the title of RiderCoach Trainer. I am now certified to teach other to become RiderCoaches.
I look forward to meeting you and learning new things, together.
Mike
Bob Beavers
Vice-President/ Ridercoach
My name is Bob Beavers and I have been a certified MSF Instructor/ Rider Coach since 1991, teaching classes in both Missouri and Kansas. I live near Galena, in the Kansas Ozarks located in the extreme southeast corner of the state. When I am not teaching motorcycle courses in Kansas I am a Manufacturing Engineer for Modine Manufacturing Company in Joplin, Missouri.
I was born and raised near Junction City and I began riding motorcycles on the street in 1975 as a young college student trying to save money on insurance. I didn’t think about motorcycle safety much back then. My training consisted of riding around the section roads around Manhattan until I learned how not to fall over. I purchased my first motorcycle helmet from a state trooper near Pinedale Wyoming in the summer of 1976 while on my first multi-state tour. By that time I was hooked on motorcycles.
Looking back, I’m not sure how I made it through my early motorcycle years, but good luck and a lack of traffic helped me stay accident free. I took the MSF Experienced Rider Course in 1990, and was impressed with how much there was to learn. The next year I trained to be a MSF Instructor and I have been learning ever since.
Since 1986 I have put over 250,000 miles on Old Red, my Heritage Softail, including trips ranging from Alaska to Mexico with my wife Diane always riding passenger. She is often the voice of reason in my ear when I stray from the path of proper riding technique. Continuously practicing the same techniques I teach has allowed me improve my own skills and enjoy riding even more. The greatest feeling I get is when I meet one of my students out on the road and share their excitement as they handle their motorcycle like a pro that’s been riding for years. It makes me proud of my work, and makes all those long weekends worthwhile. (editors note: Bob has been teaching long enough that some of his students are pro's by now.)