Kickstart event geared towards motorbike riders

An event aimed at upskilling motorbike riders and keeping them safe on the road is happening at the Mike Pero Motorsport Park this Saturday.

During the Kickstart Trackside 2018 event motorbike riders will be able to talk to motorcycling experts and take part in training exercises on the racetrack.

Motorbike riders can brush up on their skills at Kickstart Trackside.

“Kickstart is a chance for riders to come together and learn some key skills that will help make them better riders,” says Christchurch City Council Transport Operations Manager Steffan Thomas.

“We’ve changed the venue this year to the Mike Pero Motorsport Park which means we can run better demonstrations and give riders more opportunities to get involved on the day.”

Riders will be able to participate in on-track training challenges, including ‘The Art of Cornering’ and ‘Slow Pro Handling Skills’.

There will also be demonstrations by professional Ride Forever instructors and the Police as well as workshops on motorbike maintenance and a presentation by St John’s Ambulance staff on crash scene management.

The Kickstart Trackside event is a collaboration between Christchurch City, Waimakariri and Selwyn District Councils, Ride Forever trainers, Police, the Motorcycle Safety Advisory Council, ACC and local retailers.

It is aimed at addressing the high rate of crashes in the Canterbury region involving motorcyclists. Motorcycling has a higher level of risk per kilometre travelled than any other mode of transport.

“We hope the skills and advice motorcyclists pick up during Kickstart Trackside will help them stay safe on the roads and minimise their chance of becoming a crash statistic,” Mr Thomas says.