The coaching system utilised by Moto Academy NZ starts with the basics.
We focus on ensuring that young riders have the motorcycle handling and racing skills required to go motorcycle road racing.
We do not subscribe to the 'just ride around the track and you will pick it up' school of training.
Our system utilises trackside observation and discussion along with discussion, 'classes' in the pits and at home, and repetitive skill training.
We attempt to include the riders parents and family in their journey as much as is possible. We attempt to create a collegial atmosphere where no questions are bad questions and riders, and their families, feel safe and encouraged and indeed we aim to encourage parents to become their own trainers.
We ensure that riders understand and can execute skills and behaviours such as:
Planning and preparation
Respecting their equipment
Racing crouch/tuck and body position
Braking
Visualisation
Body weight control
Situational awareness
Gear shifting
Lines, reference points, braking markers
and many others.
Riders in our system do not just ride around and around the track. Riders spend hours practicing certain skill sets over and over.
Only by practicing these skill sets will they become cemented and second nature, allowing the rider to progress through to racing, rapidly, safely and skillfully.
During the time Moto Academy NZ has been operating we have identified, by studying hard what it is the very best (Moto3, Moto2, MotoGP) riders are doing.
We have seen styles and techniques evolve significantly in that time. Then, we kept our arms in and threw our knees out toward the ground.
Now, the leg dangle and arm out, elbow down techniques are normal. Balancing the bike with the upper body is now key.
While we have won national level NZSBK races and rounds, we are not current riders therefore we do not rest our coaching on the style of riding we have, but rather inject lessons from new techniques from the best riders in the world.
Hafiq Azmi, full racing crouch, 2012.
Cormac and his Kayo MiniGP150 at Invercargill Kart track, 2019. Early styles.
Moto Academy NZ has direct links to the Oceania Junior Cup in Australia which is the only official 'Road to MotoGP' series in Oceania.
The OJC is the best racing series in NZ and Australia in which young riders can develop their racing skills, rapidly.
The large fields and identical bikes lead to very close quarters racing and rapid skills development. OJC is very similar in many respects to Red Bull Rookies Cup.
Moto Academy NZ has established an agreement with Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup wherein we are able to select a rider to go directly to the Rookies Cup selection event.
This agreement remains in place, so Moto Academy NZ riders have a direct route into the first steps of getting into Red Bull Rookies Cup.
Rookies cup is very likely the only realistic route for a Kiwi rider to take into the MotoGP world championships.
The Oceania Junior Cup pack racing hard on the Yamaha R15 at Philip Island, Australia, 2019.
Aaron Hassan on the Moto Academy NZ Honda RS125, 2011. Early styles.
The modern 'Leg Dangle' cornering control technique.
Modern knee and elbow down technique.