Founder & Chief Instructor
Chris started riding when he was 16 years old. His father rode, so it seemed only natural that Chris would want to follow suit. The first thing he was taught was that if he wanted to ride a motorcycle, he had to learn to put it together.
Chris started teaching in 1996, and after his wife got frustrated where she was taking a local learn-to-ride course, Chris decided that since this was a sport he lived, he could also help people attain the freedom that trained motorcyclists feel, and thus he founded TNT Motorcycling in 1999.
He designed the course curriculum based on his extensive motorcycling experiences and his studies as a Rehabilitation Practitioner Diploma holder.
In 2007, Chris started to concentrate on training the trainer, and that led him to take motorcycle-training courses from all over the world to improve on his riding skills and acquire more knowledge.
He is the only Canadian to obtain his On Street Instructor Certification from Stayin’ Safe. In 2010, Chris became licensed Instructor for Total Control’s Advanced Rider Certification & passed his Motor Officer Training Course taken in Southern California. He holds an Advanced Motorcycle Instruction Diploma as well as the RoSPA Advanced Riders Top Certification, Gold Grade in the UK.
After a 2009 road trip across Argentina and Chile, Chris got hooked on off road riding. His new found interest saw him learning from Simon Pavey at the BMW Off Road Skills School in Wales, where he obtained his level 1 and 2 Off Road certification.
In 2015, BMW Motorrad Canada sponsored Chris to Germany to become a certified BMW Off Road Instructor.
For Chris, riding also provides special moments with family to cherish, just like riding with his brother and buddy to the USA for the first time on his Honda CB750F, riding with his wife immediately after she got her license on her KLR650, and riding with his son, Eric on numerous Three Flag Classics (Eric has received the youngest rider award two times in a row). In 2015 Chris and Eric rode from USA to Argentina through Mexico, Central America, Chile and Ushuaia.
In 2017, Chris & his wife Marion rode the 3 Flags with their daughter Julianna, who won the youngest rider award. Chris has ridden the 3 Flags Classic 8 times.
In 2019, Chris and his daughter, Katrina, completed the SCMA Triple Crown. Katrina is the youngest rider to complete this major ride that consists of 3 different events in 1 year.
For anyone who wants to ride, Chris says, "Never stop
learning" and borrowing BMW’s slogan, he adds, “Make Life A Ride"
When Deryl was 11, he got his first ride on the back of a
motorcycle and “Everything changed!”.
By the next weekend, he had both a newspaper route and a savings
account. Three years later, at 14, he
bought his first of many bikes, a Lambretta 175cc scooter.
Deryl became a licensed motorcycling instructor in 1980,
which might just make him the longest serving instructor in Canada. Now enjoying his second Yamaha (his twentieth
motorcycle), Deryl says, “I am not addicted to riding -- because
I can quit anytime I want!”
He has ridden on three continents
including two years riding in Africa (dodging goats, sheep, cows, donkeys,
horses, camels, lizards, snakes, vultures, lorries, cars and pedestrians!). He has also ridden the Three Flags Classic
three times, including Whistler to Tijuana in four days. A member of the Iron Butt Association, Deryl is
well qualified with his safe long distance riding experience.
If you find yourself in Deryl’s class,
his tip for you is: “Riding collision-free is mostly a mental game.”
Stephen
became a motorcycling instructor in 2010 simply because, “I have a passion for riding and everybody that gets
into this fun past time should have as much knowledge as we can offer and be as
ready as possible to keep themselves safe on the road.”
After upgrading their bikes to 2007 Hondas - a VTX 1800 for Stephen, and a VTX 1300 for his wife, the couple has done four trips to Sturgis, South Dakota and a trip to Southern Ontario amongst countless weekend trips.
After putting in 120,000km on the VTX 1800, Stephen moved on to a 2014 Honda Goldwing in 2015. He’s got 32,000km on it and counting.
For Stephen, “What keeps you safe is you. Don’t ever over step your ability and keep riding.”
Like many riders the passion started with someone else’s bike. A buddy showed up one day on a ’82 Honda CB400. I promptly got on and took it for a “short” spin. That’s all it took. I’m not really sure how I ended up with my friend’s bike so often that summer but I managed to get some fun times in even though I didn’t own a bike. The next summer I had a copy of my friend’s bike.
Having taken courses before becoming an instructor it was always apparent to me that there was always more to learn about riding.
That may be where my late night (or early morning) city riding comes from. Its great to have the streets to myself at 2 in the morning in a city. On a bike it’s a totally different feeling.
A Triumph Sprint ST is my current ride for road trips, night rides, a quick 1300km day trip to the mountains and those late night city rides.
There are so many different ways to have fun on my bike, from track riding to adventure touring.
I find it enjoyable to learn more about riding and that translates into more fun on the road no matter where I travel to next.
Larry has over three decades of riding experience. He started riding because, “A
fella offered to trade me his Yamaha in exchange for the car I was
selling. It was worth more than the car, so I was going to make some money but
made the mistake of riding the bike and got hooked on it." The bike
was a 1979 Yamaha 650 Special.
Larry’s first ride was with his three buddies down to Penticton BC, and a lack of counter steering knowledge saw him riding off the side of Tunnel mountain in Banff. He made it back home on the back of another bike.
He embarked on an Edelweiss Tour with his wife and two other motorcycle instructors and their wives. On their BMW 1200 RTs, they toured Austria, Italy, Germany, Switzerland and France. “It was an experience of a lifetime, a fantastic trip with great friends and family,” he says.
In his career as an riding instructor, Larry has been a Senior instructor, and a Chief instructor in Alberta, and has taught basic courses, “Street Skills”, and the “Advanced Rider Course”.
Larry wants TNT students to learn to be, "AWARE of everything around you and do everything on a bike SMOOTHLY.”
Eric started off on a Honda Z-50. Born into the family business he has been around motorcycles all of his life. Eric attained his class 6 license on his 16th birthday and his motorcycle instructor license when he was 21. Eric has ridden from Yellowknife to Ushuaia, Argentina before he was 19! He has taken all of the courses TNT Offers and enjoys learning new skills. Eric was awarded the youngest male rider three times for the Southern California Motorcycle Association's Premiere Event Three Flags.
When he is not teaching new rider training he works as a foreman for a local roadway and earth moving construction company.
Eric's advice to his students; Have Fun and travel on 2 wheels!
Gord is a retired high school video and programming teacher
who loves to teach and has a long history with motorcycles, learning to ride in
1972 on a Honda CL100. He’s had a variety of bikes over the years, and has
commuted, raced, worked in motorcycle shops, taught rider training, toured, and
performed his own maintenance during that time. He currently rides a Suzuki
V-Strom 650, and is rebuilding a 1972 BMW R75/5.
My first ride was at 11 years old on a 1975 Yamaha jt1 60cc.
I start riding because of my friend who was passionate about motorcycle. I did the Calabogy racing school in 2010 in Ontario and enjoy working on my riding skills.
I am retired from the Canadian Military. I keep myself busy as a professional saxophone player. On many occasions I play with the Edmonton Symphony as a jazz player and enjoy my role as musical director for 2 jazz orchestras in Edmonton. (THE GATEWAY BIG BAND AND CAPITAL CITY BIG BAND).
I have been an instructor since 2007. I taught with the Alberta Safety Council, Ottawa Safety Council and CTEC. I joined TNT in 2017.
I am very excited this year to ride my brand new BMW RT1250
My most memorable riding experiences are around touring with my friends, I have ridden through a lot of twisty roads throughout Quebec with my riding buddies. A few years ago my buddy rode his V Max west and we toured for 10 days. Loved the scenery in the Rocky Mountains. Our 4000 km trip involved Banff, Jasper, Lake Louise, Nelson and the Okanagan Valley. We had a total blast. We endured a couple days of heavy rain, but the rest was just the perfect weather.
I want my students to learn the good basic skills to become safe on the road. I want to be able to share my knowledge and experience with them so they have the proper skills to enjoy themselves with the proper attitudes on the roads and especially respect the rules of the road. My main tip that I would say is practice is the key of success.
Katrina grew up in the family business and learned to ride at an early age on a Honda Z 50. Katrina has worked for TNT since she was 8 years old, helping students sign waivers and provide rental gear. In 2016 Katrina participated in Canada's first GS Giants Event. In 2017 Katrina passed her motorcycle class 6 license and began riding on the road. In 2019 Katrina achieved the Southern California Motorcycle Association's Triple Crown. She is the youngest rider to achieve this event in SCMA's 51 years history!. She rode her Honda CB500X from Canada to Mexico and back, the 4 corners of the USA and all 21 Spanish Missions on the California coast within 1 calendar year! She has endured rain, wind, cold and lane splitting action!
In 2020 Katrina started working towards her motorcycle Instructor License as she works her way through University. Katrina's advice to new riders, "Riding motorcycles are a great way to have fun"
Katrina looks after TNT's social media accounts and is always on the hunt for interesting motorcycle based news.
Taylor passed her Rider Elements course in 2018 and rode a Honda Grom for a year to get some valuable street riding experience. She purchased a Honda 500F in 2019 and enjoys riding with her father and brother.
Taylor started working for TNT in 2019 at our Servus Course site as a Jr. Instructor. Taylor main focus is to ensure that the students have signed the waiver and help with any rental gear. In 2020 Taylor will expand her role to assist the instructors and help with radio communications and positive feedback with our students. You can see Taylor riding the test demonstration and proving to all of us that this girl has SKILLS!
In 2020 Taylor started working towards her motorcycle Instructor license as she works her way through University. Taylor's advice to new riders, "Get yourself Riding a Honda, it is Life Altering!"
