EARL THOMPSON: April 2013 TEAM Arizona RiderCoach of the Month!
Last Updated: April 1st, 2024
We are excited to announce Earl Thompson as our latest RiderCoach of the Month. “Burl”, short for Big Earl as he’s known to his friends, decided to take the plunge to become a RiderCoach last May and has coached his way to this honor.
Earl has also attended many events to support TEAM Arizona at our event booths. In addition, he supported TEAM Arizona for media opportunities. In a nutshell, he’s just been there for us!
His riding career started early at the age of 12 on a Yamaha 80 dirt bike. Interestingly enough, he didn’t purchase his own street bike until 2003. As to why he became a RiderCoach, he intimates, “I have always loved riding motorcycles but never felt comfortable doing so on a regular basis until I received proper instruction and learned how to minimize risks. After receiving this knowledge and instruction through TEAM Arizona I realized the benefits of sharing this information with family and friends. When the opportunity arose at TEAM Arizona, I jumped at the chance to be a RiderCoach.”
When asked what he likes most about being a RiderCoach, he responds in the classic Burl fashion, “Many students tell me that riding a motorcycle is their lifelong dream. As a RiderCoach I am able to provide instruction to help make that dream a reality. The smile on a student’s face when they complete the course with a passing score makes it worth my time…oh, the paycheck helps too.”
We appreciate Earl’s ability to make the students smile. Here are few items about Earl that might make you smile:
- His favorite overnight ride is through the Salt River Canyon up to Show Low.
- He currently rides a 2002 Yamaha FZ1
- If he could pass one bit of information along to new riders: ATGATT (all the gear, all the time)
Please, take time to wish Earl well-deserved CONGRATULATIONS! We here at TEAM Arizona are proud to have him as part of the family!
