I attended a 4-hour lesson here via a Groupon. Not really having ridden a motorcycle much at all…read morebefore, I wasn't really sure what to expect. Mark, the instructor, operates it out of his garage and on his substantial property. That said, it was a full and smooth operation. He's a former racer and team owner. Most groups are around 6 or so, ours was just 3 people due to some last-minute cancellations. We were outfitted with jerseys, pants, boots, helmet, and goggles (he has a full selection of sizes). The bikes worked well and felt well cared for.
About 3 of our hours was in a large flat grass field getting instruction and practicing fundamentals, such as accelerate/brake, turns, controlled skid, proper body position / balance / transition, etc. Mark really drilled us on these fundamentals, provided clear instructions and feedback, explained the theory, and I learned a ton. Mark did not just put us novices on bikes and turn us loose to get hurt, he showed us how to ride with real technique, and had a structured program, and nobody got hurt. He starts with the assumption that you've never ridden a motorcycle before.
Once we got on the dirt track for the final hour, it became clear how important these fundamentals were. We started slow working on turns, then added some washboard bumps, then larger bumps, then tiny jumps, then faster and larger jumps. It was all very graduated and progressive. I did take about 3 spills during the day, but on the grass and soft dirt at low speed it didn't hurt. I gained a new appreciation of the complexity of dirt biking, and left very tired and thirsty. After drinking a litre of water during the lesson, I downed a 32oz Gatorade at the end of the lesson, and went home and took a nap. Be sure to pack plenty of liquids, and take your camera for some cool pictures. We spent a ton of time riding the bikes, with just a couple short breaks - you get a lot of riding time.
Bottom line: it was exciting, fun, instructive, memory-making, fulfilling, and exhausting. I am moving gingerly today with a lot of sore muscles, but it was definitely worth it. If you want to give dirt biking a try, I can't think of anything that Mark could have done better. Not only do you get to ride, but do so safely, and learn how to do it right.