MSF completed tonight

[terry1013]

I feel so stupid for having not done this till now.
 Hey all. Just got done this evening with the MSF course here in Ohio. Like many of my freinds and riders I've talked to, I've ridden for years illegally without an endorsement. I'm 45 and decided as I got my GS that I wanted to do it right and get the endorsement. When I got my temp permit the lady at the BMV told me that I'd have to do the driving test but she recommended the MSF because with their certificate of passing they waive the driving test. Cost 25.00.
 Signed up waited 6 weeks to go and started this week. Mon thru Thurs 6:30 to 10:30. What a blast!! Thought I'd be the oldest but that turned out to be a 61 year old woman who had never ridden. Most were guys my age, riders who wanted to learn and get the M on their liscense like me, youngest was 32 years old. 1st night 4 hours of the book and vids. But after that it was 3 nights of riding. They provide the bikes. 15 in my group but they had 40 Honda 250 nighthawk standards in the barn to accomodate 2 classes of 20.  
Lots of interesting exercises that kept me interested. Exercises designed to make anyone a better rider. How and why to look through turns emergency braking, quick action swerves, low speed manuevering u turns and figure 8's. Just gobs of stuff that I really took for granted but never really knew. I've always considered the bike unrideable in the rain. But last night as it poured buckets on the range we continued riding with streams of water running off our elbows they never stopped the class. In the middle of the hardest rain they taught stopping in a 90 degree curve at about 18mph. I thought last night man this is stupid till tonight we all agreed that was a unique privilage to learn in those conditions to better prepare. I now know the bike won't lay down on me if I look at it in the rain.
 Anyway sorry for the long post but feel it is worth the testimonial if theres someone there like me who didn't know how much fun the course is and what skills can be learned to practice for a sefer ride. One Harley lookin dude there said he alternated the basic course and the experienced rider course each year to keep brushed up on his skills. One guy was a knee surgeon that had ridden for 20 years with no endorsement or insurance. I asked him "didn't that ever worry you", he said  "everyday". For 25 bucks you get to ride someone elses bike, gas is payed for, make some new friends, instructors mentioned that if the bikes are dropped its ok except on the skills test. I put 29.8 miles on mine on the course.

[That guy]

sup dude, i finished my class section tonight my self. Learned a whole lot. Got 2 hands on classes to go (sunday and the following one) Good times!

[That guy]

oh yea, what bike did you find to be the closest to the gs500? i wanna make sure to charge at it if i see it on sunday    

[Mat]

thread hijack

just read your sig That guy

i love getting black chips

[Jake D]

I just finished my MSF course last night here in KC.  $200.00 fee, 11 students in my class (including one really hot chick with a 10 body).  I rode the same crappy Honda Nighthawk all week that wouldn't shift into neutral.  Waited about 4 months for the class.  Well worth it.  

I passed both tests (skills/written).  Went out of the box on the figure 8 (crappy throttle response :x ).  But I got 100 on the written test.  

I loved it.  Got to ride in the rain, too.  Not a big deal.  Not like I thought it would be.

The one lesson that had me spooked at first was the "swerve" lesson.  Accelerate to 12-15 mph, second gear, swerve left or right without hitting the cones in about a 10 foot area.  Looked hard, but then when I did it I started laughing because it was so easy and I realized I do that quite a bit when I am riding.

Edit: Oh, one of my instructors looked exactly like the guy from the "New Yankee Workshop" (TV show where the dude made all the furniture by hand).  Except my instructor was a Condescending Prick who wore the same clothes for the entire week and smelled like a Yeti.

[chbix]

im curious.. you said you paid $25 for the msf?  Why is it 200 here in california?.

[crash]

im curious.. you said you paid $25 for the msf?  Why is it 200 here in california?.

it depends on the state and who conducts the MSF courses.

as far as i understand, if the DMV is directly responsible for the MSF classes, the prices are lower.  if they "outsource" the classes, it's expensive.  for example, my class (in GA) was conducted by a honda farm.  it cost close to $200

[Jake D]

Actually, the class I took was conducted by an independent company called Rolling Wheels.  The $200 doesn't cover the ACTUAL cost of the course.  The state of Missouri provides a subsidy to make the program economically do-able.

If your state provides a subsidy for motorcycle training, call your local representative and make sure you let them know how important the program is.

Most politicians think that if you can afford a $15,000 motorcycle, you can afford to pay for your own training.  Those of us with fine examples of a GS 500 worth about $900 think differently.

[That guy]

Oh, one of my instructors looked exactly like the guy from the "New Yankee Workshop" (TV show where the dude made all the furniture by hand). Except my instructor was a Condescending Prick who wore the same clothes for the entire week and smelled like a Yeti.

Dude, Jake, My instructor looked like FLAVA FLAAAAVE aka FUFI FUFI. haha except he was taller and had more of a build. but damn they coulda been bros.

side note: I remember the other instructor came back from her best friends funeral that day. She insisted on teaching the class. Her friend took a turn on her hog way too fast. squeezed front break (it locked) and tried to straighten up. BAD. she got dumped off and a car hit her. she shoulda applied both breaks at the same time and leaned into the turn says MSF. if your front wheel looks release break and re-apply pressure. Thought id throw that in there. the story kinda shook the noobs in the class up.    peace.

[Jake D]

Yes, the MSF is an interesting experience!  One way or the other, you'll get your money's worth.  We had a gal pop the clutch on her Rebel and ride right into a PARKED MOTORCYCLE!!!  I never wanted to laugh and point so much in my life.  But then I felt sorry for her because she started crying.  So I quit pointing, but I kept laughing for a while.

[JetSwing]

we had this short lady who did tiny wheelies every time she start off on her bike  
at the end, she was awarded for her stunting skillz. i was a bit jealous to say the least.  :mrgreen:

[PAC]

im curious.. you said you paid $25 for the msf?  Why is it 200 here in california?.

Yup, it's different in every state.  Here in Illinois, it's FREE!!!  You have to send them a $20 check as a deposit, but you can get it back if you want.  Personally, I let them keep it as a donation. The class is most definately worth it.

[chbix]

im curious.. you said you paid $25 for the msf?  Why is it 200 here in california?.

Yup, it's different in every state.  Here in Illinois, it's FREE!!!  You have to send them a $20 check as a deposit, but you can get it back if you want.  Personally, I let them keep it as a donation. The class is most definately worth it.

you think I could go take it in illinois and take it for free?  Thats it ill move there take the MSF, get the endorsement, then move back to cali yeah buddy  

[terry1013]

Here in Troy Ohio it is sponsered and funded by American Honda. The training center for the course is on their propertyof their distributuin center in Troy. I didn't realize what a bargain I was gettting but after hearing $200 in Cali I feel fortunate that the state of Ohio makes it cheap enough to remove that as a deciding factor whether to take the course. Lucky Buckeyes!!!!
 Jake, the swerve was kinda nervy to look at but like you say, easy peasy. I only lost one point on my skills eval, they said I went too slow through the 90 to 135 degree turn. Missed about 9 on the written. It was given to us as "homework" and brought back in. I blasted through it too quickly.
The exercise that I found the most challenging was approaching the swerve box as the instructor signals swerve right- or left- or stop. He was talking to another instructor and I think he forgot about me, indicated quick stop at the very last moment.
No real incidents through the course with our riders, Old lady "60 yrs" didn't understand most of the exercises, slow all the time. But thats ok I gotta give it to her to have the nerve to ride and doing it right by doing the course.

[ReaperKK]

I just finished my class not to long ago and it was $175 here in Florida. I had alot of fun, I was a little scared at the look of the swerving but I did fine. I almost had a 100 on the driving test but I went to slow in the 135 curve, the box on the other hand, I forced my self to raise of the pegs a bit and lean to the other side to do the full counterlean and I got a 100 on the box. All in all I loved the class and dont' regret it at all.

[PAC]

you think I could go take it in illinois and take it for free?  Thats it ill move there take the MSF, get the endorsement, then move back to cali yeah buddy  

I've heard of people doing that, but I don't know if it really works or not.  I'd think you just would need to call your local DMV and ask them if they would accept a MSF class from another state.

[Jazzzzz]

I took the MSF down by Cincinnati, really enjoyed it.  They have everyone together for the classroom portion, and then split into two sections of 12 riders for the 2 days of riding.  There was an older guy in my section of the class, maybe 70, who was there because he'd always wanted to ride a motorcycle and now that his wife had passed on the only people left to tell him no were his kids -- and if he died on the bike, they'd get their inheritence that much sooner, so what did he care?  Kind of funny, kind of sad.  He was the slowest guy around the course both days, dropped his bike once when he stalled it coming out of the 90-to-135 exercise.  Other than that he did pretty well.  Part of his problem was that he was a 250+lb guy riding a little CB125, he looked like he was riding a clown bike.

I had problems with my Nighthawk refusing to shift into neutral unless the engine was dead -- otherwise it took 5-6 tries and it'd only go in from second -- and the throttle response was jumpy.  I thought it was just the bike (or me, as far as the throttle went) but I guess maybe not.

[furball]

My wife and I took it 3 years ago and had a blast....it is free here in PA and we actually thought about going back for the advanced class...but just don't have the time anymore....It was a really fun and informative class....That was the first time I ever was on a bike and it was great to start out there....I recommend it to everyone out there...