nervous.. (updated)

[Kessen]

When i signed up for MSF approx two months ago i couldnt wait for the time to pass,now the class is 2 days from now and im getting nervous!

I dont understand it, at times I can't wait to get on a bike or to get some good advise as to ride motorcycles,but others I guess im a bit scarred of not doing as good as I expect myself to do. Not necissarily be Rossi my first time around on a bike but good enough that i could tell myself,man, I roxed that thing.

Anyone else get butterflies before their course?

oh, and off topic random question, is it lame to buy gear that matches your bike? dont know much about motorcycle etiquette yet, or rather, know more about cars and could spot a ridiculously painted ricer from a mile away. is gearing up matching your bike being a ricer..lol is it even called that in the motorcycle world?

Well after three long and semi-challenging days, i am now fully licensed to ride a motorcycle!wooh!so happy, for 49/50 on the exam and -8 out of a possible 21 on the riding portion..man that figure-eight in a box kicked my ass for some reason,i dont understand why i couldnt nail it.
After i get my gs-f and ride for a while im goign to go back and beat that boxes ass with it.

[Jake D]

There are going to be so many tools in your MSF course that you're going to feel like a freakin' rock star.  Don't sweat it.  The first night, I'm sure somebody is going to rev their 250 Rebel up to about 8 grand, pop the clutch, and jump the bike into the instructer's legs.  You'll be fine.  

There are some people that literally don't know how to work the clutch that will be there.  Just enjoy you're SoCal weather and the four hours of riding you're going to do everyday for the next four days.   :x

[Kessen]

There are some people that literally don't know how to work the clutch that will be there.  Just enjoy you're SoCal weather and the four hours of riding you're going to do everyday for the next four days.   :x

hehe, i detect a little resentment?? :lol:

first night, friday night is the classroom night, following day is riding/classroom, and then riding after that.

speaking of falling, my short term goal for this course is not to be the first one taking a dive.ill go down anytime after that, when the preassure is off, jus not the first

[Jake D]

You won't start of with the figure 8's or anything.  You'll be power walking the bike across a parking lot.  By time you feel challenged at all, you'll be half way through the riding test on the last night and you'll just be cruising to the finish line.  

Your goal should be to get a perfect score on the written (ahem, 100 out of 100) and get the highest score on the riding part.

[jen_]

Yeah, I had butterflies before MSF also, but I had never really ridden a motorcycle before.  But the riding starts out with the *very* basics and moves up, so you get over the nervousness quickly.  Also, with the riding drills, you get several chances to practice things, so it's not like there's any pressure to do everything perfect the first time.

As for matching your bike--I don't think anyone associates matching your bike with being squidly.  If you can get gear that matches, cool.  If you worry more about the color of your gear than the quality of the gear and your riding skills, not cool.  Personally, I haven't seen many people that match everything.  Seems like most people buy a jacket then switch bikes or something and it's silly to get new matching gear.  Myself, being a noob, got the brightest color bike I could find (yellow) and the brightest color jacket I could find (hot pink).

[RVertigo]

Anyone else get butterflies before their course?

BIG TIME!!  I was totally worried that I was going to fail and lose my $240...  

Just read the book, pay attention, and do what the instructor tells you...  You'll do fine.  The corse is designed to help you learn to ride and pass...  They're not trying to make you fail.

is it lame to buy gear that matches your bike?

It is in some circles...  Matching gear is like admitting that you think motorcycles are more about style than fun transportation. Basically, it makes you look like a poseur.  :dunno:

Do what you want...  If people want to talk trash about your matching gear, let them.  When you're out riding and having fun, you won't be able to hear them anyway.    And, no...  My gear doesn't match.  Yellow/Black helmet, Gray/Black jacket, Black pants, Blue bike.

[Jake D]

You don't need to read the book.  They give you a movie to watch right before the test.  It has all the answers.

You should only read the book if you really want to answer all the stupid questions during class.  But then you look like a gunner, and nobody likes a gunner.

[aaronstj]

The MSF is a cakewalk.  I was pretty nervous, too, but once you actually get on a bike, it's the most naturual thing in the world.  Those things just stay up on their own.  Good luck.

Now that it's several months after the MSF, and I'm getting closer to actually getting a bike, I'm getting nervous again.  Oh well.

Also me gear matches my bike (or will, when I get my bike ).

[RVertigo]

Also me gear matches my bike

Poseur!  :nana:

:lol:

OK...  I think it's about time to conspire with the other Seattle riders to come harass you once you have it... :mrgreen:

[Alphamazing]

I had ridden dirtbikes for a year before doing the MSF class. When it came time to start the class I was nervous, as I had never ridden a street bike before, and the bikes we were riding were totally different from what I was used to. Upright dirtbikes to low low cruiser style. After half an hour or so it became a lot easier as everything just seemed to click together. It became natural, as if the bike was an extension of myself. You'll be fine. There are some people there, as said before, that won't even know how to work a clutch, or have enough coordination to use a clutch, brakes, and throttle. Just be sure to relax and not think too much about everything. Just let it flow.

As for matching your bike. I've got a blue bike, blue helmet, blue goves, blue jacket, and black pants. I personally don't think it's ricey at all. A part of motorcycling is not just the riding, it's also the look. We modify our bikes to look unique, and why shouldn't our gear be a part of that? When we're on the bike, we're a key part of how it looks. The visual modifications shouldn't stop at the machine itself. It just looks better, IMO. Not knocking on you people with mismatched gear, of course.

[Kessen]

Im sure it'll pass as soon as I get on a bike. speaking of which, do they have any standard sized bike?250? 125?just curious

ah and i see;
ricers are to cars
as
squids are to bikes.
damn you SAT's.

I'm most likely not going to match my gear to my bike (i guess im a lot like aaronstj in that he took MSF but didnt have a bike right afterwards,im savin up on my own)
maybe its me dreamin,but that Icon skull motorhead jacket looks so nice,incredibly pricey,but niiiiice!

[Jake D]

My class had Honda Reblel 250's, Honda Nighthawk 250's (the bike I chose), Suzuki GZ250's, and Kawaski 125 dual purpose bikes.  Go for the Nighthawk.  It is big pimpin.  The GZ we had in our class was cool looking.  No front fender, street tracker style.

[RVertigo]

that Icon skull motorhead jacket looks so nice,incredibly pricey,but niiiiice!

Watch for it on Ebay...

Someone I know got a pretty good price for his.

[Destro]

In my MSF I rode a Yamaha TW200 as I was one of the taller folks in the class.  Don't worry about the nervousness, it will quickly pass.  I had never been on a motorcycle before when I took it.  In my class there were some people that actually rode their bikes to the range  :lol:.  I thought for sure I would stick out like a sore thumb, but did great.  
Our Rider coaches were very pleased as I guess the class before was a bunch of douchebags, and wouldn't follow instructions. Which sort of surprised me, since the majority of the two classes going on the weekend I took it were cruiser riders and older than me.  In fact, in the other class I thought it was a requirement to wear a do-rag.  :dunno:

[Jake D]

If you're lucky they'll have a pair of goggles that they make you put on that are supposed to make you feel drunk.  They made me put them on and walk around the classroom.  I kept tripping and stumbling around.  They distort your vision.  People were laughing their asses off.  I have been drunk probably 1500 times, and never had any feeling that that before.  I nearly puked!

[aaronstj]

Also me gear matches my bike

Poseur!  :nana:

It's actually worse.  I've having my bike custom painted to match my gear.  :mrgreen:

[Kessen]

Also me gear matches my bike

Poseur!  :nana:

It's actually worse.  I've having my bike custom painted to match my gear.  :mrgreen:

ooo, ultimate.

[pandy]

At least he's not having his BODY painted to match his bike.  :lol:

Kessen, I was VERY nervous before taking the MSF, but I made it! w00t! I had never ridden a motorcycle before at all, so I was truly starting at ground zero. Fortunately, the MSF starts at ground zero, so the folks who arrived on their motos to get their M class are the ones I felt sorry for! They must have been bored "power walking" the tiny bikes across the parking lot.  :lol:  :lol:  :lol:

It's rather funny, because when I took the MSF, those tiny bikes seemed big. When I got the GS a month later, he seemed HUGE!!! A year later, they don't seem so big!    :mrgreen:

[94suzuki500]

the msf was a cake in my opinion, when i got there i was alittle nervous as i had never riddin anything motorized with two wheels and then i get the second highest score, perfect being the first.  the first day you watch movies and stradle the bike as you hold the clutch halfway out and let it crawl beneath you.  its easy dont worry.  my take on matching gear is its is ok as long as you dont try to look all sponsered and stuff like that one joe rocket jacket with all the patches on it with the sponsers and junk.  my jacket is black and grey (mesh and leather) and my helmet just matches, red being the dominant color on my helmet and my bike.  i just think the people with all the yoshimura, parts unlimited, Scotts and sponsrs like that are goons. but a jacket that has red on it would be nice though.  so color is ok, just dont go over board.  good luck.

[calamari]

oh, the good MSF days... I remember now, it's all coming back.

you will have plenty of time for yourself... listening to your breathing inside your helmet, wondering about the hundreds of thousands of riders who did the same thing before you (those who took the msf course), feeling the wind trying to pull your head off your body while you go at amazing speeds on each run (12-18mph).
yes... those were the days when it took me forever to put my gloves on, and when the helmet seemed like a heavy burden to carry around, feeling a bit dumb with such a 'big head'.

I'll give you the first lesson free of charge: never brake in a turn

your welcome