Yeah, I have been bad

[My Name Is Dave]

So I have had my bike for nearly a year now, and I'm closing in on 3500 miles. Needless to say I have had a great time and have learned a lot. And I have used this forum extensively, and it has been awesome. But I haven't exactly been honest, so I figured I would now. I have never taken the MSF course. I know, stupid. But what's even more stupid is the fact that I have been riding illegally this whole time. It's not that I don't have insurance or that I don't obey the helmet laws...it' that I don't have a license.

I know, I am a farking idiot. However, I have good news about that. Last night there was an MSF at 6, and this weekend is gonna be dry and sunny, a rarity for Oregon at this time of winter. So I showed up at 4 and got to be first on the list for fill-ins. There were a total of 8 of us, and the class held 12. So 4 registered people showed up, meaning that for each additional one who walked in, one waitlister would get booted. One by one, they showed. By 6 there were still 2 of us standing. Midway through the lady behind me's intro, another person showed. So I was the last one left. Time slowly went by and at last 6:30 showed on the clock, meaning I was in. So I wrote the check and was official, which was lucky because the 12th guy walked in 5 minutes later.

So I am really excited to be in the class. I know I'm gonna get shaZam! for riding as I have for the past year, but I have not been able to get into a class. Those things are impossible to register for. We went over the crucial things like putting on a helmet, starting the bike, and so on. To be honest, I will probably know 80% of the material already, but that 20% that's new to me is important. And I was able to give good input and hopefully can be helpful on the course this weekend. And above all, I will have my endorsement finally. And don't worry, I'll be sure to recommend the GS5 and will plug the website.

Speaking of, I found out the instructor has and races a 93 gs, which gave us something to talk about. I asked if he knew the site and he said that he got a lot of info on setting the bike up for racing through it. So good work.

I'm really excited about taking the class and am proud for not thinking too highly of my skills to take a beginner's course. So on Sunday I will be with you all: a legal rider with the MSF class under my belt. Sweet.

Dave

[afplayboy18]

congrats on taking the class

i had a few guys in my class that had been riding for years but had still learned something from the class so there is always something to be learned.

have fun

[My Name Is Dave]

Absolutely. I make jokes with my buddy about how simple it is and he asks why I'm in it in the first place, but I tell him that I'm f%$king around and that it's really actually gonna be good for me to go through the steps as if I knew nothing. I know that I will learn new things and possibly recognize and correct some bad habits. So even though I have to get up at 6 and can't go out at all this weekend, I don't regret being in the course at all.

[pandy]

Glad to hear you're taking the MSF and going legal!!  

[V8Pinto]

My first illegal ride was at 10 years old...  I think you're in the company of others who have also rode without the proper credentials at one time or another.

I don't EVER ride illegaly now - but I have (a lot) so I can't throw stones.

[My Name Is Dave]

I totally recognize and admit that I should have done it differently and got the msf done and then gotten the bike, but I don't regret the past year at all. It has been a blast and I wouldn't trade it for a thing. I suppose I'm lucky that I came out unscathed, but as of sunday that's all gonna be irrelevant. Even though I've been on the bike 100s of times, I'm looking forward to my first ride with an endorsement.

[pandy]

We could always give you a spanking if it'd make ya' feel better. 

[Jake D]

I totally recognize and admit that I should have done it differently and got the msf done and then gotten the bike, but I don't regret the past year at all. It has been a blast and I wouldn't trade it for a thing. I suppose I'm lucky that I came out unscathed, but as of sunday that's all gonna be irrelevant. Even though I've been on the bike 100s of times, I'm looking forward to my first ride with an endorsement.

The endorsement is cool.  I've got a commercial drivers license AND a motorcycle endorsement.  So it costs me like $35 to renew my drivers license.  That sucks.

After my MSF course, they just gave us a business card sized competion certificate that I had to present at the DMV.  I hope your DMV is open on Sunday.  Also, don't forget to bring your birth certificate to the DMV.  They require it now.  I found that out the hard way.  

[scottpA_GS]

Ill take a spanking 

MSF is great! Maybee this year I will get my own licence plate for my bike and be legal instead of riding with the plate from my friends old bike hehe... or not 

[My Name Is Dave]

Ok, so the dmv is not open sunday, but I can wait until monday; it's not as if I am dying to ride my bike for the first time.

I just read the manual and it looks like tomorrow we're going over how to insert you hands into your gloves, as well as how to turn without stopping and walking the bike through the curve.

Dave 

[My Name Is Dave]

Whoops, I posted that twice. Sorry.

[pandy]

FIXED! 

it looks like tomorrow we're going over how to insert you hands into your gloves while turning without stopping and walking the bike through the curve.

Damn....you have to do all that at once! That's one TOUGH MSF course you're taking! 

[perfdrug]

hehe. i remember my MSF. I'd barely ridden my bike (maybe 30 miles) and i was already "advanced" for the class. We had a lady drop out when we had to drive our bikes in a straight line. she couldn't get the clutch idea. i heard her wind the engine up, and i thought "oh shaZam!. wheelie time." i turned around just in time to hear her dump the clutch and the front wheel come flying towards the sky. her feet were still on the ground, so she didn't really wheelie, but the bike went down, and her on top of it. she ripped her pants from about mid-thigh to her ankles, cried, and quit.

oh - i took it at a harley dealership and everyone, except the instructors and one other guy in my class (who rode a buell) rode harleys. 

[jbeaber]

Congrats on taking it.  You are braver than I.  I had 0 miles of riding experience going into MSF, taking because I wanted them to hold my hand the first few times.  Wouldn't have gotten on the bike without it.  But good idea on getting it all legal. 

[blue05twin]

Yeah I'll be taking the MSF course this March  I've been riding around on a permit for the last year.  I want to take the MSF for the insurance discount 

[afplayboy18]

Congrats on taking it.  You are braver than I.  I had 0 miles of riding experience going into MSF, taking because I wanted them to hold my hand the first few times.  Wouldn't have gotten on the bike without it.  But good idea on getting it all legal. 

same for me...i wanted to start off right instead of just getting on and riding and not knowing what i was doing.

im thinking of taking the harley class also...cant decide if i want to or not...

[RVertigo]

I rode before I took my MSF too... But, only for a short while...  And I was riding a Honda 90.  

But, I can't talk smack about you driving illegally...  When I first started driving, I drove for 6 months with no license and no insurance in a car with no speedo, one head-light, one brake-light, and 4 bald tires.  Amazingly, I was never pulled over...  About a month after I got my license, I got pulled over for going 68 in a 35...  But, I only got a no insurance ticket.  Then I delayed the court date by another 2 months...  I got insurance about a two days before my court date and had them fax me the proof.  The judge was nice enough to cut the ticket in half and give me 90 days to pay it.  Paying the ticket was still cheaper than paying for insurance for all those months.

Glad you're finally taking the MSF.  Being legal is a good thing (although it seems to make me drive a lot faster )

[My Name Is Dave]

About the insurance discount, I'm only paying 16 a month for full coverage, so I don't see a lot of room for improvement.

And as for speed, I find myself hitting 90 mph on the freeway and taking hairpins at over twice the posted speed, so although I don't intentionally speed, the truth is that I sometimes do and it would probably be bad to get pulled over and not have an endorsement.

[pandy]

And as for speed, I find myself hitting 90 mph on the freeway and taking hairpins at over twice the posted speed, so although I don't intentionally speed, the truth is that I sometimes do and it would probably be bad to get pulled over and not have an endorsement.

I'm beginning to think that some public service would serve the public better than just a spanking. 

You can start with my bike. It needs a good washing and waxing! 

[RedShift]

So you and Arnold Schwarzenegger won't have something in common anymore?

Congrats on taking the MSF RiderCourse.  There's always something to learn and practice.  Far better that you take it early in your riding career than after some accident.  I've taken both the RiderCourse (before endorsement) and the Experienced RiderCourse three years later, and enjoyed it each time.   

For the $25 they charge here in Michigan, it's a steal.