I used the course to get my endorsement without owning a motorcycle. I knew that sometime I would buy one, and wanted to be able to ride if offered, or be able to test ride a bike if it arose. I didn't own a bike to take the riding portion of the DMV test in NC.

I am so glad I took the MSF course. I knew some of the things they went over but I was really able to expound upon areas like threshold braking, swerving and looking where I want to go. I was able to get my endorsement after completing the course, and a couple months later bought my first bike. a yamaha radian 600. FAST for a first bike.

It seems I brought a disease to my family. My dad had some interest in riding all through my childhood, and when I mentioned motorcycles while still living at home, my dad was somewhat open, and mom completely closed to the idea until I was "out on my own."  A couple of years down the road I bought my Ducati Monster and started to look to sell the Radian, and my dad became interesting in the possibility of maybe buying it and learning to ride it. Well one thing led to another and him and my mom took the MSF course, and shared the Radian. Then they both upgraded my dad to a triumph speedmaster, and my mom to a Ducati Monster 620. Intersting enough now my mom is the motorcycle buff of the two and is always riding. When I bought my 998 while in Iraq it sat at home, and mom "took the liberty" of "keeping it up for me" until I got home. So my friends regularly spotted my 53 year old mom riding around my 998 around town, "keeping the battery charged." she says "its reall not that uncofortable after awhile" This being really ironic, because she is this sweet southern lady. She would tell me about how when she rode it guys at stoplights would say, Hey man! pull a wheelie! Which she DIDN'T! I just think back to where all this started from mom not wanting me on a bike, to her riding around an awesome recognized superbike. Now dad is looking to upgrade to a hayabusa, (he likes the way it looks and thinks its comfortable) My friends laughing out loud at the thought of my frugal peaceful dad on one of the most powerful OEM bikes on the planet. Things have definetely gotten weird. Now three of my friends are into riding thanks to me as well.

The only drawback to all of this is I will feel responsible if anything happens to shose who are close to me while they are riding. You can't help it. Most of you, though logical reasoning would convince otherwise, would feel the same way. So I spend alot of time praying everything will be ok, and since all of them followed in my footsteps and took the MSF course, I think it will be ok.

-Patrick

IIRC, the MSF course out here is somewhere around $300 or so.  It saves me about $70 on my annual insurance premium...although it'd obviously be more savings if I got a bigger bike (I don't think I can use that fact to justify a gixxer, though).  I also used the MSF opportunity to get my endorsement without a bike, and I'm glad I did--and wish I had done it much, much sooner (like 10 years ago).

I'm optimistically musing that my wife might take the course next year, and if she does I might take it again (for moral support).  I'm also wondering if it's worthwhile to take the ERC (I haven't heard from anyone who's taken it to get an opinion), or if racing school would be a better path.

Another advantage of the MSF course is - even if you never want to buy a motorcycle - if, for example, you're being chased by the Yakuza - the poison fist of the pacific rim - and you have to hotwire a motorcycle to make your daring escape, you'll be able to do it safely.

And its a damn good thing they teach you how to hotwire a motorcycle during the MSF course!

-Patrick

That's not the "Motorcycle Safety Foundation - Basic Rider Course": they don't have the hotwire-a-bike unit. That's the "Mafia Slippery Finger - Boosting  Rides Curriculum" - very different approach to the subject matter.

And thanks, Scratch!        :lol: