Today was my third day of MSF (actually Rider's Edge w/ Harly) and today was our first range day.  All I could think about all day was how much riding around on the Buell Blasts was like go-karts at an amusement park or something.  The single cylinder sounded just like a small Briggs & Stratton to me.  And then we looped around the courses over and over again trying to impove on the lines and tecnique used in the previous lap.  It was still very enjoyable; I know to keep my head up and look through turns, but there were still times I was caught looking down.  Its really nice to have someone there to point out the little errors that I sometimes don't notice.  And it's nice to be praised for my "excellent job" on emergency braking from a big Harly guy(who also happens to be a motorcop).  I also enjoyed seeing the less experienced riders get up to speed so quickly.  No one spilled a bike and we got out an hour early, while our instructor said the saturday classes usually get out an hour past scheduled times.  

Now I'm just hoping it doesn't rain too much tomorrow, but I'm looking forward to another fun day on the two wheeled go-karts. :mrgreen:

I also took one of the Buell Blast's on my third day.  Is that thing shakey or what?  The GS purrs like a kitten compared to the Buell.  Nice bike other than that though.

Yeah I could get used to the shaking, maybe, but they really didn't like to start like my GS does.  I would really need to take it on the road to get a good feel for the engine.  Lugging it all day around a parking lot, I didn't get to know the engine characteristics at all.  Other than it was like a go-kart :lol:   And then getting on my GS at the end of the day, man was that weird.  The footpegs on the GS are much higher, my toe reaches to the shifter unlike the buell, and the friction zone seemed a lot farther out on my bike.  And like you said, waaaaaayy smoother.  I can only imagine what it was like for the two guys who had a FZR600 and CBR600RR.  Those fours are as quiet and smooth as a toyota at idle.

Here's an interesting little read regarding the Buell Blast.
:mrgreen:
http://www.mybuell.com/

Quote from: zleiHere's an interesting little read regarding the Buell Blast.
:mrgreen:
http://www.mybuell.com/

When something happens to the GS and we lose a cylinder, we can putt putt home.  When the Blast loses a cylinder...    All the Harley manufacturing quality, none of the prestige  Just kidding!

Edit:  a lot of those cases sounds like people who don't take maintenance seriously.  No tranny oil?  put some in!  Clutch switch broken?  Short it out  Of course Buell owners wouldn't be true H-D owners, H-D owners know what a tool is.

I can't believe after all these decades, hell, almost a century, that Harley just doesn't fuc*ing get it. I suspected the Buell Blast would be a bastard child offshoot of the Sprint of yesteryear and it truly is. My 1970 350 Sprint (bought new) broke my heart many many times before I finally totalled it. It was a real piece of shaZam! and you could depend on it to let you down. It shook like a dog shitting persimmon seeds and bolts literally fell off of it. Leaked oil like a sieve (from above and below).  Pants leg and shoe stayed soaked. Failed to start a LOT of the time, especially in the  Winter. It was kickstart only and it would wear your ass OUT. But hey I had a "Harley". At the time, I would defend it's character to the end, but as I look back, I now realize it was garbage 1st class. Today, if I had to go from New Orleans to Memphis (and back), you could bet your life savings that I would NOT go on a Buell or ANY Harley. I'll take the little, smooth, dependable, butt burning GS500E anytime! I saw a Buell Blast the other day in Baton Rouge at the stop light and it was shaking so badly that I was embarassed for the rider. So sad. No, I would have to shoot myself in the head if I paid money for one of those bikes. Thanks for the rant. Wilson

For the thousands (or more likely, hundreds) of dollars HD invested in development of that wretched thumper, they could have bought rights to use the air-cooled Rotax thumper, and perhaps got fuel injection thrown in the bargain.  The Motor Company shoots itself in the foot every time a Blast! rolls off the line.

I said 'I rode a Buell Blast', not 'Everyone blast Buell/HD.' :lol:   Yes I agree they are crappy little machines, but they do well as training vehicles.  In fact I had a chance to take my GS out on the slalom course from class during lunch.  I must say that at 9/10ths riding on the low speed course, I felt more comfortable on the little buell.  Maybe because of the low seat height, or maybe because of the less responsive throttle.  When I tried to make a slight adjustment on the GS throttle through the cones, it was very jerky compared to the Buell.  I'm not complaining, just saying that the GS is more responsive, like a step up.  Just like going from a GS to a 600SS is going to be a step up.   I guess what I'm trying to say is that the Blast is a confidence inspiring little machine that is great for absolute first timers or training.  But from there it could only be useable for a month or so until you need to move up to something better.  Would I ever buy one?  No, not unless I needed to teach somebody, especially someone shorter, and I found it for a couple hundred bucks (instead of the outrageous $3k the used ones go for).  Actually I'd probably just tell them to go take the MSF for that few hundred or less.

As for the course, everybody in my class passed the skills test, and only one bike got dumped the whole weeekend, which was at a stand still anyway.  I got 4 points off  :x (out of 21).  3 for going outside the lines in the double U turn and one for the braking, even though I could have stopped shorter  

Then I rode off into the sunset, well actually it was mid afternoon, so I rode over to the airport to watch the rest of the Manitowoc County Air Show that had been distracting us all weekend.  The F-14 was definately my favorite part.  

Tomorrow is the written test and I'm not sure if I want to not study for it, or study some and ace it.  I'll actually be able to ride off into the sunset after that tomorrow, well no, but I will when I take my voucher to the DMV to get my class M license

WooHoo!  I gradamateted!  Well as part of Rider's Edge, the Harly version of MSF, they try really hard with their marketing.  For the second time in the course we were taken on a tour of the dealership and this time we all picked a bike to have our picture taken on.  I sat on a V-rod, then after talked to the salesman a while about it.  I think I'm going to go back and take it for a test ride, I mean he invited and encouraged me to do it   Not like I can afford one but hey, I'll take a free ride when I can   And I don't have to pay for the maintenance, just like the Buells.  I don't mind riding these Motor Company machines when I don't have to pay for the maintenance and breakdowns :lol: