Third day of class and we got on some bikes today. A few things I figured out very quickly, that front brake is strong! Fortunately no high-sides or any other acrobatics but wow! Also, finding the friction zone was a little bit taxing to the uninitiated but you will get it after the 8 exercises they put you through the first day of motorcycle riding, as well as being able to bring both feet on the pegs and shifting.

I can now proudly add to my repertoire of skills: cornering, ****fing (up/down), slow speed manuevers, some clutch control among others which I cannot remember as I am dead and writing this from beyond the grave.

Granted necessary skills again I do not see myself going out on the road after passing this, at least not until I can traverse my subdivision safely. What really got me were the slow speed weaving as I am thinking of counter-steer but in fact is the opposite.

Tomorrow we do some more exercises and then the dreaded exam. I hope to be able to report by then that I passed. Hehehe. Pretty nervous over here, the instructors were drill sargeants and the bikes weren't exactly the best of bikes to be practicing on (death grip on the clutch for one, really really shaky and a lot of bouncing, like A LOT even when in first even when it had throttle. Possibly because these are training bikes and have been abused/dropped by more than one student?). Anyway, hope to pass this thing, we'll see tomorrow.

And someone please tell me that the ninjas clutch controls are easier, I mean seriously, I have no left hand! It is a bleeding stump. LOL.

 

The clutch should be much better than those practice bikes you are using. Good luck on the exam!

 

BAAAAHAHAHAHAHA! You said ****fing!

Really though, congratulations... You'll beef up your left hand in no time... Nothing like a motorcycle to help you work on your grip strength! hehe Of course, you need to just "RELAX".... and flow with the bike... A sportbike is a bit different... Remember to keep your weight off your wrists... grip the tank with your legs and support your upper body like that.

Either way, CONGRATULATIONS! Welcome to a great addiction.

-g

 

well said greg, and don't worry just remain calm and you will do fine. Breathe if you get nervous and remember that after you get your bike you only need the clutch to take off in first and after that speed shifting.
Look foreword to hearing your next reply of passing the course.

and no more ****fing that's what monkeys do lol

 

Woot woot! Passed the practical test with flying colors! The only other guy that was better was a dood that already had a bike, in fact he bought it from the Harley guys that were doing the MSF course, it was a 2006 Buell Ulysses, a Dual Sport.

Needless to say there could not be a worse torture than trying to get the clutch to press in on those Buell training bikes. It wasn't a gentle squeeze, it was a SQUEEEEEEEEEEEZE hard.

So tonight I am studying for the written part of the exam which I believe I will ace very easily. Then...well, since closing on the house is pretty close I think I'll be saving up for a few months and get me one of those new 2006 250's and then ride into the sunset.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

 

Right on! Congratulations! Just don't forget how to ride before you get your bike... Seriously... practice is everything, and the learning curve is pretty steep. But after a couple thousand miles the stuff in the MSF course will seem like childs play. I did pretty well on the riding test too, except I bombed the slow turning in the box routine. I'm 6'2 and I was riding on one of those old honda 250 cruisers... I couldn't turn the handlebars all the way without hitting my knees, and shifting my weight on those waaay forward footpegs just didn't seem to come naturally. I managed to make it up by dragging a footpeg in the cornering at speed though... After I came to a stop I thought they'd take points off but the instructor just gave me a big thumbs up and everyone was cheering... I guess it looked pretty cool from where they were standing.

Congrats again, and welcome to the club! Make sure to post some pics of your bike when you do get it...

-g

 

I did fail to mention one incident involving me taking a serious high side trying to avoid another student that just zoomed right into my area of travel. (MSF course) Yes, yes I know, should have swerved but circumstances wouldn't permit the manuever. Full gear on, no bumps on me at all, hehehe. As I flew over the bars and landed on my back I did a judo move and slapped the pavement with both palms down and it worked hella good, didn't even bump my helmet, hahaha. It was clutch, brake front, brake back but apparently too much on one brake and not enough on the other. The other student of course did not acknowledge the heroic effort on my part not to fracture their leg (if my bike had continued on its intended path I was thinking it was going to hit right in the middle of the other bike) and so I took one for the team. Ah well, better this lesson learned in the parking lot rather than out in the street.

 

Dam I told you about grabbing to much front brake

JK bro glad your ok. Better to pick the lesser of to evils or wrecks and sparing some fool a broken bone.

Good luck tomorrow, piece of cake.

 

Congratulations!!!! Good luck with the written! God I miss the excitement of my very first time on a bike - thanks for sharing it with us Mr. Toad!!!!

 

98%, phooey [:@]. One trick question got me. Grrrrr.

Now the only thing left is to save up for a bike. Guess it'll have to be next year. Black ice is notorious in GA and I really don't want to down my first ride.

Oh, and I got a Moto-Acrobat award for taking the high dive and saving that other person from what would be a cast and a lot of physical therapy. Awarded by the MSF instructors, hehehe!