builds character posted:

Day 1: stared at a cone. Then I ran over it. Success!

Here are my thoughts -
1. Just doing exactly what the instructor tells you to do is a pretty easy route to success.
2. Counter steering is great.
3. Target fixation is not.
4. Don't look down.
5. Seriously, stop looking down.
6. Ride the clutch.
7. Rev the poo poo out of the engine while you ride the clutch.
8. Make "VROOM" noises while you do this; nobody can hear you anyway.

hot sauce posted:

Congrats on passing. It's a great time to find a deal on a bike right now fyi

Angryboot posted:

Huh, I remember the right hander but didn't remember anything about it decreasing. Cool.

mrlego posted:

Is the DVD similar to the book as being an instructional guide to riding fast and safe?

Mister Duck posted:

hot sauce posted:

I used their loaner half helmet for my MSF and it was fine. No rashes and it was more comfortable than wearing a full face the whole weekend for parking lot drills.

mrlego posted:

I have a few places 1 mile from me. It's my drat slanted/crowned driveway and living on a steep hill that concerns me. Just pushing my bike up the driveway was exhausting.

I will gopro my first ride for comedy purposes.

Tanbo posted:

Comprehensive is highly recommended, it will cover theft, vandalism, acts of god, etc. Liability is legally required usually, covers damage to other cars/property if you hit it.

Collision is optional. Will cover your bike if you drop it or have a single vehicle accident (target fixate your way into a ditch). Though considering the rate hike if you file a claim it may be cheaper to fix it yourself. I opted to keep collision for the first year or two, and drop it after that (just started my second year last month, I'll probably keep it for another year, then drop it next fall).

Assuming you make it through the first month without doing anything stupid, and don't do dumb poo poo like drink and ride, you are statistically most likely to have an accident in your second and third years, that's the point when your confidence will exceed your skill level and you will push the bike too hard not realizing how close to the limits you are already, so keep that in mind and be careful.

mrlego posted:

Thanks! Definitely have a lot to practice on my street hill. Stalled about ten times yesterday. I know i should be giving it more gas and less clutch.

DrakIris posted:

First range day is finished, sore. Was a utter blast though and well worth the cost

Renaissance Robot posted:

Doing my CBT tomorrow with ~some dude~, fingers crossed I don't start overthinking it and gently caress up something really simple (I probably won't but the brain I was born with demands I worry at least a little bit)


I found this pretty great primer on starting motorcycling in the UK which has been really helpful, so that's something.

rizuhbull posted:

Finally got time off work and signed up for the MSF course this weekend at my local college. Paid the $200 and got everything I was told I'll need (boots that cover ankles, gloves, etc). Nervous but excited. Main purpose is to see whether motorcycles are for me; hoping they're as fun as they look.

Had three dumb questions:
1. If you drop your motorcycle even once, you fail, right? Are there other automatic fails? I'm terrified of dropping it through I don't really think I will (I'm small and weak!).
2. I assume you learn how to shift and whatnot, but do you ever go fast enough to need to during the two-days? Also do you ever leave the parking lot? I doubt it cause insurance reasons but figure I'd ask.
3. It's 6-8 hours over two days right? Do we break for lunch or what?

Dr. Jackal posted:

Had my first riding session today, we had a small class (4) so we got to ride a lot (the trip meter read 15 or 16 miles)

I got a lot of reminds of the keep your head up/look up, which I expected (I tend to stare at the ground as it is).

One thing I had trouble was counter steering, we did the weave and the ovals but I had a hard time getting the feel for it. I've driven scooter(s) in the past and ride bike regularly (so I know the lean for turning, etc) but I still don't understand the push-right-lean-right-go-right. Do you keep pushing through the turn? or is it just at the start? Do you literally push the handle bar forward? (wouldn't this turn the bike to the left?) or do you press more down and out (to force a lean). The instructor explained it to me but I couldn't get it in the last set of exercises. I watched some videos on youtube [1] [2] but I'm still confused.

Also, is there a way to get more practice?

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTQ02P4R3TM beginner guide
[2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TuaYOv_Gmvk same guy counter-steering

Revvik posted:

Completed today, no points on the rainy test, felt like I was waiting for ever for this. Pretty depressed though; my dad went with me to get his for his retirement (he's 60). First day out on the field wiped him out and he dropped the bike twice. It was the Harley weekend (local CC classes filled up the day of scheduling), so we had the Street 500s with bumper bars all over them - so no harm done, but he was really discouraged.



He's down about it too, I'm thinking of ways to get his confidence back into it.

Also, those 500s are nice enough to pique my curiosity on a 750.