Wanting to sign up for a some training this yr. Been riding for over 40 yrs, but always room for improvement by trained personnel, vs my self taught experience.

Local HD dealership is taking registrations for a 4 day MSF course, approx 25 hrs with 6 students and 2 instructors, they provide HD bikes. Sounds like a great deal with almost 1 on 1.

Or

Abate also has an intermediate course, fewer hrs, more students per/instructor.


Looking for some advise on which course you'd recommend, preferably by riders that have gone thru these programs

Thanks

 

Never taken the Abate course but I've taken the MSF Basic Course twice (15 year break between riding) and Advanced Course. I can't say enough about the quality of the instructors for all 3 courses!

 

I'm all about rider training and practice, but if you've been riding for 40 years I have to think you would be bored out of your mind in the basic course.

 

Would absolutely agree that one can always learn 'something' new when participating in a course. Much of the course, you may already know, but then occasionally, there might be a 'gem' that you've not considered.

I took the MSF Basic Course in 2010 (after 26 years of non-riding), and took the advanced course about 2 years ago, which was nothing more than the actual riding portion of the Basic Course on your own motorcycle. (pretty disappointed)

Not familiar with the Abate Course either.

With 40 years experience, all done rightly, you ought to be an instructor. Problem is that we pickup bad habits along the way and without some "eyes" on it to identify what we aren't doing right, we conclude that because we never had a problem before, we must be doing it right. (bad logic, IMO)

I ran into a friend at Christmas who lives in California and is working towards becoming an instructor. This got me to consider this notion since my research of courses in the area didn't yield anything more challenging than the Advance Course.

And while I say this, I know in my heart that an essential ingredient to becoming better is to devote some time to get out and practice with cones. Yet, even after having done so, at some point, you need to show your stuff to others who know as much as you to validate that you have the skill (or there might be a better way to get the same result).

 

Check out Ride Like a Pro courses. I took one in August and it was 4 tough hours, 3 bikes and 2 instructors. It was great though and I learned a lot.

 

After a 21 year break in riding I took the MSF course in 2001 and I am glad I did. I had some bad habits and I hope that some of the things I learned my save my life someday. Don't know anything about the ABATE course so I can't comment.

 

I have to agree with previous posters, the basic course which I took, will be mind numbing for someone who has ridden for 40 years. In my course, designed for people who may have never seen a motorcycle, we didn't ride for the first half a day, spent 2 hours or so just learning how the clutch worked. I did learn a few "life saving" tips.

 

Start by making sure the course you choose to take is sanctioned by your state. Beyond that it will all come down to the instructors themselves. Regardless of the program the quality of the coaches will make or break it. Do a search for complaints and, if there were any, see how they were handled.

Assuming they work from a standardized curriculum you should get a similar level of training regardless of the program name.

Good luck!

 

I have no experience with Abate, but have had three of the MSF courses. Basic Rider, Military Sport Rider, and Advance Rider. Being military required courses, the instructor ratio was about 10 students to one instructor, but they still did an awesome job. I personally would prefer to use my own bike for them though. Practice like you play.

 

thanks guys. The MSF course always gets high reccomendations from what I've been researching by riders. The Abate hasn't faired as well. Mostly because of their helmet law stance. But I'm not concerned about politics, so not worried about that. Ran across many comments that the Abate follows the MSF guidelines as a general rule. Just what I've read.
Leaning towards the MSF.
I'm pretty sure I've developed bad/wrong habits in my 40 yrs, but unless I'm informed of them, don't know about them. I'm wanting to correct that and address other issues I'm uneasy with.