I'm glad I took it, it was 200 bucks well spent. However, before the road test they said you would fail your road exam for the following:
--if you did not correctly do certain maneuvers (like a figure 8 in the box)
you had 2 tries to get it right.
--Dropping the bike was immediate fail, no do over.

2 people dropped their bike and multiple people failed the required stuff that you had two tries to get right. They passed everyone. I don't believe they did anyone a favor by passing them when they clearly weren't ready. But everyone gets a trophy these days.. thanks for participating.

 

Just took the ABATE adv course last week. Not what I was hoping for. Seemed just a tick higher than beginner course. Same exercises but on our own bikes. Many have ridden for yrs such as myself, a couple there for their endorsements. Riding skills varied from really good to wondering how they got there. The most common reason for taking the course given was wanting more knowledge for taking curves at speed. My reason too.
I'm also signed up for a MSF course this month and hoping to get more help with the curves.
2 days of training will have to help, even if I dont realize it at 1st. Kinda like 40 yrs riding and just learned the counter steer term

 

Those Rider Coaches weren't doing their job properly. If my boss were to catch me doing something like that, it would be the last class I worked.


The MSF BRC isn't going to make an expert motorcyclist out of anyone. It is a start point, an introduction. Hopefully the rider will continue to learn and seek self improvement. At least he has been introduced to the controls, shifting, starts, stops, turns,... Now it's time to find a parking lot and do some more practicing.

 

Unfortunately, the majority of people think than passing the MSF course automatically qualified them to graduate from the parking lot with their new motorcycle endorsement.

Learning to drive a car takes 18 weeks in high school but only takes 2 days for a motorcycle. That would explain why people cannot are unable to see gravel on the road at a stop sign.

 

I've taken the MSF basic and experienced courses (both 45+ years after I started riding). These basic courses teach you just that, the basics of handling a tandem two wheeled vehicle-they don't even begin to teach you how to handle a motorcycle in real world conditions. The most difficult maneuver, the "figure 8 in a box" is almost worthless as applied to real world situations-it's a great skill to have, a show of riding "virtuosity", but it will NEVER save your life. Time would be better spent concentrating on swerving and braking, which have immediate everyday, real world value.

That said, the courses are not without value. Regarding training for low speed maneuvers (again, to show viruosity in the parking lot), the Ride Like a Pro and similar courses are the ticket, and if you want to learn high-speed cornering, I would suggest the California Superbike School or the Yamaha Ride Like a Champion School. Your might invest a few bucks and get the RLAP and Twist of the Wrist Part II DVDs. Ride safe!

 

yeah, they also let people do the maneuvers way under required speed. For emergency braking you were supposed to be going over 25 mph.. and weaving between cones etc.. I was the only one in the class who did them past the required speed. Everyone else weren't even doing them near what they were supposed to. One of the instructors asked why I was doing them so fast.. seriously?

 

When I took the MSF course, they actually did enforce the 30MPH speed for emergency braking during the drills. I had good instructors who did not let anything slide out there. There was only one person who had to redo the figure 8 test during the final test because he totally botched it. Everyone else looked to be ready for a license except that guy. He passed the test, but barely. I wonder how he made out in the real world since he said he already had purchased a Ducati before taking the class. I just rolled my eyes.

 

Most people get better, some don't.

My wife used to ride dirt bikes when she was a kid. And grew up on the back of Harley's...her family led the crazy life when she grew up.

Her teens..up til now in her 40's..she didn't ride.
When she wanted to pick up riding again a couple of years ago, she had to do the MSF...she was horrible in class. Yet she was pretty comfy on the road when I was getting her to ride again in the big parking lot of the school.

She just hated doing it in front of the crowd at class.
And she does damn good riding now...we don't multiple state rides together.

 

Had my Shovelhead & rode it around 6 months before I took the BRC course and got my endorsement in 07,
Did not touch my bike for the 2 days of the course,
They cured me of some bad habits that I wasn't aware I was doin,
Pointing my knees the direction I was makin a turn or swerve,
The 2 finger front brake grab,

Took it on a Yamaha TW200,
Man that thing was nimble,
Wouldn't mind havin 1 to tool around on now,

Anyhow,
Big difference when I got back on the FLH in both my awareness and Respect to the machine,

 

Have the RLAP, and watched the Twist of the wrist many times on You tube ( in fact lastly just this weekend). I actually believe I learned more on my slow speed handling thru RLAP and also the rear braking/friction zone. Neither of those subjects were discussed in my ABATE course.