Tips For MSF Course?
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 44,855
Likes: 29,832
From: PNW
Keep your ears open in class. Keep your eyes and ears open on the bike. Be aware of your surroundings. Enjoy the class. Welcome to the street side of motorcycling,
@nevada72 Holy ****, Bob. That was very serious and a nightmare all rolled up into one. How many days did Cheryl spend in the hospital on IV antibiotics before they inserted the PICC line and sent her home on IV antibiotics? I hope she fully recovered.
@nevada72 Holy ****, Bob. That was very serious and a nightmare all rolled up into one. How many days did Cheryl spend in the hospital on IV antibiotics before they inserted the PICC line and sent her home on IV antibiotics? I hope she fully recovered.
Take it seriously...even the simple stuff
Take it seriously...even the simple stuff. I was in a class (2nd time) because I had let my M certification on my license expire. There was a man with this son in the class and that guy was constantly complaining about how the bikes were crap and even told his son, "it will be a lot easier when we are on real bikes" and at that point I realized that both of them are going to end up crashing. Even though I had already ridden thousands of miles on multiple bikes, I listened to the coach and took the whole thing very seriously. Turns out there were a couple of things I needed a refresher on and I came out of that class just a little bit better than I went in. Both the man and his son dropped their bikes several times but somehow passed the test.
Road Warrior
Joined: Feb 2021
Posts: 1,340
Likes: 3,251
From: Chicagoland
Take it seriously...even the simple stuff. I was in a class (2nd time) because I had let my M certification on my license expire. There was a man with this son in the class and that guy was constantly complaining about how the bikes were crap and even told his son, "it will be a lot easier when we are on real bikes" and at that point I realized that both of them are going to end up crashing. Even though I had already ridden thousands of miles on multiple bikes, I listened to the coach and took the whole thing very seriously. Turns out there were a couple of things I needed a refresher on and I came out of that class just a little bit better than I went in. Both the man and his son dropped their bikes several times but somehow passed the test.
Realistically, the coaches should have counseled them both out of the class if they were dropping it as much as you say.
Admittedly, we were State sponsored with partial funding from the DMV (We could give M class endorsement) so our program was a bit more responsible than the dealer programs that cant certify for the M class license endorsement.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 10,602
Likes: 721
From: Bellevue, NE
Learn what you can from the class and get your endorsement, but remember that this particular class alone is far from sufficient to make you a safe rider on the street. Seek additional, more advanced training as soon as possible. Never stop improving your skills.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 3,133
Likes: 504
From: Lake County, IL
Don't worry right now about remembering all the riding tips mentioned here. Go to class and relax. They'll tell you what you need to know. There's enough to learn in class, and it gets harder if you overload on info. One of the things we instructors have to do is limit what we tell people at any given time; it can get to be too much and make it hard for them to remember any of it.
Once you're done with the class, you can come back here for review, and continue to learn and improve, as Kurt mentioned.
Once you're done with the class, you can come back here for review, and continue to learn and improve, as Kurt mentioned.
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Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2021
Posts: 2,198
Likes: 4,200
From: The boonies of northern New England
My wife had only been on a motorcycle once before we met. We had only been on a couple dates when she found out I have a bike. She wanted to go for a ride, so on our next date we went for a ride. She has been riding with me since. Not all the time, the majority of the time I ride alone. But the last year or so she has seen a lot of women with their own bikes, and has shown some interest in learning to ride. So I encouraged her to sign up for the MSF course one of the local Harley dealers runs. She is going in May, and I told her that I wont be showing her how to ride, that she should learn from a professional instructor first. She agrees. I told her after the course, if she passes, we can go to a big empty parking lot and practice together. It will be good for both of us to practice the slow speed maneuvers. Of course she will need to buy a bike first!
IMO, the best thing one can do when going to the MSF course is to go prepared. Bring different types of riding gear, including rain gear. The weather can change quickly. Bring some snacks and plenty of water. Bring a pen and notebook. Really pay attention to the instructors, dont be afraid to ask questions, even if you think it is a stupid question. The instructors have heard it all, so dont be embarrassed if you didnt understand something. And most of all, have fun!
IMO, the best thing one can do when going to the MSF course is to go prepared. Bring different types of riding gear, including rain gear. The weather can change quickly. Bring some snacks and plenty of water. Bring a pen and notebook. Really pay attention to the instructors, dont be afraid to ask questions, even if you think it is a stupid question. The instructors have heard it all, so dont be embarrassed if you didnt understand something. And most of all, have fun!
