Hey.
I'm writing to see if anyone else has had a similar experience and how they conquered it.

I returned home from Iraq at the end of 2008 with the dream of buying a Harley and hitting the road. I had never ridden a motorcycle before and signed up for the MSF course, and after a weather delay (12 inches of snow), we got to the riding portion the next weekend.

Well, things were going well until the very end of the first day. I dropped the bike on a curve going about 20, scraped up my arm pretty good, dusted myself off, and rode the rest of the day. The next morning, I bandaged myself up, went to the class, and dropped the bike again on another curve. This time wasn't as bad, but still I was absolutely destroyed. I failed the Figure-8 portion of the test (put foot down and left the box by 6 inches), and passed everything else.

It's been over a year and this has eaten at my soul ever since. Every time I see a motorcycle, I get even more pissed. I teach people how to fly helicopters for a living in the Army, so why couldn't I figure out a friggin motorcycle?

Well, please help. I'm dyin here...
Thanks,
Matt

 

If ya fail the first time, ya just try again, and again, and again, and again, and................ It ain't rocket science for sure!

 

Seeing as you've never ridden a motorcycle before:

1. Get yourself a used, cheap, mild, 4 stroke dual sport bike, no bigger than a 250 cc.

2. Get yourself some body protection. Minimum would be: Good off road helmet, off road knee and elbow guards, gloves, good sturdy boots.

3. Load up the above and head for the nearest SMOOTH and OPEN field you can access.

4. Suit up, and practice the bike handling manuevers they taught you at the MSF. Keep speeds low at first. As your skills and confidence grow (and they will), you will find it easier and easier.

Once you've become VERY COMFORTABLE on your lightweight and mellow powered dual sport bike, you have now acquired the basic skills you will need to move onto the street with a heavier bike. However, you will need to get accustomed to the weight of the cruiser.

Shoot... you may find that riding off road was so much fun, you may want to keep the little 250 cc dual sport bike, and expand your off road skills and enjoy that aspect of riding alongside a cruiser!

Good luck!

 

Matt, thanks for your service.

one of the biggest obstacles I had to overcome (and still working on it), is NOT looking down where you are right now but out to where you want to go.

get back on it and go!

 

One of the most important things to know about riding is how to fall. that's why it's good to learn while young

 

When you are flying that helicopter I bet you don't lean to get it to turn... in fact you probably don't move your body at all. Well same same on the bike at slow speeds... stay upright, keep your eyes up ahead of your flight path, and ever so slightly counter steer the curves. I have never laid a bike down in 47 years of riding(knock on wood)... so I am not an advocate of learning how to fall.

 

keep on trying, don't let it get you down. try and befriend some riders to get some tips.

 

As a soldier .. You of all people should know ... Never lose site of the task at hand.

So, you goofed up a little bit .. dumping the bike is not even that serious especially if you didn't get hurt. It's a piece of machinery .. IT is not what you have to conquer .. It's your own confidence that you have to get a hold of. YOU CAN DO THIS SOLDIER! Now get out there, and practice!!!

 

Riding a motorcycle is a lot muscle memory. Just like flying a helicopter is. You need to do it for a while before you get used to it. There are some tricks that you should know like dragging the rear brake on real slow speed turns, Counter steering, object fixation ect. I agree with the above statement that you should buy a small bike and learn the basics first. I think most of us didn't start out on a Harley as a first bike though there might be a few. I started riding a mini bike when I was about 6 or 7 years old and had about 20 bikes before I ever had a Harley. There is no substitute for experience.

 

You may need practice or you may need to give up the idea. You have to be honest with yourself because some people just shouldn't ride. Try the practice idea and if you gain confidence and ability then you may end up being another addicted rider some day. It's near impossible not to ride this time of year.