Maybe just bad timing considering the heat. Get some practice hours in and give it a shot when it cools down. Then again, maybe (as said before) it's not for you.

 

Did anybody mention Practice...........

 

Sir, I am not trying to berate you or put you down in anyway, but if you cannot complete the MSF course you should not be riding on the street with a motorcycle. The course is in itself the easiest course to pass and is BASIC motorcycle handling. You need to practice off road or in parking lots. Again I am not trying to demean you in any way, I just don't want to see you get injured. I have taught many people to ride to include being a Police Motorcycle Instructor and some people just are not able to gain the ability to ride a Motor Cycle safely. Please look at it with an objective mind. Try the course again and if you still cannot get through it, consider getting another hobby and live another day.

 

Just like everyone said go pratice, find an empty lot have a friend with you that can ride and have him run you through the same drills.

 

I had trouble with the friction zone on the MSF bikes, too. I rode a Hyosung and it was easier to handle than the Suzuki's the others were riding, but I find the friction zones on a Harley are light years easier to control than the crap bikes MSF uses.

 

While I am not intending to jump you about you opinion I would dare say you come off a bit harsh.

We don't know a lot about matters other than it was extremely hot. Then toss in peer pressure to perform, we do not know if it was his/her bike or a MSF bike.

A lot can be done in an empty parking lot for practice and having a friend there with some experience would be even better. However, the choice of a friend to learn with would be very important so you aren't expected to ride to Their Expectations ....I.E. Sarg would send you home after 30 minutes and have you take up golf.

Think positive, get out and practice and it will all fall in place. Sit on your bike (or a friends) and learn the clutch, Hand brake, foot brake, shifter, turn signals, horn ect....Like above you can do it in a chair. It is called muscle memory, after time your muscles just know what to do, where to squeeze, what to push.

Again, get the Ride like a Pro DVD and watch it over and over. If you mention the HD forum just used to cut $5.00 off the price too.

Karsten

 

More saddle time and like others have said the Ride Like a Pro CD is great.

 

Good luck and try again is all I can say


Some may find that funny but sitting on the toilet with the plunger in my hand got my shifting head out of my ***(I just realized how messed up that sounds and all the jokes I just opened myself up to) when I was going to truck driving school
So something like this may also help you don't just write it off as sillyness

 

If you can't get a bike to practice on in a parking lot before you retry the test, ask the testing facility you are going through if they offer private one on one new rider instruction/practice. When I took the 2 day MSF course at my local HD dealer that was an option and a couple of brand new riders did take advantage of it and it took all of the pressure off of learning in a group class.

 

There are lots of factors and you have to figure out what they are or were. My story if it helps you.
I took the HD $450 course and to be honest felt comfortable on the bikes. I hated the Buells though and had a broken shifter. Despite that I did well in the class and aced the written. As I always tend to do I totally melted down during the test. They said my brake light was on during the swerve so while I did not hammer down I must have been resting on it enough to fail. Never during the practice runs of course. During the stopping (only at the test time) did I suddenly question wether to stop at at the cone or make sure I cleared it (wrong answer). And so on. Even after being told I failed they pulled me aside and said there are folks who pass that really need to practice before actually getting on the road. Both teachers said they felt I could borrow a bike drive to the DMV and pass. Thank god because for me its always nerves and I had melted down and would have had they not talked to me. Still being nervous (not about being on bike if that makes sense, just taking a test) I signed up for the $150 college course that week.
The combination of just taking the course and the Honda Rebels which were like mini cruisers made it a breeze and I passed.
I was on the street in DC in a week and a year later have 10k miles in through rain, crazy traffic and severe winds. The riding came fast the testing sucked.
The figure 8s bugged me the most so what I did was take a bicycle and mastered in days of hours going in the figure 8 on a side street. Oddly enough as soon as I was on the Motorcycle with power it was actually easier.
Practice, go take the course again and you will pass.
A side note though. In my second course a guy hit the teacher and later lost total control and flew off the course. He was kicked out for everyones safety and should never ride. I live in Virginia and took my course last year in Arlington. If that was you, give it up. If not just relax and get back in there
: )