Modern Vespa

I start the MSF class tomorrow and I completely forgot to purchase gloves, which they require or they can send you home minus the 200 paid for the class. i've only been riding on back roads so i haven't even thought about gloves yet. the motorcycle shops are closed around here on sundays. does anyone know if i can pick up a pair at a wal-mart or target? can they just be any leather gloves? i'm not even sure those stores will have gloves mid-summer

go to wally world and get full fingered leather gloves, they can have mesh on the back of the hands but not on the palms or fingers

Any gloves will do. Does not have to be leather. Just took the course.

they may provide gloves for you if you don't find a pair in time. My MSF class had them available to us. One other thing, they can't have holes.

the instructor can deny you for improper equipment. best be safe and get something you know will pass.

Our instructor said they could be garden gloves for all he cared, as long as they don't have holes. You can't 'show skin'. Otherwise it doesn't matter what they are for the course. Of course you want to make sure you can easily access the brakes, throttle, clutch and signal buttons with whichever gloves you wear.

Road rash looks/feels the same from back roads as it does from other roads.
Hope you have good riding gear: )
Laura

thanks everyone for the tips. i feel better now. i'm going to head to wally world in a few and i'll keep my garden gloves in the car for backup

i also know it's going to be hot. i don't do too well in the heat. they said any long sleave shirt will do so i was wondering if i could wear a wife beater and throw a button down on when i actually have to get on the bike.

They can be any gloves. I used gardening gloves. Materal does not matter. Good Luck on your course

The MSF classes given here in Austin also just say "full fingered gloves", and they'll provide them if you don't have any. Our instructor also made reference of "gardening gloves" were okay . . . you just had to have gloves on your hands.

i wore a long-sleeve tee... just as long as you're not showing any skin.

The course should be required not just suggested for every new rider. I know the argument can be made that "Now I am safe to handle the scooter at any speed up to 20MPH," but there are so many things I learned that have already been very useful.. If nothing else, I now am more aware of how much time you need to really become adept and handling the machine-Many years not weeks as I figured.

I also always wear my protective gear even for short rides. Here in the non state (it is a commonwealth) of Pennsylvania where guns are plentiful and easy to obtain, and helmets are not required, and anyone over 21 may choose not to wear them, this course should be a must not a suggestion. I am a volunteer on our First Aid Squad, and I have seen more deaths from head injuries on people who decided they were too cool to wear a helmet then I can stomach.

So have fun in the course, and remember what you learned. I hope I never forget!

thanks (to everyone) and congrats on passing your course. i was actually going to skip the course because of money but decided it was imperative. i'm looking forward to all that i will learn. i guess there is a lot of states or commonwealths without helmet laws. we don't have one in CT and i knew PA doesn't have one because i remember when ben roethlisbuger had his accident.

One great thing about Pa. is that the course is free to residents and you can retake it as many times as you want, even after you get your class M endorsement. I am not sure ho it works in Ct., but you also do no have to take the riding skills test for the state if you pass.

It was nice "killing two birds with one stone" (sorry for the cliche')

whoa! that's awesome. it's 200.00 in CT. if you pass you don't have to take the riding skills test, but they are strict. if you pay the 200.00 and can't make the class it's non-refundable. so don't get sick! i think if you don't pass you have to pay to re-take. good ole CT. nothing is free and the taxes are crazy.

As has been mentioned any full finger glove is pretty much OK, our class had gardening gloves for people without any - I wore a pair of full finger mtn bike gloves. If your class is run like mine you won't be able to take any gear on and off between exercises so just wear a thin button down shirt (I wore linen) so you can at least leave one or two buttons open up top. They should provide water but you may want to freeze a water bottle the night before to guarantee you have something ice cold to drink.

It wasn't fun here in FL let me tell you and I wore my FF helmet and my only boots are winter ones from when I lived up North!

Good luck Hartford buddy (I'm from W Htfd)!

thanks!
smart of you to move south. although i would miss new england.

It was interesting to read about the rabbit crash and the fact that the rider had road rash from not having cuffs on his gloves Made me wonder why cuffs aren't more common? It seems cuffless gloves make securing jacket cuffs even more important. Comments?

Gloves should be able to be covered by the jacket cuffs. Otherwise when it rains interminably you will get wet gloves just from water running down the jacket into the inside of the gloves. In heavy rain of course water gets in everywhere regardless.

Good point....hasn't been raining much here...you just saved me some misery in the learning curve! Thanks!