bsumpter wrote:
Thank you so much for the position paper, EdInBTR! I had been to the MSF website, but did not see that one. I have already printed it out and it is ready to go with her to the course. Thank you for the words of encouragement as well - it really meant a lot to her to hear that from a rider coach. She's not real sure what to expect at the course, and I've not taken it yet either so I'm not much help in that regard. Don't worry though - I'm scheduling mine for the weekend after hers.
My pleasure. Things can be kind of hard to find on the MSF website sometimes, even for those of us that have access to the RiderCoach areas.
As far as what to expect, expect to learn a lot and have a lot of fun in a low risk, high motivation environment. There will be students in the class from all backgrounds and levels of experience and inexperience. We literally start off the class with "This is a motorcycle/scooter". Our assumption is that no one in the class has ever even seen one, much less ridden one, and then move on from there.
It sounds as if you are somewhat of an experienced rider, but trust me, you will also learn a lot and probably also find some better ways to do things that you have been doing, or not doing. Congratulations on getting yourself signed up for the class. I am sure we would all like to hear your opinion after you have completed it, along with your wife's opinion as well.
With regard to using one's own bike in the MSF classes, it varies depending on the program director's guidelines and the state in which the class is being held. For example, here in Louisiana, and yes, because our government is based on the Napoleonic Code, we do things just a bit different here, in order to use your own bike in our class, you must have a motorcycle endorsement, your bike must have an inspection sticker, you must have proof of insurance and the engine can not exceed 550cc. Seems kinda stupid that you have to have the endorsement in order to take the class, part of the object of which is to get the endorsement, but those are the rules here.
You and your wife may also want to consider paying the extra fee and riding the class bikes because 1) she will learn how to shift a manual motorcycle, 2) if you or she should drop the bike, it doesn't happen often, but it does happen, you will be dropping their bike and not yours, and, as many on here can attest, the pretty shiny plastic pieces on the MP3 are not cheap, and I am sure that holds equally true for the V-Strom as well, and 3) most schools use small displacement, light weight motorcycles like Honda Rebels/Nighthawks, Kawasaki Ninja 250s, Buell Blasts, etc., which, because of their light weight and shorter wheel base, make accomplishing the various range exercises easier.
If she chooses to ride the MP3 in the class and the RiderCoach is not a scooterists, here is a tip. One of the things that will be talked about a lot is "Clutch Control" and "The Friction Zone". Of course, the MP3 doesn't have a clutch in the conventional sense of the word. Having said that, she can create the same effect by rolling on enough throttle to just begin to engage the clutch and then control her speed using the rear brake. It is, by the way, exactly the same hand motions and motor skills that are used when riding a "proper motorcycle". You can tell when the clutch is beginning to engage on the MP3 by the shudder that you feel in the handlebars.
Here are the three biggest mistakes that people make when taking the MSF course.
1. Looking at the ground rather than keeping their head and eyes up.
2. Not turning their head and looking "through" the turn.
3. Not rolling on the throttle through the turn.
Have a lot of fun, bring plenty of water and stay hydrated, throw a hand full of protein bars, a ball cap, a hand towel, and sunscreen into the "pet carrier", and, if you have it, wear a 3/4 helmet for the course. Having said that, I DO NOT advocate wearing anything less than a full face modular on the street. Finally, a folding chair can be handy. They bungee quite easily to the pillion.
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Now off to the garage with the wife to sit on our bikes and make motorcycle noises.
Depending on the sense of humor of your RiderCoach, you may get to do some of that too!
I like to try and keep it light and hope that, along with learning a lot, everyone leaves having had a good time.,
Welcome new girly friend.....You're lookin real good sitting on that misty colored looking machine...keep those eyes up...one never knows who one will see on the road (perhaps one of us?)
Go For It!
