How many drops/crashes while learning?

Message

shawnhpi · #11 Unread post by **shawnhpi** » Fri May 13, 2005 7:00 pm

I have to disagree with someof you. As i tought my self how to ride.

Im in NY and know nothing of these MSF courses.

I have dropped a bike but that was only taking it out of the garage. just was heavy for me at the time.. (was walkin in out).

Its ok to teach ure self how to drive. I was given 1 small bit of help. A guy told me not to freak out and instead of holding the throttle so you can twist it all the way make it so ure wrist os bent like you are given it gas then grip the handle and that makes it so you have very little throttle response (kinda hard to explain hope some one gets it). I tought my self on a small street (cirle with some side streets). Enough room to move around. just learn the balance low speed turns, circles etc..

don't put the bike away and wait for the class. Just stay in an area where you can't do any damage. Stay in 1st and ride around in that for a while and then keep goin up when you are ready. Took me about a week before i took the bike into 3rd and up.

All that worked for me..

Kon dee is right .. keep it slow. learn how to do everything for now at low speeds..

..,./

#12 Unread post by **cb360** » Fri May 13, 2005 9:24 pm

I don't think anyone said it couldn't be done so I'm not sure what there is to disagree with really. Of course it can be done. I could probably take out someone's appendix with a good book and a pocketknife but I bet I'd do a better job if I went to medical school first. Good for you learning to ride without the class. There's always going to be some people who did ok that didn't take the class. That doesn't change the fact that it's a solid, can't-go-wrong recommendation that any brand new rider take the class. It saves you from taking the license exam, it very well MIGHT save you money on insurance (it did me), but most of all, it teaches solid safety techniques and gives a lot of info that can be built on later. No offense, but I'm not gonna tell a new rider to skip the class because a guy in New York rides and he didn't take it. Sure it's possible to learn without a class - many have done so. But if you take 20 novice riders out to a parking lot and give ten of them the class and just give ten of them the bikes I guarantee you the group that didn't take the class will have a lot more dropped bikes and roadrash than the group that did. I recommend to anyone thinking of taking up riding that they take an MSF class - especially the people I care about. You'd be surprised (Maybe not) the number of accidents that happen the very first time someone gets on a bike.

Telesque · Fri May 13, 2005 11:48 pm

I've put about a thousand miles on my first bike, and I want to take the MSF class.

Too bad I'm so broke.

(Well, ok, so.. not broke enough to have gone out and bought a bike...)

nyrblue35 · Sat May 14, 2005 1:12 am

Im in NY and know nothing of these MSF courses.

so am i but they have them here on long island. but then again your up in gods country and im surprised they dont have 'em around by you.

#15 Unread post by **t_bonee** » Sat May 14, 2005 3:50 am

kainthedragoonx wrote:I have not taken the class yet as most of the courses are full until September, and I do not have gloves yet.

I was in a similar situation. I got my first bike last week but the next MSF courses were in September. Some folks in this thread have mentioned going to them as a standby. Do that. It works! I went to the center to try to get in on tuesday. I didn't get my name called. I went back for the wednesday one (the last one I could try to get in on until mid-july due to location of centers and other commitments) and there were 7 no shows for the class and 8 people on standby. Needlesss to say I got in. I have one class tomorrow and one next sunday. No waiting untill september now.

Also the only riding I've done on my new bike is up and down my driveway to get the feel for my bikes friction zone. And going up the path in my back yard from the driveway to behind the house to park the bike. I figure if I can have my stalling out of my system and keep practicing starting off up hills by doing it up the path to my house, I'll have eliminated 2 things that I would otherwise probably have trouble with on the street.

I did drop my bike the second day I had it. Not riding it though . I was sitting on it and went to put the side stand down and didn't quite get it all the way down. I swung my leg over to get off the bike and the side stand flew up and there I was hopping on one leg trying to hold up a 500lb bike. I lost the battle and over me and the bike went. Luckily it has a crash bar so only some scratches on the crash bar and left mirror. And a cracked in dent on the back side of the left rear turn signal.

Tom

shawnhpi · #16 Unread post by **shawnhpi** » Sat May 14, 2005 4:34 am

Im not saying DON"T take em. I think you should. but don't put the bike away till then..

and im sure there are some around me. and of course like every one else. I do want to take em to as I do need my insurance lowered (hope it can do that). Its kinda high for me.. 630 a year.

Telesque · #17 Unread post by **Telesque** » Sat May 14, 2005 4:50 am

630!

I live in Michigan, and since we have a short summer, our auto insurer decided that they're just going to assume that you (the typical non-die hard) can/will only ride six months out of the year, and so they're only going to charge you for six months worth of insurance for any given year. So, I've got a full-coverage, 12 Month policy, and it only cost me about $284, I believe.

#18 Unread post by **cb360** » Sat May 14, 2005 5:19 am

Yeah. The standby is a great suggestion - or just call the number for the place that registers for classes a couple times a week and ask if anyone has cancelled. Here in Seattle the wait time was 3 months to get into one of the state subsidized classes that only cost $100 - I called the reg. number and got into a class literally the next day even thought the wait time listed on the internet said I had to wait for months. My wife took a chance and rode to the class with and someone didn't show and she got in too. So it's worth a shot. And lastly, as if anyone needed another reason to take the class... according to the Hurt Report, (the only large study ever done on motorcycle accident stats for those who don't know) a self-taught rider is statistically twice as likely to be involved in an accident than a rider who has had professional training.

#19 Unread post by **t_bonee** » Sat May 14, 2005 5:39 am

cb360 wrote:Yeah. The standby is a great suggestion - or just call the number for the place that registers for classes a couple times a week and ask if anyone has cancelled. Here in Seattle the wait time was 3 months to get into one of the state subsidized classes that only cost $100

Wow. A $100. Here in Ohio our state MSF course is $25.

Tom

DivideOverflow · Sat May 14, 2005 7:14 am

At least, buy Proficient Motorcycling.... It has a lot of good information, most of the same stuff they go over in the MSF. It will at least give you a good knowledge base of what you are SUPPOSED to do before you go out and make stupid mistakes. Knowing is half the battle.

Also, get gear...it will save your skin. I highly recommend sticking to the parking lot for a while... if you almost hit a parked car, your skills arent nearly high enough to ride on the street yet, low traffic or not. It is like handing someone a guitar for the first time, and expecting them to play well...

Get the book, take the class, practice.

Also, no drops for me yet... I did take the MSF and read that book before I started riding, I think it helped a lot.