Got a bike, taking MSF this weekend!

[icearrowx]

Hope you do well in the MSF, i'm looking at taking it soon as well, just need to pay some court fines first...

[dr_bar]

eh??

Sort of your neck of the woods, eh?

So, what's up with this world???? Don't you people know that us Canadians
have an exclusive on the use of the word, "EH" !!!!!!!

[darsek]

Hey Allihay,

Hope your MSF is going well....make sure to give us an update. Are you north or south of S Cruz? It's further from you than me but on some beautiful sunny weekend make sure you get over to Alice's Restaurant in Woodside, it's fun to check out all the bikes (and bikers ).

[boulevardbiker]

My son and I took the class last year and it was the most fun we'd had for a long time. I'm sure you'll enjoy it as well. Ride safe and I hope you have many years of two-wheel thrills.

[Apollofrost]

So, what's up with this world???? Don't you people know that us Canadians
have an exclusive on the use of the word, "EH" !!!!!!!

Eh?

[allihay]

I just wrote a whole post and it disappeared when I hit a wrong button. My first class was great. Lots of fun, and I feel like I improved a lot, even though the instructor said we might not pass if there were more people in the class. None of us have ever ridden before. There are only 3 students in my class. It's like private lessons! I am riding a Nighthawk, which I like. It's easy to ride, and I feel like it isn't too big for me. Exercise 5 was "Weaving". I didn't do very well - I hope I will improve. It was difficult trying to get the countersteering down. I think I think too much! When I quit thinking and started just pressing in the direction I wanted to go, it got easier. Countersteering is not something that I can learn with words - I have to experience it. Turning was fun!! I loved it, and I think I was pretty good at it. I worry that my Ninja will be harder to handle - or at least be very different - since it seems to be more top-heavy than the Nighthawk. I think it is a bit heavier than the Nighthawk, too. Does anybody know?? EEEHHHH? I'll finish up tomorrow! Wish me luck.

[Dragonhawk]

I worry that my Ninja will be harder to handle - or at least be very different - since it seems to be more top-heavy than the Nighthawk. I think it is a bit heavier than the Nighthawk, too. Does anybody know?? EEEHHHH? I'll finish up tomorrow! Wish me luck.

Personally, I'm one of those people who learns best when I'm told the truth.

Lots of people are not like that.

Lots of people tend to learn best when given "encouragement" and stuff.

So, people will say, "Oh, motorcycling isn't that hard. Oh, you'll get used to it. Oh, don't worry, you'll pick it up."

Bull.

Motorcycling is really, really difficult to learn. It requires some complicated coordination and some people just don't have it.

Having said that, once you DO learn it, just like other physical activites, it becomes second-nature. You will start to lean and turn and shift and brake without thinking about it. THAT is when it becomes easy. But it sometimes requires months to reach that level of comfort. So, don't listen to anyone who tells you it's simple. It's not. It's really hard. But stick to it, and one day you'll be so smooth and coordinated that you'll barely remember how awkward these first days were.

I've put on over 36,000 miles in 3 years of riding. So, I have a lot more miles than some people who have been riding years longer than me AND I'm still enough of a beginner that I clearly recall those "beginner trepidations" people have.

Don't expect it to come easy. Expect it to be difficult. Expect it to be a challenge. And then, just keep on trudging ahead....

[qwerty]

Well, I suppose that is a valid point for the 3% of the population who are total spastics who can't walk and chew gum at the same time.

Don't look at the cones, look at the end of the parking lot. You'll do better. Consider it a dance, find your rhythm, roll with the flow. If you didn't crash, you still did a lot better than some who have actually passed. I expect after a little rest and a deep breath you'll do fine.

I rode a Nighthawk for the BRC. The clutch was screwed up, took a lot to squeeze it. Neutral was hard to find. I understand that is common with Nighthawks. Handling was okay, typical UJM, and braking was, um, barely adequate. Still, I tried to find a Nighthawk to buy, but none were available, new or used. I thought the Nighthawk was tall, heavy, and skittery compared to the way my TW200 handles. I thought the Nighthawk was svelte and sweet compared to the way my TX500 handles.

[allihay]

I did have trouble finding neutral on the Nighthawk, too. I could only find it right as I was starting the bike, before starting the engine. I screwed up a bit when shifting, because the shifter did a double-click. I always thought I was shifting through second to third, and so I would shift down one, thereby finding neutral@!@!.
I later realized I could only shift one gear at a time, and didn't have a problem again.

I think learning to ride is a blast, but I certainly don't find it easy yet. Thanks so much for all the encouragement!

[Fast Eddy B]

I think learning to ride is a blast, but I certainly don't find it easy yet. Thanks so much for all the encouragement!

You will! (and you're welcome...)