??? about MSF class and figur 8`s

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safety-boy · Tue Mar 21, 2006 11:47 am

Hi monkers,

I had the worst time with the double teardrop/figure eight. Partly because I was not used to going slow, and somewhat because the Nighthawk I was riding was total crap.

What I finally did... and this is not a bad skill to have... was stand on the pegs slightly and do some serious counter-balancing. It was almost more like someone on a trrail bike.

A great thing about the MSF course... You are not generally going fast enough to really get hurt, and you get to try things on a bike you don't care about dropping!

--Dave

The Grinch · Wed Mar 22, 2006 6:35 am

My tips for the figure-8:

1) Use the clutch, not the throttle to control speed.
2) Stay in 2nd gear, not 1st.
3) Stay off the front brake. Use it and you'll likely dump it.
4) Turn your head like an owl in the direction of the turn.
5) Put most of your weight on the outside footpeg.
6) Lean, lean, lean!

CNF2002 · #23 Unread post by **CNF2002** » Wed Mar 22, 2006 6:49 am

Like someone else said, this is not a manuever you'd do on the road.

What are you talking about? Just this morning on the way to work I busted out a full figure 8 turn within my lane much to the amazement of the cagers all stuck in traffic.

jstark47 · #24 Unread post by **jstark47** » Wed Mar 22, 2006 7:02 am

cb360 wrote:The figure 8 is kind of a silly thing that's good to know and it's indicative of some skill level, but it ain't something you'll be bringing out a lot in the real world.

I use this skill most getting in and out of gas stations without looking like a total squid. In a big station you can do a lot of tight turns finding and lining up on an open pump.

MotorM · #25 Unread post by **MotorM** » Sat Jun 16, 2007 3:48 pm

I put my foot down twice, I went outside the box once and got docked heavily, but, you know, they still passed me. The instructors were great. Helpful, real human beings, and saw my practice and saw me get nervous. They let me through while still goofing the Figure 8.

The rule, do not drop the bike. They have to make you retake for that.

MotorM

flw · #26 Unread post by **flw** » Sat Jun 16, 2007 4:45 pm

The Grinch wrote:My tips for the figure-8:

1) Use the clutch, not the throttle to control speed.
2) Stay in 2nd gear, not 1st.
3) Stay off the front brake. Use it and you'll likely dump it.
4) Turn your head like an owl in the direction of the turn.
5) Put most of your weight on the outside footpeg.
6) Lean, lean, lean!

The above and look where you want to go, not where you are.

-Curly- · #27 Unread post by **-Curly-** » Sat Jun 16, 2007 6:12 pm

When I took my test, it was a 3 point deduction if you crossed the line. My figure 8 was about 150 yards long. -3 points, still 17 points to till I failed. Its imposible to fail the MSF!

Shorts · #28 Unread post by **Shorts** » Sun Jun 17, 2007 3:03 pm

-Curly- wrote:When I took my test, it was a 3 point deduction if you crossed the line. My figure 8 was about 150 yards long. -3 points, still 17 points to till I failed. Its imposible to fail the MSF!

No, it isn't. For instance two people in my class failed, and I know there are plenty riders on this site who have taken several opportunities at MSF. I wouldn't say it's impossible to fail MSF because it's just not true.

What is true is you can completely mess up the Figure 8s and still pass the class with flying colors. For example, me. I passed with only -6 total. Went out of the lines on the Figure8s twice, max deducation, -5. Then -1 for going too slow on the cornerning/braking drill.

If you're pretty much set on the other drills, so long as you don't drop your bike, you can pass.

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??? about MSF class and figur 8`s

Counter-steering saved me here...

I blew my figure 8 and passed