2/3rds don't take a safety class....

[havegunjoe]

Here is a related question. Did your insurance go down when you took the safety class? My insurance company didn’t offer a discount but I complained so much they did a 10% discount for me. I told them this class was so much better than that stupid 55 Alive class I had to take.

[Lion_Lady]

The MSF classes are ok, better then the way I learne. But they could be alot better. I really don't think they are teach you much. When you are in a park lot, all things are easy to do .

When new riders have never used a clutch or shifted gears, and are just learning how to manipulate the throttle, and figure out how to use the brakes, it just seems safer to restrict their riding to a parking lot, wouldn't you agree?

But on the street , when a car , a dear or what ever runs out in front of you 50% of new riders are not going to know what to do. It is called panic and you will never get that riding in a parking lot. There is more training a new rider needs. But at least it is a start.

Exactly.

The Basic Riders Course wasn't designed to be a complete "ready to ride the roads" class. In fact, as I understand it, it was originally created as the FIRST course in a series. It was supposed to be part of a graduated licensing system, which has not and probably never will be implemented in the US.

It is designed to give brand new, never been on a motorcycle, students an understanding of the risks involved (and how to limit them), as well as the basics of motorcycle control and operation.

Students are sent off with the reminder that they have only just learned the basics, and that to be safe riders, then must practice their new skills to become proficient.

P

[XB08]

I didn't say the classes are bad did I . YOu can copy what I wrote but did you read it. I think new riders needs more training before they can ride. I leare the old way and there where not as many deaths on motorcycles. No you have the MSF whitch is good but there are some new riders that go to the MSF and now they think they know how to ride. My father rode and got me started when I was 9(now 48) he started me with dirt bikes. and as I got older any turned 17 then I got my street bike. How many times do you see a 600cc sportbike going down the highway doing 100 mph. I see it alot , I drive a truck for a living. I asked one of these on day how long they been riding for and was told 3 days. I said maybe you sould learne more about riding before you ride like that. I was told by this new rider. That he went to a MSF course and he knows how to ride. So while most get something out of it you have some that will never get it. That why I think there sould be more in training.

[XB08]

( know that you "lean your body to turn a motorcycle.". ) I really hope that the one that wrote this and you know who you are, dose not teach MSF. You do not Lean your body to turn a motorcycle, You counter steer to turn a motorcycle.

[PacificShot327]

XB08...

I don't think Lion_Lady said that you said the classes were bad...

And the comment about leaning your body to turn the motorcycle wasn't someone posting on here saying they did that... storysunfolding was making a comment about people he's concerned about, and for good reason. And he DOES teach MSF.

[Skier]

( know that you "lean your body to turn a motorcycle.". ) I really hope that the one that wrote this and you know who you are, dose not teach MSF. You do not Lean your body to turn a motorcycle, You counter steer to turn a motorcycle.

Read his post a bit closer.

[RhadamYgg]

My MSF instructors were very specific and repetitive at the end of the course.

"You are now certified to ride in a parking lot."

On braking from a leaned over turn to me specifically:
"You know you have to work on that, right?"

To everyone at the end of the course:
"There is not a single student here that shouldn't practice a lot before really taking it out to the streets."

Oh, and I probably still need work on braking in a leaned over turn.

RhadamYgg

[Lion_Lady]

I didn't say the classes are bad did I . . .

No. You didn't, but you seemed to imply they're useless. My mistake.

I asked one of these on day how long they been riding for and was told 3 days. I said maybe you sould learne more about riding before you ride like that. I was told by this new rider. That he went to a MSF course and he knows how to ride. So while most get something out of it you have some that will never get it. That why I think there sould be more in training.

Just like the newbs who show up on this forum wanting justification for buying a literbike as their first, there are some students who complete the BRC and believe they know all they need to know to ride.

In the US, it seems unlikely there will ever be any restriction of who may ride what on the highway.

The causes behind the increasing motorcycle fatalities on US highways are too complex to blame on any single cause. "Stock" motorcycles available today are far more powerful now than anything available anywhere even 10 years ago.

There is far more traffic on the highways, and the percentage of heavyweight vehicles is now far greater than 10-20 years ago (Hummers, etc). And it moves faster.

The folks who grew up with "Easy Rider" and "On Any Sunday" are now old enough and well off enough to buy their dream motorcycle, but too many of them fail to consider the ravages of time on themselves... chief among those is slower reaction time.

P

[Grey Thumper]

How many times do you see a 600cc sportbike going down the highway doing 100 mph. I see it alot , I drive a truck for a living. I asked one of these on day how long they been riding for and was told 3 days. I said maybe you sould learne more about riding before you ride like that. I was told by this new rider. That he went to a MSF course and he knows how to ride. So while most get something out of it you have some that will never get it. That why I think there sould be more in training.

More training is always a good idea, but I don't think it'll solve cases like that guy. You're right; some people will never get it. Attitude is a major factor in whether you learn a new skill well or not. Y'know, that whole Confucian "He who knows most is he who knows that he does not know." (or something like that).

[follow]

Another thing;
In Colorado we have had $2 added to each motorcycle tag over 20 yrs just to be used for rider education. The BRC in Colorado (ABATE) costs $225. The BRC in Wyoming last year was $35

This is just wrong and I have more than one bike...