Total Motorcycle Community Forums

My MSF class cost me 185, twelve people with two instructors, and if any individual had a problem, one of them would take time with that individual to help him through it.

But here are a couple things you might want to consider:

Does NY require a driving test prior to issuing your license? If so, does either the MSF class or this company fulfill that requirement?

Does either class fulfill the written part of the examination?

Depending on who you have insurance through, does either class score you a discount on your insurance?

How many classes on average does this company put students through? Do they have a published handbook you can study like the MSF RiderCourse? How long is each of their classes, and how much classroom vs. course time do you have?

Personally, I'm skeptical of anyone who says they'll charge me 75$ a class, and won't tell me how many classes that entails <i>up front</i>. This includes both shorting me on the teaching, if they think I can't afford more classes, or stretching out the training time in order to milk me for all I'm worth. I have no idea if this company is reputable or not, I'm just cynical about this sort of thing. A guy I know who had taken the MSF course turned me on to it, and was absolutely thrilled with the class, and so was I. Have you run across anyone who has taken this company's classes and can attest to their usefulness?

Just some things to think about.

im just curious, if you have no intent to go fast why buy a performance bike? is it just the looks or what? to me it just doesnt make any sense. if i have a bike that will do 160mph, i will at some point do that speed other wise i would get a slower bike that has better comfort, gas mileage, slow speed handling.

people buy these bikes that are ment for a track, then complain that they handle poorly doing slow speed parking lot maneuvers, well they werent ment for that stuff.

kyle wrote:Good heavens, past 7k? Not planning on it, not unless I'm trying to get around a semi as fast as I can. A friend of mine took a trip to Arkansas over the weekend, and just as he had passed the semi, one of the tires disintegrated. Heck, the less time spent next to ANY vehicle, the better.

But even on the interstate running 80, I'm only hovering around 6k on the tach. Maybe nice to know that I could take it up to 100 if I needed to, but I try not to need to.

And yes, prior to the class, I spent many hours in parking lots. The only thing I'm not comfortable with on my bike yet is counterweighting in slow, tight turns. Those took me the longest to get in the class, and my bike feels like it wants to tip over more than the Nighthawk did.

Has anyone taken the Novice and/or Experienced classes yet? What did you think of them?

kyle wrote:My MSF class cost me 185, twelve people with two instructors, and if any individual had a problem, one of them would take time with that individual to help him through it.

But here are a couple things you might want to consider:

Does NY require a driving test prior to issuing your license? If so, does either the MSF class or this company fulfill that requirement?

Does either class fulfill the written part of the examination?

Depending on who you have insurance through, does either class score you a discount on your insurance?

How many classes on average does this company put students through? Do they have a published handbook you can study like the MSF RiderCourse? How long is each of their classes, and how much classroom vs. course time do you have?

Personally, I'm skeptical of anyone who says they'll charge me 75$ a class, and won't tell me how many classes that entails <i>up front</i>. This includes both shorting me on the teaching, if they think I can't afford more classes, or stretching out the training time in order to milk me for all I'm worth. I have no idea if this company is reputable or not, I'm just cynical about this sort of thing. A guy I know who had taken the MSF course turned me on to it, and was absolutely thrilled with the class, and so was I. Have you run across anyone who has taken this company's classes and can attest to their usefulness?

in answer to your questions:

1. as far as how many classes i asked and it varies according to them. some guys/girls take 3 to 4 lessons while a small amount have had to take more.

2. nah they dont have a handbook, or rather i dont know yet as i havent gone for my first lesson. but it IS pay as you go unlike some others so im not locked into something.

3. its 75 for the full hour, all of that which is spent on the bike to my knowledge. at the end of your training when they deem you ready, they set up the road test and you can use their bike for it, so yes, in THIS case with this course there is a road test to take. if i chose the MSF course, the drivers test is waved upon satisfactory completion of the program.

4. as far as reputable goes, the site is:
http://www.allcountydrivingschool.com/
they have been in business for 50 some odd years so a friend recommended them to me. Unfortunatley i dont know anyone personally who has taken the MSF course since you asked, so i cant get insight face to face about that.

5. dont know much about the insurance questions at the moment. as far as the written part of the exam, i honestly didnt think there was one except for the permit test but i guess ill know soon enough when i take the 1st lesson. but its not for another week so i think i will be calling the instructor to bug him with a few questions before i go.

Well, whatever you decide to do, I hope it works out for you! Keep us posted!

iwannadie wrote:im just curious, if you have no intent to go fast why buy a performance bike? is it just the looks or what? to me it just doesnt make any sense. if i have a bike that will do 160mph, i will at some point do that speed other wise i would get a slower bike that has better comfort, gas mileage, slow speed handling.

people buy these bikes that are ment for a track, then complain that they handle poorly doing slow speed parking lot maneuvers, well they werent ment for that stuff.

kyle wrote:And yes, prior to the class, I spent many hours in parking lots. The only thing I'm not comfortable with on my bike yet is counterweighting in slow, tight turns. Those took me the longest to get in the class, and my bike feels like it wants to tip over more than the Nighthawk did.

Mostly the look and the style, yes. In retrospect, I think I bought my bike too soon, over a month before my MSF class and subsequently beginning to ride daily (it sat in the garage for 3 weeks while I learned more about it). Heck, the day I bought it, I had never sat on a motorcycle, didn't know how to start it.. nada, nothing.

To date, I've got almost 700 miles on it, and while I may not have purchased the bike so far in advance, if I had it to do over again I'd buy the same one.

Oh, and since I posted that initial comment about problems with slow speed stuff, they have become much, much easier. It was never meant to be a complaint, merely an observation regarding the difference in handling between the two bikes.

lucky you. ive been waiting more than 2 weeks for my training and i hear its supposed to rain this saturday when i start. that means a postponement!! what a crock of sh$%!!!

temper............temper............fading.......fading............................



gone

MSF told me they'd run rain or shine, so be sure to bring gear if the weather looked like it'd go south. Sorry to hear you might get rained out. Hope deferred makes the heart sick!

Hi Kyle,

Congratulations on passing the course! It sounds like you have a good head on your shoulders so you will do well as a beginner.

Have fun out there!
Andrea