MSF on Friday!

[MZ33]

^ +1

[RhadamYgg]

How did things go?

RhadamYgg

[G3rrity]

Great so far! We rode on the range from about 7:45 to 1 in the insane heat today, but it was still a lot of fun. Aced the written test, and seeing as all the riding went very smoothly today I don't anticipate any problems. Overall I've loved the course material and the instructors so far. They are funny but straightforward and serious when it comes to describing different motorcycling issues. I'm really glad I took the course, even though it happened to fall during a suddenly 90-degree weekend. MSF all the way!

Stay cool,

Sean

[RhadamYgg]

Great so far! We rode on the range from about 7:45 to 1 in the insane heat today, but it was still a lot of fun. Aced the written test, and seeing as all the riding went very smoothly today I don't anticipate any problems. Overall I've loved the course material and the instructors so far. They are funny but straightforward and serious when it comes to describing different motorcycling issues. I'm really glad I took the course, even though it happened to fall during a suddenly 90-degree weekend. MSF all the way!

Stay cool,

Sean

That's great. Hey what part of NJ are you from? Seems like there are a lot of NJ riders on TotalMotorcycle.

RhadamYgg

[waizen]

Fantastic that you're enjoying the whole thing.

Hey, I'd like to share some thoughts I have about MSF, if you don't mind.

I took and passed my MSF about a year ago (the weekend of June 22). Yes, I learned MUCH more than I thought I would, in a really short amount of time, like most of you will agree.

The thing is, about a month or so after I got my bike, which I got about a month after I passed the MSF, I was cruising around town...nothing fast, just cruising.

A dog came running out from around a car and, although he was on a leash, it was set really long and he actually ran in front of me.

Without blinking an eye, I swerved around him, and left the scene unhurt (dog unhurt, too). Okay, not a big, earth shattering moment...we've all been there, done that. However...

As I was riding around after that incident, it occurred to me that if I hadn't taken that course, maybe, just maybe, I would have reacted differently. Maybe I wouldn't have been as confident in my reaction. Maybe...well, you get the picture.

Then, I wondered how many little moments like that...successful accident avoidances took place, not just with me but with all the other MSF students out there, just because some MSF teacher had been there at one point in one's life.

Then, I did something kinda corny.

I rode to the local MSF course that I knew was taking place. On the break, I approached one of the teachers that had taught me two months earlier, told her what I went through earlier that day and then thanked her. Kind of corny, I know, but you could tell it touched her.

These teachers do their jobs each weekend, not realizing the effect they have in riders lives (literally). How many little, seemingly insignificant moments that stayed insignificant because their training came into play. I wish that none of these teachers ever take what they do for granted. Just because these teachers never get to see, or hear about, all the times...big or insignificant...that they got to save a life (or more).

If there are any more of you MSF teachers reading this, please accept yet another thank you from me.

[G3rrity]

Not corny Waizen, I'm sure everything just comes full circle for an instructor when they hear that there work has truly caused a difference in the life of a rider on the real road. That's why they keep coming back out there every weekend.

And Rhadam, I'm from Cranford actually, so right nearby you. I'll be visiting the Rahway DMV (or MVC, whatever they are calling it now) bright and early most likely this Monday morning to get my license.

Sean

[RhadamYgg]

G3rrity,
That is awesome. Oxbow and Brackstone aren't all that far away, either, but not nearly as close as Cranford. When you feel you are ready to ride with others - send me a PM, with us leaving from so close a distance, it won't be like taking a ride before going on the actual ride route.

RhadamYgg

[G3rrity]

Sounds great Rhadam! I'll be in touch at some point once I've got my bearings riding around the area alone.

So I passed the riding portion today with a 99/100 despite the unyielding heatwave. I was .01 seconds slow on the cornering exercise and lost 1 point (2.91 seconds instead of 2.90, which yields zero penalty points)

The course was great and as soon as it cools off a little I want to practice the exercises on my own bike and get the feel for riding in tight quarters on it.

Apparently the heat is supposed to be pretty relentless here this week, and m y air-cooled bike can be a bit of a pain in the you know what when its so hot out, but I'll still get out there and ride.

Sean

[RhadamYgg]

Sounds great Rhadam! I'll be in touch at some point once I've got my bearings riding around the area alone.

So I passed the riding portion today with a 99/100 despite the unyielding heatwave. I was .01 seconds slow on the cornering exercise and lost 1 point (2.91 seconds instead of 2.90, which yields zero penalty points)

The course was great and as soon as it cools off a little I want to practice the exercises on my own bike and get the feel for riding in tight quarters on it.

Apparently the heat is supposed to be pretty relentless here this week, and m y air-cooled bike can be a bit of a pain in the you know what when its so hot out, but I'll still get out there and ride.

Sean

That's great! You did a lot better than I did on the riding portion, although they gave us our scores a bit differently. I scored 15 points - 0 points would have been 100%. 19 points would have been total failure.

We didn't have any failures on the riding portion, but we did have one lady fail the written portion - I'm not sure how you do that, but then again I was so over prepared on the written side that if I'd have failed (or even gotten one question wrong...) I would have been really, really surprised.

I'll be riding in to work I think most of this week, despite the heat. As long as the chances of rain are relatively low.

RhadamYgg

[the_sandman_454]

Congratulations on passing! I ended up passing mine too, although we didn't get a chance to discuss scores, as everybody was scrambling around preparing for a big storm that started to roll in just as we finished up the exam portion. Just had time to grab the completion certificate thing and go.