Since everybody has one...

[SuperRookie]

Ok...How about a concensus of opinion here:

Is it better to totally wait until taking the BRC before hopping on my own bike and practicing? Just wondering about picking up a bad habit or two...Or will the familiarity work to my advantage once on the range during the BRC?

[zarakand]

It's obviously better to wait, and pick up the right habits from the get go since it's much more difficult to break a habit than make one.

However, in reality I know I couldn't resist the temptation to have a friend ride the bike to an empty parking lot and practice with cones ect.

[earwig]

I rode for about 6 months before taking the MSF. My brother taught me how to ride... then the MSF taught me the right way to ride

[Sev]

Teaching yourself will just help you pick up bad habits.

[Randy]

What Sev said.

[Sev]

I see a lot of riders around here to who stupid stuff like throwing it into neutral at lights, then forget to get back into gear, or don't keep a brake on at a stop. They walk with the bike to get it going and walk along at a stop. They look down whenever they stop, or they don't shoulder check. Forget to cancel signals and even worse.

Around here the MSF teaches you the correct way to do all of this stuff, and unlearning what you've already learned is tougher then learning something fresh. So I gotta say, it's better to take the MSF first.

[Mag7C]

If you want to just take it up and down the street a couple times I don't see a problem with that. Don't try anything fancy like u-turns until you've taken the course.

This won't help your riding skills for the BRC, but it's so tempting!

[MrGompers]

I intended to wait to drive my bike until I took the msf course. (Which starts this Thurs 3/30) After speaking to a friend who took the course last year I changed my mind.

Here's why, according to her everyone in the class was not a n00b. They all had some experience. She thinks all these people are just trying to avcid the DMV driving test. If you pass the msf in Conn you are exempt from that.

So, I got my permit, reg plates, and insurance and went to a parking lot to practice. Can't say it was that hard, but maybe thats due to the bike. I first practiced on a honda rebel 250 then practiced on my honda shadow 600. I've only ridden about 100 miles so far and avoid traffic. There's an industrial park next to my house that is empty on the weekends. Great for practicing.

Here in Conn it seems like a trend is developing where people sign up for the msf course to avoid the DMV test. Maybe someone else in Conn can chime in on this. BTW, in Conn if you pass the msf course you still have to take the written test at the DMV. You even take the written part here just to get the permit. If you fail no permit.

[earwig]

I took the DMV test on a rented 50cc scooter before ever riding a motorcycle and passed ... many people in my msf class were not newbies either but like you said, most of them didn't want to worry about passing the dmv test.

I intended to wait to drive my bike until I took the msf course. (Which starts this Thurs 3/30) After speaking to a friend who took the course last year I changed my mind.

Here's why, according to her everyone in the class was not a n00b. They all had some experience. She thinks all these people are just trying to avcid the DMV driving test. If you pass the msf in Conn you are exempt from that.

So, I got my permit, reg plates, and insurance and went to a parking lot to practice. Can't say it was that hard, but maybe thats due to the bike. I first practiced on a honda rebel 250 then practiced on my honda shadow 600. I've only ridden about 100 miles so far and avoid traffic. There's an industrial park next to my house that is empty on the weekends. Great for practicing.

Here in Conn it seems like a trend is developing where people sign up for the msf course to avoid the DMV test. Maybe someone else in Conn can chime in on this. BTW, in Conn if you pass the msf course you still have to take the written test at the DMV. You even take the written part here just to get the permit. If you fail no permit.

[SuperRookie]

Hmm well, as you can see from my avatar I uh...couldn't wait...Just curious as to how everyone went about their own learning experiences. I appreciate the responses and opinions, thanks. Personally, I think I'll be alot less tense by the time I get to the range in 3 weeks.