Total Motorcycle Community Forums

Recently moved to Ohio from Mich. I'm looking to take a rider safety class but one problem: my friends' bikes have all been too big for me and I don't know how to ride. I no longer want to be a passenger. Please help... should i just enroll in the safety courses & they'll instruct me on riding or does anyone know of "drivers ed"-type training courses offered?? What's my first step here?? Thank you ladies! ~Mo

Take an MSF class where they provide the bike.
I (not female) took harley-Davidson's Riders Edge course, so they use larger bikes (500cc) which are sized just right for the smaller person.

They take you from no experience at all up through being able to do some pretty good stuff on 2 wheels.

Then I put 1,500 miles on the same model bike (Buell Blast).

Tomorrow, my wife starts her class, and is taking over the Blast.

I think most beginner courses provide you with a bike. The one here in York, PA also had some helmets. You had to have over the ankle boots, long sleeve shirt and gloves. The class I took they used mostly Suzuki GZ 250's. Since I'm short (5'2) and was just beginning, not to mention never been on a bike nor used a clutch before, they put me on a little Kawasaki 125. Within the hour they had you riding. Its a great course! I recommend it to everyone!

Good luck!!


Jean

If you're anywhere near Green County, Ohio, take the MSF course at the Xenia BMV office. It's only $25 dollars for the course, and as long as you sign up relatively early, there are usually spots left. They go through October. If there are no spots available now, you can always get your learner's permit, then show up with your $25 dollars on class night, and if someone else is a no-show, you can take their spot. Seriously, the MSF course if getting more and more expensive (perhaps due to high demand), and that Xenia office is a super, duper good deal. http://www.motorcycle.ohio.gov/brc.htm

Cheers,
Loonette

That is one heck of a good deal . I finally took the MSF course a couple of years ago after riding for 45 years and learned that I had a lot of bad habits . The cost was almost $200.00 here in California .
It really was well worth the money spent .
Regards, Wizzard

The MSF, is about $300 here, but you get to use their bikes and helmets and gloves if need be. It is a one evening of class and four evening or two full days learing to ride, event with a short road ride before more practice and then the ridden exam. Classes book up fast, but if you shop around you can get the best bang for your buck, but you also sometimes get what you pay for.

I believe the MSF program to be a vital tool for bikers just starting out, and I would have paid $200 or more if that's what it cost. But man, I sure was pleased to find it at only $25 just 20 minutes from where I live. We had folks in our class from quite a distance away. But again, I would have paid more if I had to - it's a great class.

Cheers,
Loonette

I'm with you Loonette, I would have paid any price for my class too. Well not any but you guys know what I mean. I was very lucky too, when we moved to PA our classes are free and the one that I wanted was only 5 mins for the class room part from my house and 15 mins away for the driving part. And my instructors were wonderful! In fact my hubby and I plan on taking the experience course also. Its one day of riding. You do the exercises with your own bike.

Jean