MSF recommendations?

[DivideOverflow]

Hello, first off, I have never ridden a motorcycle before. That being said, I do plan on taking my MSF course. My only concern is passing the final tests. If you do not pass the final examination tests, I assume you are still out the 200-300 bucks and then have to take it again for it to count on your insurance, correct?

So, would it be more beneficial for me to practice in a parking lot before I go to take my MSF? Or do you think it shouldnt be a problem even for someone who has never touched a bike?

[houk]

200-300 bucks

Wow, here in Ohio its only 25.00.

[DivideOverflow]

I checked around... it is $225 for the 19 hour MSF course. Cheapest I found it.

[Fropa]

It is costing me $95 here in Wisconsin. I wouldn't think there would be such a big range in price.

[drew]

By all means take this course. It is a great intorduction to riding. It will let you see if a motorcycle is or is not for you without spending a few $$$ to buy a bike and maybe not like it. Their was 12 people in my class and we all passed, even one who dropped their bike at a stop. Im 45 and took it and it was well worth the cost. It is $150 here in South Carolina. Drew.

[Loonette]

If by chance you did not pass the test, I would suggest that you continue practicing with the skills learned in the course, and then take the test with you department of motor vehicles. You may not get your insurance discount, but you also wouldn't have to repay the fees. Practicing before the course won't really help you pass the test any more than just taking the course alone. The test is very specific to what you learn in the course.

In Ohio the course is $25, but my insurance company offered no discount, so go figure. It seems a bit different every where you go.

With all that being said, don't worry. In my class, it seemed that as long as folks were paying attention and being confident on their bike, they passed. Not that it's "so easy" or anything, but they really do a good job of teaching you what you need to know. Try not to fret.

Cheers,
Loonette

[houk]

I've been riding of and on for 20 yrs, but I'm still taking the course. As a matter of fact, I start tomorrow

[DivideOverflow]

Awesome. Thanks for the input.

[iwannadie]

the course i took(in arizona) if you failed either the written or the riding part you had 1 chance free to re take the test the next day. after that you got another try for a small fee. but the tests are very easy the written is common sense, riding is easy as well. my instructors told me basically the only way to fail was drop the bike or show no sense while on the bike. you dont need to be perfect. i had 3 people fail in my class, 2 dropped their bikes on a quick stop(the locked the brakes hard). the other she did so poor on All the differnt riding tests they failed her.

[d2mini]

I was in your same situation. I never touched a bike either. Don't worry about it though. They start with the basics including how to sit on the bike even. Then show how to start it and how to turn it off. Then how to slowly let out the clutch letting the bike creep foward. This goes on and on like this until you are doing figure eights, scraping pegs around turns in 2nd and 3rd gear, emergency stops coming out of a turn, etc. You have to take a written test (so easy if you pay attention in class) and the riding test. The riding test is based on a point system. Our instructors let some people do certain parts of the test twice if they felt they wanted to see them do it again for some reason. And one person screwed up a pretty important part of the test which lost him a lot of points. They made him do the test completely over after the rest of us were all done. He passed the second time. And I, who never touched a bike before, only lost 3 points for crossing a line during a figure eight. Otherwise I aced it.
So don't worry about it. Just sign up, show up and have fun.