Thread: Motorcycles

DAMMIT BOY!!!

Takes a while in young man's life to figure out that he is not invincible.

Glad you lived through it.

Hello all

I am takeing the MSF basic rider class next weekend. Just wanted to find out if any one has taken that class or has any inpout on it.

I never took it, but I have friends that have. Everyone has said it's great. You can go from someone who has never been on a bike to roadworthy through the class. Don't get me wrong, you need experience to back it up, but that will come in time. Congrads on taking the leap into the world of 2 wheels, you will never regret it. I'm 46 now ad I've had a bike since I was 6. I started with a mini-bike with a Briggs and Stratton motor and moved up through the ranks. I've been through the dirt bikes, crotch rockets, and all other sorts of rides, but for the past 15 years I've been riding Harleys. My current ride is a 100 year anniversary Road King, and I love it! Have fun and keep the shiny side up!

I took the basic course and it was GREAT! If you don't already have your license ask the DMV about geting certified during the course and your instructor can sign off on your motorcycle certification and then you don't have to test again at the DMV! Best way to do it! If it's like the one that I took, it's a night session and a two session - 1 day skills ride. They'll have you doing the skills part on little Honda 250cc bikes that are great little machines. Quick and handles easy. I'd HIGHLY reccommend taking the course. Some insurance companies allow discounts if you take the course too!

Yea the school im taking the MSF class with will waive the road test requirment so i will be all set after i take and pass the class

nyc, I took the class in 2007 at one of the parks in the St. Louis area. The MSF book is usually found in B&N or certainly on-line in case you want to do some studying in advance. My class used donated new Yamaha 250's. Two people that had no prior bike experience had minor spills on theirs - better the class loaner to get your feet wet than a privately owned unit. In addition to the road test cert thing, be sure to check with your ins provider as many offer MSF discounts. As you likely already know, shopping several ins providers f/ rates may give you some interesting results to work w/.

There are several other really good books out there. My most highly recommended three favorites are:

Proficient Motorcycling Book I - David Hough (pronounced huff if I remember correctly); tons of vital info in Book I - much of the stuff in Book II is a just rehash of most of the stuff found in Book I, imo.
Sport Riding Techniques - Nick Ienatsch; a big fav of mine and despite the title virtually everything in the book is valid on any type of bike, also imo.
A Twist of the Wrist II - Keith Code; Book II deals more w/ street riding (Book I was geared a bit more f/ the track), and while Book II may make you think you missed a bunch of stuff in Book I, I really did not find that to be the case, once again imo.

I learned so much from each of the above. I promise you they will each make you a better rider. Typically, I do some 15k miles of riding per year and owe much of my safe record to those authors. Best of luck and welcome to "the club", mate!

btw, the wife and I are originally from NJ just across the Hudson from NYC and she is a big Ranger fan as well. Somehow I became a Bruin fan back in the days of Orr and Cheevers and it stuck.

WOOO HOOOOOOOO. Just got back home from the MSF class waiver in hand!!!!!!!!!!!! Cant waite to make it to the DMV before work to hand it in lol.

The first bike is mine 2003 Dyna Lowrider, second is my sons 2003 Haritage Softtail, third is my daughters 2013 1200 Sportster