[jbrandona119]

Hello! I just finished the first class of the MSF Beginner Riders course. In Rhode Island, it is mandatory if you want your motorcycle license, even though most everyone drives without one anyway lol.

My brother, father and I all took the class together. We were in the classroom from 9am-3pm and it actually was not as boring as I thought it would be. In fact, it was quite the opposite.

All of us agreed that we learned so much about riding without even being on a bike yet! I could not imagine just buying a bike and going onto the street without taking this course. We learned about why it's important not to slow down through a turn, why you should use both brakes, why you need to be extrasupercareful about the "cagers" lol...

This upcoming weekend is the riding portion, so that should be really fun. All the bikes are powerful 125cc Hondas from the 80's

so anyone who is going back and forth on taking this course, I highly suggest you do. It's educational, not too boring and if you bring family/friends it can be pretty cool!

 

[GUMP]

Couldn't agree more....

I've taken the Basic (Beginner's) course twice now. :alcy:

The first time was in 1983. As I was in the Navy and you had to take the course to get your base sticker. Best/Smartest thing I could have done as a new rider. I learned more than I could have hoped. In that class we used our own bikes. So, I not only learned about good practices, I learned about my machine.

I was without a motorcycle from 1993 until 2002, when I got my current ride - my Blurple ZR-7S. Having been off motorcycles for close to a decade, (excluding and hour or so on borrowed machines) I really felt the need to be refreshed or retrained. Again, best call I could have made. Was reminded about good braking techniques. Probably would not have recalled that I only have enough traction to brake OR turn -- Not both.... Little things like that go a long way to staying alive. And the local community college provided the bikes. And, at the time the class was only $60. It is now up to $100 here locally. But, that is the best $100 a rider can spend.

I am now approaching 50,000 miles on my 2002 ZR-7S and am glad I took the class a second time. I encourage all of my friends who express an interest in riding to take the class FIRST, even before shopping for a bike. As you may just find you are not comfortable on two wheels. Better to find that out BEFORE plunking down your hard-earned $$$$ for a machine.

 

[jbrandona119]

I've taken the Basic (Beginner's) course twice now. :alcy:

I encourage all of my friends who express an interest in riding to take the class FIRST, even before shopping for a bike. As you may just find you are not comfortable on two wheels. Better to find that out BEFORE plunking down your hard-earned $$$$ for a machine.

Yeah I'm taking the course before I get the 650R I've been dreaming about haha.

My dad has been taking his Suzuki Burgman that he received from his brother on quick rides around the neighborhood. I keep telling him to not go out without knowing how to ride, but midlife crisis is like he's a baby and won't listen or something haha.

I'd love to read more positive experiences with the MSF course.

 

[ramblin-wreck]

Yeah I'm taking the course before I get the 650R I've been dreaming about haha.

My dad has been taking his Suzuki Burgman that he received from his brother on quick rides around the neighborhood. I keep telling him to not go out without knowing how to ride, but midlife crisis is like he's a baby and won't listen or something haha.

I'd love to read more positive experiences with the MSF course.

Definitely take the course!! I too purchased a 650R as my first bike and felt much more comfortable doing so due to the course. Sure some of it may seem childish but I think everything together helps to make you a more confident (and much more aware) rider.

 

[Gteg]

I agree that the MSF BRC I took was worth every penny ( $150) I paid for it. I took it without ever being on a 'real' motorcycle (I rode a friends' Honda 50 a couple times when I was a kid) and without buying the first piece of equipment. I did this just in case I decided that riding wasn't for me I wouldn't have spent any money and then have stuff to sell for a big loss. Well, it IS for me, and my wife told me that she thought that me being undecided was BS -- that I was hell bent on riding. The TRUTH of the matter is that NO, I really wasn't. I reckon that after 26 years of marriage, she knows me better than I know myself sometimes. LOL

I bought a used Kawasaki 650R about 3 weeks later, and I've been loving it ever since. Any time somebody says to me, "Gee ... I'd like to ride, too.", my first bit of advice is to take the MSF course. My second piece of advice, if the person is young (like high school / college age) is to get at least a few years of experience driving a car or truck on the road. I think that's important, too.

 

[jbrandona119]

I agree that the MSF BRC I took was worth every penny ( $150) I paid for it. I took it without ever being on a 'real' motorcycle (I rode a friends' Honda 50 a couple times when I was a kid) and without buying the first piece of equipment. I did this just in case I decided that riding wasn't for me I wouldn't have spent any money and then have stuff to sell for a big loss. Well, it IS for me, and my wife told me that she thought that me being undecided was BS -- that I was hell bent on riding. The TRUTH of the mater is that NO, I really wasn't. I reckon that after 16 years of marriage, she knows me better than I know myself sometimes. LOL

I bought a used Kawasaki 650R about 3 weeks later, and I've been loving it ever since. Any time somebody says to me, "Gee ... I'd like to ride, too.", my first bit of advice is to take the MSF course. My second piece of advice, if the person is young (like high school / college age) is to get at least a few years of experience driving a car or truck on the road. I think that's important, too.

Yeah I'm turning 19 this January, so I've been driving for about 2 1/2 years. Of course in Rhode Island, you have to learn quickly because of how aggressive everyone drives. But I do feel very comfortable driving, so I'm confident I can ride a motorcycle, but I guess we'll see after this weekend haha.

 

[nf_ekt]

Good to see your trying to learn the right way. Too many people your age go about it all wrong. Helmet mohawk-check. R1/zx10/Cbr/Gsxr1000-check. No concept of how to stay alive on two wheels-check.. Learn the right way and it will be alot more joy.

 

[Gteg]

Good luck to you.

Ride safe, and remember that doing foolish things on a motorcycle is a recipe for disaster.

This past weekend, I had two different people in little 'sports' cars for some reason want to race me. One was an Eclipse, the other was a POS rice burner with a 'wing'. I knew I could beat them, not that it mattered. No need to get a traffic citation (and racing is a BIG one) and increased insurance costs -- or worse yet, get hurt or killed (or hurt somebody else) over that. These folks generally don't have a clue.

 

[TimC]

I loved the MSF Basic Rider Course and learned some good things. And that was after I'd already been riding for over a year.

 

[jbrandona119]

I just got back from our first riding part of the MSF course.

I can't wait to get my own motorcycle! They used Honda Nighthawks and Rebels (I had a nighthawk) and I guess our group did really well. Only one person crashed.

I honestly could not imagine taking a bike out onto the streets without learning the basics on a small bike you don't have to own.

And it was really fun. Except for waking up for 7am when you work until 2:30am. Oh yeah, and the exhaust on the bike I used was rusted all around, so I guess I was riding it pretty hard and the muffler cracked right in half and was dragging beside me. I couldn't figure out why everyone was pointing and laughing at me!

 

[pyroman10101]

I really liked the MSF course when I took it. Makes your insurance cheaper if you have that little certificate. I'd say it's a MUST, even if you've been riding for years. There's always something you've forgotten.

 

[Bucky]

I agree that the MSF BRC I took was worth every penny I paid for it. I took it without ever being on a 'real' motorcycle (I rode my brother's Honda 50 a couple times, and I had a licensed mini bike when I was a teenager) and without buying the first piece of equipment. I did this just in case I decided that riding wasn't for me...
I bought a used Kawasaki 650R about 1 week later, and I've been loving it ever since. Any time somebody says to me, "Gee ... I'd like to ride, too.", my first bit of advice is to take the MSF course.

I modified the wording of your posting above to make it into my experience instead of yours. It is uncanny how similar they are to one another.

My 650R is also silver.

The MSF Basic class is vital to learning how to ride, or refreshing skills after having been away from riding.

I always ride in full gear, and I write a blog about riding here in South Carolina, called Bucky's Ride.

 

[jbrandona119]

I just got my permit today. Waiting in the DMV took less than 20 minutes which was awesome.

The permit says that I can only ride under the general supervision of a licensed motorcycle rider over the age of 18...which is kind of weird, because what if you don't know anyone to ride with, or if you just don't feel comfortable riding in a group?

in 30 days I'll have the REAL license

 

[Gteg]

I just got my permit today. Waiting in the DMV took less than 20 minutes which was awesome.

The permit says that I can only ride under the general supervision of a licensed motorcycle rider over the age of 18...which is kind of weird, because what if you don't know anyone to ride with, or if you just don't feel comfortable riding in a group?

in 30 days I'll have the REAL license

I agree. I THINK in NC ... having a permit is basically like having a license. DOPEY, I know, but I don't think you need to be supervised. I heard where some folks just kept renewing their permits and the NC DOT was trying to 'crack down' on this practice.

 

[Black Sheep]

Yeah... I've been riding in NC for over 4 years on a "permit"... the only restriction is that you cannot have a passenger. I am one of the "other" guys... never took the MSF course and learned to ride on my own. I've got 35K miles in the saddle and 2 track days under my belt and no crashes... I'm not saying that I wouldn't be a better rider with the MSF course, but I rode scooters and mini-bikes as a teenager and had 25 years experience in a cage prior to buying my first street bike. I would agree that someone wanting to get into riding for the first time should take the course to see if riding is really for them. A hundred or so bucks is a cheap ticket to buy before investing a lot of money into a bike and gear. Although, I think the part about "using both brakes" applies more to cruisers than sportbikes... most of the instructors and riders I've talked with say they only use the back brake for slow speed maneuvers or when the bike is off asphalt. After you get comfortable with riding on the street, I suggest you sign up for a track day... then you'll find out what you and your bike are really capable of!

 

[saintsparks]

I took the MSF before getting my 650R this spring! Seems like a trend here... In Ohio, it is only $25 though... I'm thinking about signing up for another as a refresher next spring, too. Wouldn't break the bank, and I know I learned more then than I remember now...

Nonetheless, the course was sweet. I was dragging my pegs through the slaloms like a champ!

 

[jbrandona119]

I took the MSF before getting my 650R this spring! Seems like a trend here... In Ohio, it is only $25 though... I'm thinking about signing up for another as a refresher next spring, too. Wouldn't break the bank, and I know I learned more then than I remember now...

Nonetheless, the course was sweet. I was dragging my pegs through the slaloms like a champ!

hell yeaaaah I know the feeling! I even dragged the pegs on the nighthawk!

 

[PeachesAndHerb]

25 bucks! lucky down in florida its $200. They provide the bike (honda 125 harley looking bike) and helmet. Im going to be taking the advanced course this spring, its a 1 day event but you use your own bike and do more fun type manuvers

 

[Ender751]

I took the ohio course also. My wife wants to take it so I told her I would take it again when she did. I plan on taking the advanced course maybe next year when she can take it with me and we both have a few miles under our belt.

 

[PeachesAndHerb]

I took the ohio course also. My wife wants to take it so I told her I would take it again when she did. I plan on taking the advanced course maybe next year when she can take it with me and we both have a few miles under our belt.

how do you like that bandit?