Thanks again all for your words of encouragement and advice!! I am also in PA and this is free to take. This is why they stress to bring a highlighter with you I guess...haha....will certainly keep you posted!!!

Cheers!!!

 

I took it a year ago. Just listen and do as ask. You have been riding a couple months you say, so you will have no problem. Don't do like I did and park the bike without putting the kick stand down. Crap! That was embarrasing.
Rob

 

Racked up thousands of hours riding many different scooters years ago, had lots of experience. I then went 23 years without riding at all and let my M1 license go some years back because I was too lazy to take the exam on my renewal.

Then, wanting to ride again, I was faced with taking the riding test here in California to re-obtain my M1 endorsement. I didn’t even have my new scooter yet, and even if I had, I wouldn’t have used a 700+ pound bike to take the test. I didn’t know anyone to borrow a small scooter so I went for the MSF course, which gives you a certificate (providing you pass their test) that the DMV honors.

As it turns out, I’m glad that I didn’t find a loaner to take the test, the MSF course was the best thing I could have possibly done. Who says that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks? I learned so much in that class even though I had all those years of experience some time back! As I’m riding around now on my new scooter, I find myself constantly applying safety practices that I learned.

The class I took was 5-5-5. Five hours of classroom training on a Tuesday evening, Five hours of riding training on the following Saturday and five hours of riding training on Sunday (including the test. They provided all motorcycles and all the gear too if you didn’t have your own yet (i.e. helmets, gloves, jackets, etc.). This particular class had a variety of small cc bikes, I rode a 250 Honda Nighthawk.

I had a fantastic time! At first I thought it just a pain in the *** because I already new how to ride I was using it as a tool to get the certificate. I quickly found out that I was ignorant….no kidding! Ignorant mainly about safety and how to drive more defensively. The instructors were very good and they made it fun. There were a few guys that were new to motorcycles and were a little slower than the rest of the class, but these guys made sure that they were not belittled or embarrassed as a result.

Listen very carefully to what they tell you, it all works! And don’t be afraid to speak up if you don’t understand something. And have a good time!

I can’t recommend this course strongly enough, it was a real eye opener! Good insurance discount too!

Regards,
Larry

 

Took the MSF course about a month ago. Learned a lot from it. The hardest thing to practice on my bike is the U-Turn box. I find that much harder to do on a heavier bike. It might also be because I'm paranoid about laying my bike over while trying to practice!

 

Good for you that you're taking the safety course, it was a good experience for me. I thought I knew how to handle a bike before but I did learn a few things that I use to this day. I broke some bad habits that for me were just normal riding, I feel safer today.

Expect there to be students that have not ridden before. A total newbie dropped her clutch and crashed into my bike from behind, it was my ninja like reflexes that saved me from a broken leg

I took rider's edge and enjoyed it. Have fun with it and you'll learn something.

 

Most of us who were or are instructors agree that the best students in the basic class are those who have never ridden. Why? Because they haven't learned any bad habits on their own that they now have to correct.

You'll find that the top speed in the class is only 20 mph. After the class, it is up to you to take what you've learned and safely apply it to the real world at real speeds.

Then, order the Ride Like a Pro video and learn how to handle that Harley !

The one thing that is taught that I now disagree with, is to keep your right foot on the rear brake at stops, while you lean lightly to the left. That's easy to do on small bikes--not so easy to do on 800-900 lb top heavy bikes, especially in a strong cross wind and carrying a passenger.

 

I took it recently and I'm incredibly glad I did. I had been riding for a few years, then took it. (backward i know). My advice would be to show up on time.

Actively participate and don't be a jerk, as I discovered (despite doing quite well), the actually riding evaluation and how it's scored is fairly subjective and up to the instructor.

For example, on the stopping part of the evaluation - the rules were to hit a certain MPH (15 i think), then come to a complete stop within a certain distance. I know I was just over 15, but because I was - i ended up 3 feet long; resulting in a 3 point reduction to my perfect score.

There were others that stopped within the space designated, but there's no way they were up to speed, unless my speedometer was broken.

You'll learn a bit, but what I appreciated the most was getting to do a lot of the hard maneuvers on a bike that I could test the limits with with no real repercussion.

 

I took the class and learned a lot. I had about a year of previous riding experience, however, I went in with the open mindset. A few of the basic things they teach you while in class:

it's ok to cover the clutch, but not the brake. They watch for it and will call you out on it

Head up eyes up in turns/curves. If you look where you want to go, you'll end up there.

Slow, look, press, roll. It will become second nature to ya

The U-turn box. The key to doing it well is slipping the clutch more than you think you aught to, keep the bike pulling, head up, look where you want to go, and counter balance. You get that thing leaned way over!

Not sure how some classes go, but the final riding test for us was as follows:

Negotiate a 135* curve

U-turn box followed by accelerating to 2nd gear, then a swerve (direction given by instructor)

Quick stop from 2nd gear. Keep the bike exactly where it stops while they measure out the distance and compare it to what it should be for the given speed. Mine was 14', the limit was 18'. Not hard to do so long as you're confident.

Have a good attitude and you'll do fine.

 

The course is good, without a doubt, but, it is just the start. You need to listen and learn then practice regularly. My family thought I was nuts for decacdes for riding a bike, then I bought wife a scooter. She was terrified but took the course. Had never been on a motordriven two wheeler before. She loved it and now loves to ride. Have fun. Be safe.

 

Finished my class a little over a month ago. Did mine at the Harley dealer so we rode Buell Blasts, a fun little bike, I think there 492's or something like that. Without a doubt one of the best things I could have done. I hadn't ridden a street bike ever and only rode dirt bikes back in the early 80's. I learned a lot and had a great time doing it. The instructers were great and everyone in the class got along really well. All but one person passed, a guy in his mid fiftys dropped his bike durring the rider test and didn't do much better on the retest. We all felt bad for the guy, but hey, it happens. Like everyone here says pay attention and do what the instructers say and you will have a good experience. Good luck, and have fun.