Dear Colleagues,

I wanted to share with you a few stories about my first 6 months of riding and how I'm glad I took the MSF course.

Before I took the class, I had a 125cc dual-purpose bike and I thought I knew how to ride (I would just ride in my neighborhood and on trails). Then came the time for me to buy a Harley. Many on this forum recommended that I take the MSF course, so I listened and I did and I'm glad I did.

I have been riding my Sporty for 6 months already in DC. And thanks to the training I received at the MSF I managed to have "near misses" and not "I gotcha this time!".

The first time I almost **** in my pants was when I was waiting at a red light at a round about. Cars were also waiting at another red light, on the round about, and were located on my left side. When the light went green, I squeezed the throttle and entered the round about. I had the right of way, but that lady in her SUV talking on the phone didn't care much. Thankfully I noticed the headlights moving on my left side, turned my head and had a "how sh#t" moment and squeezed the throttle a bit more and made an evasive maneuver so that the SUV will not hit the rear of my bike. I didn't get T-Boned. I was so upset and hyper that I started to follow the SUV, stopped next to it...and that is another story

Second time I had a near miss I was riding at 30MPH in town when suddenly a car popped out from the right. This guy had a stop sign and I saw him looking into my direction. Nevertheless he proceeded. I slammed the brakes, my rear wheel started to skid (I had another "how sh#t" moment) and remembered to let go of the brakes to stop the skidding and reapplied the brakes and managed to stop, without falling, 1 inch from his car. The guy didn't even stop to apologize and left. I remained frozen for about 2 minutes on the side of the road...

Third time, and this is my fault, I go through a first green light when I notice there is a second light, red this time, 5 feet after the first one (don't ask me why). I realized what was going on and slammed the brakes to avoid the cars coming from my left at the intersection. The rear wheel made an awful sound, started to skid, I released the brake, straightened the bike and put some gas to get the hell out of there!

Fourth time, I was riding on a busy avenue at 30MPH, easy, when suddenly a car pulled out from a suspicious parking spot and almost hit me. The guy didn't even check his Fin mirrors. I did the counter-weight evasive maneuver and avoided to hit the car.

This message is to say, guys, thanks for convincing me to take the MSF course and I encourage all new riders to do the same!

Next: advanced riding class

Ride safe, all, please.

Vinny.

 

Hey Voony, that 2nd red light wouldn't happen to be on Rt. 1 in Crystal City, would it? It definitely pays to take the MSF course, as you can attest. Glad your remembering what you were taught. As you well know, riding around here can be a real nightmare, and you must be ever vigilant.

 

This light is actually in DC, at the corner of Mass and 22nd if I remember correctly.

P.S. I am looking for riding buddies. Interested?

 

Lady talking on the phone in DC that is breaking the law! They still do it! haha

I moved to Texas 4 years ago. Lived in DC from 1984 to 2007.

Glad you took the course and it has helped save you a few times. I have been riding on and off for 15 years but I am going to take the course as a refresher. The insurance company gives a discount if you have taken it in the last 2 or 3 years.

 

I know the one. Yeah, not riding till most of the salt has disappeared, though.

 

Glad to hear you took the course and remembered what to do.

 

Best money anyone could spend. Next you can take the experienced rider course and the advanced rider course.

 

Vinny, a great report and glad the skills you learned "saved" you from any harm. The MSF courses (Team Oregon, here) are classes as you noted that, IMO, every rider should take. We have taken the intermediate and advanced curriculum and it does not hurt to keep updating those and refreshing our skills.

 

"I slammed the brakes, my rear wheel started to skid (I had another "how sh#t" moment) and remembered to let go of the brakes to stop the skidding and reapplied the brakes and managed to stop, "

Gotta disagree with you here. If you review your manual, you will find that when incurring a rear wheel skid you should have ridden it out. It is only a front wheel skid that you release and reapply.

If you had slid sideways (which you apparently didn't), at the moment you released the rear wheel skid, you could likely have "high sided" as the rear of the bike would have instantly gone back to its single track, possibly throwing you from the bike, i.e., a "high side."

 

If you are not wearing a FF helmet, I would suggest that too.

That's one thing I got out of the MSF course, the high rate of facial trauma in MC accidents.

In my crash, yup... my face hit the pavement. HARD.

so I think everyone should at least consider it.