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Passed my MSF Course

alaskanflyboy

alaskanflyboy

Premium Member
Joined
Apr 23, 2011
Messages
1,008
Location
Milwaukee, WI
www.thewildblue.net
Well. I took the MSF basic rider course this weekend and passed the written with 100% and the riding portion with 90%. So now I just need to wait until Tuesday for the DOL to open so I can give them my certificate and pay for my endorsement (in Washington, taking an approved riding course exempts you from doing the DOL's written and riding tests).

The only two things I got dinged on in the riding test was 5 points for going about a foot outside the box on the second limited-space maneuver and 5 points for entering under speed on the 135° turn. All in all though, I'm stoked.

So, once I get my frame sliders, and my tank pad and grips in and installed, I'll get to start riding my FZ6R. So far, all I've done is ride it from the ramp we unloaded it on and through the parking lot to my garage, and do the whole clutch exercise with it. I fully expect I'll be spending the two weeks — if not the first month — riding the short hops like through residential streets to the coffee shop near me, and to an empty parking lot to work on maneuvers. I definitely want to feel like the bike is an extension of me before I take to commuting.
 
alaskanflyboy said:
Well. I took the MSF basic rider course this weekend and passed the written with 100% and the riding portion with 90%. So now I just need to wait until Tuesday for the DOL to open so I can give them my certificate and pay for my endorsement (in Washington, taking an approved riding course exempts you from doing the DOL's written and riding tests).

The only two things I got dinged on in the riding test was 5 points for going about a foot outside the box on the second limited-space maneuver and 5 points for entering under speed on the 135° turn. All in all though, I'm stoked.

So, once I get my frame sliders, and my tank pad and grips in and installed, I'll get to start riding my FZ6R. So far, all I've done is ride it from the ramp we unloaded it on and through the parking lot to my garage, and do the whole clutch exercise with it. I fully expect I'll be spending the two weeks — if not the first month — riding the short hops like through residential streets to the coffee shop near me, and to an empty parking lot to work on maneuvers. I definitely want to feel like the bike is an extension of me before I take to commuting.
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Congratulations!
Just like the class starting out real basic and using the building block process you are using that same technique in the "real" world. Smart move.
Here is the booklet from MSF that has the Practice Guide in it (starts p. 57).
Ride Safely.
http://msf-usa.org/downloads/Street_Motorcycle_Tips_2010.pdf
 
Good first step! Now take it easy... enjoy the ride
 
Congrats on passing, always ride your ride dont try to keep up with anyone!
 
For me, it's mostly just a matter of learning the bike. The concept of defensive driving has been honed long before I got a bike. It's not spacial awareness I'm so concerned with building up before riding out in traffic as it's just being at a point I can make the bike do what I need it to do to respond to situations that come up. I want swerving and quick stopping to feel natural if I have to do them. So it's more the physical side than the mental. I was trained in defensive driving techniques when I was learning to drive and continue to build upon them, I just know they mean nothing if I feel unnatural swerving the bike or bringing it to a quick stop.

It's kinda like with flying. Just because you know how to fly a plane doesn't mean you should just jump in any plane and fly into an airport with heavy traffic. You need to go run exercises with it so you know it's handling first.
 
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Its always good to hear another rider has joined the club.
Congrats to you for doing the duty. (hehe. I said duty)

Be safe damn it. :D
 
You're starting smart. I've rode fourwheelers all my life and learned streetbikes by taking my brother's old 250 to the local high school parking lot during the summer. That school does motorcycle training and all of the obstacles are painted on the lot so I get to practice whenever I want (assuming school is not in session). Great for brushing up on skills and learning to maneuver new bikes.
 
alaskanflyboy said:
I want swerving and quick stopping to feel natural if I have to do them. So it's more the physical side than the mental. I was trained in defensive driving techniques when I was learning to drive and continue to build upon them, I just know they mean nothing if I feel unnatural swerving the bike or bringing it to a quick stop.
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Agreed. And you have a good point. I think with a motorcycle a few new concepts come into play.

1) You must now drive defensively in support of your motorcycling skills. Just being defensive doesn't cut it. You have to be defensive enough that you can get out of situations before it becomes so bad that you can't get out of it on a motorcycle.

2) Once you're already in a bad situation you have to control fear, overcome the natural dendency to look at the thing causing the situation, and then utilize an avoidance skill to an extreme that you often don't get to practice.

I came very close to an accident several years ago. I anticipated that the car in the intersection might not see me and might swerve into me. Since all cars can do that, it wasn't a big deal to anticipate it. I was going about 40mph and it turned right in front of me AND STOPPED. The panic on the drivers face was palatible. After having completed three MSF courses, including the Advanced rider course, I did what came naturally. I conducted a panic brake. As I slowed down to 15mph it occured to me that I actually would survive the impact. At 3 feet from impact the bike slowed to a speed that I was able to move from the front of the car, to the rear, around the car. To this day, given several practice attempts, I can not manuever a motorcycle perpendicular to a car from 3 feet around to the back of the car at speed. But, that day, following my training, I did. I hope again, following an emergency situation, that my instincts and training take over, and I complete such a perfect manuever.

Everything I did in those last seconds occured within the space of about 30 feet and a few seconds. From slowing from 40mph to the manuever around the car, both of those actions were a result of MSF training. To this day I do not remember any of the thoughts going through my mind. All of it just happened like someone else was on the bike.
 
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Harda toenail said:
You're starting smart. I've rode fourwheelers all my life and learned streetbikes by taking my brother's old 250 to the local high school parking lot during the summer. That school does motorcycle training and all of the obstacles are painted on the lot so I get to practice whenever I want (assuming school is not in session). Great for brushing up on skills and learning to maneuver new bikes.
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Yeah. That course set-up is nice for practice. We also have a new freeway under construction that has a section, open to traffic, that is pretty empty since it really doesn't take anyone to anyplace useful. So once I get some practice in and confidence up, that'll probably be the first place I'll learn my bike's handling at freeway speeds, get the shift points and engine sounds figured out. But first, handling is the goal for now. I just drove it a few times around the apartment complex parking lot to feel her out and I'm definitely more in love. Just don't tell my girlfriend. ;)

AFDavis11 said:
Agreed. And you have a good point. I think with a motorcycle a few new concepts come into play.

1) You must now drive defensively in support of your motorcycling skills. Just being defensive doesn't cut it. You have to be defensive enough that you can get out of situations before it becomes so bad that you can't get out of it on a motorcycle.

2) Once you're already in a bad situation you have to control fear, overcome the natural dendency to look at the thing causing the situation, and then utilize an avoidance skill to an extreme that you often don't get to practice.

I came very close to an accident several years ago. I anticipated that the car in the intersection might not see me and might swerve into me. Since all cars can do that, it wasn't a big deal to anticipate it. I was going about 40mph and it turned right in front of me AND STOPPED. The panic on the drivers face was palatible. After having completed three MSF courses, including the Advanced rider course, I did what came naturally. I conducted a panic brake. As I slowed down to 15mph it occured to me that I actually would survive the impact. At 3 feet from impact the bike slowed to a speed that I was able to move from the front of the car, to the rear, around the car. To this day, given several practice attempts, I can not manuever a motorcycle perpendicular to a car from 3 feet around to the back of the car at speed. But, that day, following my training, I did. I hope again, following an emergency situation, that my instincts and training take over, and I complete such a perfect manuever.

Everything I did in those last seconds occured within the space of about 30 feet and a few seconds. From slowing from 40mph to the manuever around the car, both of those actions were a result of MSF training. To this day I do not remember any of the thoughts going through my mind. All of it just happened like someone else was on the bike.
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Yeah. The advantage with the motorcycle is that it stops a lot sooner than my car. The disadvantage is that I can't just crank the wheel and brake hard like in my car — though you have to be careful there unless you want to go sideways and roll.

And I hear you on the accident avoidance. Two weeks ago when the car in front of me t-boned a car that thought it was a 4-way stop intersection despite the huge sign under the stop-sign saying "Cross Traffic Does Not Stop". Like you, it all happened in the span of maybe 30 seconds. I saw the car start to move from the stop; actually said out loud, "No ****ing way!"; then realizing that the car in front of me was going to hit it, so I hit my brakes and was slowing before the car I was following even hit his. I knew from my mirror scan I always do from time to time that I only had one car way behind me at the time, so I had a pretty good list of options I remember going through my head. Fortunately I was slowing down enough by the time that I stayed going straight, eased onto the shoulder, and hit the hazard lights before rushing to the car that had rolled over to see if he was ok.

The event almost made me reconsider my thought of buying a motorcycle; but, as you can see, I ended up going ahead and accepting the risk. I know between flying and driving, that I should also be a defensive motorcyclist since my mentality is that way in both. I suppose it's also why I like playing pool, chess, and strategy games.
 
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I just finished my safety course too. I got the exact same scores for the same reasons, and get my fz6r on Friday. I can't wait to practice in the huge empty parking lot in the park across the street.

I just moved to this area. Wish I had friends who rode from back home to critique / help me out to form good habits. Their are a lot of posts here with good videos to study though.
 
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