Survived 1st night of MSF range - barely!

[Mamadukes]

After months of waiting, Mon. was the first lecture of the MSF course, and tonight was the first range. Total newbie, never ridden anything with 2 wheels except for a bicycle as a kid. I'm exhausted! 80 degrees out, boots, jeans, long sleeve shirt and full face helmet - yuk. After the first hour, I was sure they were going to tell me to leave or not show up for the 2nd range. Staying in 1st gear sucks!! I had no balance, couldn't stay in between the lines on the slow ride using the clutch to go even slower, and I got so nervous and frustrated I had to take a break and go in the shade for a few minutes. Then the class took a break, and after that we had to do skills in this wonderful thing - 2nd gear! Speed = stability, and I was off!! Doing the weaving in and out of the tight cones and cornering, all felt natural. And 3rd gear doing the arcs leaning way in - wonderful! So I ask, what's the "trick" to riding slow between those %$#@ lines? I wanted to just put my feet down and "walk" the bike, it was so slow,but that wasn't part of the drill. Should I be concerned about passing the course because I don't have that control in 1st gear? Came home and didn't know whether to go straight to the shot of tequilla, or to the quart of ice cream!

[Chondro]

The keys to slow speed skills are practice and clutch friction zone control. I just passed the course a few weeks ago and for us, it was 89 degrees. I had about 800 miles on a Rebel 250 prior to taking the course and that made me a seasoned pro compared to most of my class. But when I started on the Rebel this spring I felt just like you. Keep at it and learn something every time you ride. You will gain confidence quickly. Don't let that turn into overconfidence!

If memory serves, you don't have to do a test on the slow straight to pass the course. But the skill comes in handly on the road. For one thing, you'll look much better coming to a stop at lights if you can come to almost a complete stop before you put your foot down. I had already learned many of the class skills on my own before I took it, but I can honestly say that I use something from the course each time I ride. *SEE!*

[jbsmd]

Were you looking down? Sometimes that can ruin your balance.

[Chondro]

Yeah that's important too. Look where you want to go.

[Charlie Gary]

Like others said, don't look down. Look as far ahead as you can. You go where you look.

[A2rider]

Congrats on getting through the first day. When you do get on your own, practice that slow stuff. I rode for a year before I took my test for a license, ( I know, bad girl) but the tester said she had never seen anyone go as slow as I did for the slow portion of the test. Just breathe deeply, take your time, and if a quart of Ben and Jerry's is what it takes, do that, too!

[shadowphreak]

Congrats, Im sure you will do well with the second part! I wish it was 80 when i took mine! It was over 90 and like 80% humidity. It was gross!

[sbg8r]

a little rear brake, clutch and throttle,...it does take practice, but you can always practice that stuff...

[polizei]

Honestly, if you are having trouble now, you NEED to practice or you will not complete the course. I had ~400 miles on my Rebel when I took the course, so I had more experience than most people in my course, and I had trouble on the second course day (at first). Practice makes perfect!

Tips:

1. Learn how to use the friction zone
2. Learn throttle control
3. Look where you WANT to go (it feels VERY weird, but works)
4. Don't drop the bike
5. Don't drop the bike
6. Don't drop the bike

-Cody

[Mamadukes]

I most likely was looking just slightly ahead and down at that point - and probably thinking, why can't I do this? instead of focusing on how to do it. As we were doing more drills at higher speeds, the "look where you want to go" just kind of happened, I had more control, so I probably just relaxed more. I must have, as I really enjoyed that riding. Now that I have a day's perspective, I think nerves and pressure on myself had a lot to do with it. At least at the next range, I'll know how to start the bike and take off and get through the gears with a little confidence, and sometimes that can just set the tone. Thanks for all the advice. Not being able to do what seemed like a simple thing really threw me. But I guess like anything else, some of it comes easy, some doesn't, and practice, practice and more practice will get me where I want to be.

[Slow Cruiser]

I took the course in the biggining of July. 95-98° both days with high humidity. Between the heat and the sunburn thought I was going to pass out. Lots of water, lots of sugar and the giddy feeling of finally getting to learn to ride after raising the kids.

I hate first gear, felt completly jerky and off balance. Once we got into second the world was a different place.
The only problems I had were looking down which caused me to miss my line and the fact that I have always leaned my head when cornering in the cage. The instructors hated that and warned me about it, repeatedly.

Loved the course, have the liscence, now I just need time to find a bike and then really learn how to ride in the real world!

[ks_greg]

You'll love "the box" on day 2.

[Rad032]

As others have already said work the friction zone and applying a slight amount of rear break helps slow speed maneuvers as well.

[cmptrmn.1]

Originally Posted by Rad032

As others have already said work the friction zone and applying a slight amount of rear break helps slow speed maneuvers as well.

And "LOOK" where you want to go. Turn your head, keep your head up. This is always where I get in trouble. Darn bikinis.

[Mamadukes]

"THE BOX???!!!" Someone please clue me in so I can obsess on it over the weekend!!!

[Charlie Gary]

Originally Posted by Mamadukes

"THE BOX???!!!" Someone please clue me in so I can obsess on it over the weekend!!!

All I can say about the box is you must believe it's OK to turn your head and look over your shoulder as you begin your turns. It may be necessary to shift your butt to the outside of each turn, but that just takes a little practice. One thing to keep in mind is low speed maneuvers are more difficult on a motorcycle, so don't get discouraged when it takes a few tries to get them down. Trust me- when the instructors were learning the class they're teaching you now, they weren't doing much better on their first tries.

[kbroderick]

Like everyone else said, it should get better with a bit more practice. I had zero prior experience with motorzied two-wheel transport, and I felt like I was going to topple over in the slow-speed drills at first. I did fine in the class (as did everyone in my class, actually), although I had two minor errors in the test.

I bought my bike a little over a week later and have since but 8,800 miles on her (in exactly 100 days, actually). I'm comfortable on the road...but when I went back to the hospital lot where the hold the local MSF, I found the box drill (low-speed figure 8s in a small box) to be harder than I remembered it. So I'd say that one of the best things about the MSF is that you spend a whole lot of time at loooowww speed in the parking lot before testing on the low-speed drills.

At least in Vermont, BTW, the figure-8 box is considered a "convenience" skill, not a "safety" skill, according to our instructor...i.e. a mistake on the box isn't graded as harshly as a mistake on the emergency stop, although a drop on either would create a fail.

[freightshaker]

Originally Posted by Chondro

Yeah that's important too. Look where you want to go.

Looking at the ground is good, you'll see the spot you're about to land on...
Seriously, look where you want to go, the ground is not where you want to go so don't look there!

[BALDnBLK]

80? i would have killed for 80,it was mid 90 during my wkend of hell...lol stay with it and dont look down.

[Oenyaw]

Great post (initial)! Still laughing, I can definately relate. It was mid July down here in Florida when I took mine, had to be in the upper 90's. My first time on a motorcycle, and 50 years old. I can't believe it was less than two months ago.