[Jrm]

I dropped my motorcycle three times today.

1. pause-and-go
2. offset weaving
3. parking after offset weaving

During the pause-and-go exercise, I was slowing down as I was coming towards a cone. The slower I went, the more I began to notice that the motorcycle's weight was being shifted to my right; immediately after that, I dropped my right foot to catch myself, but my leg wasn't strong enough to support the weight and I went down.

During the offset weaving exercise, I had a problem with leaning/turning right. I really wanted to force my body to learn how to lean/turn right so I pushed myself a little over my limit and I went down.

After the offset weaving exercise, the class was pulling into the safety zone to park and dismount. Again, when I began to slow down I began to feel the motorcycle's weight shifting to the right again. I pulled in the clutch and tried to power walk my way to my parking spot, but my hand unintentionally squeezed the front wheel brake and down I went again.

I was totally disappointed in myself and discouraged to continue, but I told myself, "This is why I'm taking the course, To learn." So I took a deep breath, got my head in the game, and finished the day without any further problems.

I just want to inform anyone still planning on taking the MSF course that if you fall, you need to get back up and pass the f*cking course.

PS. If I fail my test tomorrow, I'm going to hate everyone who read this thread and didn't pray for me.

 

[bennice]

DOH!

I think you're in the right mindset about the reason for taking the course. Don't get down on yourself. Just practice, practice, practice! Sounds like you may be getting a bit nervous and panicking. Try and relax a bit tomorrow.

Good luck!

 

[hidden_dragon]

Keep your head up and looking ahead...especially if you feel like the bike is leaning to the right. Good luck tomorrow!

 

[sdbrit68]

hey, 1 guy in my course was on his 5th attempt, he didnt quit, he was like 100 years old and wanted to ride before he died.

so just go into it tomorrow with the attitude that its gonna happen for you, and you will pass

 

[pitchinguy]

Way to hang in there mate! Good attitude!

One of the prerequisites to taking the course was to be able to ride a bicycle. The 1st day you were learning to ride a bicycle.....did you fall or drop the bike? That's why it's a beginner course!

If you can ride a bicycle........you can definitely ride a motorcycle! Besides, riding a bicycle is harder cuz ya gotta keep your legs goin all the time! :biggrin: 8)

 

[BigJohn]

Hang in there, we've all droped it at least once. The good thing about it is that it's someone elses scoot. :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[Jrm]

Thanks for the support, everyone! I actually don't know how to ride a bicycle or drive a manual, it's too bad because I think it would've helped me a lot. I just stopped by again tonight to say thanks and I hope I'm not this bad on the road when I become street legal!

 

[c_law23]

your avatar is nearly identical to the tattoo by brother has had on his arm for about 17 years.... wierd

 

[kriz_car]

As stated in earlier posts: keep your chin up (literally!), and look where you want the bike to go. I went through the ERC 'bout 2 months ago with my '04 Mean Streak, and learned a ton! You need to develop your skills, but most of all, relax and have fun!!!

 

[Obsidian16825]

Wanna know something else weird. I just dreamed about someone who was having trouble in their msf course. I didn't see this thread last night. You're sending out vibes, and now I'm up too early.
Use the time ahead of class today to debrief with the riding coaches, since it appears you're having trouble to your right. Maybe they can evaluate your riding position. Don't be discouraged if they council you out after the test. You can take the course again. Get a yardsale bicycle and ride it to build your two-wheel skills, then get back on the internally combusted mongrel. Somewhere I read an article about riding that suggested riding pedal bikes to keep skills up. I think it was on Randakk's site, but I can't really remember.

 

[BikerBeagle]

Maybe you just need to take all of your loose change, keys, and wallet out of your right side/back pockets and put them in your left side/back pockets? Sounds silly, but I'm serious. The body and the mind are funky that way.

Not having learned to ride a bicycle before, your body might lack the autonomous experience to compensate for small changes using your abdomen and not your legs. For anyone who has learned to ride a bicycle, this knowledge is ingrained in our muscles ...not quite a true autonomous act such as blinking or breathing ...more like being able to touch the tip of our nose with your eyes closed. If you body is right side prominent, its natural tendency is to lean to the right and over compensate with your right leg. Putting everything in the left side pockets won't actually counter this response, but it will cause the mind to pay more attention to the left side because of the abnormal sensations of having bulky items where the body doesn't remember them to be normally.

Just a thought and something to try. Good luck on your test.

 

[MotorCDR]

I dropped my motorcycle three times today.

You mean you were at the top of your class in practicing Advanced Un-Dumping.

It's all how you look at it.

When you are getting slow enough that Sir Isaac Newton is trying to take over control, give it some rear brake, feather the clutch a little and give it a few more RPM. Practice that, get good at it, and you will be the Slo-Mo King of your neighborhood.

 

[traderjaxx]

After taking the MSF course yesterday, all 3 of your drops are corrected with mainly 1 thing; Keep your chin up, look forward. If you look down, you go down. Look where you want to go, these are the main areas I needed to improve on. Don't feel like your the only one, we had a few with many years experience having a tough time.
Keep your chin up, in riding and attitude........

 

[antiq]

Center your butt on the bike. Knees in, head up and watch where you want to go. Pay no attention to where you are cause you aren't any more. Remember you are moving. I rode a unicycle as a kid so balance comes a lot easier for me.

 

[Jrm]

Thanks for the tips, everyone! I seriously did everything that was mentioned in this prior to my last post: kept my chin up, emptied my pockets, balanced the clutch and throttle a lot better than yesterday, stopped looking down, and kept my knees in.

I passed and the weekend is so much better because of it. I hope this thread becomes a good reference for anyone taking the MSF course and has problems similar to what I've experienced.

 

[JohnScott]

Congrats! I just saw the thread now

 

[tely]

Thanks for the tips, everyone! I seriously did everything that was mentioned in this prior to my last post: kept my chin up, emptied my pockets, balanced the clutch and throttle a lot better than yesterday, stopped looking down, and kept my knees in.

I passed and the weekend is so much better because of it. I hope this thread becomes a good reference for anyone taking the MSF course and has problems similar to what I've experienced.

congrats!!!....real happy for you!

 

[TriXie]

Congratulations!!!! I just took the course a couple weeks ago and I still smile when I think about it!!!!! It's such an accomplishment!!!!
Went riding last week and used a lot of the stuff I learned from the course. With the course taking place in a parking lot, I couldn't really understand the whole 'press, lean and roll around curves' thing, but when I was out riding I was able to do the curves at the speed it took to accomplish that move. I really didn't have to think about it, it just happened automatically!!! Couldn't understand it until I did it myself. It was cool!!!
Ride safe!!!

 

[cmptrmn.1]

Congratulations JRM. Now practice in a parking lot (empty). Then ride with someone who is experienced and ask them for input.

 

[Miralcos]

Cong!!