MSF stories

[beenabusa]

Took the MSF course not to long ago and remembered reading about funny stories that would happen in the class. was wondering if anyone had any funny experinces in the class. The class I was in everyone was good think 2 rode before rest never did noone dropped a bike or anyting.

 

[Jayhawk]

I spent some time watching my son in his class, recently. In his group were a man and a woman, both n00bs to riding.

When they got to the figure 8 portion of the class, the husband threw up his hands and quit. Meanwhile, his wife continued to struggle through and passed the class with relative ease.

Everyone's different, but I'd have to go home and burn my man card if that happened to me.

 

[Hayabusa Fury]

I spent some time watching my son in his class, recently. In his group were a man and a woman, both n00bs to riding.

When they got to the figure 8 portion of the class, the husband threw up his hands and quit. Meanwhile, his wife continued to struggle through and passed the class with relative ease.

Everyone's different, but I'd have to go home and burn my man card if that happened to me.

Either you want to ride the bike or you don't. He apparently didn't, poor soul is missing out.

 

[Pinky Winky]

Either you want to ride the bike or you don't. He apparently didn't, poor soul is missing out.

True.

 

[beenabusa]

Seems like the box is what makes people get frustrated the most. But the worst is when the people buy the bikes first and realize motorcycling is not for them

 

[Test_Eng]

Seems like the box is what makes people get frustrated the most. But the worst is when the people buy the bikes first and realize motorcycling is not for them

I like to call that a good deal.

 

[jefferycarman]

While I was in class we had a couple of interesting people. We had a guy who had been riding for 20 years, but his endorsement was not accepted from one state to another. Not sure why. So we had a guy dragging pegs and laughing at the course.

We also had a 16 year old kid. No driving experience at all. Family all rode, so it was his turn. He put the bike down once. Had a couple close calls. They gave him some special attention.

Then we had a sportsbike guy, kept telling us he knew what he was doing, just to big to ride a small bike for the DMV test so he was taking the course. He dumped the bike in a turn... no one laughed cause he was 6'8" and about 320lbs... but we all smirked.

Overall was a good time, and a great learning experience. I am a better rider for having taken it. If the wife decides to take it, I may do it again, just to see where I have improved and to have a reason to watch em all.

 

[beenabusa]

I acctually was telling my friends when they go to take the course i want to go again!....was fun!

 

[semperfi]

I took the class at SIU Carbondale, IL 3-years ago. I have been riding since 1970, but wanted the insurance discount. Our instructor was a young man with a CBR600. During the riding portion of the class he saw a cager running through a ditch seperating the bike driving grounds from a parking lot as a short cut. The instructor jumped on his bike to run the offender down, and promptly dumped it right in front of everyone. The only real damage was to plastic and a broken brake lever...and of course his pride. I HAD to laugh.

 

[gaeducator]

Took the course with about four young ladies that had no riding experience. Surprisingly these girls passed the course with EASE. There was one older lady that had a problem at first, but passed. Saw a couple guys actually dump the Buell Blast at low speeds. It was actually fun taking the class and watching everyone progress from Day 1 to Day 4. Well worth the money. I was very confident until I had to do the Figure 8 block.

 

[mymaster]

When I redid the course because of a lapses of M1 usage, they split us up into two groups for the power walk-A to B using the clutch with your feet down. My back was to the other group and I'll never forget the unmistakable sound of this cruuunnch!!-grrriinndd!! and this engine bouncing off the limiter and trying to float the valves, I was stopped so I turned around and heres this motorcycle on its side trying to dig a six foot diameter circle hole in the asphalt and the rider laid-out on his back looking like he was "one with the earth".

The instructors had to stop everybody so they could correct the situation and get him another motorcycle,
needless to say in the end he didn't pass the course which is probably a good thing,somethings aren't meant to be. Me being Mr big-shot with previous years of riding experience actually got a higher score on the final test than most of the first time females (higher being more defaults), it's not what you know but how you show what you know, I still passed.

Was a lot of fun and would do it again just to watch the first timers experience it.


My weapon of choice.

 

[BUSA_CHeMiST]

Lets see...
So my class was in the first of January so it was pretty cold.

I was in college (sophomore I believe) and I remember geting invited out to the local bar that Friday night to meet up with some guys and a particular girl. Well, she was HOT, so I had to go. I SWORE to myself I would not drink ANYTHING!!! Well, the party ended up back at my house and after a 5th of Tequila and me waking up to this girl at 4:45AM, it was time to get up and head over to the riding portion of the MSF course.

Only thing I really remember funny was me driving thru the McDonalds on the way over there and the black girl at the window laughin at me cause I still looked HAMMERED!

Boy that was a rough day of riding!!

I know, i was STUPID!!

 

[HillbillyTom]

I had to take it as part of the terms of getting a C&I ticket dropped. Got the ticket from a wreck and still could barely bend my right leg when I showed up for the course. I got to ride a TW200 Yamaha dirt bike thing so I didn't have to bend the offending leg as much and ended up having a very good time. I liked the part about "don't pass more than one car at a time as one may turn left in front of you", had special meaning at the time.
Anyway, it was fun and everyone left Sunday afternoon with smiles on their faces and their "pass" card in hand.

 

[BlueHaya]

There were about 7 guys (all ages), I think only 3 of us did not already have bikes. There was 1 woman. Her husband rode and she was tied of ridin on back...she already had a Hog to ride when she got her liscense.

On the part where you get the clutch feel...then move to going a little further....she panicked and gave it more gas and was heading toward this kid. she got about 10 feet from him and fell over. She was very embarassed....we all gave her words of encouragement and she went on passing the class very well....even the figure 8.

 

[Spudley]

WE had a plethora of folks...guys riding their Road King's to the class (without their endorsements), a range of young to middle-age people's, me and my Shoei / Dainese brand new gear, and a girl who could pass for an angel....she had a brand new V-Rodd sitting in the showroom at LVHD where we were attending the class. Well she spent three days dropping the Buell blast and on test day, she dropped it again during testing. They passed her, but on the way out the door I asked her about the V-Rodd.....she said I "may' want to go back and look around for something more durable..........

The problem with Blast's is that they vibrate so much from the twin, that it makes it like a carnival ride for the really-new riders, which can distract them from what they're trying to do......then again, when they mount up on their fresh-new inline-four it may be a relief on the grand scale..... For those of us that grew up on dirt bikes....it's just a slip of the clutch and the roll of the throttle.....

 

[standiggity]

Took the class with a guy that was learning to ride. He wanted a hayabusa and no one could convince him otherwise. At the time I was on an 800 Vulcan cruiser. I saw the guy in his car at the grocery store just a few weeks later. He had totaled his hayabusa out.. in a parking lot .. no damage to him as he fell off

 

[beaquel]

When I took my class, a lady actually hit me from behind while I was stopped at a station waiting my turn to demo the skill. She forgot to brake and hit my rear tire and tipped over. Another guy tipped over doing the emergency swerve drill. The most dramatic was a really tall guy who struggled with almost every skill from day one. He was doing the 1st gear power walk and ended up pinning the throttle and launching the bike up on its rear tire. He was asked to leave.

 

[Wag]

At the end of the class, the words of wisdom from the instructor were, "Now you're all qualified to ride around a parking lot in second gear."

I still laugh about that to this day.

--Wag--

 

[wingman1100]

Kudos to anyone taking a course at any time to further their skill level. You are NEVER to old or know too much to learn more.

I am a MSF instructor here in Ontario and we get lots of people taking the course to better their skills or get an insurance break and the ones that have been riding before are the ones who resist any type of change of bad habits.

The most successful riders in our course are the ones with very little experience, especially the women. That's right, I said it, the women. They bring a fresh slate to class, are very eager to learn, they know the value of the dollar they spent to be trained and they do not have the testosterone getting in the way to try and look better than the other students. The girls just want to learn. Out of husband and wife couples taking the course together the women are always more successful come test time, always!!

Young people under 25 always learn very quickly as well, I think it is due to the fact they are fearless and heal faster and they know this!!

The most difficult to train and I do not mean to possibly offend anyone in the forum are long haul truck drivers. They have been driving the road for thousands of miles for decades in a huge cage but the motorcycle seems to baffle them every time, don't know why, just the way it is.

I think the key is to never get comfortable in your riding, there is always danger out there on the road all around us. I ride the dirt and the track to keep my skills up so I feel on top of my game on the street.

Keep your eyes up and keep your head moving all the time looking for the guy who isn't.

Ride safe everyone.

 

[kayabusa]

+1 on the figure 8. I'm kinda tall and ended up dropping the bike one time. Really enjoyed the course.