MSF Experienced Rider Course

[Burnszilla]

Sunday morning I attended the MSF's Experienced Rider Course in Fremont, CA.
I've been riding for 4.5 years now and I hadn't taken the any MSF training prior. I attended Keith Code's Superbike School a few years back at Lagua Seca. I thought I would be a good idea to learn some things I might have missed out on. There were about 8 riders and the trainer's name was Carla.

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At the end of the day the instructor said I aced the course!
I learned some more cornering tips, and about looking up at the horizon.
I think it was great to do the swerve exercises.

I was suprised at how clueless some of the younger (under 20 years old) riders were. Guys on GSXRs that couldn't even ride them in a circle. It kind of scared me. Some of them were mechanically clueless on how the bike worked too. I got the feeling that some of these guys weren't 'experienced'.

If you've never taken an MSF course, I highly recommend it. It may safe your life some day.

[BubbaZanetti]

I was suprised at how clueless some of the younger (under 20 years old) riders were. Guys on GSXRs that couldn't even ride them in a circle. It kind of scared me. Some of them were mechanically clueless on how the bike worked too. I got the feeling that some of these guys weren't 'experienced'.



unfortunately, the more of a "fad" motorycling becomes, the more this is gonna be the norm. at the euro bike night i attend there was one time when 3 kids came by on gsxrs and r1s. they did a mighty nice wheelie (its nearly impossible not to do a wheelie with these things) but after a few passes they pulled into the parking lot and couldn't even park their bikes and took off in frustration after a lot of 30 point turns.

i really wanna take the msf experienced rider course this year, i too, have never had an msf instruction and feel i could use a little correcting...........

[riderR1150GSAdv]

I was suprised at how clueless some of the younger (under 20 years old) riders were. Guys on GSXRs that couldn't even ride them in a circle. It kind of scared me. Some of them were mechanically clueless on how the bike worked too. I got the feeling that some of these guys weren't 'experienced'.

If you've never taken an MSF course, I highly recommend it. It may safe your life some day.


Don't forget that those guys "drive" cars too :hungover
At any rate an MSF course is a good thing as one is never too old, or too young, too learn.

[BradfordBenn]

MSF courses are a great investment. I have it on my plans for the next rally. Depending on what the Rally Chairs have roped me into...

[Belquar]

I took the course in Lima on a wet range which heated up later to give us some nice tar snakes to ride on. Really good to gain more and more trust in the machine.

[PacWestGS]

Way to go Steve, I think they have gotten a little worse off over the years, but they still provide something for everyone. I attended mine almost 15-years ago and found it to be entertaining say the least. It really is a shame that the very young are allowed to buy a near ready 'race-bike' and they haven't a clue how to ride yet.

Yeah, it doesn't take much to ride a wheelie on one these things but stopping them is a totally different set of circumstances. And turning a bike at slow speed does take considerable skill.

Anyway, good on ya'

Always get your head and eyes up where you want to go, the bike will follow.

Russ

[robsryder]

I'll be signing up for the ERC (or whatever it is being called these days) at the beginning of Feb when Ohio starts taking reservations.

I understand that the ERC, which used to take 4 hrs on Thurs evening and 8 hrs the following Sat, now takes about 5 hrs on Sat. I guess that is good as I can use the time for other things.

This will be my 5th time in taking the ERC. In Ohio the ERC card is good for 3 yrs. I find the insurance discount (about 10 percent) greatly exceeds the cost (~$50) of the couse.

A couple of courses ago I learned that an ABS-equipped R11RS can do a stoppie with only 2 fingers on the brake lever - while the ABS was "chattering". This, my only stoppie, happened at the very end when we were told to brake as hard as we could - in a controlled manner.

My stoppie wasn't a big one as some have illustrated in various videos - I didn't even know that the back wheel came up a couple of inches until the instructor mentioned it afterwards. I did wonder why the front ABS was chattering and the back one wasn't.

[Motorman]

Motorcycles have always been a "fad" in that they are not a prime transportation choice. They are, and likely always will be, an optional transportation choice for the mass population.

The likely reason for the front ABS chatter vs the rear was that the weight transfer and actual forces placed on the front are far greater than for the rear. Since there is so much dumped on the front end on a big stop effort like you described you are going to feel lots more effects from it.

[PUDGYPAINTGUY]

I am a low miler compared to many in this site, however at the time I took the BRC for a MI license I had recorded a total of approx 107K miles on 2 wheels (not too bad for a small country and the EU) and I have to say I learned some stuff! In the EU at that time an Iron Butt was just what you had on a stock brit/jap saddle anyway...lol