MSF Beginner Course...

Ok, so today was the first riding portion of the MSF Beginner Course that I'm taking this weekend. I was ok, having never ridden a bike before one instructor said I did well. They did this thing of "Stopping on command" where the guy would throw his arms out when he wanted you to stop. The 'nice instructor' was very helpful as he would give good instruction on anything if you were like messing up or such. The other guy, well, I guess it's a "good cop - bad cop" thing. He like threw his hands up in the middle of me shifting from 1st to 2nd, which was approximately 10' past the start point, I couldn't get my foot around to the gear shift to put it back into first and it hit the floor. The 'nice instructor' was really cool about it, said that if you drop it on test day, you'd fail but he said that I did well other than that. SO.......... After my ranting and raving, I guess I have a question as to this: When you do the actual driving "test" of the MSF Beginner course, what does it entail? I've been told that the DMV road test and (from friends who have taken the MSF Beginner Course) that the test is just a "figure 8". The guy that was the instructor at the in-class portion of the MSF Course said all you would have to do for the driving test portion was like go straight, left turn, go straigh, right turn, go strait and stop. Is this true? What has been your experiences? Thanks and sorry for the rambling, G

i just took it about 4 months ago and the TEST is a written and then a skills(motorcycle) the skills test is: figure 8 (2 U turns in a row) then a lil swerve then maximum braking then a obsticle course that is two right hand turns (no left) it was really easy and the writtren test is way to easy too...................but if you fail that dosent meen you cant get a bike!!! just no no cut on insurance and you have to pass the DMV :thumbs:

Ah, thanks. Someone else told me the same thing, except for the obstacle part. Oh well, we'll see. Hopefully I pass. G

everyone but like 3 or so passed and there were some stupid people there..... :dthumb:

Well even if you shifting... all you have to do is pull in the clutch while your stompin on the brakes... the shifting part isn't that big of a deal. But you'll figure that out as you ride more... As far as the different stories on the driving coarse. It's all going to be different depending on the instructor or tester. I took the advanced MSF for my "driving test" for the state so I can't comment on the state driving tests. Other than to say that I've heard of people saying the tester made them drive down to that end of the street. Stop at the stop sign.. pull away get a up shift in stop at that Ford without putting your feet down and then come back here.. make a u turn and you're done! Like I said..it all depends!

Once again, thanks for all the feedback. Hopefull it is like the pictures at the back of the Colorado DMV manual that I have DLed. Gas Man, See the thing about the shifting was that he wanted you back into first when you stopped at his command. But I read the Colorado DMV guide and it doesn't have any of that "stop on command" stuff. This is what it said: You will be tested on the following exercises: • Sharp Left Turn – stay inside the boundaries of the course and do not put a foot down or touch any lines. • Normal Stop – do not skid. • Offset Cone Weave – (cones are set 12 feet apart and offset 1 foot either side of a center line) do not skip or touch any cones or put a foot down. • Right U-Turn – do not put a foot down until the exercise is completed or touch the lines designated for your size motorcycle. • Quick Stop – from approximately 12 - 20 MPH, stop the motorcycle safely but as quickly as you can. You are not marked down if you skid. This exercise is also used to test 3-wheel motorcycle operators. • Obstacle Swerve – from approximately 12 - 20 MPH, swerve the motorcycle safely to the right or left of the obstacle line, staying inside the indicated boundaries. Do not touch the obstacle line or the boundaries. This exercise is also used to test 3-wheel motorcycle operators. Note: You must not stall the engine on any exercise. Remember if at any time you feel an exercise is too difficult, you may stop the testing. You, as the rider, are aware of your abilities and your experience on the motorcycle. The examiner is not. However, for safety’s sake, the examiner may also stop the testing if it becomes apparent that you need more practice on the motorcycle. 15 Colorado Motorcycle Operator’s Handbook G

Who's gonna say I'd be an idiot to go buy the bike and continue to learn if I don't pass the test? I'm not saying I won't and hopefully I don't fail, but in the event I do? G FEEL FREE TO RIP ME APART, IT'S COOL. I LIKE CONSTRUCTIVE CRITISM!

I watched my wife take the final riding test and it was almost exactly as Bull described. The stop on command is to simulate a panic stop. EX. If you are pulling away from a stop sign and granny backs out in front of you from the next drive. It does need to be a habit to be in first gear at every stop. Panic stops, we all do the best we can.

Jeeps, I guess I'm just venting because I did not see the instructor do what he did to me to anyone else that was there. Kinda figured he didn't like me and this other girl that he was kinda hard on cause we didn't have any driving experience on a bike or in a car that has a manual transmission. Everyone else had experience riding something be it dirt, street or dual.

Or did it just seem that way? He may have just been giving special attention to the ones he thought need it. Or bad luck/timing on you run.

Well, that is a thought. I mean I have an old habit, from when I rode quads back in the day, of covering the front brake with two fingers so he got mad at that but I think he was mad from the get go. He was biznatchin' about how he had to work this weekend when it is Mother's Day and he has a wife and things to do on his house. So I don't know. Kinda upsetting though. Thanks Jeeps. G

Just do the best you can. That's all anybody can ask. Just don't let clashing attitudes make you blind to what they are trying to teach you. :luck:

I think it was just bad luck/timing! You'll do fine man... just concentrate and you'll get er!

Well Gas Man, I thank you for your advice and vote of confidence. Well, I took the tests today (riding and written) but.... I PASSED MAN! YIPPIE SKIPPIE FOR ME! I'm pickin' up my 2005 R6 on Wednsday so I'll let you know how that goes. Any tips for the first ride? Thanks again, G PS -->> I really enjoy this forum so much, I gave the website to my classmates at the MSF Beginner Course. They said they're gonna check it out. Gave 'em my name as a "Referrer".

Graff... that's awesome! CONGRADS on both the class and the bike!! Just take it easy...for you and the bike. Make sure you have your gear in check and get some desent frame sliders, just don't buy carbon inlay and anything made of metal! Do a search on frame slider here and you'll find but loads of info!

Who's gonna say I'd be an idiot to go buy the bike and continue to learn if I don't pass the test? I'm not saying I won't and hopefully I don't fail, but in the event I do? G FEEL FREE TO RIP ME APART, IT'S COOL. I LIKE CONSTRUCTIVE CRITISM! no i meent if you fail....so waht still get the bike

:cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :dthumb: :dthumb: :dthumb: :dthumb: :dthumb:

I was going to get it if I failed or passed the MSF Course. But I passed so it ain't nothing to worry about.

what was your score

Congrats on passing the course. :dthumb: Be safe on that R6 and remember not to much gas puling out from a turn.

Congrats on passing the course, Graffix!!!! It's a great feeling :) Take it easy on the 6 and just have fun getting to know it.

I will take it safe on the R6 everyone, thanks for the advice and concern, it means a lot. My score, for those who asked or wanted to know, was : -10 points on the driving (foot down once on the "figure 8", braked in turn cause I went too fast in it, stopping in a "quick stop" too soon) 100 % on the written. Not bad for a person who is newbie with no experience on bikes, huh? G :cheers: are on me if WOS comes to my area (depending on how many of you there are!)

WTG, Grafix! Whodid you take the test with? I went to RiderTraining at Chapel Hills

Congrats Dude!! I remeber when I took the MSF class. There were 6 women there and 6 men and 3 of the guys failed the skill test. When we first started the class I was the slowest one there so the instructor worked with me the most. I think it was because I was on a 125 and still tipy toed..and we were on an incline. :P :cheers:

WTG, Grafix! Whodid you take the test with? I went to RiderTraining at Chapel Hills Rider Training Enterprises @ Chapel Hill Mall by the AirForce Academy. They were pretty cool. Thanks everyone for the congrats on passing.

If you're ever back in there, tell Nat I said hi from Louisiana ...

I just passed the course this weekend! I took it in Acworth, GA. It was also my first time on a bike. Is it me, or was the figure 8 REAL tight? I lost 6 points on the skills test. went outside 1 line on the figure 8, and missed one cone on the two right hand turn. (couldn't see the darn thing). I hope to get a zx-6r late this year or early next.

That's good! :welcome: and its good to see new riders taking the coarse. Do you currently have a bike?

congrats, man. I hope I will be able to say the same thing about myself passing the MSF course in the next month! :dthumb:

Congrats. It is fairly easy, the only thing that many people in my class had difficulty with was the "Figure 8 in a box" cause it was tight. Most people put a foot down. I did that, lost 3 points, that was all I missed on the entire testing.

I watched this old guy do the figure 8 on a 1500cc full dresser... and he did it perfect! So it can be done. I did it on my old EX500R as well but that's not much to brag about...

I watched this old guy do the figure 8 on a 1500cc full dresser... and he did it perfect! So it can be done. I did it on my old EX500R as well but that's not much to brag about... I think it can be done with practice and experience. Like the one guy who didn't touch the ground in my class had been riding motocross since he was like 5 and took the test on an enduro so yeah, it was simple as snit for him. But if I practice on my R6, I am sure I'd be able to eventually do it.

Crap...I did it on the first attempt back in the day... and I had only been riding for like a month!

Crap...I did it on the first attempt back in the day... and I had only been riding for like a month! But you were still riding. I never got on a bike before I took my MSF course so yeah. Plus they put me on a 'zuki 250 cruiser. I don't remember the model, but the end of the tank by the seat was like 12" wide. Even one of the instructors said that the bike is not fair for the beginner course.

Yeah but not for that long. I rode for that month so I had something to go on when I took the class!

Yeah but not for that long. I rode for that month so I had something to go on when I took the class! I was thinking about doing that. But I wasn't really sure that I'd want to ride so I didn't want to invest the money in a bike. But like after the first day that I took the course, I was like , "HELL YEAH!". So that following Tuesday/Wednsday, I hit the dealers! (they are all closed on Sunday & Monday around in Colorado Springs)

Yeah I had a desent in with some local cops and they knew I didn't have my endorsement and didn't give me any problems. Plus I carried my enrolement papers for the class with me.

The figure 8 has to be the toughest thing.

I still would like to see your R6...any pics?

I still would like to see your R6...any pics? Here you go Snadamo...

Here you go Snadamo... Thank you!. Wow! Nice Red R6. R6's have always been one of my favorite bikes. Sweet bike graffix. :dthumb: Ride safe man!

Graff aren't you a bit young to be on that and trying to get in Pgirl's pants? :lol: 18