ryoder 1,381 #151 April 7, 2014 airtwardo *** Does Harley make a scooter? THEY DO ! It's called a Sportster..."Street": http://www.cycleworld.com/2014/03/24/2015-harley-davidson-street-750-first-ride-review-photos-dyno-run-specifications/"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LuckyMcSwervy 0 #152 June 22, 2014 There's a 2 day Basic Rider Course for $275. 15 hours over 2 days. 5 hours classroom instructions and 10 hours riding on a closed range away from traffic. The company provides the motorcycles and helmets. Unfortunately, it's 50 miles away from where I'll be staying but it's the only course around. Oh well. Gotta do what you gotta do. Always be kinder than you feel. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ryoder 1,381 #153 June 22, 2014 LuckyMcSwervy There's a 2 day Basic Rider Course for $275. 15 hours over 2 days. 5 hours classroom instructions and 10 hours riding on a closed range away from traffic. The company provides the motorcycles and helmets. Unfortunately, it's 50 miles away from where I'll be staying but it's the only course around. Oh well. Gotta do what you gotta do. I did that last summer. Just don't make the mistake I did, and do it in mid-July. Spending all day sitting on an idling bike, wearing helmet and long sleeves in 98F on asphalt SUCKS!"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LuckyMcSwervy 0 #154 June 22, 2014 ryoder ***There's a 2 day Basic Rider Course for $275. 15 hours over 2 days. 5 hours classroom instructions and 10 hours riding on a closed range away from traffic. The company provides the motorcycles and helmets. Unfortunately, it's 50 miles away from where I'll be staying but it's the only course around. Oh well. Gotta do what you gotta do. I did that last summer. Just don't make the mistake I did, and do it in mid-July. Spending all day sitting on an idling bike, wearing helmet and long sleeves in 98F on asphalt SUCKS!I looked at the class schedule and figured I would wait until September for that exact reason! Thanks for the advice!! BTW - I know a motorcycle cop who had heat stroke while on duty. He said the bike heat was killing him and he couldn't stay hydrated fast enough. Add in the body armor, leather knee high boots and the lovely polyester blend uniform. I never would've thought of that stuff if it didn't happen to him. This was 20 years ago but that incident stayed with me.Always be kinder than you feel. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ryoder 1,381 #155 June 22, 2014 One more thing about the MSF bike course: The toughest maneuver is The Box. (shudder) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGCgbEID83U Anyway, there were two chicks in the class, and a bunch of dudes. Both chicks could do the box easily with room to spare. None of the dudes came close to doing it as well."There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oldwomanc6 38 #156 June 22, 2014 ryoder One more thing about the MSF bike course: The toughest maneuver is The Box. (shudder) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGCgbEID83U Anyway, there were two chicks in the class, and a bunch of dudes. Both chicks could do the box easily with room to spare. None of the dudes came close to doing it as well. I'm guessing most guys (dudes) have a higher CG on the bike than most gals (chicks). lisa WSCR 594 FB 1023 CBDB 9 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nataly 38 #157 June 22, 2014 ryoder One more thing about the MSF bike course: The toughest maneuver is The Box. (shudder) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGCgbEID83U Anyway, there were two chicks in the class, and a bunch of dudes. Both chicks could do the box easily with room to spare. None of the dudes came close to doing it as well. I recently did an advanced rider course and they made us do continuous figure 8's in first gear (no throttle and no brakes)... Shows just how tight you can make those turns by counter steering, leaning your body, taking your bum off the seat... They made us do the same thing whilst kneeling on the seat, and also with both legs on one side of the bike (then both legs on the other side of the bike). I found it particularly challenging/scary on my R6. I did manage. .. Boy did my U-turns improve on the way home, though Oh, and Lucky: for me, integrating what they teach in the classroom takes time... I didn't get everything right when I was learning to ride, but kept it all in the back of my head... Weeks or even months later I was finally *feeling* what the instructors were talking about. Some people are naturals, some people's muscle memory takes more time to develop. Eventually it becomes second-nature. Don't worry if you don't "get it" right away. Think of how different everyone's skydiving progression is... But in the end, flying and riding are achievable for most people. Good luck with the course!! (Did mine in February with totally inadequate gloves... I was fucking miserable by the end of each day... Sooooooo cold...)"There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ryoder 1,381 #158 June 22, 2014 Nataly I recently did an advanced rider course and they made us do continuous figure 8's in first gear (no throttle and no brakes)... Shows just how tight you can make those turns by counter steering, leaning your body, taking your bum off the seat... They made us do the same thing whilst kneeling on the seat, and also with both legs on one side of the bike (then both legs on the other side of the bike). Yikes!How many bikes got laid down?"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LuckyMcSwervy 0 #159 June 22, 2014 ryoder One more thing about the MSF bike course: The toughest maneuver is The Box. (shudder) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGCgbEID83U Anyway, there were two chicks in the class, and a bunch of dudes. Both chicks could do the box easily with room to spare. None of the dudes came close to doing it as well. I may be jinxing myself but that looks easy. Thanks for the heads up. I never thought to Google to see the skills you have to demonstrate in the class. Add another thing to my To Do List for today. Well, the To Do List I can handle while laying in bed all day. Always be kinder than you feel. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jimjumper 25 #160 June 22, 2014 When I got my Harley I took the MSF course. They provided the bikes, 250's if I recall correctly. Dropped it during one of the leaning turn exercises and snapped off one of the rear view mirrors. I apologized to the Instructor when he ran up and he said "If you drop it again, try the other side and you can keep the set as souvenirs." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nataly 38 #161 June 22, 2014 ryoder *** I recently did an advanced rider course and they made us do continuous figure 8's in first gear (no throttle and no brakes)... Shows just how tight you can make those turns by counter steering, leaning your body, taking your bum off the seat... They made us do the same thing whilst kneeling on the seat, and also with both legs on one side of the bike (then both legs on the other side of the bike). Yikes!How many bikes got laid down? Only mine At the very beginning. For no reason at all. D'oh. Can't believe how useful it was, though... My bike feels a lot easier to handle now."There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
thomas.n.thomas 0 #162 June 23, 2014 Missed out on this thread! I have been riding a few years, but now only ride track days. My recommendation for the BRC is the opposite. Pick the hottest, sunniest day you can, and get used to sweating through your clothes. You're only in a long sleeve and jeans anyways, so it's nothing compared to what you should be wearing on the street. Get quality gear when you get your bike, and wear it all the time. No sneakers, board shorts, or any of that stupid crap I see out on the road. Wear quality leather or textile gear with pads/armor. Wear real motorcycle boots, and a full face helmet. Trust me on this. Been in two crashes so far on the track, none on the street, but gear is an absolute must. For those that will rock the 3/4 helmet, yeah it's nice to have wind in your face, but not nice to have asphalt there. Look at the statistics of impacts to the chin area in street crashes. It will make you reconsider. What kind of bike are you looking to get? What kind of riding do you plan on doing? My recommendation is to avoid sportbikes unless you plan on tracking them. I rode an R6 for a year on the street and it was boring and uncomfortable. Take that same bike to the track and it's worlds of fun. My next street bike will be a Triumph Tiger or something along those lines. Oh yeah, and the box is easy so long as you remember, you go where you look. You will think you are turning your head to look through a turn but you are not turning it enough. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
