MSF - Tell me more...

[bsc7080ksc]

I am a first time motorcycle owner, and owner of an 06 Katana 750 and loving it. The MSF course fills up quick around where I am at, and I was unable to get a spot this year. However, my wife's step-dad was more than willing to provide me some education. He is 55 years old and has been riding bikes since he was something like 9-10 years old. He owned a custom bike shop for a number of years. He also owns a sweet ride that he uses daily... a 73 Norton Commando.

So to say that he has some golden nuggets of wisdom to share is an understatement. I have learned a lot under his wing, along with also some of the basics about maintaining your ride.

Anyways... I spent several weekends and about 500+ miles of seat time doing figure eights, braking, hills (I hated those till I got the hang of it), loose gravel, tight u-turns, passing, twisty downhill turns (fun), counter steering, dealing with animals (2 deer and one irritating dog), ignoring that june bug that just hit you the chest, etc. etc.

By no means a replacement for the MSF I am certain. Since then I have put about another 800 miles on the bike over the course of less than 2 months.

So I was talking to my wife and casually mention that I wanted to take the MSF next year, she is like why ? It doesn't provide any significant savings on insurance and "Dean" will be able to teach you more than that course could ever teach you. Not wanting to get into a fight with her... I do have to live with her...

So I am not exactly armed with information to counter her complaint, but feel confident that there is something much more to be gained by taking the MSF and Advance MSF course. My question is :

What type of 'real life' scenarios will the MSF basic course prepare me for ? Maybe some specific stories of how it helped you out of a situation that you might not otherwise would have been prepared for as a beginner ...

Thank you in advance.

I should add that I have read the thread on 15 tips for riding in traffic and 50 ways to Save your Life... and will continue to read and re-read. Worthy material for certain.

The one item that I carry with me always in my mind... presume that I am invisible and act accordingly.

[superbike]

Do you have a copy of "The Motorcycle Safety Foundation's Guide to Motorcycling Excellence"? It's a great book and you can get it a most any Book store or through "amazon.com". Read it before you take a course, it's the best $20.(or so) bucks you could spend. If you go to amazon, you can see the contents when you "click" on the book.

[bsc7080ksc]

Do you have a copy of "The Motorcycle Safety Foundation's Guide to Motorcycling Excellence"? It's a great book and you can get it a most any Book store or through "amazon.com". Read it before you take a course, it's the best $20.(or so) bucks you could spend. If you go to amazon, you can see the contents when you "click" on the book.

No I don't have that book. I will check it out. Thx.

[Free Coffee]

The best thing I got from the MSF was emergency braking. The demo bikes don't handle like a S/T bike at all though. It's a skill that isn't a bad idea to practice on your own fairly often.

[bsc7080ksc]

I did find an outline for a Military Safety SportBike Rider Course. Is the MSF the same type of material in general or is this more in line with the Advanced or something entirely different ?

[sonosam]

The Military Sportbike Rider Course is the Advance Rider Course geared specifically toward sport bikes. IMHO the MSF course was great (it got me my license without having to hold a permit or take a test) however, if you are practicing figure eights, low speed turns, emergency braking, obstacle avoidance, etc, then you should be ok. It cost me $60 for the MSF course, but I know people that have paid in excess of $200. I am required to have the course (military requires it and offers it for free) and the military made you use your own bike at the time I took it so I paid to use a rebel 250. If it is relatively cheap for you to take it, I don't see why you wouldn't (the more experience in the saddle the better and why not have different eyes critique things, they may pick up something "Dean" missed). If it is expensive then I probably wouldn't do it either.

My .02
Marc

[PilotC150]

If you wanna take the course, take the course. Do you need her to "approve" of it?

Wouldn't "it wouldn't hurt" be a valid enough argument to take the course?

[fyrfytr310]

If you wanna take the course, take the course. Do you need her to "approve" of it?

Wouldn't "it wouldn't hurt" be a valid enough argument to take the course?

Second. The more education the better. Besides, if Dean is the only one teaching you then you are only getting one riders perspective... The more the merrier I always say!

[bsc7080ksc]

Need not worry, her opinion would not sway me from taking the course next year. Curiosity was my real question. Seat time + seat time with instruction, can't be beat. I just started Autocross racing my Civic Si 07 this year and know the value of getting both.... even though I know how to drive already

On another side note, I went out Youtube (should have looked there first I suppose) and saw the 12x60 box thing and how a 2x2 parking spaces is close enough to practice on. As someone said here on KR... its hard work with the Katana let alone me being a beginner. Saw a clip of a guy with a good sized BMW and it was like grace as moved the bike through the box. Much work lies ahead for me.

BRC in my area is like 150 bucks, but they provide the bike... my assumption is that its a bike that handles the rider course easier than my bike. Am I to assume correctly ?