Riding Before MSF class?

[rangerman2003]

Well I do not have a bike as of yet, I was thinking about a new 08 Ninja 250, and was going to be taking the MSF class next month hopefully, classes fill up fast here. Would it be ok to ride before the class or should i not even buy a bike or anything until after. I have no formal experience on a bike

[RayOSV]

It would be better to take the MSF class first. You'll be much more comfortable on your 250 after the class plus you won't develop any bad habits before the class.

[Hound]

You only have a month so wait.

Buying the bike is a personal decisions you have to make with yourself. I got mine before class and did not regret it a bit. It was sad seeing it in the shed every day waiting for me

[cervelo]

I did things different...I rode the shit out of mine....so much that the first day of the class was useless waste of time.

it is a decision that you need to make. if you are going to be all scared and tentative riding then wait.

But i grew up with motocycles and racing dirtbikes. MSF was good for teaching me front brake and it allowed me to pass my M2 to M licence sooner than with out.

Cer

[dynamite196]

Looking for a bike now is a great idea IMO for several reasons. First, you have plenty of time to get your reg and insurance stuff ready to go; second, after you take the first class there will probably be some stuff you want to practice. Learning clutch and throttle control on a bike takes lots of practice and why not give yourself a little edge over the rest of your class. I wouldn't recommend riding it before you take at least one day of MSF just because you have a real good possibility of dropping it even if it's just in your driveway. Congrats on starting small though, my first bike was a 250cc dirt bike which made me shit my pants several times before I got used to the power; i can't even begin to imagine how a complete noob starts out on a 600cc sport bike, by starting out with a small bike you're paving the way to developing good skills and habits that are gonna lead to lots of great times.

[MIKe30]

I would've never had my bike fall over had i taken the class first, but at the same time i do not regret riding before taking the class.

Since I had some miles under my belt (not many, ~600 when the class started) and i'm always trying to be a perfectionist - I ended up getting the best score in the class (1 other person got zero pts, but he hit a cone on the swerve! he shouldnt have gotten a zero )

the other side to it is i dropped my bike in the parking lot long before (month or so) i took the class. Had i taken the class i would've known to not use any front brake during low speed maneuvering (sp?) and I wouldnt have had my bike fall over in the driveway - getting it positioned after a long ride to just back it up into the garage.


Sooo with all that said... it has its pro's and con's. I say take the class first. I tried to but i got bumped out as an alternate, and then ended riding between the time the new class i signed up for came around. I'd say look for and buy a bike now, but take the class before you ride. By the time you find the bike you like, buy it, get it registered, insured, inspected, and get all your gear you're class will here.

[Squid Killer]

I just finished teaching a class. The lady who refused to ride before the class made a 97 on the riding test. The two guys who rode a few weeks before the class had many bad habbits and wasted precious time breaking them and both ended the test with an 82. I see this almost every weekend I teach.

[TalkofDC]

If you have NEVER ever been on a motorcycle...

take MSF first.

If you have ridden before,

do as you please.

p.s. dirt bikes don't count....at all.

[dynamite196]

Originally Posted by TalkofDC

If you have NEVER ever been on a motorcycle...

take MSF first.

If you have ridden before,

do as you please.

p.s. dirt bikes don't count....at all.

Not true, dirt bikes will definetely help you learn clutch and throttle control as well as shifting. Of course it's not the same as street riding but if I had the choice of going in never having ridden anything or having learned throttle and clutch on a dirt bike I'd easily pick the latter.

[TalkofDC]

I say no to dirt bikes because the all the throttle and clutch control practice in the world doesn't mean a damn if the response is different....

the road(hard surface) is a lot different than the soft(dirt) as well....tires roll differently.

[Skoalbasher]

Originally Posted by MIKe30

I would've never had my bike fall over had i taken the class first, but at the same time i do not regret riding before taking the class.

This may jinx you. I thought I was done with drops (only had 1 before the class), and the other day I was doing a Uie in the parking lot and grabbed the front brake a little too hard, bars were turned and oops, there goes my bike. Never say never.

[Skoalbasher]

Originally Posted by TalkofDC

I say no to dirt bikes because the all the throttle and clutch control practice in the world doesn't mean a damn if the response is different....

the road(hard surface) is a lot different than the soft(dirt) as well....tires roll differently.

But you still get experience with a clutch. And not all road surfaces are the same either.

[Seifer21]

i never took the msf lol.... self taught ftw

[rangerman2003]

well i finally got my permit taken care of and my course is set for June 30 with the riding portion being July 5 and 6. Still looking for that bike I want cant find it anywhere

[TalkofDC]

Originally Posted by Seifer21

i never took the msf lol.... self taught ftw

you're special...

P.S. I'm sure there are ones who self taught....then took MSF for extra knowledge and safety skills. Plus the DMV sucks.