The MSF Basic Rider Course Part 4

We graduated from walking our motorcycles to using the friction zone, the point when releasing the clutch that the clutch just starts to bite and move the bike. From there it wasn’t long before we were riding the bikes around. The skills we practiced after the veteran Instructor demonstrated for us were numerous. Some of the lessons we practiced that first day were, cornering, slalom, sharp turns, stop and goes, and hard braking. I’m sure I’ve left something out.

Counter steering came almost naturally to me. I will not go into a long explanation here. Basically, on a motorcycle, other than at very slow speeds, when you want to turn, you actually turn the steering wheel in the opposite direction of the way you want to go. This induces the motorcycle to lean and then turn.

One of the most important lessons I learned when taking the course was that the bike would go where you are looking. I had read about it and now I got the chance to see it in action. The bike will follow where your eyes are focused. You do not want to look at the obstacle you are tying to avoid, but rather, the track that you want to follow. Also, the motorcycle can do a lot more than you think it can.

Another lesson that was confirmed happened because of the rain. I came to a stop somewhere in the parking lot and planted both feet firmly on the asphalt. My right foot however did not stop moving. Despite the aggressive tread design on the boots, my right foot had landed on a red parking lot stripe. When my foot hit the stripe it slid sideways giving me a slight scare that I might drop the bike right before my foot hit the unpainted asphalt and the tread bit in and came to a stop.

We took an hour break for lunch and then came back and practiced some more. Next we practiced riding over an obstacle. The obstacle we used was a 4/4 board that we shifted our weight from back to front on the bike as we drove over perpendicularly. We were all getting used to the motorcycles by now. What really amazed me was how well they gripped the road, even with it being constantly wet. In between practice courses we could get the bikes up to a little faster speeds, turning and stopping. They just stuck to the wet ground, very impressive.

Soaking wet after a hard days motorcycle training learning all kinds of new skills it was time to go for the day. We helped put up all the bikes, cones and equipment.

Tomorrow we would be learning some more challenging things and then take the Motorcycle Riding test so we could go to the Texas Department of Public Transportation and take the Motorcycle Riding License test. The forecast for tomorrow was still rain. I could hardly wait.

Ride on,
Torch

The MSF Basic Rider Course Part 3

Saturday morning came early with a dark cloudy sky covering the landscape threateningly. I grabbed a windbreaker and headed to the office complex not far from my house where the class would be held. I got there early again and waited for the instructor to come let us in, taking close note of the high humidity in the air. We did not have to wait long.

We took the MSF Basic Rider course test and everyone passed. This test would be similar to the State Motorcycling License test we would have to take at the Department of Public Safety. The test is not real hard and if you only paid half attention during the class you should be able to pass it. A lot of it is just plain common sense. After the tests we headed to the spot where we would be doing the riding part of the course.

The riding part of the MSF Basic Rider course was to be held at a local sporting stadiums parking lot. When the instructor got there he unlocked the fenced in area where the bikes were located and passed out the keys. The bikes were a mix of makes with engine sizes varying between 125 and 150 c.c.’s from various local motorcycle dealers. The majority of them were 150 c.c.’s. The Instructor let us pick a bike out that was like one we were planning on riding, either sport, dual sport or cruiser. I think they even had a moped in the mix. He let the ones, like me, that needed a helmet pick one out. Then we rolled the bikes around and lined them up where we were going to start.

About then is when it started to rain and I put on my windbreaker. It would not be long before it was soaked all the way through. As the class progressed the more and more wet I became. Finally I was completely soaked, shirt, pants, and lastly my feet. I found out the hard way that my new riding boots were not waterproof. Welcome to the world of motorcycling.

If you have never ridden a motorcycle before you need not be afraid. We started off with the very basics familiarizing ourselves with the bikes controls. Then we did the "duck walk", walking the bikes about fifty feet and back with the engines off just to get the feel of the bikes. Our Instructor, a motorcycle veteran of 30 plus years, demonstrated each step for us, sometimes more than once, each step of the way. He made it appear easy.

All the while the Texas sky was cryin’, sprinkling her built up humidity back down on us. I could feel the water dripping off the back of my helmet and snaking it’s way down my back. It was not the normal gulley washer and then gone type of rain we normally have. This was a constant nagging rain that lasted throughout the day. Fortunately it was not too cold. I made a mental note to purchase a rain suit soon.

Ride on,
Torch

The MSF Basic Rider Course Part 2

It was Friday evening and I had left work early and arrived at the small office complex where the Motorcycle Safety Foundation Basic Riders Course was to be held. I had arrived at the small two story office building fifteen to twenty minutes before the class was to begin. It appeared that I was the first person there, so I stayed in my old Ford Explorer and waited for more people to arrive. The small office complex was located not to far from a major freeway on one of the main roads running north and south through the Mid-Cities. The building itself already looked old and worn and in need of maintenance and minor repairs. The Texas climate is hard on buildings and everything else for that matter.

I did not have to wait long before several other vehicles started to arrive. Pretty soon people started to get out and gather at the entrance to the stairs leading up to the second story office where the course was going to be held. I got out of my vehicle and joined them. It was a good mix of people. There were two young guys that drove in together in an old pickup truck that looked like typical construction workers from the clothes and work boots they were wearing. There were a couple of well to do business types. There was also some nerdier looking middle-class types. I would say ages ranged from the lower twenties to mid fifties.

An older gentleman carefully pulled up on an older model Honda Shadow, parked his bike and removed his helmet. He was weathered and tough looking and handled his bike like a pro. Since he was riding a bike it was easy to assume that this was our Instructor. He dismounted and came over and introduced himself. Indeed he was the teacher for the Motorcycle Safety Foundation Basic Rider Course we were there to take. We went up stairs to the room the course would be held in and got the class underway.

The Room was small but adequate with several small tables set up with chairs around them. The air conditioner did not appear to be working and it was hot and stuffy inside. At the front of the class was a TV with a VCR hooked up to it. Everyone introduced themselves and told about how much motorcycling experience they had. Experience ranged from none to multiple years. Some had off road dirt bike experience. We had to fill out paperwork and sign a risk waiver.

We all got our MSF Basic Rider Course material and Handbook to study. And with formalities over we watched the Video about motorcycling and safety. The Instructor paused the tape in several places so we could answer questions and have discussions about the material. We then went though our workbooks given to us filling in all the blanks and marking the correct answers. The material was not that hard to learn and it would cover everything needed to pass the motorcycle license test. We also learned the "T-CLOCS" Pre-Ride Checklist and tons of safety information. We had to pass the course test in the morning before we got to proceed with the riding part of the course.

Ride on,

Torch