Safety Course... which bike?

[mtsmith0028]

I'd go with the bike provided. I get what people are saying about using the bike you'll be riding but looking back on some of the skills, like u turns and the figure 8 turn... I'm glad I was on a smaller 125 cc bike. Just sayin

 

[DownrangeFuture]

I'd go with the bike provided. I get what people are saying about using the bike you'll be riding but looking back on some of the skills, like u turns and the figure 8 turn... I'm glad I was on a smaller 125 cc bike. Just sayin

The mechanics are the same. The only difference is the smaller bikes tend to be twins and not have twitchy throttles.

But when I took the class, the instructor demonstrated all the maneuvers on his Gold Wing. Kind of a "If I can do it on this bike..." kind of deal. And yes, he did the smaller figure 8 box with room to spare on his Gold Wing.

 

[Ridley]

Aside from the possibility of being hit by another rider, you need to consider that:

Your engine will be hot from low speed / no speed all day.

Your clutch will get quite a workout. Stop / start all day.

If you do drop your bike (it happens) you will kick yourself for not using their bike.

 

[Ridley]

duplicate post, sorry...

 

[pookamatic]

I'm SO happy I decided to ride their bike! Yes, there's a lot of wear and tear and the fiz would have been running the fan on half the day in 80*.

The bikes are all pretty much 250s that are small and fun to whip on the little course. Plus, yeah, I was definitely ripping it without constantly worrying.

 

[Erci]

I'm SO happy I decided to ride their bike! Yes, there's a lot of wear and tear and the fiz would have been running the fan on half the day in 80*.

The bikes are all pretty much 250s that are small and fun to whip on the little course. Plus, yeah, I was definitely ripping it with constantly worrying.

There you go then. Glad you made the *right* choice :thumbup:

 

[pookamatic]

Speaking of the right choice, it was suggested that I ride one of their two Buell Blasts because I was more experienced that most of the students. The other one went to the 6'9" guy over 325lbs. What an odd, yet fun machine. 500cc, ONE cylinder, geared high. They kept having to slow me down. Moving that thing was a lot of fun. Waiting sucked.

I learned a LOT. Some of what I did learn, I kinda already knew subconsciously but doing it on the course with evaluation does wonders. Did perfect on written and skill! Now to rinse and repeat on mine.

Oh, and I will never complain how buzzy our bikes are. Try sitting on a Buell for several hours. Yesterday, I got on my bike to grab lunch. It was surreal... like I was floating on a cloud. The seat, however, it about 3 times as thick on the Blast so it was tolerable.

 

[deeptekkie]

I had my son to use their bikes. It was hot and obviously a lot of hot wear and tear on the bikes, (especially the clutches). If he can ride multiiple bikes I figured he was better off. JMO!

 

[Grainbelt]

Appears I am late to the party, but I would definitely use their bikes. The FZ6 has a very late clutch engagement point and requires some revs and clutch slipping to do the maneuvres in the basic MSF course - many of the little bikes the classes own are geared lower and light enough that you can get thru it with throttle and rear brake, which allows you to focus on the important body position and looking where you want to go lessons they are trying to instill. :thumbup:

 

[Shiny_side_up]

I loved the bikes at the MSF course. I remember thinking "that guy is gonna lose points for not signaling like we were asked to do for this manuever" then realizing "oh wait... that bike has capped wires where the turn signals used to be..."

The 250 I rode in the course had the world's most forgiving clutch (read: it slipped like drunk man in a pile of banana peels)