Well That Was Cold As Hell!

[ArmyOfDarkness]

I have been talking about it for a month. "The way this Spring is going, I am going to take my MSF course in May," I told people.

Well, We started at 7:50am this morning, and guess what...IT WAS SNOWING! Okay, flurries mixed with rain. But seriously, there were 12 of us and I am pretty sure we all had symptoms of hypothermia. It was awful.

We got to learn on brand spakin' new Ninja 300 and my first impression is, HOLY FACK!!! There is no way in hell I am ready for a 600cc bike. Haha

I killed it twice and had trouble shifting gears, but I got a 100% on the written exam, so at least I know what I need to do. Now it all comes down to practice and muscle memory...and I am guessing I would have done better if it wasn't 26-32 degrees with 15+mph winds.

 

[Brew]

Yeah I guess we don't get a spring, we'll just go from 30 to 90's and humid...

My 49 y/o wife learned on a Ninja 250 and if she can do it you can. Problem is they liked to be revved up because not much torque. Good luck.

 

[lytehouse]

You got hit by the storm that just left here! We got about 5" inches of snow here at the house, but it was gone by noon the next day
Hang in there buddy! :Sport:

 

[Botch]

I was highly stressed when I took the MSF (for no good reason), I can't imagine how it'd been being wet and cold. Hang in there, AoD! :thumbup:

 

[dxh24]

Just started getting decent riding weather around here. As far as not ready- take it slow, control your primal instinct to go WOT and you'll be fine... And in no time at all you'll be shredding twisties like the pros

 

[VEGASRIDER]

Good luck on the eval. It's no different than the range exercises that you're practicing, so there are no surprises because you already did them.

 

[beatle]

I had the same reaction to the 200cc TW200 that I took my MSF on last year. The power was "ridiculous" when I nailed it, but once you're out of the parking lot, you'll want more. In a lot of ways, I think the FZ6 is a great first bike if you have at least most of your head on your shoulders. The power curve is pretty tame until you really rev it up, so it can keep you out of trouble while still giving you an easy "out" on the highway that you won't get from a lower displacement bike.

 

[Ssky0078]

+1 to beatle

I think the Fz6 is plenty tame at first with the rpm's down. I think that with the heightened stimulus of being in such adverse conditions that you weren't fully capable to push the 250 to see it really isn't that much to deal with. The ninja 300 is decent but I could see it getting really frustrating if you have to do much highway travel or like here in AZ the roads are all pretty quick moving you'll wish you had more.

 

[PosterFZ6]

I think you should get a liter bike bro.

Just keep it under 2k rpms and you will be peachy.

/sarcasm





-Learn on your own pace and ride on a bike that you feel comfortable with.

 

[Recluse420]

I have been talking about it for a month. "The way this Spring is going, I am going to take my MSF course in May," I told people.

Well, We started at 7:50am this morning, and guess what...IT WAS SNOWING! Okay, flurries mixed with rain. But seriously, there were 12 of us and I am pretty sure we all had symptoms of hypothermia. It was awful.

We got to learn on brand spakin' new Ninja 300 and my first impression is, HOLY FACK!!! There is no way in hell I am ready for a 600cc bike. Haha

I killed it twice and had trouble shifting gears, but I got a 100% on the written exam, so at least I know what I need to do. Now it all comes down to practice and muscle memory...and I am guessing I would have done better if it wasn't 26-32 degrees with 15+mph winds.

Well, least this didn't happen to you.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9dA0Tl5ZxY]Lady crashes motorcycle during training course - YouTube[/ame]

 

[VEGASRIDER]

Well that sucks, during her Eval. Putting her foot down was no big deal, very minimal penalty. Whatever you do, don't crash or drop the bike!

I had one student who was pretty big, young and strong. During the braking eval, he applied too much front brake and started to go into a low side fall but he managed to save it just from his strength. The bike was just inches away from hitting the ground.

 

[Recluse420]

Well that sucks, during her Eval. Putting her foot down was no big deal, very minimal penalty. Whatever you do, don't crash or drop the bike!

I had one student who was pretty big, young and strong. During the braking eval, he applied too much front brake and started to go into a low side fall but he managed to save it just from his strength. The bike was just inches away from hitting the ground.

Vegas mind pm'ing me some tips on becoming an instructor? Thanks!

 

[PhotoAl]

Here is my ArmyofDarkness photo. It's from last weekend's WERA Nationals endurance race.



View attachment 47963

 

[ArmyOfDarkness]

Almost got a perfect score on the riding portion! :BLAA:

The only thing I missed is during the 135 degree turn I decelerated a bit. But I didn't cross the lines on the 20x50 box with the double u-turns and the swerve was easy as pie. I struggled with the quick stop during my practices but when it came to the test, it was perfect.

I feel pretty good, but I am at least two weeks away from getting into traffic. I think I will just go around my neighborhood and practice stopping and starting and using/canceling my turn signals.

I am not getting in traffic until I am ready, and that will be a while yet.

 

[FIZZER6]

This thread made me remember how nervous I was on my Evaluation in the MSF. I already had put a deposit on the FZ6 to hold it and I was just imaging failing and having to look at my FZ6 in the garage until I could retake the course.

I had that same feeling the first time I got on a freeway as a new rider. I've been street riding for 7 years now and I still avoid the freeway when at all possible, especially near major cities.

 

[Recluse420]

Almost got a perfect score on the riding portion! :BLAA:

The only thing I missed is during the 135 degree turn I decelerated a bit. But I didn't cross the lines on the 20x50 box with the double u-turns and the swerve was easy as pie. I struggled with the quick stop during my practices but when it came to the test, it was perfect.

I feel pretty good, but I am at least two weeks away from getting into traffic. I think I will just go around my neighborhood and practice stopping and starting and using/canceling my turn signals.

I am not getting in traffic until I am ready, and that will be a while yet.

I'll never forget my first time jumping into the street from my neighborhood, I took it real easy for a couple days just getting a feel like you said. Then decided I was ready for my local 45mph strip, I thought the bike was going to explode it just blew my mind how fast the engine was spinning compared to my old 50cc AprilliaSR50. Good times and good luck.

 

[VEGASRIDER]

Almost got a perfect score on the riding portion! :BLAA:

The only thing I missed is during the 135 degree turn I decelerated a bit. But I didn't cross the lines on the 20x50 box with the double u-turns and the swerve was easy as pie. I struggled with the quick stop during my practices but when it came to the test, it was perfect.

.

It's fun to score. I usually have several riders going into the last Eval with a perfect score, but the 135 degree turn will usually ruin it. They either will do a decel or go too slow. But there are others who nail it, and all I can say to my partner, that was damn good!

On the single swerve, a lot of students will over think it. They forget that every time they are weaving back and forth between the cones going up and down the range on the previous exercises, they are actually swerving. So yes, it is easy as pie.

It's weird, sometimes I will have riders who can't do the box if their life depended on it, but when it comes down to the eval, some just nail it. While others who do it perfectly all day, and then blow it. Or I will have students who barely meet the objectives, but are able to move on, which I call my weakest riders and they pass the eval, or even worse, my stronger riders fail. If any rider manages to get to my eval, I never count anyone out.

 

[agf]

The worst thing I did when going for my test was on the slow ride, I took off too fast got a third of the way through and had to almost do a track start to make up some time. Fortunately I was ok on a push bike for balance so got away with it. My only other big fault was speed going into the emergency brake/swerve test. They said I was ok at it in the practice but could fail in the test with little margin for error. I still hate 135 degree turns, they are my least favorite, and I know I just need to look into and throught the corner, but still tend to "overthink" it.

 

[ArmyOfDarkness]

Well, I probably won't be riding my motorcycle for a couple weeks now

I got hit by an SUV while I was riding my bicycle. She bent my front tire into a U-shape and turned the front forks. I have a grade 2 strain of my MCL on my left leg and I may have retorn a ligament in my shoulder that required surgery in 2009.

Can't believe it. The day after I pass my motorcycle test and I am ON MY WAY to the DMV to get my motorcycle endorsement, I get hit while riding my bicycle.

Worst part is, I don't have health insurance, I was on my bicycle so no motor vehicle insurance. It is essentially me vs State Farm and their lawyers (the woman who hit me has State Farm). There were no witnesses and she said that I went into her lane when she came into mine and cut me off in a construction zone.

This sucks!

 

[Brew]

Well, I probably won't be riding my motorcycle for a couple weeks now

I got hit by an SUV while I was riding my bicycle. She bent my front tire into a U-shape and turned the front forks. I have a grade 2 strain of my MCL on my left leg and I may have retorn a ligament in my shoulder that required surgery in 2009.

Can't believe it. The day after I pass my motorcycle test and I am ON MY WAY to the DMV to get my motorcycle endorsement, I get hit while riding my bicycle.

Worst part is, I don't have health insurance, I was on my bicycle so no motor vehicle insurance. It is essentially me vs State Farm and their lawyers (the woman who hit me has State Farm). There were no witnesses and she said that I went into her lane when she came into mine and cut me off in a construction zone.

This sucks!

That Bitch, you should find a lawyer that specializes in bicycle accidents. Did the police respond and fill out a report?
I frequent a bicycling forum that I could look up and see if they know of any lawyers in your area.