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[SBB]

just tell me to quit whining. [smiley=furious3.gif]

[ultrafxr]

Julia, I read V's post and support everything she said.  I don't know you except from your recent posts but I can see that you have lots of friends here (including me now) and they want only the best for you and most especially care about your safety as a newbie rider.  The first few months of riding are without a doubt the most dangerous, when your getting your "sea legs" as it were.  No matter what you learn in the course you must take it on the road eventually.  But please, please don't rush it.

Regarding the curve - lots of folks have great difficulty there.  That is probably the most critical skill necessary for survival with proper braking not far behind.  Don't know why you ran wide in the curve but since there was no mention of speed (being too slow) I suspect that you were going too fast (for your comfort level) to lean the bike sufficiently to negotiate the curve.  That 135 degree curve tightens up pretty good and you really have to be set up properly and look through it or you won't make it.  But hey, that's the way it is in the real world.

The proper entry speed into a curve is that speed which will allow you to roll on the throttle to maintain or slightly increase your speed throughout the curve.  If you enter too hot then your only choices are to lean more (and roll on throttle more ) so you can turn tighter, slightly ease off the throttle or even slightly brake (you can "get away" with this sometimes but why put yourself in that position) or as most newbies do, decrease your lean and run wide off the road or into oncoming traffic.  If you enter too slowly you can always speed up in the curve!

I'll wager that you could go to DMV and get your endorsement right now with no problem but I don't think that would be wise.  My experience with license examiners is that while well intentioned they do not have the skill or space or time to properly test motorcycle riding capabilities of the applicant.  Riders significantly less skilled (and knowledgeable) than you are after having taken the couse get their endorsements every day.  They are most likely the ones that become the statistics we read about in the paper and see on tv.

Go take the course again and I assure you that you'll feel much more confident and comfortable and will be ready and eager to get out and practice and be on the road before long.

Jerry

[SBB]

Is that like do as I say and not do as I do?


 [smiley=nixweiss.gif]

[Ironhorse]

Like Jerry, I too am an MSF Rider Coach.

After having read all the posts here, my advice is to just go take the course again.
It will only make you a better rider. I can tell you from experience both as a rider coach, (having seen folks fail, and then come back later and pass), and as a student (having personally failed police motor school, then came back and passed), that time away does help clear the mind. It also gives your body a chance retain what has been taught. Remember, you are asking your muscles to do something that they are not used to doing. Same with your vision, head, and balance. The box is easy once you learn what helps, and practice it.

Personally I think the MSF BRC is does not cover as much as I think it should. I think the exercises are too simple and not challenging enough. But then I have to remember that it is designed for inexperienced 1st time riders, and that the time alloted for actual on bike instruction is very limited. It just scratches the surface of riding a motorcycle. I look at it this way. When a rider graduates the BRC, they have learned the basic knowledge and skills to ride a motorcycle.......around little cones in the safe confines of an empty parking lot. But off many of them go, onto riding the streets and freeways thinking they are really ready. It scares the Hell out of me when I think about it.

Sorry, I got off target.
Spend the money and go back again and retake it.

Mark

[Goin Mobile]

There's an excellent book that you might want to give a read, Proficient Motorcycling by David L Hough. This book will give you additional insights on strategies for your riding. The book gave me ideas on how to improve my riding skills while still having fun. If you are a perfectionist and like to think things through you might enjoy this book. [smiley=xyxthumbs.gif]

Good luck on your license!

[pumkinownerswife]

Julia, I agree with V 100%

[ccr]

I'd beg you to retake the class.

[Ironhorse]

I don't know what it is about guys just naturally able to teach themselves, [smiley=xyxthumbs.gif]

While it may seem like an easy thing for a guy to pick up, it's is not. Anyone who says they "taught themselves" how to ride is ony fooling himself. All he is doing is developing bad habits that will take forever to get rid of. I see it everyweek teaching. The new rider picks up the skills easily and moves on, while I spend extra time with the "experienced" rider trying to break them of their bad habits while they struggle to catch up.

Look at it this way.
You know you are going to spend the same amount of money on chrome, or something else.
So instead of doing that, just put the money toward the class.
It will be well spent, and the level of confidence you will have when you finish will be worth it.

[RedFXR2]

Anyone who says they "taught themselves" how to ride is ony fooling himself. All he is doing is developing bad habits that will take forever to get rid of. I see it everyweek teaching. The new rider picks up the skills easily and moves on, while I spend extra time with the "experienced" rider trying to break them of their bad habits while they struggle to catch up.

Right.

[MJZ]

Julia,
 I have a DVD "Ride Like A Pro III" which many people have found very helpful, especially for the practice exercises. Just go with a couple of friends to a vacant parking lot and have some fun.
If you would like to borrow the DVD and exercise brochure, pm me your mailing address.

Mark Z.

[ak]

Mark- Your DVD is what Jullia needs to study,She should take you up on that offer or buy Her own copy.AK

[Chief]

Mark- Your DVD is what Jullia needs to study,She should take you up on that offer or buy Her own copy.AK

I totally disagree. Jerry's videos are not for the novice rider, but rather the experienced rider that wants to expand their riding skill to advanced maneuvers.

Julia needs to concentrate on basic riders skills as taught in the BRC, and not get ahead of herself by trying to learn max lean angles at low speed by riding the brake and slipping the clutch while trying to U-turn inside two parking spaces.

Cheers!

[DCFIREMANN]

[highlight]I totally disagree. Jerry's videos are not for the novice rider,[/highlight] but rather the experienced rider that wants to expand their riding skill to advanced maneuvers.

Julia needs to concentrate on basic riders skills as taught in the BRC, and not get ahead of herself by trying to learn max lean angles at low speed by riding the brake and slipping the clutch while trying to U-turn inside two parking spaces.

Cheers!

ROGER THAT!!!!! And she owns a V rod to boot.

OK Julia I waited a while and read all of the posts(well most of them). Not being biased here but PLEASE listen to "V". She also owns a "V" Rod and it is a very hard bike to ride in the corners.  She has had the bike 7 months and has gotten pretty good at riding it. It did not come easy though. When we were going on trips together we would meet up somewhere rather it be enroute or at the scene. She has a knack of finding the worst weather to ride in and has done very well at it. She is a trooper and not a quiter. Don't give up and don't count on your HOG BUDDIES! RETAKE THE CLASS period. You complained about the $250.00 dollars, well I can see your point. But can you put a price on your life? Nope I didn't think so. You live in an area of wicked curves yet you had a problem with the test in the curves. The Vrod is hard to handle in curves. I PROMISE.

Sign up to take the class again. In the long run you will be very happy you did.

Be Safe

THE DAWG

[JCZ]

Julia, I just ran across this thread and haven't read all three pages of posts.

[blondeharleygrrl]

Hi everyone,

I read all of the posts.  And V, thank you for the tough advice.  I don't have a big ego.  I'm very down-to-earth and sensible.  I'm not easily offended.  My feelings aren't easily hurt.  I appreciate good, tough advice.

I want to assure everyone I don't have "hot nuts" (as a guy friends likes to say).  I know that I'm not ready to ride on main roads.  Yesterday was sunny, warm weather.   I took the V-Rod out of the garage, mounted, looked up my inclined driveway and realized that stopping and starting on a hill was not covered in the Honda course.  I imagined riding on a country highway, braking o a hill at a stop sign, and rolling backwards.  Agh!  Another thing to learn and master.

I do believe that the swerves, the figure-8, and the quick-stop are areas of weakness in the majority of riders and in turn cause an accident.  I am afraid to attempt main road riding.

Yesterday I made it up the driveway, and took a ride through my small subdivision which has cul-de-sacs, one steep hill and a mild "S" curve that is ideal for practice.  My braking was good at the stop sign, but my turning (I remembered the turn signal) was "off."  The easy curves in the subdivision entrance road made me nervous.  I know I have a long way to go before heading out on the highway.

I can look through the curve, but I either take the curve too slow or don't roll out fast enough.  I have a bad habit of coasting through instead of braking.  Letting off on the throttle, coasting through, and then rolling on the throttle seems to work well, but it's not what I was taught at the Honda course. Does anyone have an opinion on that?

I read everyone's advice, and now see the importance of taking the course again in January.  I will.

I am not a stubborn person.  I won't ride beyond my capabilities.  Yesterday's practice ride I thought how unforgiving and powerful the V-Rod is....not like the Nighthawk 250.  It's like switching from riding a miniature horse to a Brahma Bull.

I think it's important to practice what I learned at the Honda course every week until the January class, at the nearby school lot and in my subdivision.  I need to remember my faults and develop the skills.  A woman in Ladies of Harley has offered to come visit on weekends with her Fat Boy and coach me in my subdivision.  I'll take her up on the offer.

If anyone has an opinion about coasting into a curve instead of braking, I'd appreciate hearing it.

If you have advice on starting and stopping on a hill, that would be great, too.

Thank you for the book and video suggestions.  I'm definitely checking out the beginner instructional aids.

Have a great week!  Julia