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ok... where to start.... (btw, sorry for my lack of sentence structure (the .... and the breaks.) also, sorry for the misspelled words, i clicked submit before i hit the spell check.
this past weekend i took the msf (i purchased my bike 2 weeks ago), then today after work, i ran to the mvd, and then came straight home, geared up, and went for a ride even though it was dark...
the msf... keep in mind i have never riden a motorcycle before.
well, i will say, that at the very beginning of riding i was nervous. who wouldnt be right? you start with the feathering of the clutch and walk the bike. that for me was the hardest. the bike i was on was an old honda cruiser. and the clutch seemed like it was a 50lb pull. after having some trouble with that (too much gas while trying to find the friction zone, and yada yada) the intructor came over and told me they just put a new clutch cable on it so its really stiff, and might help if i put my hands more towards the end and use two fingers... that really helped to find the friction, then i went back to using 4 fingers. and later that night i went home and felt my own clutch... just to make sure i wasnt a weakling.
after day one i was getting pretty confident, and was definitely starting to enjoy riding way way more. it was awesome. also met some good people, one of which we exchanged numbers and once he gets a bike we plan on doing some riding.
day 2....
got a 98% on the written portion. ill take it. i missed the alcohol question. where "what does alcohol effect" and it could have been all three answers...
on to riding. on the first day i was really worried about my quick stops. i was so paranoid about getting it to first gear. so im glad on day 2 you practice that some more. in the practice i really started to get it down. but on my last practice run before the test, the intructor told me i was anticipating the stop "at your speed, you have 20ft to come to a stop. dont loose points for breaking early"
the 135 degree turn wasnt on my concern list. i have my leans down. same with the swerve. (sorry, for those that dont know there are 4 parts to the end test. a quick stop, 135 degree turn while keeping speed, a swerve at speed, and the last one... the worst one...)
the box!
i knew for a fact i was going to have trouble at this. i only did one practice run while staying in the box. its a double U turn while staying inside a rectangle. very tight. so while i was practicing i was in 1st gear.... i just found it easier to man the clutch, but then i tried my last practice one in second. and it was easier but i still went wide.
i knew i was going to screw that up. but thats only worth 8 points if you completely fail it. (you start at 0, and fail once you hit 21)
so i figured i would take the couple points for going outside the box rather then eat it and fail completely, or get more points for putting my foot down.
so i did it, and of course went outside the line. no biggie, i shrugged it off, gunned it for my swerve. nailed it.
then i did a perfect quick stop.
peice of cake
went to do the 135 degree turn... and i felt i did great, but i was docked 5 points for entering the turn too slow... but so did 9 others in my class, so i didnt feel too bad.
all together i totalled 8 points. but i PASSED! WOOT WOOT!
now... i really do have to say thanks to the msf intructors. we had a good cop bad cop situation and it worked really well. im really thankful i took the class and the fact that the class is there. i definitely learned alot. and i highly reccommend everyone takes it.
so it comes to today. after work i ran to the mvd, took about an hour. then got home around 6...
opened up the garage and sat on her... ooooo it felt so right. i walked her out to the drive way and fired her up while i geared up. then i walked her to the street and decided to find the friction zone before doing anything, and like nothing it was right there. couldnt be easier. so i decided to take a ride around the neighborhood. it was as if i was MADE to ride. everything came so natural. i practiced my stop and gos, tight turns. up hills, down hills, all between the speeds of 5-35 mph.
i can honestly say the msf has trained me well, everything came so natural. and IVE NEVER RIDEN BEFORE...
so after about ten miles of cruising around i head home to get some water, and decide whats next. i was ready to pick it up a little bit...
on my way back i am cruising at about 20mph, and a truck FLYS out of his driveway and almost nails me, THANK GOD I AM confident with swerves!
went right around him and threw up the bird.
got home and my friend had texted me. decided to cruise over to his place as a destination.
so i decided. this is it. i am ready. as i made that left turn onto the 45mph road... it was different. i never felt more ALIVE!
i took the main road straight, made a simple left turn and then right turn to a highway type road (50mph) and i did it just fine. got to his house. hung out for a bit but i wanted back on the bike!
so on the way home i stayed on the highway at 55mph, (his house is about a 14 mile round trip)
then i decided to turn down a street that i know has the one round-a-bout in town, and i loved it. nice tight lean.... gah i loved it.
got home, and decided i should eat something. and now i am here.
random thoughts of mine about everything;
i didnt realize i would be at 6k rpms in 5th gear at 50mph... really works the shifting. (in the "break in" period, trying to keep em low)
every person i stopped next to wanted to race... i would sit for an extra second and let them get infront of me. definitely dont want them behind me.
i need winter gloves... fingers get numb really fast at 50mph...
i think the msf makes you ride the crappy old bikes, so when you get on your newer if not new bike, its pie.
I LOVE THE NINJA 300!!!! best decision of my life.
anyways... just my thoughts. cant wait to go out and ride again tomorrow night.
this past weekend i took the msf (i purchased my bike 2 weeks ago), then today after work, i ran to the mvd, and then came straight home, geared up, and went for a ride even though it was dark...
the msf... keep in mind i have never riden a motorcycle before.
well, i will say, that at the very beginning of riding i was nervous. who wouldnt be right? you start with the feathering of the clutch and walk the bike. that for me was the hardest. the bike i was on was an old honda cruiser. and the clutch seemed like it was a 50lb pull. after having some trouble with that (too much gas while trying to find the friction zone, and yada yada) the intructor came over and told me they just put a new clutch cable on it so its really stiff, and might help if i put my hands more towards the end and use two fingers... that really helped to find the friction, then i went back to using 4 fingers. and later that night i went home and felt my own clutch... just to make sure i wasnt a weakling.
after day one i was getting pretty confident, and was definitely starting to enjoy riding way way more. it was awesome. also met some good people, one of which we exchanged numbers and once he gets a bike we plan on doing some riding.
day 2....
got a 98% on the written portion. ill take it. i missed the alcohol question. where "what does alcohol effect" and it could have been all three answers...
on to riding. on the first day i was really worried about my quick stops. i was so paranoid about getting it to first gear. so im glad on day 2 you practice that some more. in the practice i really started to get it down. but on my last practice run before the test, the intructor told me i was anticipating the stop "at your speed, you have 20ft to come to a stop. dont loose points for breaking early"
the 135 degree turn wasnt on my concern list. i have my leans down. same with the swerve. (sorry, for those that dont know there are 4 parts to the end test. a quick stop, 135 degree turn while keeping speed, a swerve at speed, and the last one... the worst one...)
the box!
i knew for a fact i was going to have trouble at this. i only did one practice run while staying in the box. its a double U turn while staying inside a rectangle. very tight. so while i was practicing i was in 1st gear.... i just found it easier to man the clutch, but then i tried my last practice one in second. and it was easier but i still went wide.
i knew i was going to screw that up. but thats only worth 8 points if you completely fail it. (you start at 0, and fail once you hit 21)
so i figured i would take the couple points for going outside the box rather then eat it and fail completely, or get more points for putting my foot down.
so i did it, and of course went outside the line. no biggie, i shrugged it off, gunned it for my swerve. nailed it.
then i did a perfect quick stop.
peice of cake
went to do the 135 degree turn... and i felt i did great, but i was docked 5 points for entering the turn too slow... but so did 9 others in my class, so i didnt feel too bad.
all together i totalled 8 points. but i PASSED! WOOT WOOT!
now... i really do have to say thanks to the msf intructors. we had a good cop bad cop situation and it worked really well. im really thankful i took the class and the fact that the class is there. i definitely learned alot. and i highly reccommend everyone takes it.
so it comes to today. after work i ran to the mvd, took about an hour. then got home around 6...
opened up the garage and sat on her... ooooo it felt so right. i walked her out to the drive way and fired her up while i geared up. then i walked her to the street and decided to find the friction zone before doing anything, and like nothing it was right there. couldnt be easier. so i decided to take a ride around the neighborhood. it was as if i was MADE to ride. everything came so natural. i practiced my stop and gos, tight turns. up hills, down hills, all between the speeds of 5-35 mph.
i can honestly say the msf has trained me well, everything came so natural. and IVE NEVER RIDEN BEFORE...
so after about ten miles of cruising around i head home to get some water, and decide whats next. i was ready to pick it up a little bit...
on my way back i am cruising at about 20mph, and a truck FLYS out of his driveway and almost nails me, THANK GOD I AM confident with swerves!
went right around him and threw up the bird.
got home and my friend had texted me. decided to cruise over to his place as a destination.
so i decided. this is it. i am ready. as i made that left turn onto the 45mph road... it was different. i never felt more ALIVE!
i took the main road straight, made a simple left turn and then right turn to a highway type road (50mph) and i did it just fine. got to his house. hung out for a bit but i wanted back on the bike!
so on the way home i stayed on the highway at 55mph, (his house is about a 14 mile round trip)
then i decided to turn down a street that i know has the one round-a-bout in town, and i loved it. nice tight lean.... gah i loved it.
got home, and decided i should eat something. and now i am here.
random thoughts of mine about everything;
i didnt realize i would be at 6k rpms in 5th gear at 50mph... really works the shifting. (in the "break in" period, trying to keep em low)
every person i stopped next to wanted to race... i would sit for an extra second and let them get infront of me. definitely dont want them behind me.
i need winter gloves... fingers get numb really fast at 50mph...
i think the msf makes you ride the crappy old bikes, so when you get on your newer if not new bike, its pie.
I LOVE THE NINJA 300!!!! best decision of my life.
anyways... just my thoughts. cant wait to go out and ride again tomorrow night.