Harley Beginner's Riding Course ?? - Page 3

Jim Moore · 01-21-2013, 09:53 AM

If anyone is considering a Blast, I had the misfortune to ride one for a short period at an MSF course. It affected me so profoundly I penned a poem about it.

"The Blast" by Jim Moore

The Blast,
Sucks ass.

Thank you. I'm available for book signings.

Bill Harris · 01-21-2013, 10:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Moore

If anyone is considering a Blast, I had the misfortune to ride one for a short period at an MSF course. It affected me so profoundly I penned a poem about it.

"The Blast" by Jim Moore

The Blast,
Sucks ass.

Thank you. I'm available for book signings...

...only at a Harley Boutique.

--Bill

NJ-Brett · 01-21-2013, 10:32 AM

I thought it was kind of fun though.
Around town, it is a blast. The one I have has some aftermarket silencer on it and its loud as hell, the thing seems to jump up and down every time the piston fires, its kind of fun.
Not that I would want to go far or fast on it...

shelion · 01-21-2013, 10:58 AM

I also took the Harley rider's course and I would recommend it. The teacher to student ratio was about 1:8 in class and 1:4 on the range. There was the expected Harley marketing included, but in my case it wasn't overly obnoxious. Learning to ride on a Blast wasn't hard, at least for me. They're small and light so they're pretty easy to handle.

I took the HD course over my state-sponsored course because, at the time, my state was doling out MSF course seats in a lottery, meaning maybe you got a seat and maybe you didn't. No waiting list, nothing, you just took your chances. Harley ran a waiting list so you signed up and they called you when your turn came up.

EddieMac · 01-21-2013, 02:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Moore

If anyone is considering a Blast, I had the misfortune to ride one for a short period at an MSF course. It affected me so profoundly I penned a poem about it.

"The Blast" by Jim Moore

The Blast,
Sucks ass.

Thank you. I'm available for book signings.

Oh poor baby! I had to ride one for a 300+ mile tour around Texas when I visited some friends out there. It's not a horrible bike for what it is, but I did name it the Ass Blaster.

Yooper_Bob · 01-22-2013, 05:29 AM

My wife took the Harley course a number of years ago (when Buel was still in business). The waiting list for the MSF course was over a year long, and she was able to get into the Harley course right away.

She said she really enjoyed the course, and really liked the Buel bikes.

It was expensive, but worth it because I didn't have to try and teach her to ride.

hamiamham · 01-22-2013, 04:23 PM

Seems reasonable to offer an MSF course and market HD within said course. I'd be a little worried about a dealer pre-selling a zero experience rider a 1200cc machine, however. I guess I'm just silly...

bwalsh · 01-22-2013, 04:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hamiamham

Seems reasonable to offer an MSF course and market HD within said course. I'd be a little worried about a dealer pre-selling a zero experience rider a 1200cc machine, however. I guess I'm just silly...

When I took the BRC five years ago there was a short, petite gal, about 22 years old in the class. She came close to dropping the little 250 she was on numerosu times. She did pass though. She also had a brand new sportster waiting at home for her to ride.
I often wonder how that worked out...

Bucho · 01-23-2013, 04:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hamiamham

Seems reasonable to offer an MSF course and market HD within said course. I'd be a little worried about a dealer pre-selling a zero experience rider a 1200cc machine, however. I guess I'm just silly...

If it was an 883 would it be any different?

Tepi · 01-24-2013, 03:09 AM

I did my licensing training with a ER-6N, which is the kawa ninja 650R for you americans. I had a zx6r as my first bike, now I also have a forty-eight sportster. Still alive and never crashed during training. I personally think you can skip the 125 or 250's.

dwoodward · 01-24-2013, 09:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tepi

I did my licensing training with a ER-6N, which is the kawa ninja 650R for you americans. I had a zx6r as my first bike, now I also have a forty-eight sportster. Still alive and never crashed during training. I personally think you can skip the 125 or 250's.

Not enough data. We don't know you, any off-road experience, or what "training" means there to compare to any flavor of basic class taught in the USA.

Ron Bullard · 01-24-2013, 09:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by space

I've got a friend at work who's been bitten by the motorcycle bug. He's a new rider, so I advised him to take the California beginner's riding course, get a cheap bike of no more than 600 cc to start, get good gear and wear it, etc. Take it slow.

So I get an e-mail today. He's been to the HD dealer, and they've mostly sold him on taking their own BRC. It's apparently done on 500 cc bikes with this dealer, which strikes me as pretty dumb. When I took the BRC many (many) moons ago, a woman managed to hurt herself by bad clutch control on a 125 cc Rebel. Also, it sounds like they're trying to sell him an XR1200C. I'm not exactly impressed.

But before I shoot my mouth off -- how is the Harley BRC? Anyone take it?

If your friend is also in Pasadena, or close, tell them to take the BRC at the Academy of Motorcycle Operation.

www.amosocal.com

They have a site at John Muir High School, and Altadena Elementary School.

tvpierce · 01-25-2013, 02:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EddieMac

I had to ride one for a 300+ mile tour around Texas when I visited some friends out there. It's not a horrible bike for what it is, but I did name it the Ass Blaster.

The bike or your friend?

Tepi · 01-25-2013, 04:27 AM

No offroad experience, not my cup of tea. For people with automobile drivers license the upgrade to motorcycle license is 6 hours of combined riding and handling practice, 6 hours of theory classes. Then the test is three part test, written exam with 10 questions, handling exam with 6 different exercises and a 30min on the road test (city riding).

The handling exercises are:
Slow speed - riding the bike straight below the stall speed of 1st gear
Emergency stop - full braking using front and rear brakes
Obstacle avoidance with stop - Brake and downshift, full stop, foot down and then go around the obstacle from the side the instructor says you to go
Obstacle avoidance without stop
Slalom
Countersteering - go though the gates at high rate of speed, you have to countersteer to get though them

dismissal: dumping the bike, if your foot touches the ground twice in any of the exercises (you can retake if you foot touches once), not gaining enough speed to reach minimum speed for the test three times.

http://www.autokoulupasila.fi/opetus...#kaskoe_vaisto Those are the exercises with pictures.

But theres a minimum power you can take the licensing for a big bike and 250cc will fall under the minimum power.

DC2wheels · 01-25-2013, 04:53 AM

IMHO, what condition the beginner course bikes are in and the quality of instruction are more important than arbitrary engine size.

My take on it.....

5-6 years ago both of our kids wanted to get their MC endorsement. At the time I had a nearly new Kawi 250R in the garage for them to use. I had taken both of them out on several lower speed back roads near our home (very rural).

They both were starting to get proficient at the controls and after a few empty parking lot rides were getting a good feel for countersteering.

To get their endorsement I enrolled them in the nearby state run MSF course- Friday evening through Sunday afternoon. They both passed easily.

BUT. They were both disappointed at the bikes provided. 125 and 250 cruisers in very poor condition. They both complained to me about how stupid the feet forward position felt, especially when they were given the "lift your rearend up off the seat" instruction. And the bikes badly needed some attention- they were rusty, had worn out brakes, bent controls, etc...

Worst of all was that they both think that all or nearly all of the students were passed and several of them were pretty bad, even by the end of the weekend. I remember them giving me some specific examples that sounded scary.

01-21-2013, 09:53 AM	#31
Jim Moore Beastly Adventurer Joined: Dec 2001 Location: Jax, FL Oddometer: 10,335	If anyone is considering a Blast, I had the misfortune to ride one for a short period at an MSF course. It affected me so profoundly I penned a poem about it. "The Blast" by Jim Moore The Blast, Sucks ass. Thank you. I'm available for book signings. __________________ Jim Moore "Marines good. Press bad" -Turkish

01-21-2013, 10:58 AM	#34
shelion Goddess of Fire Joined: May 2011 Location: Too damn long in the vicinity of Wash, DC Oddometer: 178	I also took the Harley rider's course and I would recommend it. The teacher to student ratio was about 1:8 in class and 1:4 on the range. There was the expected Harley marketing included, but in my case it wasn't overly obnoxious. Learning to ride on a Blast wasn't hard, at least for me. They're small and light so they're pretty easy to handle. I took the HD course over my state-sponsored course because, at the time, my state was doling out MSF course seats in a lottery, meaning maybe you got a seat and maybe you didn't. No waiting list, nothing, you just took your chances. Harley ran a waiting list so you signed up and they called you when your turn came up. __________________ Love is a snowmobile racing across the tundra and then suddenly it flips over, pinning you underneath. At night, the ice weasels come. -Matt Groening shelion screwed with this post 01-21-2013 at 11:00 AM Reason: added details

01-25-2013, 04:27 AM	#44
Tepi Studly Adventurer Joined: Feb 2011 Location: Helsinki/Heinola Finland Oddometer: 517	No offroad experience, not my cup of tea. For people with automobile drivers license the upgrade to motorcycle license is 6 hours of combined riding and handling practice, 6 hours of theory classes. Then the test is three part test, written exam with 10 questions, handling exam with 6 different exercises and a 30min on the road test (city riding). The handling exercises are: Slow speed - riding the bike straight below the stall speed of 1st gear Emergency stop - full braking using front and rear brakes Obstacle avoidance with stop - Brake and downshift, full stop, foot down and then go around the obstacle from the side the instructor says you to go Obstacle avoidance without stop Slalom Countersteering - go though the gates at high rate of speed, you have to countersteer to get though them dismissal: dumping the bike, if your foot touches the ground twice in any of the exercises (you can retake if you foot touches once), not gaining enough speed to reach minimum speed for the test three times. http://www.autokoulupasila.fi/opetus...#kaskoe_vaisto Those are the exercises with pictures. But theres a minimum power you can take the licensing for a big bike and 250cc will fall under the minimum power. Tepi screwed with this post 01-25-2013 at 04:36 AM

01-25-2013, 04:53 AM	#45
DC2wheels Castle Anthrax Joined: Jul 2008 Location: N.H. Oddometer: 1,200	IMHO, what condition the beginner course bikes are in and the quality of instruction are more important than arbitrary engine size. My take on it..... 5-6 years ago both of our kids wanted to get their MC endorsement. At the time I had a nearly new Kawi 250R in the garage for them to use. I had taken both of them out on several lower speed back roads near our home (very rural). They both were starting to get proficient at the controls and after a few empty parking lot rides were getting a good feel for countersteering. To get their endorsement I enrolled them in the nearby state run MSF course- Friday evening through Sunday afternoon. They both passed easily. BUT. They were both disappointed at the bikes provided. 125 and 250 cruisers in very poor condition. They both complained to me about how stupid the feet forward position felt, especially when they were given the "lift your rearend up off the seat" instruction. And the bikes badly needed some attention- they were rusty, had worn out brakes, bent controls, etc... Worst of all was that they both think that all or nearly all of the students were passed and several of them were pretty bad, even by the end of the weekend. I remember them giving me some specific examples that sounded scary. __________________ a few bikes in the barn http://k11og.org/forum/index.php world-wide K bike forum

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01-21-2013, 10:32 AM	#33
NJ-Brett Brett Joined: Sep 2010 Location: Southern New Jersey Oddometer: 4,722	I thought it was kind of fun though. Around town, it is a blast. The one I have has some aftermarket silencer on it and its loud as hell, the thing seems to jump up and down every time the piston fires, its kind of fun. Not that I would want to go far or fast on it...

01-22-2013, 05:29 AM	#36
Yooper_Bob Beastly Adventurer Joined: Aug 2005 Location: Da UP, eh! (Michigan) Oddometer: 1,952	My wife took the Harley course a number of years ago (when Buel was still in business). The waiting list for the MSF course was over a year long, and she was able to get into the Harley course right away. She said she really enjoyed the course, and really liked the Buel bikes. It was expensive, but worth it because I didn't have to try and teach her to ride.

01-22-2013, 04:23 PM	#37
hamiamham Gnarly Adventurer Joined: Jun 2010 Oddometer: 242	Seems reasonable to offer an MSF course and market HD within said course. I'd be a little worried about a dealer pre-selling a zero experience rider a 1200cc machine, however. I guess I'm just silly...

01-24-2013, 03:09 AM	#40
Tepi Studly Adventurer Joined: Feb 2011 Location: Helsinki/Heinola Finland Oddometer: 517	I did my licensing training with a ER-6N, which is the kawa ninja 650R for you americans. I had a zx6r as my first bike, now I also have a forty-eight sportster. Still alive and never crashed during training. I personally think you can skip the 125 or 250's.