I passed the MSF Course! Woo-hoo!
Posted: Sun Aug 24, 2008 11:45 pm
I did it! Feel like I spent the last 2 days in boot-camp...90+ degree heat, rainstorms, sunburn...wow...I probably lost a few pounds in water-weight for sure!
The class was GREAT! It will take you a bit to get used to having the rear brake on your right foot, and a clutch on the left handlebar, but I was fine after about 10 minutes. (I've ridden a bike before...25 years ago when I was "young and dumb" So it comes back quickly.
I got a 100% on the written, and 99% on the riding portion because I anticipated a stop and slowed down prior...the figure 8's inside the box was challenging, but fun!
Instructors were great, friendly people in class...all good, and everyone should take the course.
I found out that in FL if you're pulled over with >50cc scoot, and you don't have a Motorcycle Endorsement, it's criminal - which means you ride in the back of the police car with your boo-hoo face on, and the impound your bike unless you can come up with someone really quick that is licensed to ride it for you. WHEW! I thought it was just a fine...and trust me, with this explosion of scoots in the USA, the cops are going to have a field-day with us all.
So there's the real reason you need to do it, but the other reason is for safety. From now on, I'm ATGATT, even on a quick ride around the neighborhood. There was both a nurse and a paramedic in our class. Road rash is treated like a BURN. Which means the injured area is scrubbed with a wire brush until raw...and this is reapeated each day - they pull off the scab every day to prevent infection. You do NOT want to get treated for road rash!!!!
They were also big on full-face helmets...and they were respectful of the fact that a few of us were scooter riders, and said "They ARE motorcycles, too", and made me feel good for "going overboard" (as my wife has told me a few times.)
Anyway, tomorrow morning I'll go to the DMV, get a new picture taken and get my new license! Then it's off to the dealer for my 500 mile servicing! (I'm going to put on a Prima pipe, too...hopefully I can get a close to mailorder deal from them...if not, I'll do it myself.).
So all is good, and I'm past that terrible "need" to go buy a motorcycle...but I may end up with both MC and Buddy by Christmas!
The class was GREAT! It will take you a bit to get used to having the rear brake on your right foot, and a clutch on the left handlebar, but I was fine after about 10 minutes. (I've ridden a bike before...25 years ago when I was "young and dumb" So it comes back quickly.
I got a 100% on the written, and 99% on the riding portion because I anticipated a stop and slowed down prior...the figure 8's inside the box was challenging, but fun!
Instructors were great, friendly people in class...all good, and everyone should take the course.
I found out that in FL if you're pulled over with >50cc scoot, and you don't have a Motorcycle Endorsement, it's criminal - which means you ride in the back of the police car with your boo-hoo face on, and the impound your bike unless you can come up with someone really quick that is licensed to ride it for you. WHEW! I thought it was just a fine...and trust me, with this explosion of scoots in the USA, the cops are going to have a field-day with us all.
So there's the real reason you need to do it, but the other reason is for safety. From now on, I'm ATGATT, even on a quick ride around the neighborhood. There was both a nurse and a paramedic in our class. Road rash is treated like a BURN. Which means the injured area is scrubbed with a wire brush until raw...and this is reapeated each day - they pull off the scab every day to prevent infection. You do NOT want to get treated for road rash!!!!
They were also big on full-face helmets...and they were respectful of the fact that a few of us were scooter riders, and said "They ARE motorcycles, too", and made me feel good for "going overboard" (as my wife has told me a few times.)
Anyway, tomorrow morning I'll go to the DMV, get a new picture taken and get my new license! Then it's off to the dealer for my 500 mile servicing! (I'm going to put on a Prima pipe, too...hopefully I can get a close to mailorder deal from them...if not, I'll do it myself.).
So all is good, and I'm past that terrible "need" to go buy a motorcycle...but I may end up with both MC and Buddy by Christmas!