Need Some Advice from Experienced Riders

[sgtrebel]

Hi Everyone!

My name is Kim and I'm new to these boards as well as riding.

I'll try to keep this short, but I need some advice from those of you who have been riding for a while- heck, any one with advice or tips!

Just yesterday, I was in Day 2 of the MSF course and just one exercise away from taking the skills evaluation. Previous to this course, I'd never been on a motorcycle or even driven a standard! So I felt a bit behind the learning curve, but thanks to the Rider Coaches, I feel like I caught on quickly.

What happened was this: after completing my run of the swerving exercise, I was coached and then I started to take off. There was a bit of chalk (I think it was chalk- like the substance they use on baseball fields) that I slipped on, my hand goosed the throttle, and there I was heading straight for the curb. Of course I hit it, slid on my right side, and was pinned by the bike.

Other than my pride, I was okay- my coaches were great, my classmates were great- they even encouraged me to continue on to the skills test but at that point, my confidence was so shaken that I don't think I would have passed... so, with my tail tucked between my legs and my confidence shot, I walked to my car and headed home.

Tom (my coach) told me to call the office so that I can get into the next class with room (which I assume will be a while, since I had to wait a month to get into this one). But in the meantime, I had planned on getting my permit and practicing what I'd learned on the course. I did want to re-do both days, since I feel I will benefit from going over those skills again, especially as a new rider.

So my question is really two parts: do you all think it's a good idea to get my permit and practice what I've learned as well as getting comfortable with shifting, cornering, etc while I wait for the next class?

and 2:

How have you all dusted yourself off after falling?

I am not scared at all to get back onto a bike- in fact, if I could I would do it right now! But I'm definitely bummed right now and just wanted to know what you all thought. I'll get over it:)

THanks in advance for your help, and I look forward to hearing from you all and getting to know you!

Kim:):

[ridingAK]

We have several msf instructors here that can give you more knowledgeable advice than I can. But from my perspective, I'd be hesitant to practice too much before completing the course simply because you don't want to practice doing something wrong. Since you have taken part of the class though, if you have an open area where you can practice clutch control and slow speed maneuvers it may build your confidence for later.

As for picking yourself up, just do it. We've all fallen and had our pride damaged. Most of us have even fallen as a result of really dumb things, like getting off the bike and forgetting to put the side stand down. :redface1: The biggest thing is to recognize that you aren't alone, bikes sometimes decide they want to take a nap. No one will look down on you for making mistakes, and as long as you are wearing your gear - and that includes riding pants and jacket, the chance of getting seriously hurt in parking lot drills is very small.

Check out The First Month in the Life of a New Rider (http://www.twowheelfemales.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1675&highlight=month+life) if you haven't already.

[Diamond Lil]

I defer to the instructors, but do agree:
Pick yourself up, dust yourself off and start all over again by taking the course.

[sgtrebel]

ridingAK, thanks for that! I definitely don't want to develop bad habits that I will have to un-do when I get back to the course. I suppose a big part of me is afraid that I will forget what I've learned, especially if I have to wait a month or two for an opening. Thanks for the encouragement, I really do appreicate it (as does my bruised pride!)

Thanks to you as well, Diamond Lil :):

[maillotpois]

Yeah work on those skills that you DID learn before your premature exit. Get those down - and you will start off the class having more confidence in those particular skills!

[sweptwingnut]

Don't over-think this and I trust that you will be fine. Dust yourself off and get back into the next class asap. The sooner the better.

Everything happens in it's own time. :cheers:

[sgtrebel]

maillotpois, thank you! I am hoping to get into the class ASAP to reinforce what I learned and work on the skills I was having some issues with.

sweptwingnut, thank you as well! If I could, I would get on a bike today :) I know I have to be patient, which is tough for me to do :)

[KansasKawboy]

:iagree: with all of them. :thumbsup:

[Calif Girl]

Everyone eats it sometime. Get up brush yourself off and get back on.

.

As for picking yourself up, just do it. We've all fallen and had our pride damaged. Most of us have even fallen as a result of really dumb things, like getting off the bike and forgetting to put the side stand down. :redface1:

LOL...:rofl: Try doing this on a Police Motocycle in front of a busy resturant that you and your partner are going to for lunch. Talk about hurt pride. My partner was laughing his butt off.

My advise is to get on the bike and ride. Practice, practice, practice. Work on the skills you were taught. Clutch/throttle control, proper positioning for turns, look through the turn, smooth starting/stoping. The more you work on what you just learned the easier it will be when you take the class again.

Don't let a fall break your confidence in yourself. Think positive, negative thinking leads to negative results. Positive thinking results in positive results.

[sgtrebel]

thanks KK- by the way, I love your avatar!

Calif Girl, thanks for sharing :) It happens to the best, I see! Thank you for the encouragement.

I'm definitely not scared to ride again, and am absolutely looking forward to getting into the class again- I really enjoyed it, loved how much I learned in just a short amount of time (especially dealing with a standard- something I should have done ages ago!) and look forward to honing those skills that they taught me.

[Luna C]

I chose to get my permit & work on skills while waiting for my class, and it worked well for me. I was like you & had never ridden a motorcycle before. I was glad I had some of the clutch & throttle skills down before the class. I was fortunate in that my husband was a wonderful & patient teacher, and I know that this scenario can end in disaster for others. It's clear you're going to the class to learn, so I see very little risk that you'll have bad habits to unlearn.

It's now been 5 yrs and over 50,000 miles, and I can't imagine my life without riding. Now, I just expect I'll drop my bike on occasion. No big deal; I'm short & roads are bumpy. The ego grows back.

Have fun!

[Luna Tique]

Don't over-think this and I trust that you will be fine. Dust yourself off and get back into the next class asap. The sooner the better.

Everything happens in it's own time. :cheers:


:agreed:

[LittleRedRider]

Don't over-think this and I trust that you will be fine. Dust yourself off and get back into the next class asap. The sooner the better.

Everything happens in it's own time. :cheers:
:iagree:
My drop of my Rebel was almost identical - Too much gas, curb ahead - Oops down we went.
While you need to go over what happened, I agree with Nut - don't over think it - if I get too much into my head, my riding gets squirrely. Get into another class and just relax and enjoy.

[GeoNorskie]

I, too, had never ridden a motorcycle before I took it up about 2 years ago. Hubby coached me at first, as I rode around our property and up and down the alley. I don't think I would have passed the MSF test if I hadn't had that practice first. I had issues with giving it throttle while trying to brake - almost ran over my chickens one day before I hit a stump and crashed.

I agree with Calif Girl - practice on the low-speed control stuff, etc. while waiting for the class again. It will help bunches.

[Wildhooves]

Wow....all this time I thought I was the only one with "throttle brake syndrome" in the MSF class!:lol: We'd all be stopped and I'd be hanging on so nervously tight to my "hand grip" (that I now know is called a THROTTLE!!!) that my bike would be making ZOOM ZOOM noises while everyone else was stopped and idling quietly. I'd be thinking why is MY bike making zoom zoom noises?! My instructors had to keep saying "you stop that" to me! I think about it now and it was absolutely hilarious! :rofl:

I had never ridden a bike when I took the class. I was the only woman in the class. I was WAY nervous. On my skills test, I was the only student that did perfect on the turn test and perfect on the box test but on the brake test....I braked and then suddenly, because of my deathgrip, me and the bike thrust forward before coming to a "second" stop.

I've only been riding since this past June and I can say for certain that I can now stop without throttling. In fact, I resolved that issue fairly quickly :D:. (and I now have other issues that have evolved since the MSF class ....BUT I've been told it is not my fault that sometimes when I stop or start and my bike falls over that it means that my bike is "narcoleptic":oops:) And OMG I totally :rofl: at the thought and image of a motorcycle cop's bike having narcolepsy too!

It sounds like you have ALL THE RIGHT STUFF to be a great rider. The fact that you want to learn the skills....really that is what it is all about. You've come to the right place. There are so many great people on this site with so much knowledge that they are willing to share and the support is phenomenal. The MSF class is great and you will be so far ahead of the game on your next go round! GREAT LUCK to you and above all ENJOY it!

[sgtrebel]

Luna C, thank you! I definitely wish I'd had more practice with clutch/throttle smoothness, but I am just happy I only stalled 1000 times as opposed to 1001:lol: Thank you for stopping by and offering words of encouragement- I sincerely appreciate it!

Thanks, Luna Tique!:):

LittleRedRider, thanks for that. I am definitely not beating myself up over it, and I know that I'll have a bit more confidence once I get back on again. Do you still have your Rebel?

GeoNorskie, thank you! I too have an itchy throttle hand :): Something I know I need to work on! Glad your chickens made it out okay!

Wildhooves, wow, I can imagine the pressure of being the only woman in the class! Doing perfect on the box test- that's awesome! I kept putting my foot down; I just wasn't sure that the bike wouldn't tip over! I have to work on keeping my right hand neutral. Like you, I was revving the engine without realizing it so it was embarrassing once I figure it out :o:

I haven't forgotten about the sidestand yet, but I'm only giving it time!

Thank you all SO MUCH for the words of encouragement and taking a minute out of your day to help me out. It looks like I may be able to slip into a class in about ten days, so I'll keep you all posted!

Thank you all again!

[waterlilly]

Since you have taken part of the class though, if you have an open area where you can practice clutch control and slow speed maneuvers it may build your confidence for later.
I agree with Rak on this one

As for picking yourself up, just do it. We've all fallen and had our pride damaged. Most of us have even fallen as a result of really dumb things, like getting off the bike and forgetting to put the side stand down.
:roflmao: I resemble that, worse thing is I done it more than once.
No one will look down on you for making mistakes, and as long as you are wearing your gear
Totally agree on this statement. Gear is a MUST DOOO. just my .02

Check out The First Month in the Life of a New Rider (http://www.twowheelfemales.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1675&highlight=month+life) if you haven't already.[/quote]

[SheRidesABeemer]

When I took my MSF class some 10 years ago, there where about 20 people. Only one of the 20 did not know how to drive a stick shift. To no ones surprise that was the one person that failed the road test. Do you have a friend with a stick shift car?

Lesson you need to learn, always throw the clutch in, if the throttle gets rolled. Get used to the noise your bike makes when it revs high like that...all the better not to be frightened by it.

And a lesson I didn't learn for a couple of years...everyone drops their bike. Nothing to be embarrassed about. However, before getting back on, you need to understand why it happened, and what you can do to prevent it next time. Heck I dropped mine doing a slow speed U-turn on a narrow street just a few weeks ago. It had been years since I dropped it, and I have about 100,000 miles under my belt. Live and learn.

Good luck, don't rush things, and get the hang of the whole gear thing in a car

[KCDakar]

<Snip> almost ran over my chickens one day before I hit a stump and crashed.


I am sorry but the visual of this is...:rofl:

Having said that I hope you were not hurt. :thumbup:

[jfike]

Originally Posted by GeoNorskie http://www.twowheelfemales.com/forum/images/buttons/viewpost.gif (http://www.twowheelfemales.com/forum/showthread.php?p=62599#post62599)
<Snip> almost ran over my chickens one day before I hit a stump and crashed.
I am sorry but the visual of this is...:rofl:

Having said that I hope you were not hurt. :thumbup:

yup. sorry. :redface1: me too!! :roflmao:

[FJRider]

Everyone eats it sometime. Get up brush yourself off and get back on.



LOL...:rofl: Try doing this on a Police Motocycle in front of a busy resturant that you and your partner are going to for lunch. Talk about hurt pride. My partner was laughing his butt off.

My advise is to get on the bike and ride. Practice, practice, practice. Work on the skills you were taught. Clutch/throttle control, proper positioning for turns, look through the turn, smooth starting/stoping. The more you work on what you just learned the easier it will be when you take the class again.

Don't let a fall break your confidence in yourself. Think positive, negative thinking leads to negative results. Positive thinking results in positive results.

Ex instructor here (many many years ago) I 2nd was said here. If you have access to a good bike that you feel comfortable with and some one that can help you get to a safe parking lot then practice what you have learned. Pay attention to circles and the starting/stopping drills. The starting stopping drills will help you get used to the clutch throttle control and the circles help you develop and really get that the throttle holds the bike up and the brake in general makes it fall down.

Keep the fath and keep at it.

Denis

[GeoNorskie]

Originally Posted by GeoNorskie http://www.twowheelfemales.com/forum/images/buttons/viewpost.gif (http://www.twowheelfemales.com/forum/showthread.php?p=62599#post62599)
<Snip> almost ran over my chickens one day before I hit a stump and crashed.
yup. sorry. :redface1: me too!! :roflmao:

I laugh when I think about it now, too. No, I wasn't hurt. Was riding an XT225, only in 1st gear, the ground was soft. After that, those chickens scattered whenever they heard a motorcycle in the yard. :lol:

[Inky]

Sucks being human, doesn't it?

To quote a Batman movie....."Why do we fall down Master Bruce?" "So we can get back up."

[sgtrebel]

Thanks again for the support and great advice, ladies! I am on a waitlist for the riding range 29-30 August and it looks like I will be able to get in!

I'll keep everyone posted :)

[Diamond Lil]

Good news! Great luck to you!

[Luna Tique]

Good news! Great luck to you!

+ 1 :thumbsup:

[KansasKawboy]

:iagree:

[Wildhooves]

:thumbup: I'm sure you will do great! ENJOY!! We will look forward to hearing from you!

[FJRider]

I am glad for you. Don't worry you will kick A$$ this time. Have it good time

Denis

[saligia]

Welcome Kim! I'm new to riding & the forum as well. :hi:

I don't want to hijack your thread, but I wanted to let you know that you're not alone. I had a similar experience with the MSF course that I just completed today. Right before the evaluation, I crashed and ended up pinned under the bike, resulting in some minor injuries. I somehow forced myself through the eval and "just" managed to pass the riding skills. However, I fully expect that I will likely be retaking the course for my own benefit if I can get into another one in the upcoming weeks/months.

Everyone who spoke to me afterward said the best thing to do after a crash, fall, etc. is to try again. They said that sometimes it may take time before you can get up and do it all over (hopefully minus the fall!) because you need the mental break. And, most of the instructors and/or experienced bystanders I spoke with shared stories of their own falls, sometimes from "stupid" mistakes, and admitted that on some occasions they had to take a break before they could jump back on the horse.

As others have mentioned, it happens. I see that you're already signed up for another course, so G'LUCK and HAVE FUN!!! :wootrock:

[KansasKawboy]

Congrats. saligia. :yahoo:

[msyzf2u]

Congrats. saligia. :yahoo:



:iagree:

[sgtrebel]

Thanks for sharing that, Saligia! I am very happy to hear that you got back on and passed the skills test, especially after suffering a few injuries... My pride was the only thing injured, but my confidence was shot, too. I'm glad to hear you're okay, most of all!

My instructors were great- they took the time and made sure I was okay, helped me dust off the fall, and just put me back at ease (or as much as they could). They did encourage me to continue on, but I didn't think that my concentration was there to pass the test. My classmates all came by to make sure I was okay, so I couldn't be more grateful for a more supporting group of people. Hence why I'm so anxious to get into another class- even with the fall, I had a great experience over those few days.

Thanks again for sharing!

[Diamond Lil]

Wonderful news! Congratulations Saligia!

[LiLiBug]

What a great thread!! When I took the course about 6 years ago, I dropped the bike the first day (forgot to put the side stand down). I think about that day often because I learned a very important lesson the hard way. Alway put the sidestand down! :roflmao:

The second time I dropped a bike I was on demo Ducati 999. This was the most important lesson I have learned to date so I really want to share this with you. It happened two years ago.

The bike was too "big" for me and I knew it but my husband was there and I wanted to show him that I could do exactly what he could do. By big, I mean that my feet were not comfortabley on the ground and the bike had a lot of power (power I was not yet used to for my experience level). I had not intended to take that bike out but he was standing right there looking proud so I decided at the last minute to try to take it out on the road for a short ride.

As I started to turn out into the busy street, I stated to put my foot down as I had come to a complete stop. My foot somehow slipped and the bike fell on top of me. All I can say it that thank God I was not on the actual road. Other than the infamous bruised ego, which as someone brilliantly pointed out, grows back, I was unharmed but a little shaken. I was over confident and on a bike that can be a very serious mistake.

One of my instructors said at the end of my class, "Remember, all this little blue card means is that you are qualified to ride in a closed parking lot with no traffic"

What I learned, that I will never forget, is to always stay within my comfort zone. There is a natural progession of experience so that if you continue to ride you will naturally progess into bigger and better, if you so chose, but there is absolutely no reason to rush. Find a bike that you feel absolutely comfortable on and do not let ANYONE talk you into anything bigger.

I have noticed that sometimes the men in our lives like to think "monetarily" practical i.e "but you will out grow the Rebel so fast" but it is that wonderful forgiving first bike that will make you a confident accomplished rider so that you can have many long and safe riding adventures. (I started on a Rebel so I have a very special place in my heart for them! :):)

Can't imagine my life without my bikes and my lessons!

Sorry for the long post, I am feeling inspired by all the new riders!!
:cloud9:

[KansasKawboy]

Well said LiliBug!

[maillotpois]

Great post LilBug!

[Luna Tique]

Great post LilBug!
I agree

:slaphead: I have done the oops didn't quite lock the kick stand before getting off thing a few times in my life :redface1: :lol: