MSF Experienced Rider Skills Plus Course

[carsick]

 I just attended the MSF Experienced Rider Skills Plus course. I know, I'm not experienced and I haven't skills, but it was a good excuse to ride a bunch. I did a little better than 65 MPH avg on the two hour ride there, but the roads are VERY open at 6:00 on Sunday morning. Three instructors, four students, two big Harleys, one BMW R100, obligatory FJ and six hours in a parking lot. One of the instructors had an FJR there and was telling everyone how cool the FJ was (is!). The course takes some of the riding elements from the Basic rider course and sharpens the focus with more repetition. No classroom work, more riding. I caught flak for only braking with 2 fingers, I explained about the brake mods and got some agreement after locking both tires on my next emergency stop. Extended stop and go plus heat plus ign. advance plus 87 octane equalled huge ping on every throttle application, sounded like an old Diesel most of the day. She got hot enough to boil fuel out of the carbs, but I think only I noticed because I distracted them by scraping pegs all the way through the 135 degree turns. I learned (again) that I don't look ahead enough, but me and the FJ got 'em all beat on stopping, lean angle, and slow speed maneuvering. Harder than it looks to ride within the lines, however it was a great way to knock off the winter rust on my riding skills. It was a very impressive bunch of folks, and I see that I have a lot of learning ahead of me to be as smooth and consistent as the professionals. Anyone else done this?

[Dan Filetti]

I just attended the MSF Experienced Rider Skills Plus course. <SNIP> Anyone else done this?

I did this maybe 9-10 years ago.  Seemed worth it at the time.  Plus I think I got an additional 5% off insurance for it...

Funny thing is, my FJ got ridiculously hot during that class as well.  In my case, it stalled and would not start again, until I realized that the battery needed water!

Check with your insurance co, it may be worth something... Glad it was a good thing for you too! 

Dan

[The General]

 

Hey carsick, try this type of riding.  Doug
Freestyle Streetbike WM 2009 Zürich, CP Chris Pfeiffer, World Championship

[carsick]

That would be the skills plus plus plus course. My trick portfolio consists of the rolling burnout and that's about it!

[andyb]

You scrape the pegs?  I think mine scrapes the pipe first, it's been awhile.

[weymouth399]

He at least smokes the soles off his boots, I've seen it and it smells terrible.

Bob W

[carsick]

Yeah Bob, that wasn't my boots. Yes, the peg feelers scrape before anything else, pipe clears (so far) and my centerstand seems pretty far up but it may have been bent that way inadvertently by the PO.

[simi_ed]

Wow!  A PO did something correct?  Must be a typo 


Ed

[carsick]

may have been bent that way inadvertently by the PO

When they crashed it.

[FJ Flyer]

Sounds like they've improved the course since I took the Advance Rider Course about ten years ago.  We still had a half day in the classroom, then we got back from lunch in time for the rain to start.  Didn't do anything new from the Basic Course, and I was a bit disappointed.

I did the Lee Park's Total Control Advanced Riding Course last summer and it was good to get a better feel for the FJR.  Its a big pricey, tho.

[Lotsokids]

As my signature states, I used to teach the Air Force version - the Sport Bike course. I instructed mostly with a heavy, long, fast ZX-11 (piece of CRAP). When I was trained as an instructor, the lead instructor was inspecting the bikes and came to mine. He said, "I hope someone GAVE you this bike." To which everyone chuckled. I said, "Yeah, but it's the fastest bike here."

It was a good course we taught. Initially we saw a 40% DECREASE in fatalities in our Major Command (AMC). That's pretty huge! We never got out of second gear, but I stressed to my students that if they put into practice what I taught them, they would notice a BIG difference in handling at highway speeds. It was a big shift in the military mindset. Instead of just saying, "Don't go fast" we taught more about how to handle your bike if you're in that situation. By the way, half the day was spent setting up suspension!

It was a good time. I'd like to think I did my part...

[carsick]

half the day was spent setting up suspension!

I wish I had taken that class!

[Lotsokids]

The hardest bike we found to set up the suspension on was the rear suspension on a Honda 996 Superhawk. MAN, that thing bounced all over like a kangaroo!

[FJ Flyer]

I will say that I use the stuff I learned in the basic course every day, even after 15 years.  It has literally saved my ass from being bbq'd on one occasion.

[FJmonkey]

It has literally saved my ass from being bbq'd on one occasion.

Now you have to tell the story.....I don't really care that you were almost BBQ (glad you were not), we all need to know how you avoided it....Some of the ways we all learn is by paying attention to others that have already been there.  I am thankful for others that have shared and shortened some of my learning experiences....