I took the basic riders course and i HIGHLY recommend it!!! it helped me a lot. i think it's a good idea

 

The thought that you can get your licence while still lacking basic control skills horrifies me.

Rob

 

The basic rider's course was tough, but man it felt good to pass and feel better riding. I know i'll need techniques like swerving and U-Turns and just basic turning skills. they even taught us quick-stops...things i thought i'd never need..but when you're in that situation, you're probably glad you took the class.

 

Good to hear Jess. Congrates

 

Yea back in 1982 (or back in the day to you young punks) They had different classifications. I took it on a Honda CB 450, and so I was limited to 500cc max. Then 15 or so years later I noticed that they had done away with the classes. Good times. I miss that old CB 450 with the batman ferring and sissy bar.

 

hahahaha, when you were the group leader for the "Black Widows"? from Every which way you can....that orangatang movie lol

 

trying to get more practice with my hubby without breaking the law dude! Guess I should've explained my reasoning?! With a permit I can't ride on highways, at night, or have a passenger...none of those I'm willing to do right now anyways. I just want to be able to ride to my nearest parking lot and practice the drills I learned at MSF so that I can do better when I go back to finish the training. I"m one of those people who need extra time.

 

The BRC is a great place to be able to get on a small bike, and just learn how the thing works. That being said, the effectiveness of the class will depend largely on the instructor. I still recommend anyone who is going to ride on the street take the class. There's a wealth of survival skills in there that have nothing to do with slow-speed u-turns and figure eights. The riding skills portion is a great introduction, but it absolutely does not prepare you to ride on the street. Honestly, I'm still not sure what exactly it prepares you for, other than to practice, practice, practice your crucial skills. Breaking on bikes is huge. Slow speed uturns... uhh... well, anyways.

I personally found the ERC to be a waste of time. But this is where instructor comes in. My instructor was a huge fan of cruisers in general and harleys in particular. He had absolutely no experience with a sportbike, its geometry and handling, and the nuances between the two. He did know a few 'monkey humping a football' jokes though. Needless to say, he didn't offer any insight to riding my zx-6r, and seemed to treat the notion of trail braking as apocryphal.

My wife is starting to ride an ex-250, (As soon as I get it running.) She's going to take the BRC, then spend alot of time in parking lots, on quiet roads, getting familiar with the bike. Then, we'll go to a sportbike rider skills course. From there, we'll see what she wants to do. Trackdays, etc.

My progression was BRC > practice on a quiet street > Street riding > ERC > Track school > track days > Race School > racing.

tl;dr : Do the BRC, practice, and then find something specific to your bike to continue your skill growth. Also, read "Proficient Motorcycling". Great book.

 

Im amazed you have to have a DL for a 50cc scooter. Here in Texas you dont have to have a DL. I ride my Ruckus every where. But I did take the safety course to get my DL and drop the price on my Insurance. Was deff a learning experience that I would do again.

 

Fair enough. If you really master clutch control the rest should come easy.

Try this:

Get your hubby to walk in a straight line, varying his speed. Keeping your throttle constant and revs low - about 1,500 rpm, use the clutch and a little rear brake to ride alongside him and alter your speed as he alters his. Keep your feet on the pegs.

Second thing to master is controlled braking. From about 30 mph, use both brakes to bring the bike to a halt with the front wheel within 3 inches of a marked line. As you slow past walking speed ease the front brake so that you actually come to a stop on the rear brake. Left foot goes to the floor. As you slow, hold the clutch in, but downshift as the speed falls so that you always have the correct gear selected (in case you need to accelerate again in a street situation) but don't release the clutch.

Make point of always, even in parking lot exercises, performing a shoulder check 'lifesaver' before you move off, and always have the right foot on the peg all the time the wheels are turning in case you need the rear brake.

At very slow speeds the front brake can lock the wheel, then you fall off. If you lock the rear wheel you usually don't fall off.

Hope this helps.

Rob