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Aug. 12th, 2006 06:56 pmThe MSF course is a lot harder than I expected.
I showed up at pflugerville highschool at 6:30 AM and found the motorcycles and met the guy teaching the class (Tim). We're using these, nice little crusier types. We went over the controls, proper mounting/dismounting procedure, starting procedure (FINE-E: Fuel, Ignition, Neutral, Engine cutoff, Choke) then straddle walked the bikes down to the course. Once there we powerwalked (walking the bikes but using the clutch to asist moving), did straight line riding at slow speed then gradually faster (2nd gear!), and then a straight line with pauses, coming as close to a complete stop as we could get without putting feet down every 10 feet.
We took a break and I was beginning to feel more confident, we started working on simple cornering I was still pretty good. Then he had us weaving in and out of a line of cones and that was tougher but I was ok, then he pulled the cones out for what they call "offset weaving". Whoosh, I sucked at that. I looked at a couple web pages and they talk about how they deliberately put that in the mix there to make you acutely aware of your limitations and squelch any incipient arrogance. It sure did that for me, it was the only time I ever felt like I was about to drop the bike. I never made it completely through the course without hitting a cone or missing a turn. After another break we went through and did more advanced turns (changing gear while in a turn), braking practice, and then some simple extended ovals to remind us it was supposed to be fun.
When we put the bikes up and took a break for lunch I was exhausted and over heated, don't take this class in the summer in Texas. I decided to wear a T-shirt and my work jacket figuring I could take it off between rides and it would be cooling than a long sleeve shirt, not so much. It's black and well insulated and though I wore it barely zipped up it and the shirt under were comepletly soaked. One of the other guys in the class who was kind of pudgy took off his helmet and the back of his neck where in meets his skull was completely white from salt deposits from evaporated sweat.
While we were eating, Tim (the instructor) asked me if I worked for Postini (wearing the jacket, remember) and told me that his wife's best friend just got hired and was starting next week. I find the odd synchronicities of life like that really disturbing. We went back and spent the afternoon in class doing a workbook and watching a video. I am tired, the part of my face visible through the opening in my helmet and my chest where the v-neck t-shirt was open are sunburned. My shoulders & arms are tired, my quadraceps are very sore, and my calves are making charlie horse noises.
Not a bad day. More riding tomorrow, then a test and if I pass all I need to do is take the written at the DPS and I get a motorcycle license and can start looking for a bike to buy. I was suprised at how peppy a 125 was, I thought it would have to work a lot harder to haul my south 56 around. It's making me question my inclination to get a 750ish bike, since the little ones are about half the price, but from what I read I'll probably outgrow it within a couple months of riding and if I want to go on a highway or carry a passanger it's just not viable.
I showed up at pflugerville highschool at 6:30 AM and found the motorcycles and met the guy teaching the class (Tim). We're using these, nice little crusier types. We went over the controls, proper mounting/dismounting procedure, starting procedure (FINE-E: Fuel, Ignition, Neutral, Engine cutoff, Choke) then straddle walked the bikes down to the course. Once there we powerwalked (walking the bikes but using the clutch to asist moving), did straight line riding at slow speed then gradually faster (2nd gear!), and then a straight line with pauses, coming as close to a complete stop as we could get without putting feet down every 10 feet.
We took a break and I was beginning to feel more confident, we started working on simple cornering I was still pretty good. Then he had us weaving in and out of a line of cones and that was tougher but I was ok, then he pulled the cones out for what they call "offset weaving". Whoosh, I sucked at that. I looked at a couple web pages and they talk about how they deliberately put that in the mix there to make you acutely aware of your limitations and squelch any incipient arrogance. It sure did that for me, it was the only time I ever felt like I was about to drop the bike. I never made it completely through the course without hitting a cone or missing a turn. After another break we went through and did more advanced turns (changing gear while in a turn), braking practice, and then some simple extended ovals to remind us it was supposed to be fun.
When we put the bikes up and took a break for lunch I was exhausted and over heated, don't take this class in the summer in Texas. I decided to wear a T-shirt and my work jacket figuring I could take it off between rides and it would be cooling than a long sleeve shirt, not so much. It's black and well insulated and though I wore it barely zipped up it and the shirt under were comepletly soaked. One of the other guys in the class who was kind of pudgy took off his helmet and the back of his neck where in meets his skull was completely white from salt deposits from evaporated sweat.
While we were eating, Tim (the instructor) asked me if I worked for Postini (wearing the jacket, remember) and told me that his wife's best friend just got hired and was starting next week. I find the odd synchronicities of life like that really disturbing. We went back and spent the afternoon in class doing a workbook and watching a video. I am tired, the part of my face visible through the opening in my helmet and my chest where the v-neck t-shirt was open are sunburned. My shoulders & arms are tired, my quadraceps are very sore, and my calves are making charlie horse noises.
Not a bad day. More riding tomorrow, then a test and if I pass all I need to do is take the written at the DPS and I get a motorcycle license and can start looking for a bike to buy. I was suprised at how peppy a 125 was, I thought it would have to work a lot harder to haul my south 56 around. It's making me question my inclination to get a 750ish bike, since the little ones are about half the price, but from what I read I'll probably outgrow it within a couple months of riding and if I want to go on a highway or carry a passanger it's just not viable.
