[Showstealer]

Today I was pretty mad at myself, I failed the MSF course. I did great for never even touching a bike my entire life, but on the last exercise, emergency braking, I tried twice and both times, I went into a front tire skid and my bike went down, just pushing to hard on the front brake. Everything else did great, turning, stop and go, shifting, all very easy but I was planning on getting a 600 after the course but now, I have no plans to go back and take the test I figured I would buy maybe a ninja 250 get my permit. And then after 6 months take the DMV test. What do you guys think?

what would you do if you were in my shoes. or any advice.

 

[fishinking86]

what is up with the MSF course? i always hear about it, but know nothing about it. is it a requirement to get a motorcycle endorsement on your drivers license? i dont think we have that here.

 

[Showstealer]

its not required but it lets you get an endorsement without even owning a bike, and they have the written test and a skills test

 

[fishinking86]

so if you don't own a bike you can't get the endorsement unless you do MSF?

 

[Kurosaki]

so if you don't own a bike you can't get the endorsement unless you do MSF?

It's a rider training class you can take that bypasses the DMV rider test. And it's just a good idea for new riders in general along with the DMV test bypass.

You don't have to have a license to buy a bike anyway so MSF has nothing to do with that.

This is in CA at least.

 

[phobos512]

Wait, I'm confused, you locked the front so they failed you out of the class?

I witnessed a class here locally many months after I had taken it and passed and literally half the students locked front and rear during the emergency braking and they all did just fine...Some of them even actually drew smoke! I don't understand...?

 

[az 636]

Thats to bad man. I would go with the 250 and the permit idea. I would be carefull and try to find some guys you trust to ride with. You will learn how much you can give the brakes with time. I also thought MSF allowed you one retest for free but idk for sure. I would give them a call and see because i believe my buddy failed went back the next weekend and retested on the skills portion.

 

[Riding4life]

Go back and take the MSF course AGAIN, not only does it teach you basic riding but it will ALSO give you an insurance discount. If you are or ever will be military, you have no choice but to take the course if you want to ride. I rode for almost 30 years before taking the course and I don't even want to start talking about all the bad habits I had, plus I actually learned a few things too.

 

[XRuskix]

practice makes perfect, take it as a sign not as an insult.

If you have a bike practice at home and then retake the course. Maybe research how you can slow down slower at emergency stops. Read books.

There are times where its good to repeat basic steps in order to progress, so you will have more practice to show of the noobs at the course what you can do!

Even after you get the bike, your going to keep practicing from scratch but with 5% knowledge as a self confidence. So you can set up your own course and just practice with no one around befor you go out on city streets and hurt someone(hope not!!).

 

[raiyo2]

How did you fail the class if you did well on all other exercise? Even failing that braking exercise, and if you did well on the others, you should have passed. If you failed, then it must be a sign you did poorly. Retake the class. You'll just endanger yourself and others on going on the road if you cannot pass the MSF. When you pass the class u get discounts on motorcycle stores and some insurance company.

 

[smashedpumpkins]

Hah I failed the test too... I took a turn way too fast and I pulled the brake and high side crashed. Wow was it pathetic. But that was back in June. I went ahead and bought my bike and I've learned a whole lot more since. I took it in Idaho just to learn, but I'm going to take it again in California to get my License. (I have the permit)

 

[Zx636Ninja]

it is required in the state of Florida and two other states as of July 1, 2008. in my MSF they said that many more states will be requring it do to the large amount of bikers getting on the road.

To the OP--------If you failed the class thats for a reason. the first thing you should have done is ask what was wrong and what you need to improve on. You said it yourself, it was your first time on a bike. Don't put yourself and other riders in danger.
Also, where i took my class if you failed you got 1 free retake. but you were put on standby. check and dont quit.

 

[tdiv]

Required in Rhode Island to it was my first time on a bike learned a lot and had some great teachers too. In the class in RI you take the test right there its really easy and cost $60 but now a little more

 

[EazyMeezy]

I thought you can retake it for free?

 

[redss1982]

I'm with eazy you should be able to take just the test part again for free

 

[Blayd]

Re-take the course. It is well worth your time.

 

[BenWoj42]

Today I was pretty mad at myself, I failed the MSF course. I did great for never even touching a bike my entire life, but on the last exercise, emergency braking, I tried twice and both times, I went into a front tire skid, just pushing to hard on the front brake. Everything else did great, turning, stop and go, shifting, all very easy but I was planning on getting a 600 after the course but now, I have no plans to go back and take the test I figured I would buy maybe a ninja 250 get my permit. And then after 6 months take the DMV test. What do you guys think?

what would you do if you were in my shoes. or any advice.

I know how you feel. I took my MSF course for the first time two years ago. Me and about 3 other friends took it at the same time, and I ended up not passing it because of something stupid I did. *shakes head* Of couse I was the only one in the group who didn't pass it, so you could imagine how pissed I was that day.

A year later I decided to retake the test even though I didn't have any intention of getting a bike at that time. I retook it and passed it in flying colors! Of course a months later I got a bike

Just sign up again when your ready to take it. Its better to make small mistakes and fail a test on a closed course, then to do it on the streets.

 

[GhostHavok]

Re-take the course if it won't cost you a dime otherwise **ck the MSF and just get a permit.

 

[snwbrderphat540]

though i doubt you can learn more by re-taking it other than the riding experience, i say if they let u re-take it do so, but i would get a 250 if i was you anyways for never touching a bike till them. they hold balue good so you can always re-ell it next season.

 

[interceptor79]

Today I was pretty mad at myself, I failed the MSF course. I did great for never even touching a bike my entire life, but on the last exercise, emergency braking, I tried twice and both times, I went into a front tire skid, just pushing to hard on the front brake. Everything else did great, turning, stop and go, shifting, all very easy but I was planning on getting a 600 after the course but now, I have no plans to go back and take the test I figured I would buy maybe a ninja 250 get my permit. And then after 6 months take the DMV test. What do you guys think?

what would you do if you were in my shoes. or any advice.

Thats to bad man. I would go with the 250 and the permit idea. I would be carefull and try to find some guys you trust to ride with. You will learn how much you can give the brakes with time. I also thought MSF allowed you one retest for free but idk for sure. I would give them a call and see because i believe my buddy failed went back the next weekend and retested on the skills portion.

WRONG...

What you should do is give up. Quit. Drop the idea of riding a motorcycle. You don't have it in you. You're hand eye coordination is suspect. Your thought processing is IBM 286 quick.

Seriously...taking the MSF course is like taking drivers ed, if you are serious about it ask questions and listen you will pass...hell maybe even pass if you don't do those things, but if you fail...shit.

Take the class again if you really want to ride...but what makes you think getting your permit and getting out on the road is going to make you better? It'll make you learn bad habits better I guess. You failed cause you couldn't do an emergency stop? what is going to happen when you really have to make an emergency stop? practice makes us perfect or dead that way I guess.

I don't believe that you failed the MSF course because of that ONE mistake...even the DMV, MVA, whatever you call them in your state doesn't fail you on one mistake...on the license test there are points just like on any test and you must get the minimum amount of points required to still pass. The MSF would be similar.