New rider here. Don't make the same mistake I did. I was so excited when I passed the MSF course five weeks ago that, at the end of the four excerises they evaluate, I just hopped off the bike to recieve the high fives from my classmates and in releief that I did not throw up in my full face helmet. The celebration lasted .8 seconds, which is the time it takes for a bike to hit the ground after you hop off without putting the kickstand down.

Have a great time at the MSF. Great course, great people...and the kickstand is about the first thing they teach you. TCLOCKS!!!!!

ATGATT, trust me.

First day of class went very well.
And i gotta say this class is definitely worth it.
Not only do you learn many things that would be hard to pick up without the class, but as a new rider, i think the most important thing is that i get to spend time on the bike and learning more and more.
Excited for tomorrow!

Day 2 starts now!
I'll let you guys know how it goes, hopefully by the end of the day I'll be officially Endorsed!

Woo HOO! Way to go!~,, Now dont get cocky,,those eeeedeyuts on the phones dont know you made a good grade,,

The other day we were out running errands, wife was driving,, we were out on the outskirts of town,, we saw a Suburban slowly leave the road & go about 2 feet out, both rite tires in the dirt, no9 reason, nothing in the road, 3 pm or so..shouldnt have been drunk,, Im guessing texting,
\
Same day, different road, still outskirts, here comes another one, only this time, its headed into our lane,,He got it gathered up & straightened outmm

Point is, there are hazards now that werent there a few years back,,Be extra careful,, okay?

That right there is the big downside to the cruiser peg location. With centered up pegs, you could have taken yourself outta the seat, moved weight forward & got the elbows up & out.. & handled it instead of just being a passenger, hoping the bike didnt fall down.,

yup yup yup, EJID is right

- sand
- gravel
- paint (street markings)
- metal (man holes, gutters, train tracks, etc)
- leaves
- branches
- streets cracks and tar repairs
- snow
- slush
- mud
- oil
- diesel
- kittens
- highway trash
- blown up tires
- deer and game
- boars
- doggies (please brake for dogs)
- children
- old folks
- broken glass
- fog
- new roads, new tires, new potholes
- shallow water (you cannot see what is underneath)
- and you DON'T need music or a phone while ridding


oh my, the list is endless and the obstacles are many,
it's just like a videogame only here get one life and
no reset button. Before anything else invest in gear
and good tires; avoid jeans unless they are kevlar,
don't ride stiff, lighten up a bit, helps reaction time.


what I have learned my friend is:


1 .- you ride naked and invisible to others (bike cops get hit daily!)

2 .- hydrate, hydrate, hydrate (keeps you focused)

3 .- do not drive faster than you can react
within your field of vision (curves and such)
cause you never know what is on the other side,
in my case, a deer, bam!

4 .- get a gremlin bell

5 .- have fun