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| Motorcycle Safety Course; Passed and finished | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Aug 4 2008, 06:15 AM (963 Views) | |
| Frank_W | Aug 4 2008, 06:15 AM Post #1 |
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Resident Misanthrope
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I took my motorcycle safety course, this weekend. I drove to Murfreesboro on Friday afternoon and stayed at a Ramada Inn. At the dealership on Friday evening, we had classes and watched films on motorcycle operation, filled out paperwork and waivers, and got organized. Saturday, we all showed up at a big parking lot for the range. We rode little 250cc bikes; Honda Nighthawks and Rebels. We went through the start-up sequence and over the controls. After that, then we began working on the clutch friction zone and stuff, in first gear. The rest of the day was devoted to developing skills. It was so mutha-luvvin' hot out there. It was 102F, and no shade, except for under the trees, when we took breaks. We finished up around noon, broke for lunch, and then met back at the dealership for the written exam. I was the first one finished, and I missed one question by accidentally marking "A" when I knew that the answer was "C." I was mad at myself, but oh well... You could miss up to ten questions and still pass. I left and went back to my hotel, cleaned up a little, and then went to a book store. I bought a bunch of books and headed back to my hotel. I meant to read just a little, but ended up falling asleep. and slept for about three hours. I didn't sleep much, that night. I kept thinking about the riding skills test the next day, and the hotel was located near the railroad tracks, so all night long, the train noise and horn-blasts were constant. Sunday, bright and early, we were back out at the range. We went through a couple more riding exercises, and then they gave us fifteen minutes to practice on our own. It was 104F, yesterday... Good grief... There were four skills we had to pass. A perfect score was zero, and every mistake cost a variety of points. The first test was to ride to the end of a box that was painted on the concrete, make a figure-8 without going over the lines, and then ride straight out of the box, shift into second gear, go through two pylons, and then execute a swerve to simulate avoiding a sudden obstacle. I passed both of these skills with flying colors, and these were the skills that most people found the most difficult; the box, in particular. The third skill was to take off straight, shift into second, and then after the front wheel passed two pylons, brake with both front and rear brakes, simultaneously shifting back to first gear. I nailed the speed and distance of stop, but my left foot was on the ground before I had shifted back to first gear. I put my foot back up and shifted to first, and the grader said, "You know I heard that, right?" I kind of slumped and said, "Yes...." He cracked up and said, "I gotta' dock you three points for that." I said, "Yeah... I know. I deserve it." The final skill was to take off, round a wide curve with enough speed to shift into second, and then approach a tight curve, braking with both brakes just before entering the curve, keep the throttle smooth throughout the curve, and then either keep it steady or accelerate, on the way out. No problem. So.... I got my certificate, and I'm taking it to the DMV tomorrow morning, and then I'll go over and get my insurance. After that, I'll be legal. Eh.... I think I'll spend time working on my skills with the Beastie and getting comfortable with it, riding it up and down my street, until I get used to it. Maybe early, next Sunday morning, I'll actually take it out on the main roads and ride the route to work and back. We'll see... I'm still tired. The heat just takes so much out of a person... Step by step though, I'm getting it. |
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Anatomy Prof: "The human body has about 20 sq. meters of skin." Me: "Man, that's a lot of lampshades!" | |
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| Red Rice | Aug 4 2008, 06:18 AM Post #2 |
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HOLY CARP!!!
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Good for you for taking a course, Frank. Ride safe!
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Civilisation, I vaguely realized then - and subsequent observation has confirmed the view - could not progress that way. It must have a greater guiding principle to survive. To treat it as a carcase off which each man tears as much as he can for himself, is to stand convicted a brute, fit for nothing better than a jungle existence, which is a death-struggle, leading nowhither. I did not believe that was the human destiny, for Man individually was sane and reasonable, only collectively a fool. I hope the gunner of that Hun two-seater shot him clean, bullet to heart, and that his plane, on fire, fell like a meteor through the sky he loved. Since he had to end, I hope he ended so. But, oh, the waste! The loss! - Cecil Lewis | |
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| Frank_W | Aug 4 2008, 06:24 AM Post #3 |
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Resident Misanthrope
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Yep! I wouldn't mind taking the whole course again, to be honest. It was THAT good. Of course, the difference between the little 250cc Nighthawks and Rebels versus my 1600cc cruiser, is huge... That's why I'm still very very cautious. Thanks again. |
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Anatomy Prof: "The human body has about 20 sq. meters of skin." Me: "Man, that's a lot of lampshades!" | |
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| John D'Oh | Aug 4 2008, 06:32 AM Post #4 |
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MAMIL
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Based on most of the characters I see riding this size of bike at the weekend, your next step for indoctrination into the Cult of Humongously Powerful Motorbikes is to eat copious amounts of extremely fatty food, washed down with equally copious quantities of beer (NOT light beer, I might add). After about six months of this, grow a big ol' ZZ-Top style beard, put on a t-shirt and jeans that used to fit you when you were 21, and you should be good to go. |
| What do you mean "we", have you got a mouse in your pocket? | |
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| Frank_W | Aug 4 2008, 06:36 AM Post #5 |
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Resident Misanthrope
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No doubt... Or a handlebar mustache. Menacing facial hair is a must.Maybe I can get a beard and glue it on, or something. Lord knows, I can't grow one to save my life...
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Anatomy Prof: "The human body has about 20 sq. meters of skin." Me: "Man, that's a lot of lampshades!" | |
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| Kincaid | Aug 4 2008, 08:06 AM Post #6 |
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HOLY CARP!!!
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Good job Frank! I'm surprised you could get into a course so quickly. Supposedly around here they are booked out awhile and this should be even worse with $4/gal. gas. |
| Kincaid - disgusted Republican Partisan since 2006. | |
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| OperaTenor | Aug 4 2008, 08:10 AM Post #7 |
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Pisa-Carp
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Way to go, Grasshopper! ![]() Now, you have to translate what you learned on that dinky range bike to your bike Always, always remember "SIPDE". It will save your ass over and over. I last took a safety course something like 15 years ago, and I still marvel at the veracity of that decision-making process. (I once pondered becoming an MSF instructor - the local guy wanted me to join his team. Singing commitments interfered with my availability.) |
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| sue | Aug 4 2008, 08:15 AM Post #8 |
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HOLY CARP!!!
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Your neighbours are gonna love you!seriously, congrats on finishing the course. Have fun.
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| Frank_W | Aug 4 2008, 08:23 AM Post #9 |
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Resident Misanthrope
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We didn't learn SIPDE. What is it an acronym for? We learned T-CLOCS for a pre-ride check, (Tires, Controls, Lights, Oil, Chassis and Sidestand), SEE, (Scan, Evaluate, Execute), and another for starting the bike, FINE-C. (Fuel, Ignition, Neutral, Engine, Choke) Thanks, Sue!!
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Anatomy Prof: "The human body has about 20 sq. meters of skin." Me: "Man, that's a lot of lampshades!" | |
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| OperaTenor | Aug 4 2008, 08:41 AM Post #10 |
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Pisa-Carp
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Hmm, maybe they shortened it. Scan Identify Predict Decide Execute It looks like the 'Evaluate' in SEE might include the 'IPD' in SIPDE. What I like about the identify/predict/decide bit is that it gives a hierarchy to the process. I actually work on those steps in that order in my head while I'm riding. YMMV. |
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| OperaTenor | Aug 4 2008, 08:44 AM Post #11 |
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Pisa-Carp
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Hey Frank, wanna see what my '96 R1100RS looked like after I got creamed in 2003? |
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| Frank_W | Aug 4 2008, 08:44 AM Post #12 |
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Resident Misanthrope
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Thanks!! I'll incorporate the SIDPE acronym, then. I also bought a trickle-charger/maintainer for my battery... And yeah, let's see the pix and hear the story!
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Anatomy Prof: "The human body has about 20 sq. meters of skin." Me: "Man, that's a lot of lampshades!" | |
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| OperaTenor | Aug 4 2008, 08:50 AM Post #13 |
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Pisa-Carp
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Did you get a Battery Tender?![]() They're a godsend. |
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| Frank_W | Aug 4 2008, 08:53 AM Post #14 |
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Resident Misanthrope
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No... I got this one: Schumacher SC-300A, Electronic charger and maintainer:
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Anatomy Prof: "The human body has about 20 sq. meters of skin." Me: "Man, that's a lot of lampshades!" | |
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| OperaTenor | Aug 4 2008, 09:04 AM Post #15 |
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Pisa-Carp
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If it automatically floats your charge, then it does the same as a Battery Tender, so it ought to be great. |
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| Rick | Aug 4 2008, 09:07 AM Post #16 |
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Senior Carp
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Instinct in dangerous situations is to immediately hit the brakes. On bikes, you'll find the throttle will serve you better more often than not. |
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| Kincaid | Aug 4 2008, 09:10 AM Post #17 |
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HOLY CARP!!!
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That's all that was left of your '96 R1100RS? Ouch! |
| Kincaid - disgusted Republican Partisan since 2006. | |
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| PattyP | Aug 4 2008, 09:14 AM Post #18 |
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Senior Carp
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Congratulations, Frank! You da’ man! Will you be getting a sidecar for Bear, won't you? How cool would that be!? |
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A tired dog is a good dog. "Dogs' lives are too short...their only fault, really." A.S. Turnbull | |
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| Frank_W | Aug 4 2008, 09:14 AM Post #19 |
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Resident Misanthrope
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Yep. Swerving, etc. |
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Anatomy Prof: "The human body has about 20 sq. meters of skin." Me: "Man, that's a lot of lampshades!" | |
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| OperaTenor | Aug 4 2008, 09:23 AM Post #20 |
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Pisa-Carp
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Well..... Before: ![]() After: ![]() An 18 y-o, driving Mommy & Daddy's car, and most likely yakking on his cell phone, did a lazy, cutting, left turn into me - not in front of me, into me - on a surface street near my house. If it hadn't been for the protruding cylinders on the BMW twin, I'm fairly certain I would have lost my left leg at the knee - he hit me smack in the left cylinder. I was wearing the best helmet I could get my hands on, a Shoei Z-2, and as a result, never so much as lost consciousness. I did however, sustain: right shoulder dislocated, and right humeras broken in two places; left ACL, MCL and PCL popped and left knee dislocated; and my pelvis was broken in five places(I apparently used it to knock the gas tank off the bike). I didn't walk for three months. |
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| Frank_W | Aug 4 2008, 09:28 AM Post #21 |
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Resident Misanthrope
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Holy crap!!! I get aggravated enough by cellphone users, when I'm driving my Jeep. I can only imagine the RAGE I'm going to feel at them, when I'm on the bike. For all of your injuries, are you okay, now?
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Anatomy Prof: "The human body has about 20 sq. meters of skin." Me: "Man, that's a lot of lampshades!" | |
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| Frank_W | Aug 4 2008, 09:29 AM Post #22 |
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Resident Misanthrope
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He'd love it... No passengers or sidecars or any of that fancy stuff until I get myself squared away, first. LOL
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Anatomy Prof: "The human body has about 20 sq. meters of skin." Me: "Man, that's a lot of lampshades!" | |
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| Aqua Letifer | Aug 4 2008, 09:32 AM Post #23 |
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ZOOOOOM!
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Yep! All it really boils down to is how to actively increase your situational awareness. If you do this constantly, after awhile it's like breathing. I can't count how many times keeping mental notes of what's going on around me has saved me from a crash or collision. |
| I cite irreconcilable differences. | |
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| Rick | Aug 4 2008, 09:35 AM Post #24 |
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Senior Carp
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Riding is so much fun, especially now that I have some horsepower, but man, you cannot let your guard down in traffic, ever! |
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| Frank_W | Aug 4 2008, 09:37 AM Post #25 |
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Resident Misanthrope
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Well, with diving, flying planes, etc., situational awareness is king.
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Anatomy Prof: "The human body has about 20 sq. meters of skin." Me: "Man, that's a lot of lampshades!" | |
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No doubt... Or a handlebar mustache. Menacing facial hair is a must.

Your neighbours are gonna love you!




I get aggravated enough by cellphone users, when I'm driving my Jeep. I can only imagine the RAGE I'm going to feel at them, when I'm on the bike. For all of your injuries, are you okay, now?
4:38 PM Jul 10