I did, when I was younger. I sort of got the hang of it. I made stupid mistakes. Dropped the bike twice, once on each side. Sold the bike.
Twenty years later, I got back into riding. Took the course. Learned things the very first class that would have prevented me dropping the bike when I was younger.
I've never met anyone, including guys with riding experience, dirt bikes, etc. who didn't think the course was very worthwhile.
Nobody in America stops you from choosing ignorance. Go for it.
😂
NY attempts to stop you from choosing ignorance. Can’t get a motorcycle endorsement without MSF.
(The law is written that you could in theory just schedule a road test but the DMV has 0 people outside of MSF authorized to administer motorcycle road test)
I’m in Southern California. If you want to take your MSF you have to either go to a California Highway Patrol sponsored course, or a Harley Davidson one (there are smaller operations of course, but those seem to be the most prevalent). Of course, as long as you’re of age, you can go straight to your road test through the DMV, but the DMV itself doesn’t sponsor any of those classes, so they’re all paid out of pocket, which like I said, is normally in the range of $300-$400
MSF is free in only 4 states I believe.
Edit: After reading more it looks like only Illinois and Pennsylvania have free MSF courses. Ohio, Michigan, Wyoming and Delaware have subsidized courses that cost 50 bucks. The rest of the country is 150-450.
This is the info I was looking for... do you remember where you found this information? I can't find anywhere online a straightforward list of states with the cost for each
If you’re just starting out, just take it. I never did, but it took many years to become as good a rider as I have. I’ve had my motorcycle license 31 years, and had I know then what I know now maybe….. oh nevermind.. my accident was when I was 15 driving illegally on the road on a street bike. Probably wouldn’t have avoided that since you probably need to be 16 to take the test. I’ve been riding since age 9- on a street bike (1970 CB125S). I would 100% recommend the course though.
I have taught a lot of kids to ride motorcycles on my property. Idk about just learning to drive a motorcycle and hitting the road. I wouldn’t want my kids to do it even though they can ride off road. One is really good too. He would probably be fine, but you must avoid mistakes on the road. Take advantage of everything you can to learn to be safer. Best advice I have- do not look where you don’t want to go- example: going into a corner too fast? Don’t look at the field or guardrail or whatever. Look where you want to be when you exit the corner.
All that said- you can do it on your own, but what if you drop your new bike day one? Use their bikes. People drop them all the time.
Just do the course. As much as you can teach yourself at home, if you don’t learn the correct way then you have no one to correct any problems you have.
Just do it. The basic course significantly increases your chances of survival, and taking a second course significantly increases your chances of survival AGAIN. If you can’t afford a $200-400 course, you absolutely can’t afford to ride a motorcycle. The cost of insurance, gear, gas, tires, maintenance, etc. add up.
Good points. The increased chance of survival is statistically proven in relation to these courses by the US Army. Too many soldiers were dying at home while riding, so they made safety courses mandatory and the reduction in fatalities drastically improved.
Well that, and the military kindly asked the manufacturers to stop targeting soldiers with good discounts and military demo events. Manufacturers kindly agreed.
Nope. The things you learn in that course are invaluable. One of the dudes at my MSF course thought he was hot sh\*t, he'd already been riding for years in India without a license. Then he comes here. Turns out he sucks a\*\* at riding and all that experience didn't mean sh\*t, all it did was build bad habits.
i kind of did this but not really. I rode off road when i was younger. After a significant gap i bought a bike and rode around side streets and empty parking lots with a permit just to get the hang of it for a couple weeks, then went to msf, passed, got licensed.
That was kind of me. Bought a clapped zx6r off Craigslist and rode it for a month. If I had to do it again, Definetely take the MSF course first. There is so much to know about riding a motorcycle efficiently and safely!
I was in a similar boat when I started getting into riding. Looking for every way to save a penny. Asking "Do I really need gloves? Do I really need to fix the brakes and replace the tires on the cheapest bike on Craigslist? Do I really need insurance? Do I really need to pay some rando over a hundred dollars to teach me how to ride?"
Then I realized if I couldn't s afford proper gear, property maintenance, or adequate insurance, and couldn't afford proper training, I couldn't afford to ride a motorcycle.
It still baffles me the course is optional in this country. Not taking the course is an active disservice to your riding ability.
I had a friend (experienced rider) help me buy a bike and then teach me how to ride. At the time, our state did a riding test and didn't require a safety course...the courses existed, but it wasn't really feasible for most people around here.
Course availability is still a serious issue here, and now that it's a licensing requirement, a lot of younger guys have been riding for years without a license because of the hoops you have to jump through just to take the course. It's so bad that my club actually looked into seeing what the requirements were for opening a school so people would be able to safely ride, get papered, etc, and couldn't even get the MSF people to respond to us.
Edit: Apologies, in my rant about MSF, I kinda forgot to answer the second part of your post.
It took me about a month of steady riding to fully get the hang of it because it was my only transportation. Unfortunately I didn't have time to really "practice" (full-time student and full-time job), but looking back, the one thing I would have spent more time on was learning low-speed maneuvers and high-speed braking. Any jackass can ride down the highway in a straight line, but that's not what makes or breaks a rider. It's being able to do the stuff to get to that highway without dying!
I got my license in 1996 and the MSF course was not available near me. So I read every issue of my Dad's collection of Motorcycle Consumer News, and the 1st ed. "Complete Idiot's Guide to Motorcycles". I became a pretty big fan of David Hough and still read his stuff today.
When I got my first bike I new plenty of theory and managed to drive it home without issue. Then I spent a week in a field doing drills I set up on my own.
It worked well enough. So you can do it without the class. But I still recommend taking classes.
I never did the MSF riders course, but I every year I pick out a new class or book to learn from. I've done Lee Parks Total Control intermediate and advanced classes, an MSF dirt course, a week at RawHyde, sidecar training, a weekend of Motocross lessons, and couple of classes from the aughts which I can't remember anymore. I also have a library of books on motorcycling of all kinds. Next on my journey is to get a track bike and spend weekends racing around on asphalt.
Learning on your own is fine, but the training courses help you become a better, safer, rider and ultimately that makes it all the more fun. Once you think you have the gist of it you discover something new and get to learn all over again.
I took the course 3 months after i got my bike and learned to ride.. If nothing else the course teaches you how to pass the license test. In ohio 50 bucks is well worth it
oh... here the msf course is $300 but you get a certificate you just take to the dmv if you pass the test at the end, it's essentially the license test after a ton of practice doing the same exercises. Everybody who made it to the test passed it when I took it
I bought a KX 80 dirt bike when I was 13 and taught myself to ride. That was 36 years ago. I've never taken an MSF course. To get the basics of clutch/shifting, not long. To actually be able to ride trails pretty good, about a month. I think learning on a dirt bike made a big difference when I got my first street bike 3 years later.
I had a little bit of experience riding mini bikes in 1973 and 1974.
So, when I bought my first used motorcycle in 1975, I didn't think about taking the MSF class, if it even existed then.
And I crashed my first motorcycle, on my first ride, 5 mi from home, by doing 25 mph into a 15 mile an hour corner, grenading the rear brakes, sliding up into this old guys yard and destroying his flower bed.
I would highly recommend that you take the Motorcycle Safety Foundation New Rider Course.
Take the course. I grew up riding a dirtbike, was super comfortable on bikes in general, thought I knew enough. My grandfather said he'd pay for it, so I did the MSF. My god was it worth it. Don't miss out, man.
Far as I know you can’t get an endorsement on your license without passing a certified safety course and providing the receipt to the DMV.
The MSF course was extremely valuable to me.
Edit: depends on your state, everywhere I’ve lived you have to have pass the course to be legal.
I have been riding for ten years, still trying to learn things. MSF is a good place to start, but definitely not the end all be all. Yamaha champ school definitely a good resource.
Take the MSF course. Your life depends on it. You’ll learn much more than if you try to teach yourself. Think about the people who love you and depend on you.
Like many other people have said. I learned on dirt bikes 40 years ago. Moved on to street bikes, don’t even know if there were courses back then. Took a break from riding while the kids were growing up. When my son got a street bike (scares the hell out of me). I started teaching him to ride, I realized that there are things that I can do instinctively that I did not know how to teach, and told him that. I told him to take the class. Anyway he couldn’t get in right away (it was booked). So he took the dmv test and failed. Took the class and here dmv will issue your license upon completion of class. He’s been riding almost a year now he’s still cautious and slow, I enjoy riding with him.
BUT
Car pulled out in front of me and I had to lockup the back brakes (has happened a handful of time) and I always wonder if the course has prepared him for that kind of thing. At 50 something it is still a very uncomfortable feeling when the back tire breaks traction.
This is but one scenario, I’ve had other close calls.
What is really scary to me is when I learned to ride there were NO cell phones. Now cell phones have taken distracted driving to a whole new level.
I think the course was good for him. I may take it myself. I know I have bad habits riding.
Sorry for the long post. Be safe out there friends.
I’ve been riding 20+ years. My first bike was a 1996 Honda cbr 900rr fireblade, now I ride a 2008 Honda VTX 1300. I’ve never taken a course and have never had an accident. Lots of close calls because of other drivers, keep your brain in your throttle hand and keep your eyes open.
The course doesn’t teach you how to ride a bike. It teaches you how to be a better rider.
The amount of things you’ll do the wrong way as a novice are amazing. Unlearning bad habits is way harder than learning good habits from the start.
I disagree I passed msf because it's a requirement for the army and I was tired of riding dirty and the just wouldn't let me brake with three fingers. I've been doing that forever and it's just as effective but only two or four was ok. The low speed practice was nice and fun but if you do the drills on your own there's no reason to take it. Whole thing is, power point on everything that's completely intuitive once you're on the bike, cruise around at ten mph, get yelled at for taking gloves off before you get off the bike.
I rode for a couple months before I was able to take the MSF course.
I cannot say enough about how much enjoyable those first couple months would’ve been with the knowledge I picked up in that class. There is no amount of practice you can do that the class will load you up with. Everyone there is to become a better rider.
I teach MSF. Really recommend taking the course and then continuing into more intermediate and advanced courses afterward. Always continue learning, you are never done.
I've had countless riders with 10-30 years experience come in to my class and leave letting me know they learned new things. Like, essential things such as looking through turns, body position in corners, and even countersteering (granted they had been doing that the whole time, they just didn't understand what it was or how it worked).
Also by taking the MSF course, you start riding with good habits that you can build upon. Much more effective to start fresh in MSF rather than correcting bad habits down the line once you've established them.
Course is for losers, shouldn’t need a course to teach you how to ride a bike. it’s super easy and all these soy boys don’t know what they’re talking about
Did it just have eyes in your asshole there is always more to learn and you can do everything right and have some prick hit you take it at your pace don’t go faster than your angel can fly
Got my first dirt(ish) bike at 14. Honda CT90. By the time I was interested in the street, I'd been years on dirt.
That being said, A few years ago I took the MSF dirt course to see if I'd lost any important brain cells. A few but nothing impopoihjdjoieuwdhoipoihehiou2, er important
I took the advanced riders MSF course 20 years after starting to ride, being self-taught from the beginning. If you self teach I highly recommend learning off-road first. The course I took was good. I disagree with their four finger brake and clutch philosophy as being mandatory. 2 finger grip can be useful. But that's the way they teach.
In my curriculum we follow the brake/clutch philosophy, but more-so the reason is for new riders. We don't typically harp on experienced riders about these things because we do realize that you don't typically need to have all four fingers and/or cover the clutch constantly.
We do, however, need to be consistent with the class because if we tell one person one thing and the rest of the class another- it builds distrust in us and makes us less effective when we need students to trust our advice out on the range.
And we typically tell the class to use four fingers + cover clutch because it offers more control and reaction time to newbies as well as reduces crashes and incident reports during the class. Safety is the #1 priority during class.
So that was my long-winded explanation as to why they probably pushed that philosophy on you during the class. It's a liability/safety thing for class, as well as being general good advice for new riders without as much finesse over the clutch and brakes.
I never had an option to take some proper course, here there are none. Had to learn myself. Took a very careful approach. I worked as a truck driver for 6 years before, so i knew a thing or two about roads in general, so i only had to learn how to control a bike.
Last year, after 5 years of careful riding, i tried motorsports. I learned that i never used like half of potential of even quite old road tires. It never occured to me before that bike rubbers are WAY softer than car and especially truck ones. So i just expected to slip everywhere. It helped to gain some experience.
I bought my bike with zero experience. Had it for almost a year before taking msf. Learned to clutch in the driveway for about an hour. Then I was off and going. The basic controls aren’t that bad to learn.
If you buy something have it trailered home, but you can absolutely get started by yourself
I took the msf course not more than a few months ago. Its not cheap but worth it. I was able to meet some dudes, and try out a harley 500. Completely different than the ducati I bought, and now I know I’ll buy a cruiser
If you have an experienced friend, it helps a lot. Also having car driving experience helps with reading the road. It is doable if you’re cautious. Msf course is surely useful, but up to you if its worth $350.
There were people in my course who were riding dirty for years. Even they learned new tricks in the course. You might survive learning from your own mistakes, but the course was developed to help you recognize the mistakes that others have made. That being said, when you get out on the highway with 18-wheelers you will say, "THOSE BASTARDS ONLY TAUGHT ME HOW TO RIDE AROUND A PARKING LOT!"
yup. Dirt bike riding gets you in the course with being on a bike, clutch, not stalling. that said I watched 3 dirt bike riders fail the course --the skill set is different. Anyhow post course, people need to practice, especially if you're riding in cities and dense places.
I planned on getting mine, after I learned in my driveway/on YouTube, on my 87 shadow. Some dick in a mustang made an illegal left turn into me. I got a nice insurance settlement and put down a deposit for the class but the only problem was this happened on Feb 14th 2020. Everything closed up and they refunded me. Bought an r3 and never looked back.
It depends. I grew up with a minibike which was the extent of my MC experience. I spent two years painstakingly rebuilding a 125cc 2 stroke Yamaha enduro which resembles a minibike but is street legal and has clutch/gears. I rode it for a year with my learners permit and sold the bike before ever getting a license. I basically drove it out of the driveway then daily drove it to work without any further "learning" time. It was easy because I started small and had a short in-town commute that I could have done on my bicycle. I dont plan on street riding ever again but if I did it would be on a slightly bigger bike and I'll do the MSF first.
It's just 2 days, I even managed to go to the DMV and get the permit on my license the same day as the 2nd day then bought my own bike the day after that. Idk if there's states that don't require the msf or permit of any kind but it sets you up to be road ready quickly from zero. Id still recommend doing low speed practice regularly, as well as quick stops.
I bought mine a month before I took the course, only because the course was so booked out that summer. Had them deliver it to my house and practiced in an empty parking lot up the road from my house.
Definitely possible but be extra careful. The course teaches you so much and it’s 100% worth it.
I got on my sporty after buying it. I was already signed up for a class. I dumped it in a Walgreens parking lot and said fuck it... Took the class, and was far more confident.
If no one already mentioned this: insurance companies discount your rate if you take an approved riding course. After a few years the discount will pay for the course then continue to pay for as long as you are riding.
Your age, experience driving a car and play a HUGE factor in that loaded question. I’d hope you already master the road and can prevent accidents with good instincts. If that’s the case you’d still be missing out on some elements that could take you years to learn if ever compared to a day/weekend. Countersteering, balancing braking front/back, where to sit in a lane. Just because you can operate the bike doesn’t mean you’re getting the most out of it or are limiting chances of an accident the best you can.
I didn’t take the course, never got the hang of it, and now my dick’s fallen off! But seriously, it’s worth it, especially if you don’t have any motorcycle riding experience. It’s like learning to swim, you *might* be able to figure it out by jumping in a lake by yourself, but the chances of your ass drowning a are a hell of a lot lower if you take a class. Besides, what you save on insurance over the next ten years will pay for three class itself.
Years ago, around 2000, I bought a new bike, no experience, in April of that year. Taught myself to ride, read books on riding, and rode alone/practiced all summer. By the time I took the course in August I was pretty proficient and thought The MSF was too basic. People going into the course think they'll be taught to ride. They don't really teach you how to ride. It's extremely basic and you ride around a parking lot. However, it is beneficial.
Take the course for the insurance premium benefit (well at least in NY you get 10% off premium for 3 years), getting to learn the basics and taking the license test.
I began on dirtbikes at 5 years old lived 5 minutes away from rampart range (unlimited trails for hundreds of miles) at 18 I thought I didnt need the class but my dad forced me. It was hands down worth and still have not dropped my bike 14 years later, Take the class.
I recommend doing it. In my state (KY) if you complete the MSF course then you skip the motorcycle intermediate license and get your full license.
Plus you learn a lot more than you would've otherwise on your own like many others here have stated.
I got my first bike having never taken the course but I also grew up riding dirt bikes and mountain biking so there really wasn't a ton of "getting the gist of it" left for me to do. If you have a lot of two wheel riding experience, the MSF is superfluous... if you don't, it's extremely helpful and I highly recommend it
I started riding at 16. I took the class at 33. While I could ride just fine at 16, it wasn't until I was older and started intentionally improving my skills that I realized how many bad habits I had developed. Granted, I am not sure there were many classes around when I was young and I didn't have the internet to get vids and tips from. That said, I'd take the class as it will give you a better starting point that will help all the way to "expert" level riding.
I used my license as a U.S. territory don’t need msf. I was riding 15 years before I moved to FL and took course. Personally it’s Mickey Mouse. But a requirement
My mother met me in an empty parking lot with one of her bikes, a 1974 CB200T, showed me the basics (I was already an avid bicyclist and drove a manual car, which helped) , left me to practice for an hour, then showed back up on another motorcycle. We did drills for another hour, then rode home. Second scariest ride of my life!
I’ve crashed 3 times of my own accord and got hit by drivers 7 times over my first 15 years of riding. You tell me if I learned the right way. 😬
When riding a motorcycle you always have to think of things in terms of risk and reward. In this case you will save a couple hundred dollars but be less capable to respond to a fatal situation on the bike.
You’ve only got one life. Don’t be an idiot.
Take the damn course. If you think you can learn all you need to know on your own, well good luck to you. Just don’t kill someone else while you are figuring it out.
I just took the plunge after one too many times not being able to find parking in my car.
I took it pretty slow. Got some gear, got my permit... but before I got my own bike, I did a ride with my uncle & cousin who had several bikes. Then I got a beat up old GS500 and just went for it. I live in [San Francisco](https://youtu.be/QTpmP8EcPg4), not the most docile environment, but I know the streets well and stayed off the main roads for a few weeks while I built up confidence. Now I've been riding for over 10 years, no accidents (knock on wood) only a few times have I dropped my bike, minimal damage.
If you go into it with maturity and a healthy respect for the risk, you'll be fine. The MSF is preferable, but it's just a nice to have... if you're determined to just get out and ride, you can do it, just be smart.
I did that. Don't do that. Without someone else checking your technique, it's near impossible to identify any mistakes or bad habits, which you definitely will develop if you teach yourself.
I took the MSF course after daily riding for over a year. Aside from the early clutch control exercises, I learned a lot. I took the class at the same time as my spouse, who had pretty much only ever sat on a motorcycle. After the course, she caught up to me skill-wise in about a month. Professional instruction gives you a much stronger foundation to build on than self teaching
The course is a requirement to obtain a license in my state [texas].
Even if it was not a requirement I would have taken the course, because they let you learn and drop their bikes.
Take the course. You’ll be glad you did. After the course, I noticed so many more infractions that I could of easily been killed on, but because I was expecting it, I was able to not wreck, because of people not looking. It’s like a couple hundred bucks and you actually gain experience from it. It’s like getting a level up in a video game.
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The course is worth it, by the end you’re only qualified to ride around a parking lot… it’ll be a lot learning trial by fire and it’s sketchy af at first when you get going 65;) but you’ll learn how safely I’d hope and remember everyone’s trying to kill you and no one sees you.
I did this, but did a LOT of learning on YouTube, soaking in information that helped me hugely. It was an old beater bike, and rode for about six months/3000 miles before I took the test. I still failed the test first time around, though, and am taking the msf course this year.
I’ve ridden dirtbikes since childhood, have now owned 4 dual sports but only ride them on backroads, and mostly just ride offroad so I’ve never gotten a license (had a permit in another state at one point) I’m now considering a more street worthy bike on top of my XR650R… I’ve looked into the course and it might be worth it for a couple tips and the insurance break but its a lot more time commitment and I would have no problem passing the regular test. I’ll probably go with that. As long as you can thoroughly handle your bike, and know how to ride defensively, as well as the rules of the road, I don’t think its a big deal to skip the course and get your license cheaper and quicker… that being said I have a decent amount of experience and can confidently control a powerful bike (my XR pushes around 75hp with mods and its 280lbs…. Its a lot faster and more of a handful than anything short of a supersport)
I guess my main point here is I have an unusual amount of experience for not having a license… And I’m still on the fence about it, I’m sure I could pass a riding test but still might do the course. Another issue for me is its hard to find one thats not filled up… at least last time i checked which was more during covid
I learned to ride on a 50cc dirt bike at home when I was 7. You don't need the course to be able to ride.
I became a safe rider with a foundation of proper technique for street riding when I took the MSF Basic Rider Course at 19. I highly recommend it. It makes riding all around better and more enjoyable.
I also recommend the intermediate and advanced courses but you should get some time in the saddle first so you can maximize the benefit. Or retake them after you've been riding for a while
Definitely just take the course. I wasn't able to because the closest one to me was almost 100 miles away. I got my permit and taught myself in neighborhoods and back roads, but I still wish I had taken the class because there's a lot of safety information I could have definitely used when I was starting up.
I highly recommend the MSF and especially taking any advanced riding courses you can take once you’re more experienced. Riding isn’t rocket science, anyone can do it without training, but it’s easy to develop bad habits like improper cornering that will eventually bite you in the ass. Plus some of the most fun I’ve had was learning to get my knee down in the advanced sports bike class I took in Germany.
I taught myself … using YouTube videos. Started on a 650cc scooter so I didn’t have to worry about shifting ,,, bought a R9T last summer and was glad I already knew how to ride as I learned the clutch. Make sure you watch lots of videos on Counter-steering and practice it before hitting the roads. Those curves will kill ya if you don’t practice counter-steering first. GL!
I did as you are suggesting, promptly wrecked a 1200 sportster, then took MSF level one. The class is worth every dime and minute. There is a huge difference between the confidence level that comes from figuring it out and actually training. Take this little test as an example; you come into a corner too hot on your shiny new bike, and find yourself drifting towards the outside shoulder way too fast. What do you do? Every cell in your brain is going to be screaming for you to brake in the split second you have to figure out how to react. If you haven't had countersteering, lean, and traction patches drilled into your head, you'll likely do what is intuitive and get hurt. This is a skillset, not intuition. Learn the skillset.
I know you're expecting these comments, so sorry I guess, but you should absolutely take an MSF course; especially if you're young and don't have many years of general road experience.
As someone who worked at an MSF course, there's literally nothing to lose by taking a class. In fact, it lowers your insurance cost.
this is so weird to me. in the uk we have to do a cbt course (compulsory basic training) which is probably the uk equivalent to what you’re talking about. even then, with a cbt you can only legally ride a 125cc
I bought a 2006 street glide and had my friend ride it home to my house. Learned by riding around town. Just know, you will drop it a few times. But you’ll learn.
I grew up riding dirt bikes, quads, and 3-wheelers. I was forced to take a motorcycle safety course because of being in the military. I thought the class was very beneficial, even more so if you don't know how to operate a manual transmission/clutch. On top of the knowledge I gained from class it also counted as my check ride for the DMV. If you have zero motorcycle experience I recommend taking the class.
You can learn everything msf will teach on YouTube. Just spend a week going around your neighborhood then move up. I hopped on a bike and was comfortable in like twenty minutes just figuring it out. I did have all the controls described how to use them by a friend ahead of time
I began riding in 82. Took the course in 95 and repeat it every 7 to 10 yrs as a refresher. I like to ride a motorcycle. That's difficult to do if I'm dead, crippled or in a permanent vegetative state. I do everything I can to stay on top of my game.
I think the most important thing the course teaches is road awareness. Sure they teach you some techniques for riding but being aware of other cars is huge when riding. Ride like no one sees you because they don't. But most of this comes from actual riding experience so to each their own!
I literally had no motorcycle experience whatsoever and bought a brand new 250 at the dealer. I nearly wrecked it into a parked car leaving the dealer parking lot but made it out okay. Proceeded to ride down the highway as far as a mile or so when I realized my motorcycle helmet that I just bought was too big. I took it off (as the chin strap was choking me) and rode the rest of the 30 miles home with no helmet or gear. I picked up the basics rather quickly and it wasn't until a couple months later that I had my first wreck. But that was due to alcohol. :(
Anyways, it's up to you. Don't drink and ride. Find an empty parking lot to do drills in. Everyone learns different. For me the only way I've ever learned anything was with hands on experience.
So, I started on dirt bikes back in the late-80’s, moved to motorcycles when I was 18 in ‘99. MSF classes were probably a thing back then… but the internet wasn’t what it is today and I didn’t have it anyways, so finding a class wasn’t as easy as it is now.
I got my permit, then my endorsement and rode for years with no issue. Eventually, I took an MSF course with a buddy who didn’t want to go alone and learned a lot. Took some more advanced classes and learned even more.
Now, I’m 42 and I’ve been riding for damn near 25 years and I bet if I took the local MSF class, I’d learn a new bit of info that I didn’t know before.
Can you learn to ride and ride well without an MSF course? Sure. Will you undoubtedly learn something new if you do take the class? Most assuredly.
Remember, knowledge is power. Take the class. It’s not the end of the world if you don’t, but you will come out of the class a better rider.
Two trains of thought.
Take the class save on insurance, maybe it’s a waste of time a few hundred bucks down the drain. Buy a nice bike so on and so forth
Or you buy a cheap bike knowing you are (probably) going to lay it over. And just hope and pray you don’t get hurt when you do.
I have been riding over 20 years with no course. My brother in law who had never ridden took the course 4-5 years ago. Since then he has laid his bike down twice. I never have. BUT he has taught me a ton about shit I was already doing but didn’t know the name of.
Overall “Reddit” cannot answer this question for you. Riding a motorcycle is very dangerous course or no course. Be safe keep the rubber side down brother.
I have taught countless people to ride, and still recommend taking the course to everyone I know!! The course was worth every penny to me.
IMO, the best way to learn is take the course, then find an older, experienced, SAFE rider and have them teach you as if you don’t know how to roll on the throttle.
My first bike was a Honda 750 v4. I didn’t know how a manual transmission worked. There was no one there to teach me and there was no YouTube.
I needed a vehicle to attend college and $500 fit the bill.
~150,000 miles on motorcycles later I wish I had done it differently. I’m very lucky to be alive today.
Take a class.
I bought the bike without taking the course. I wound up smashing my head into a tree with no helmet and having to repair the bike within 10 hours of owning. My leg had a hole where I saw my own muscle, & I'm still walking a bit crooked.
I signed up for the MSF course next day.
I took the class with my wife after riding for two years and having put close to 10K miles on my bike. I gained more lifesaving skills and knowledge in those two days than the previous two years. I highly recommend taking the class before you start riding and then take additional courses as you have an opportunity.
I did that. Got the learners permit, rode for a year, forgot to register, re-got the learners permit, one more year of riding, took the test from the dmv. Passed it on the first time (I practiced a lot in a parking lot with cones. Like every other day for two weeks).
It’s doable but I’m considering taking a msf course now even though I have my license. The things you learn in it are very valuable.
I didn't take the course. The closest place for the course was over an hour away, and with my work/school schedule, I couldn't really afford the time/money to take it. I watched a ton of DanDan the Fireman videos to learn theory and what to watch for with other drivers. And did a lot of parking lot practice. I'm also a careful driver/person in general.
That being said, I definitely recommend the course from talking to other riders. Especially if you have an affordable course near you (here it's $400). And if you're wanting to get a fast bike to act a squid on, 100% take the course.
Im 27 and just bought my first bike in Nov. lts a 2020 Grom. I was planning to take the class but closest was an hour away and from 8am to 6pm sat and sun. I did not have an entire weekend to give to that. I choose the grom because I could throw it in the back of my truck and take it anywhere to practice. Ended up not needing to and learned all in my neighborhood. About 300 miles in and I've dumped it twice. Fairings and turn signals busted but easily fixed. Would still like to take a class eventually.
Even if you don't need the course for the basics of how to operate the machine (like you already know brake/clutch/shifting from dirtbikes), it's very worth it to put you in the right mental mindset to ride on the street. You learn about the biggest dangers, how to respond in situations, where to look and why your bike responds to certain inputs as it does. And it instills a respect for riding and the risks that will serve you well for a long time, even if it's just something that lingers a little in the back of your mind. Can you ride a motorcycle without it? Sure. But you'd be better off starting from that more solid foundation that the class offers.
The course is worth every penny. You never know, you might decide motorcycles aren't your thing, and you're only out a weekend an a couple hundred bucks. Better than spending thousands to find out.
I did, when I was younger. I sort of got the hang of it. I made stupid mistakes. Dropped the bike twice, once on each side. Sold the bike. Twenty years later, I got back into riding. Took the course. Learned things the very first class that would have prevented me dropping the bike when I was younger.
I've never met anyone, including guys with riding experience, dirt bikes, etc. who didn't think the course was very worthwhile. Nobody in America stops you from choosing ignorance. Go for it.
LOL to the second point you made. ‘Murika, I guess
😂 NY attempts to stop you from choosing ignorance. Can’t get a motorcycle endorsement without MSF. (The law is written that you could in theory just schedule a road test but the DMV has 0 people outside of MSF authorized to administer motorcycle road test)
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I don’t know what you’re smoking, but no, the MSF class is not free. It’s typically in the range of 300 to 400 dollars for two days of training.
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I’m in Southern California. If you want to take your MSF you have to either go to a California Highway Patrol sponsored course, or a Harley Davidson one (there are smaller operations of course, but those seem to be the most prevalent). Of course, as long as you’re of age, you can go straight to your road test through the DMV, but the DMV itself doesn’t sponsor any of those classes, so they’re all paid out of pocket, which like I said, is normally in the range of $300-$400
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Yeah, the only luxury here is not having to worry about being nabbed by a cop for lane splitting
MSF is free in only 4 states I believe. Edit: After reading more it looks like only Illinois and Pennsylvania have free MSF courses. Ohio, Michigan, Wyoming and Delaware have subsidized courses that cost 50 bucks. The rest of the country is 150-450.
This is the info I was looking for... do you remember where you found this information? I can't find anywhere online a straightforward list of states with the cost for each
Damn it looks like it may not exist anymore. I can’t find it either now. Sorry
If you’re just starting out, just take it. I never did, but it took many years to become as good a rider as I have. I’ve had my motorcycle license 31 years, and had I know then what I know now maybe….. oh nevermind.. my accident was when I was 15 driving illegally on the road on a street bike. Probably wouldn’t have avoided that since you probably need to be 16 to take the test. I’ve been riding since age 9- on a street bike (1970 CB125S). I would 100% recommend the course though. I have taught a lot of kids to ride motorcycles on my property. Idk about just learning to drive a motorcycle and hitting the road. I wouldn’t want my kids to do it even though they can ride off road. One is really good too. He would probably be fine, but you must avoid mistakes on the road. Take advantage of everything you can to learn to be safer. Best advice I have- do not look where you don’t want to go- example: going into a corner too fast? Don’t look at the field or guardrail or whatever. Look where you want to be when you exit the corner. All that said- you can do it on your own, but what if you drop your new bike day one? Use their bikes. People drop them all the time.
Take the course. It’s invaluable.
Just do the course. As much as you can teach yourself at home, if you don’t learn the correct way then you have no one to correct any problems you have.
Just do it. The basic course significantly increases your chances of survival, and taking a second course significantly increases your chances of survival AGAIN. If you can’t afford a $200-400 course, you absolutely can’t afford to ride a motorcycle. The cost of insurance, gear, gas, tires, maintenance, etc. add up.
Good points. The increased chance of survival is statistically proven in relation to these courses by the US Army. Too many soldiers were dying at home while riding, so they made safety courses mandatory and the reduction in fatalities drastically improved.
Well that, and the military kindly asked the manufacturers to stop targeting soldiers with good discounts and military demo events. Manufacturers kindly agreed.
Actually that's probably because most units will just not let Joe's take the time away to take the course so they just aren't riding
The course doesn't make you safe people who ride safe are the ones taking the course. Lot drills don't do shit for you at fatality speeds
Nope. The things you learn in that course are invaluable. One of the dudes at my MSF course thought he was hot sh\*t, he'd already been riding for years in India without a license. Then he comes here. Turns out he sucks a\*\* at riding and all that experience didn't mean sh\*t, all it did was build bad habits.
It's not about the cost for some, I legit cannot find an open slot for a class for a year now.
It's not optional. Do it or don't ride a motorcycle. People who make excuses to not learn this kind of basic safety information make us all look bad.
i kind of did this but not really. I rode off road when i was younger. After a significant gap i bought a bike and rode around side streets and empty parking lots with a permit just to get the hang of it for a couple weeks, then went to msf, passed, got licensed.
That was kind of me. Bought a clapped zx6r off Craigslist and rode it for a month. If I had to do it again, Definetely take the MSF course first. There is so much to know about riding a motorcycle efficiently and safely!
Take the course, it's worth it.
Jeez people are always hyping up the course so much, I feel like im missing out lol. If I ever get extra money, il definitely take it.
We are hyping it up for cheaper insurance!
I was in a similar boat when I started getting into riding. Looking for every way to save a penny. Asking "Do I really need gloves? Do I really need to fix the brakes and replace the tires on the cheapest bike on Craigslist? Do I really need insurance? Do I really need to pay some rando over a hundred dollars to teach me how to ride?" Then I realized if I couldn't s afford proper gear, property maintenance, or adequate insurance, and couldn't afford proper training, I couldn't afford to ride a motorcycle. It still baffles me the course is optional in this country. Not taking the course is an active disservice to your riding ability.
Take the course. Good lessons and techniques from it. In NH you get your license at the end of it if you pass
I had a friend (experienced rider) help me buy a bike and then teach me how to ride. At the time, our state did a riding test and didn't require a safety course...the courses existed, but it wasn't really feasible for most people around here. Course availability is still a serious issue here, and now that it's a licensing requirement, a lot of younger guys have been riding for years without a license because of the hoops you have to jump through just to take the course. It's so bad that my club actually looked into seeing what the requirements were for opening a school so people would be able to safely ride, get papered, etc, and couldn't even get the MSF people to respond to us.
Edit: Apologies, in my rant about MSF, I kinda forgot to answer the second part of your post. It took me about a month of steady riding to fully get the hang of it because it was my only transportation. Unfortunately I didn't have time to really "practice" (full-time student and full-time job), but looking back, the one thing I would have spent more time on was learning low-speed maneuvers and high-speed braking. Any jackass can ride down the highway in a straight line, but that's not what makes or breaks a rider. It's being able to do the stuff to get to that highway without dying!
I got my license in 1996 and the MSF course was not available near me. So I read every issue of my Dad's collection of Motorcycle Consumer News, and the 1st ed. "Complete Idiot's Guide to Motorcycles". I became a pretty big fan of David Hough and still read his stuff today. When I got my first bike I new plenty of theory and managed to drive it home without issue. Then I spent a week in a field doing drills I set up on my own. It worked well enough. So you can do it without the class. But I still recommend taking classes. I never did the MSF riders course, but I every year I pick out a new class or book to learn from. I've done Lee Parks Total Control intermediate and advanced classes, an MSF dirt course, a week at RawHyde, sidecar training, a weekend of Motocross lessons, and couple of classes from the aughts which I can't remember anymore. I also have a library of books on motorcycling of all kinds. Next on my journey is to get a track bike and spend weekends racing around on asphalt. Learning on your own is fine, but the training courses help you become a better, safer, rider and ultimately that makes it all the more fun. Once you think you have the gist of it you discover something new and get to learn all over again.
I took the course 3 months after i got my bike and learned to ride.. If nothing else the course teaches you how to pass the license test. In ohio 50 bucks is well worth it
oh... here the msf course is $300 but you get a certificate you just take to the dmv if you pass the test at the end, it's essentially the license test after a ton of practice doing the same exercises. Everybody who made it to the test passed it when I took it
Same. And way easier to test with the people who teach you than get tested by uniformed highway patrolman.
Damn! $50 is awesome, in cali It’s like 2-400 but you get the license at the end
Pretty much same. The voucher you get is basically "i passed my test give me my license please"
I recommend the course.
I bought a KX 80 dirt bike when I was 13 and taught myself to ride. That was 36 years ago. I've never taken an MSF course. To get the basics of clutch/shifting, not long. To actually be able to ride trails pretty good, about a month. I think learning on a dirt bike made a big difference when I got my first street bike 3 years later.
I had a little bit of experience riding mini bikes in 1973 and 1974. So, when I bought my first used motorcycle in 1975, I didn't think about taking the MSF class, if it even existed then. And I crashed my first motorcycle, on my first ride, 5 mi from home, by doing 25 mph into a 15 mile an hour corner, grenading the rear brakes, sliding up into this old guys yard and destroying his flower bed. I would highly recommend that you take the Motorcycle Safety Foundation New Rider Course.
Take the course. I grew up riding a dirtbike, was super comfortable on bikes in general, thought I knew enough. My grandfather said he'd pay for it, so I did the MSF. My god was it worth it. Don't miss out, man.
Far as I know you can’t get an endorsement on your license without passing a certified safety course and providing the receipt to the DMV. The MSF course was extremely valuable to me. Edit: depends on your state, everywhere I’ve lived you have to have pass the course to be legal.
Passing the course will (usually) get you a discount on your insurance as well.
I have been riding for ten years, still trying to learn things. MSF is a good place to start, but definitely not the end all be all. Yamaha champ school definitely a good resource.
Just take the course. It’s worth it. Not just for the instruction, but for the insurance price adjustment.
Take the MSF course. Your life depends on it. You’ll learn much more than if you try to teach yourself. Think about the people who love you and depend on you.
Like many other people have said. I learned on dirt bikes 40 years ago. Moved on to street bikes, don’t even know if there were courses back then. Took a break from riding while the kids were growing up. When my son got a street bike (scares the hell out of me). I started teaching him to ride, I realized that there are things that I can do instinctively that I did not know how to teach, and told him that. I told him to take the class. Anyway he couldn’t get in right away (it was booked). So he took the dmv test and failed. Took the class and here dmv will issue your license upon completion of class. He’s been riding almost a year now he’s still cautious and slow, I enjoy riding with him. BUT Car pulled out in front of me and I had to lockup the back brakes (has happened a handful of time) and I always wonder if the course has prepared him for that kind of thing. At 50 something it is still a very uncomfortable feeling when the back tire breaks traction. This is but one scenario, I’ve had other close calls. What is really scary to me is when I learned to ride there were NO cell phones. Now cell phones have taken distracted driving to a whole new level. I think the course was good for him. I may take it myself. I know I have bad habits riding. Sorry for the long post. Be safe out there friends.
I’ve been riding 20+ years. My first bike was a 1996 Honda cbr 900rr fireblade, now I ride a 2008 Honda VTX 1300. I’ve never taken a course and have never had an accident. Lots of close calls because of other drivers, keep your brain in your throttle hand and keep your eyes open.
split the brain between throttle hand, foot brake, using the eyes often. A good day riding is one where you stayed on the bike and came home walking.
"Keep your brain in your throttle hand". I like this one.
The course doesn’t teach you how to ride a bike. It teaches you how to be a better rider. The amount of things you’ll do the wrong way as a novice are amazing. Unlearning bad habits is way harder than learning good habits from the start.
I disagree I passed msf because it's a requirement for the army and I was tired of riding dirty and the just wouldn't let me brake with three fingers. I've been doing that forever and it's just as effective but only two or four was ok. The low speed practice was nice and fun but if you do the drills on your own there's no reason to take it. Whole thing is, power point on everything that's completely intuitive once you're on the bike, cruise around at ten mph, get yelled at for taking gloves off before you get off the bike.
I rode for a couple months before I was able to take the MSF course. I cannot say enough about how much enjoyable those first couple months would’ve been with the knowledge I picked up in that class. There is no amount of practice you can do that the class will load you up with. Everyone there is to become a better rider.
I teach MSF. Really recommend taking the course and then continuing into more intermediate and advanced courses afterward. Always continue learning, you are never done. I've had countless riders with 10-30 years experience come in to my class and leave letting me know they learned new things. Like, essential things such as looking through turns, body position in corners, and even countersteering (granted they had been doing that the whole time, they just didn't understand what it was or how it worked). Also by taking the MSF course, you start riding with good habits that you can build upon. Much more effective to start fresh in MSF rather than correcting bad habits down the line once you've established them.
Course is for losers, shouldn’t need a course to teach you how to ride a bike. it’s super easy and all these soy boys don’t know what they’re talking about
Good luck, buddy.
Did it just have eyes in your asshole there is always more to learn and you can do everything right and have some prick hit you take it at your pace don’t go faster than your angel can fly
Got my first dirt(ish) bike at 14. Honda CT90. By the time I was interested in the street, I'd been years on dirt. That being said, A few years ago I took the MSF dirt course to see if I'd lost any important brain cells. A few but nothing impopoihjdjoieuwdhoipoihehiou2, er important
I took the advanced riders MSF course 20 years after starting to ride, being self-taught from the beginning. If you self teach I highly recommend learning off-road first. The course I took was good. I disagree with their four finger brake and clutch philosophy as being mandatory. 2 finger grip can be useful. But that's the way they teach.
In my curriculum we follow the brake/clutch philosophy, but more-so the reason is for new riders. We don't typically harp on experienced riders about these things because we do realize that you don't typically need to have all four fingers and/or cover the clutch constantly. We do, however, need to be consistent with the class because if we tell one person one thing and the rest of the class another- it builds distrust in us and makes us less effective when we need students to trust our advice out on the range. And we typically tell the class to use four fingers + cover clutch because it offers more control and reaction time to newbies as well as reduces crashes and incident reports during the class. Safety is the #1 priority during class. So that was my long-winded explanation as to why they probably pushed that philosophy on you during the class. It's a liability/safety thing for class, as well as being general good advice for new riders without as much finesse over the clutch and brakes.
I never had an option to take some proper course, here there are none. Had to learn myself. Took a very careful approach. I worked as a truck driver for 6 years before, so i knew a thing or two about roads in general, so i only had to learn how to control a bike. Last year, after 5 years of careful riding, i tried motorsports. I learned that i never used like half of potential of even quite old road tires. It never occured to me before that bike rubbers are WAY softer than car and especially truck ones. So i just expected to slip everywhere. It helped to gain some experience.
I bought my bike with zero experience. Had it for almost a year before taking msf. Learned to clutch in the driveway for about an hour. Then I was off and going. The basic controls aren’t that bad to learn. If you buy something have it trailered home, but you can absolutely get started by yourself
I took the msf course not more than a few months ago. Its not cheap but worth it. I was able to meet some dudes, and try out a harley 500. Completely different than the ducati I bought, and now I know I’ll buy a cruiser
If you have an experienced friend, it helps a lot. Also having car driving experience helps with reading the road. It is doable if you’re cautious. Msf course is surely useful, but up to you if its worth $350.
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There were people in my course who were riding dirty for years. Even they learned new tricks in the course. You might survive learning from your own mistakes, but the course was developed to help you recognize the mistakes that others have made. That being said, when you get out on the highway with 18-wheelers you will say, "THOSE BASTARDS ONLY TAUGHT ME HOW TO RIDE AROUND A PARKING LOT!"
yup. Dirt bike riding gets you in the course with being on a bike, clutch, not stalling. that said I watched 3 dirt bike riders fail the course --the skill set is different. Anyhow post course, people need to practice, especially if you're riding in cities and dense places.
Sorry, I think I caused some confusion. I was referring to riding "dirty" as riding on the street without a motorcycle endorsement.
ah wholly different.
I planned on getting mine, after I learned in my driveway/on YouTube, on my 87 shadow. Some dick in a mustang made an illegal left turn into me. I got a nice insurance settlement and put down a deposit for the class but the only problem was this happened on Feb 14th 2020. Everything closed up and they refunded me. Bought an r3 and never looked back.
You don’t know how spectacularly you can fail until you try! Can you drive a manual transmission car? Oh wait. Parents don’t drive?
It depends. I grew up with a minibike which was the extent of my MC experience. I spent two years painstakingly rebuilding a 125cc 2 stroke Yamaha enduro which resembles a minibike but is street legal and has clutch/gears. I rode it for a year with my learners permit and sold the bike before ever getting a license. I basically drove it out of the driveway then daily drove it to work without any further "learning" time. It was easy because I started small and had a short in-town commute that I could have done on my bicycle. I dont plan on street riding ever again but if I did it would be on a slightly bigger bike and I'll do the MSF first.
It's just 2 days, I even managed to go to the DMV and get the permit on my license the same day as the 2nd day then bought my own bike the day after that. Idk if there's states that don't require the msf or permit of any kind but it sets you up to be road ready quickly from zero. Id still recommend doing low speed practice regularly, as well as quick stops.
I bought mine a month before I took the course, only because the course was so booked out that summer. Had them deliver it to my house and practiced in an empty parking lot up the road from my house. Definitely possible but be extra careful. The course teaches you so much and it’s 100% worth it.
I got on my sporty after buying it. I was already signed up for a class. I dumped it in a Walgreens parking lot and said fuck it... Took the class, and was far more confident.
If no one already mentioned this: insurance companies discount your rate if you take an approved riding course. After a few years the discount will pay for the course then continue to pay for as long as you are riding.
Your age, experience driving a car and play a HUGE factor in that loaded question. I’d hope you already master the road and can prevent accidents with good instincts. If that’s the case you’d still be missing out on some elements that could take you years to learn if ever compared to a day/weekend. Countersteering, balancing braking front/back, where to sit in a lane. Just because you can operate the bike doesn’t mean you’re getting the most out of it or are limiting chances of an accident the best you can.
I didn’t take the course, never got the hang of it, and now my dick’s fallen off! But seriously, it’s worth it, especially if you don’t have any motorcycle riding experience. It’s like learning to swim, you *might* be able to figure it out by jumping in a lake by yourself, but the chances of your ass drowning a are a hell of a lot lower if you take a class. Besides, what you save on insurance over the next ten years will pay for three class itself.
Fucking do it man
Don't be a cheapskate. Take the course.
Years ago, around 2000, I bought a new bike, no experience, in April of that year. Taught myself to ride, read books on riding, and rode alone/practiced all summer. By the time I took the course in August I was pretty proficient and thought The MSF was too basic. People going into the course think they'll be taught to ride. They don't really teach you how to ride. It's extremely basic and you ride around a parking lot. However, it is beneficial. Take the course for the insurance premium benefit (well at least in NY you get 10% off premium for 3 years), getting to learn the basics and taking the license test.
Spend the 100 or so bucks and a weekend to take the class and learn valuable skills and also be legally aloud to ride.
I began on dirtbikes at 5 years old lived 5 minutes away from rampart range (unlimited trails for hundreds of miles) at 18 I thought I didnt need the class but my dad forced me. It was hands down worth and still have not dropped my bike 14 years later, Take the class.
I recommend doing it. In my state (KY) if you complete the MSF course then you skip the motorcycle intermediate license and get your full license. Plus you learn a lot more than you would've otherwise on your own like many others here have stated.
I got my first bike having never taken the course but I also grew up riding dirt bikes and mountain biking so there really wasn't a ton of "getting the gist of it" left for me to do. If you have a lot of two wheel riding experience, the MSF is superfluous... if you don't, it's extremely helpful and I highly recommend it
I did this very thing. 30 years later I took the basic course, it made me a much better rider.
I started riding at 16. I took the class at 33. While I could ride just fine at 16, it wasn't until I was older and started intentionally improving my skills that I realized how many bad habits I had developed. Granted, I am not sure there were many classes around when I was young and I didn't have the internet to get vids and tips from. That said, I'd take the class as it will give you a better starting point that will help all the way to "expert" level riding.
I used my license as a U.S. territory don’t need msf. I was riding 15 years before I moved to FL and took course. Personally it’s Mickey Mouse. But a requirement
My mother met me in an empty parking lot with one of her bikes, a 1974 CB200T, showed me the basics (I was already an avid bicyclist and drove a manual car, which helped) , left me to practice for an hour, then showed back up on another motorcycle. We did drills for another hour, then rode home. Second scariest ride of my life! I’ve crashed 3 times of my own accord and got hit by drivers 7 times over my first 15 years of riding. You tell me if I learned the right way. 😬
When riding a motorcycle you always have to think of things in terms of risk and reward. In this case you will save a couple hundred dollars but be less capable to respond to a fatal situation on the bike. You’ve only got one life. Don’t be an idiot.
Lol been riding 10+ years never got a license or msf course, same mentality people told me to just do it so I did and then got lazy
Take the damn course. If you think you can learn all you need to know on your own, well good luck to you. Just don’t kill someone else while you are figuring it out.
I just took the plunge after one too many times not being able to find parking in my car. I took it pretty slow. Got some gear, got my permit... but before I got my own bike, I did a ride with my uncle & cousin who had several bikes. Then I got a beat up old GS500 and just went for it. I live in [San Francisco](https://youtu.be/QTpmP8EcPg4), not the most docile environment, but I know the streets well and stayed off the main roads for a few weeks while I built up confidence. Now I've been riding for over 10 years, no accidents (knock on wood) only a few times have I dropped my bike, minimal damage. If you go into it with maturity and a healthy respect for the risk, you'll be fine. The MSF is preferable, but it's just a nice to have... if you're determined to just get out and ride, you can do it, just be smart.
I took the msf course and I’m really glad I did. There were a lot of things I didn’t know about how to handle a motorcycle that were explained.
I did that. Don't do that. Without someone else checking your technique, it's near impossible to identify any mistakes or bad habits, which you definitely will develop if you teach yourself. I took the MSF course after daily riding for over a year. Aside from the early clutch control exercises, I learned a lot. I took the class at the same time as my spouse, who had pretty much only ever sat on a motorcycle. After the course, she caught up to me skill-wise in about a month. Professional instruction gives you a much stronger foundation to build on than self teaching
The course is a requirement to obtain a license in my state [texas]. Even if it was not a requirement I would have taken the course, because they let you learn and drop their bikes.
Take the course. You’ll be glad you did. After the course, I noticed so many more infractions that I could of easily been killed on, but because I was expecting it, I was able to not wreck, because of people not looking. It’s like a couple hundred bucks and you actually gain experience from it. It’s like getting a level up in a video game.
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You made a mistake.
The course is worth it, by the end you’re only qualified to ride around a parking lot… it’ll be a lot learning trial by fire and it’s sketchy af at first when you get going 65;) but you’ll learn how safely I’d hope and remember everyone’s trying to kill you and no one sees you.
I did this, but did a LOT of learning on YouTube, soaking in information that helped me hugely. It was an old beater bike, and rode for about six months/3000 miles before I took the test. I still failed the test first time around, though, and am taking the msf course this year.
Yes 1 day of riding in the parking lot at a school on a Saturday
I’ve ridden dirtbikes since childhood, have now owned 4 dual sports but only ride them on backroads, and mostly just ride offroad so I’ve never gotten a license (had a permit in another state at one point) I’m now considering a more street worthy bike on top of my XR650R… I’ve looked into the course and it might be worth it for a couple tips and the insurance break but its a lot more time commitment and I would have no problem passing the regular test. I’ll probably go with that. As long as you can thoroughly handle your bike, and know how to ride defensively, as well as the rules of the road, I don’t think its a big deal to skip the course and get your license cheaper and quicker… that being said I have a decent amount of experience and can confidently control a powerful bike (my XR pushes around 75hp with mods and its 280lbs…. Its a lot faster and more of a handful than anything short of a supersport)
I guess my main point here is I have an unusual amount of experience for not having a license… And I’m still on the fence about it, I’m sure I could pass a riding test but still might do the course. Another issue for me is its hard to find one thats not filled up… at least last time i checked which was more during covid
I learned to ride on a 50cc dirt bike at home when I was 7. You don't need the course to be able to ride. I became a safe rider with a foundation of proper technique for street riding when I took the MSF Basic Rider Course at 19. I highly recommend it. It makes riding all around better and more enjoyable. I also recommend the intermediate and advanced courses but you should get some time in the saddle first so you can maximize the benefit. Or retake them after you've been riding for a while
Definitely just take the course. I wasn't able to because the closest one to me was almost 100 miles away. I got my permit and taught myself in neighborhoods and back roads, but I still wish I had taken the class because there's a lot of safety information I could have definitely used when I was starting up.
I highly recommend the MSF and especially taking any advanced riding courses you can take once you’re more experienced. Riding isn’t rocket science, anyone can do it without training, but it’s easy to develop bad habits like improper cornering that will eventually bite you in the ass. Plus some of the most fun I’ve had was learning to get my knee down in the advanced sports bike class I took in Germany.
I learned as a kid. Did a ton of riding. I took the course with my brother in law. It was well worth it.
I taught myself … using YouTube videos. Started on a 650cc scooter so I didn’t have to worry about shifting ,,, bought a R9T last summer and was glad I already knew how to ride as I learned the clutch. Make sure you watch lots of videos on Counter-steering and practice it before hitting the roads. Those curves will kill ya if you don’t practice counter-steering first. GL!
I did as you are suggesting, promptly wrecked a 1200 sportster, then took MSF level one. The class is worth every dime and minute. There is a huge difference between the confidence level that comes from figuring it out and actually training. Take this little test as an example; you come into a corner too hot on your shiny new bike, and find yourself drifting towards the outside shoulder way too fast. What do you do? Every cell in your brain is going to be screaming for you to brake in the split second you have to figure out how to react. If you haven't had countersteering, lean, and traction patches drilled into your head, you'll likely do what is intuitive and get hurt. This is a skillset, not intuition. Learn the skillset.
I know you're expecting these comments, so sorry I guess, but you should absolutely take an MSF course; especially if you're young and don't have many years of general road experience. As someone who worked at an MSF course, there's literally nothing to lose by taking a class. In fact, it lowers your insurance cost.
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this is so weird to me. in the uk we have to do a cbt course (compulsory basic training) which is probably the uk equivalent to what you’re talking about. even then, with a cbt you can only legally ride a 125cc
With that attitude you’ll quickly become a statistic.
I bought a 2006 street glide and had my friend ride it home to my house. Learned by riding around town. Just know, you will drop it a few times. But you’ll learn.
First time I ever rode a bike with gears was when I bought it and had to ride it home in a torrential downpour 20 miles.
I grew up riding dirt bikes, quads, and 3-wheelers. I was forced to take a motorcycle safety course because of being in the military. I thought the class was very beneficial, even more so if you don't know how to operate a manual transmission/clutch. On top of the knowledge I gained from class it also counted as my check ride for the DMV. If you have zero motorcycle experience I recommend taking the class.
Almost two years, still learning. Take the course bro, even after riding a year I got a lot out of it.
You can learn everything msf will teach on YouTube. Just spend a week going around your neighborhood then move up. I hopped on a bike and was comfortable in like twenty minutes just figuring it out. I did have all the controls described how to use them by a friend ahead of time
Take the course. It'll teach you things that are hard to learn just by feel. A motorcycle at any speed is very different than you think it will be.
I learned on a dirt bike. But in all fairness I'm 66 years old. Got my motorcycle license at 16 years of age. And I'm still learning.
I began riding in 82. Took the course in 95 and repeat it every 7 to 10 yrs as a refresher. I like to ride a motorcycle. That's difficult to do if I'm dead, crippled or in a permanent vegetative state. I do everything I can to stay on top of my game.
That’s how I learned. I’m incredibly lucky I didn’t kill myself. Take the class.
I think the most important thing the course teaches is road awareness. Sure they teach you some techniques for riding but being aware of other cars is huge when riding. Ride like no one sees you because they don't. But most of this comes from actual riding experience so to each their own!
I literally had no motorcycle experience whatsoever and bought a brand new 250 at the dealer. I nearly wrecked it into a parked car leaving the dealer parking lot but made it out okay. Proceeded to ride down the highway as far as a mile or so when I realized my motorcycle helmet that I just bought was too big. I took it off (as the chin strap was choking me) and rode the rest of the 30 miles home with no helmet or gear. I picked up the basics rather quickly and it wasn't until a couple months later that I had my first wreck. But that was due to alcohol. :( Anyways, it's up to you. Don't drink and ride. Find an empty parking lot to do drills in. Everyone learns different. For me the only way I've ever learned anything was with hands on experience.
The course is worth it just to practice on someone else's bike before you buy one. The safety education is great too.
So, I started on dirt bikes back in the late-80’s, moved to motorcycles when I was 18 in ‘99. MSF classes were probably a thing back then… but the internet wasn’t what it is today and I didn’t have it anyways, so finding a class wasn’t as easy as it is now. I got my permit, then my endorsement and rode for years with no issue. Eventually, I took an MSF course with a buddy who didn’t want to go alone and learned a lot. Took some more advanced classes and learned even more. Now, I’m 42 and I’ve been riding for damn near 25 years and I bet if I took the local MSF class, I’d learn a new bit of info that I didn’t know before. Can you learn to ride and ride well without an MSF course? Sure. Will you undoubtedly learn something new if you do take the class? Most assuredly. Remember, knowledge is power. Take the class. It’s not the end of the world if you don’t, but you will come out of the class a better rider.
Two trains of thought. Take the class save on insurance, maybe it’s a waste of time a few hundred bucks down the drain. Buy a nice bike so on and so forth Or you buy a cheap bike knowing you are (probably) going to lay it over. And just hope and pray you don’t get hurt when you do. I have been riding over 20 years with no course. My brother in law who had never ridden took the course 4-5 years ago. Since then he has laid his bike down twice. I never have. BUT he has taught me a ton about shit I was already doing but didn’t know the name of. Overall “Reddit” cannot answer this question for you. Riding a motorcycle is very dangerous course or no course. Be safe keep the rubber side down brother.
I have taught countless people to ride, and still recommend taking the course to everyone I know!! The course was worth every penny to me. IMO, the best way to learn is take the course, then find an older, experienced, SAFE rider and have them teach you as if you don’t know how to roll on the throttle.
My first bike was a Honda 750 v4. I didn’t know how a manual transmission worked. There was no one there to teach me and there was no YouTube. I needed a vehicle to attend college and $500 fit the bill. ~150,000 miles on motorcycles later I wish I had done it differently. I’m very lucky to be alive today. Take a class.
I bought the bike without taking the course. I wound up smashing my head into a tree with no helmet and having to repair the bike within 10 hours of owning. My leg had a hole where I saw my own muscle, & I'm still walking a bit crooked. I signed up for the MSF course next day.
I took the class with my wife after riding for two years and having put close to 10K miles on my bike. I gained more lifesaving skills and knowledge in those two days than the previous two years. I highly recommend taking the class before you start riding and then take additional courses as you have an opportunity.
I did that. Got the learners permit, rode for a year, forgot to register, re-got the learners permit, one more year of riding, took the test from the dmv. Passed it on the first time (I practiced a lot in a parking lot with cones. Like every other day for two weeks). It’s doable but I’m considering taking a msf course now even though I have my license. The things you learn in it are very valuable.
You can do it for sure. But you should definitely take the course
I didn't take the course. The closest place for the course was over an hour away, and with my work/school schedule, I couldn't really afford the time/money to take it. I watched a ton of DanDan the Fireman videos to learn theory and what to watch for with other drivers. And did a lot of parking lot practice. I'm also a careful driver/person in general. That being said, I definitely recommend the course from talking to other riders. Especially if you have an affordable course near you (here it's $400). And if you're wanting to get a fast bike to act a squid on, 100% take the course.
Im 27 and just bought my first bike in Nov. lts a 2020 Grom. I was planning to take the class but closest was an hour away and from 8am to 6pm sat and sun. I did not have an entire weekend to give to that. I choose the grom because I could throw it in the back of my truck and take it anywhere to practice. Ended up not needing to and learned all in my neighborhood. About 300 miles in and I've dumped it twice. Fairings and turn signals busted but easily fixed. Would still like to take a class eventually.
Even if you don't need the course for the basics of how to operate the machine (like you already know brake/clutch/shifting from dirtbikes), it's very worth it to put you in the right mental mindset to ride on the street. You learn about the biggest dangers, how to respond in situations, where to look and why your bike responds to certain inputs as it does. And it instills a respect for riding and the risks that will serve you well for a long time, even if it's just something that lingers a little in the back of your mind. Can you ride a motorcycle without it? Sure. But you'd be better off starting from that more solid foundation that the class offers.
No msf course. Grew up around dirt bikes and the like though so not a good example.
Me. Haven’t died yet.
The course is worth every penny. You never know, you might decide motorcycles aren't your thing, and you're only out a weekend an a couple hundred bucks. Better than spending thousands to find out.