first day of class

[bikenutt1980]

Friday night was the first day of my 2 1/2 day riding course. Friday night was spent in the classroom 3 hours. Not bad. Today was sooooooooooo long and HOT. Started out at 7:30am on the course learning to handle the bike, we were useing 250cc bikes. Talk about a long hot day some of it spent riding which wasnt bad because of the air movement but standing around waiting for them to put up the new course was the worst, jeans, long sleve shirt, helmet, sungalsses and gloves were mandatory dress code. That lasted till noon. Hour break for lunch then 3 more hours of classroom time with the written test at the end. I scored a 98%. Tomorrow is more riding lessons then a test on the course. Temp tomorrow is going to be around 95. yuck. On the plus side after its all said and done they give you a card to take to the DMV to get you motorcycle lic. Im starting not to like my half helmet so much. Thinking a full face one would be better.

jason

[Bigfoot]

After taking on too many large bugs in the face, I have switched to a full face helmet. If I ever put my fairing back on or install a windshield I will probably use the half helmet.

[prometheus578]

"Bounce your chin on the pavement once of twice and you'll think differently."

Rule of thumb in deciding to wave or not to a rider approaching from the other direction.
If he has a full face helmet I wave.
If it's an open faced one, that means it's a harley rider and I don't wave.

[mason79]

Re: "Bounce your chin on the pavement once of twice and you'll think differently."

Originally posted by prometheus578
Rule of thumb in deciding to wave or not to a rider approaching from the other direction.
If he has a full face helmet I wave.
If it's an open faced one, that means it's a harley rider and I don't wave.

you may not be thinkin toomuch afta that bounce...

[prometheus578]

"I wasn't thinking too much even before the bounce."

Get a full-faced helmet.
( No one wants to look at you, anyway.)

[mason79]

i rather look like some over protected dork, not like some posers, and save my hide for the 99 percent of life off the xs, than to bounce once and wish i looked like a dork and to end up tampering with the other 99 percent of life.

[prometheus578]

"I've done a lot of crash estimates over the years..."

It's not hard to tell which owners wore full helmets or half helmets...
It's as plain as the scabbed nose on their face.

[bikenutt1980]

Re: "Bounce your chin on the pavement once of twice and you'll think differently."

Originally posted by prometheus578
If it's an open faced one, that means it's a harley rider and I don't wave.

You mean you cant tell the difference between a HD and a XS11? WOW

[DenzComp]

He means as you pass on opposite sides of the road.

I had no idea this existed. It boggles my mind really. I'm new to riding and while out with my dad(Harley) EVERYONE on a bike who passes does the wave. It isn't really a "wave" like a parade wave. Low arm hang type of deal.

I don't get why everyone who rides a bike thinks I want to wave to them like I'm friends with them.

Yeah I get it we both ride, but I don't wave to every car I pass when I'm driving....

[vincer]

Was it worth it

How was the class? I am thinking of taking the course this weekend. It is also a Friday thru Sunday course.

[prometheus578]

Courses are good.
Take it.

[rman]

The Wave

I see Jeep drivers all seem to wave to each other as well.

Its like saying "Yeah, we be cool"

As for the classes, I took the Pa motorcycle riders safety course and as a new rider thought it was a great way to start riding. There were also several in the class that had been riding a long time, even one of them was surprised upon learning about counter steering.

[vincer]

I am going to sign up tonight.

[underdog57]

I reccomend the class , took it last summer .....
bet I would of been off the road without this experiance !!!
Especially corners , ,,,

bob

[fredintoon]

But what if your head melts?

Good for Bikenutt that he is taking a rider's course. There were none back when I got my license but both my boys had one as their 16th birthday present.
About helmet styles; in (usually) temperate Saskatchewan I wear a fullface but on a recent tour of Montana in 100ºF temperatures wearing the fullface my head felt as though it were melting. I took advantage of Montana's lack of a helmet law to switch to my wife's 3/4 helmet and she switched to a bandanna. (I ride a sidecar rig. Sidecar rigs are FAR safer than solos). Solo, no way would I do this but must say, when riding in extremes of heat fullface + heatstroke may not be safer than open face and a clearer mind.