OK-ANOTHER MSF question

[VatorMan]

My wife is due to take the MSF course in early June. She knows how to drive a stick. I have her bike (600 lb. cruiser) ready. Would you try to show her how the brakes/clutch/throttle works or let the MSF instructor do it all ?

I'm on the fence about pre training.

[Dragonpaco]

let the instructor do it. pretraining can confuse them

[VatorMan]

let the instructor do it. pretraining can confuse them

I was kinda thinking the same thing. Read the other thread and wondered if I was doing wife right by NOT putting her on the bike.

[Tsunami]

I don't think there is anything wrong with teaching her the controls. Its not like you are taking her around town teaching her bad habits.

I had a couple of private lessons first (i didnt' know how to drive stick so all the manual stuff was foreign and didn't know anyone that rode) and it helped alot since i was already familiar with how the controls work.

[HokieDNA01]

I would want the first drops to happen on the MSF bikes verses the one she will be riding. Might get her upset if she scuffs it up bad before taking the class.

[VatorMan]

I would want the first drops to happen on the MSF bikes verses the one she will be riding. Might get her upset if she scuffs it up bad before taking the class.

She KNOWS IDGAF if she drops the Yami. That's what iit's for. I'll be more upset if she doesn't learn good habits.

[MissHell]

They will teach her in class. I didn't know anything about riding OR driving a stick-shift when I went to MSF. I passed. :yes:

IMO if she wants to learn what you mentioned, don't think it would hurt. :shrug:

[VatorMan]

Thanks for all that responded. I was on the fence about teaching her early-I'll just let the paid pros do their jobs.

[101lifts2]

My wife is due to take the MSF course in early June. She knows how to drive a stick. I have her bike (600 lb. cruiser) ready. Would you try to show her how the brakes/clutch/throttle works or let the MSF instructor do it all ?

I'm on the fence about pre training.

She can drive a stick, but can she ride a stick? lol

Personally I would show her the controls. It will give he a slight advantage and make learning the other stuff easier.

[Ducati Diva]

I didn't really ride before my class but Jeeps had me sit on it and showed me what all the controls were and how the gears changed. I also knew how to drive a stick before I satarted. I felt better before the class and it helped.

[Angee]

I'm fortunate to have someone who has been riding for over 20 years and is a pretty good teacher. He's anal about gear and good habits. I can drive a stick, but this is definitely different for me in that it's all done with opposing appendages...i.e.: clutch with hand, gears by foot. It can't hurt to put it on the centerstand and let her get a feel for it at least, but that's y'alls call. I'm a hands-on person, so I'm tootling around the drive at VERY low speed. If you guys feel better about waiting, then by all means wait. It's all about who you are and what's right for YOU. I can't get into a class until at LEAST August (not even a weekday class), and I'll go nuts by then :lol:

[JoJoYZF]

I had friends who had a lot of dirtbike experience and one who rode a sportbike that showed me the controls before hand and I think it helped. My car is a stick, so between knowing the controls and how to work a clutch I did pretty well at getting started and was able to pay more attention to other things they were teaching us.

[cbrchick]

Heck, why not show her? The first night of class, we were taught how to shift in a school desk. We didn't get on the bikes until the next day. My sister and I were pulling wheelies in our desk when no one was looking :) We got the highest scores on our tests - written and course - and we were 16 (grew up a little on dirt bikes).

It's sooo slow to start, that any basic knowledge before you go in is just that, basic.

Not really related, but years later I taught my cousin how to drive a standard car from knowing how to drive a motorcycle. I never drove/owned a standard. I sat in the passenger seat and told her what to do... :)

[NONE_too_SOFT]

if she passes the course does she get her endorsement? if so, i'd prepare her as much as possible for everything they go over in the class.

[Particle Man]

If she has ridden pillion enough she probably has some idea (possibly the wrong one). Ask her how SHE thinks the controls work first...

[Ducati Diva]

if she passes the course does she get her endorsement? if so, i'd prepare her as much as possible for everything they go over in the class.

Don't know about there but here if you pass the course you get a card to take to the DMV that let you get out of taking a driving test. You still have to take the written test. You also get a nice discount on insurance for taking the course.

[Gas Man]

I taught my wife everything before class. She rode abt 800 miles before class. She also read 2 books before she ever touched her bike on pavement. But then again, I am very good at teaching things. I tought her how to drive a stick shift mustang GT back in the day and told her she would have to know how to drive a stick in her sleep before she could ride a bike. My rule. And she owned a stick shift for 3 years after that. Never yell at the person is also a good rule.

But you will find a parking lot will only get you so far on a big street bike. Hard to get speed when nervous and confined to a parking lot. Everntually you just need to hit the street.

Find out the local laws, you can probably get her a permit where she can ride with you on the street. Do a few parking lot hours then hit the road. it will comfort her nerves if she has the upper hand of expierence before the MSF.

That is all IF IF IF you think you can properly teach. Not all husbands are up to the task regardless if they know it or not.

[azoomm]

That is all IF IF IF you think you can properly teach. Not all husbands are up to the task regardless if they know it or not.

:dthumb:

Since you are questioning it, I would vote no. :lol:

My daughter is taking it in August - and she's been asking me all sorts of questions. I told her I would go over anything she wanted to know - but won't go outside of that to teach her something. :wink:

[EpyonXero]

I dont really think driving a stick is a prerequisite for riding a bike. I taught myself to ride a bike at least a year or two before I drove my first stick shift.

[shmike]

That is all IF IF IF you think you can properly teach. Not all husbands are up to the task regardless if they know it or not.

Best advice in the thread. :dthumb:

Many guys don't have the patience to teach something if the student doesn't 'get it' right away.

I'd be all for it assuming you can both stand each other afterward.

[Tmall]

I rode a bike with a clutch when I was 7. I'm sure you can sort her out with the basics if a 7 year old can handle it.

(the sick fucks taught me on a kx 80)

[Particle Man]

Hell, buy a quad if you're worried about how to get the clutch work right...


Not saying it'll help, but at least you'll have a new toy. :D :D :D

[HurricaneHeather]

I agree with Gas on this one. My husband had me go out to empty parking lots before my class, but he might be the most patient person on the planet, so it was no big deal. :shrug:

Now my dad tried to teach me a little first. He is not the most patient person....I cried and was ready to give up after 5 minutes. :lol:

[the chi]

Im with the "go for it" if you can handle it crowd. As long as it is just the basics and you arent teaching her bad habits, it might give her a bit more confidence when she gets to the class to already know the basics of how it "goes" and stops.

[Rider]

I'd let her learn in class on a lighter less valuable bike. Let her drop theirs not yours. I wouldn't let mt wife as much as sit on my bike until after she took the MSF course,

[MILK]

I'd let her learn in class on a lighter less valuable bike. Let her drop theirs not yours. I wouldn't let mt wife as much as sit on my bike until after she took the MSF course,

Not long after I finished the MSF my husband was dying for me to ride his 10,000 pound Harley. I finally drove it - to the end of our street - and made him come and get me! I refused to turn it! :lol:

[wildchild]

I would have her out riding the bike before class. That's just me though I have taught a number of people to ride. Including the sig other. Patience is the biggest thing to remember. If you don't think you can do it then let it wait.

[Particle Man]

Not long after I finished the MSF my husband was dying for me to ride his 10,000 pound Harley. I finally drove it - to the end of our street - and made him come and get me! I refused to turn it! :lol:

it's not the turning that's an issue... it's keeping it from tipping over during said turn that's a problem :lol:

[VatorMan]

You guys are a tremendous help.:skep:

[Looni2ns]

Discuss it first. If she would like for you to show her things on the bike, and there are no expectations to get in the way, then let her set the limit on how far to go. If she just wants you to show her the controls, mechanical parts of the bike, etc., without cranking it up and taking off, then do just that. If she wants you to show her more, let her sit on the bike, and go through the gears without cranking it up. But, discuss it first.

It's the expectations on both sides that get in the way, and usually end up with hurt feelings and someone in tears. Wanna take a guess who??

If you want to teach her like they'll do in the MSF course, you can get a copy of the MSF materials online and use those as a teaching guide.

http://www.msf-usa.org/index_new.cfm?spl=2&action=display&pagename=Library

It's "The Pace", in a different format.

[racedoll]

Discuss it first. If she would like for you to show her things on the bike, and there are no expectations to get in the way, then let her set the limit on how far to go. If she just wants you to show her the controls, mechanical parts of the bike, etc., without cranking it up and taking off, then do just that. If she wants you to show her more, let her sit on the bike, and go through the gears without cranking it up. But, discuss it first.

It's the expectations on both sides that get in the way, and usually end up with hurt feelings and someone in tears. Wanna take a guess who??

If you want to teach her like they'll do in the MSF course, you can get a copy of the MSF materials online and use those as a teaching guide.

http://www.msf-usa.org/index_new.cfm?spl=2&action=display&pagename=Library

It's "The Pace", in a different format.

This is what I would suggest too. Ask her what she wants. Most guys want to do everything for their SO but we have an opinion too.

I would think starting with the basics as they do in the MSF with letting here slip the clutch just enough it starts to grab so she can get used to where it engages. Then take it to the next step with "walking" around the parking lot.

Just let her decide though.

[VatorMan]

In other news-She passed her test last night. Time to get her some real world experience. :rockwoot:

[Particle Man]

In other news-She passed her test last night. Time to get her some real world experience. :rockwoot:

did she have a blast on those little 175's?

[Kaneman]

I'd show her and if you've got a big enough back yard or grassy space let her ride it around some.

That's what I did with my ex anyway, and she passed MSF with a perfect score.
________
Magic Flight (http://mflbvaporizer.com)

[VatorMan]

She passed her test. She actually failed her first time-So we did a LOT of training in the time before her second try. I put her on the 1100. :lol: By the time she was used to it-The little training bike felt like a bicycle she said. Had no problem the second time.

[racedoll]

Yeah! Great job VatorMan's Wife!