This is why I'm not at M&G

[Jade Tigress]

Well, a lot of you are packing up and heading to the Meet & Greet. Gonna be a great time and I'm jealous of all you who can make it.

BUT.

Back in Feb. I signed up for a motorcycle safety course and it happens to be this weekend. Started last night through Monday.

I have been a passenger for years and I ride my sons dirt bike, but I want my own bike. Don't wanna get out on the street and kill myself so, taking the course. Last night was the classroom time. It was very interesting, a good group of people and great instructors.

Tonight is the first night of riding time. The bikes are Buell Blasts and Road Kings. I want to train on a Road King but I bet they give me a Blast.
They assign you a bike and you use the same one for the entire course. There are 11 people in the class, 8 guys and 3 girls. There are 8 Road Kings and 4 Blasts available. I bet all the girls get the Blasts and the guys will get the Road Kings. I know it will be easier learning on the Blast, it's a very rider friendly bike and smaller than the Road Kings, but I'd rather learn on something closer to what I'm going to be riding rather than learn on something not at all like what I'm going to be riding. Oh, well, no biggie, it will carry over fine I'm sure. And here I am assuming, but I bet I'm right on the bike assignments.

Anyway, it is going to be super fun but intense and I'm really looking forward to the next few days.

 

[kidswarrior]

Well, a lot of you are packing up and heading to the Meet & Greet. Gonna be a great time and I'm jealous of all you who can make it.

BUT.

Back in Feb. I signed up for a motorcycle safety course and it happens to be this weekend. Started last night through Monday.

I have been a passenger for years and I ride my sons dirt bike, but I want my own bike. Don't wanna get out on the street and kill myself so, taking the course. Last night was the classroom time. It was very interesting, a good group of people and great instructors.

Tonight is the first night of riding time. The bikes are Buell Blasts and Road Kings. I want to train on a Road King but I bet they give me a Blast.
They assign you a bike and you use the same one for the entire course. There are 11 people in the class, 8 guys and 3 girls. There are 8 Road Kings and 4 Blasts available. I bet all the girls get the Blasts and the guys will get the Road Kings. I know it will be easier learning on the Blast, it's a very rider friendly bike and smaller than the Road Kings, but I'd rather learn on something closer to what I'm going to be riding rather than learn on something not at all like what I'm going to be riding. Oh, well, no biggie, it will carry over fine I'm sure. And here I am assuming, but I bet I'm right on the bike assignments.

Anyway, it is going to be super fun but intense and I'm really looking forward to the next few days.

Sounds like fun. Hope you have a great time. And you could be really mean and offer to spar one of the guys for one of the Road Kings. You could say something like, hey, I'm just a girl, so don't hurt me too bad, OK? Then clean his clock, and there's your bike! OK, that's not very nice. Forget I said it. Have a great time, Pam.

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

Have a great time Pam and I to am jealous not only of you but also of everyone else going to the Meet & Greet!

 

[Jade Tigress]

Forget I said it.

Too late now. I like the way you think. heh

 

[14 Kempo]

Yes, I'm jealous of those that were able to attend as well. There are many people on here that I would like to meet, to put a face with a font, unfortunately I am not in a position to attend, maybe next year.

I used to have Pam as a friend on MySpace, so I've seen her pics ... what a face. I've seen Carol's and TKDGirl's pictures on their profiles. Haven't seen the rest of you all, however, pictures are great, meeting in person is the best. I'll try hard to make one of these M&Gs some day.

 

[Tames D]

I'm glad your taking a safety course. I never ride in the street, only dirt. Because of my reckless nature with Motocross

, I know that it would not be wise for me to ride a streetbike. The dirt is a little more forgiving.

Do they allow you to bring your own bike to the classes?

 

[Jade Tigress]

I'm glad your taking a safety course. I never ride in the street, only dirt. Because of my reckless nature with Motocross

, I know that it would not be wise for me to ride a streetbike. The dirt is a little more forgiving.

Do they allow you to bring your own bike to the classes?

Yeah, you can bring your own bike...but I wouldn't want to take the course on hubby's because they guarantee you will set it down at some point.

 

[bydand]

The dirt is a little more forgiving.

We used to say a dirt bike kills you a little at a time, a street bike does it all at once.

Never really stopped me from riding anything I could either street or dirt though. Darn near made that saying true a couple of times on the street, DID make it true on the dirt.

 

[bydand]

Yeah, you can bring your own bike...but I wouldn't want to take the course on hubby's because they guarantee you will set it down at some point.

Yeah that's what they told us as well years ago. About 1/2 the class that was true, the other half never came close. (I took it because my brother wanted somebody he knew there with him, I had my endorsement for several years at that point.)

 

[Jade Tigress]

Well, just got back from the first night of class riding. I'm on the Blast, and it's just as well at this point. heh

We're learning *torque*, controlling the bike at low speeds. Did cone weaving, figure 8's, and 90 degree turns with stopping with the front tire in a box. It was alot of fun.

My problems learning torque are keeping consistent with the clutch and throttle. I keep wanting to use throttle to adjust my speed rather than keeping throttle and clutch in the "gray" area and using the rear brake to control speed. That, and focusing too much on the cones rather than looking ahead far enough. So, yeah, I knocked a few down. heh Also, sharp turns to the right are much more difficult for me than turns to the left. I guess that's normal if you're right handed, opposite is true for lefties. But ****. I was getting frustrated with myself.

There are 2 other girls in the class as well. Me and 1 other are doing ok. The other one...man...she set the thing down twice before she even got going. Then when she did get going she was all throttle and no clutch..flying across the lot with the instructors screaming at her. OMG, I would have probably been crying at that point. lol They had to yell at her alot, but she's starting to get it.

Well, tomorrow, day 2, I have to be there at 7:40am and go til 4pm. All riding time.

 

[kidswarrior]

Then when she did get going she was all throttle and no clutch..flying across the lot with the instructors screaming at her.

I went to boot camp with some guys like that. They kept us in deep Doo Doo much of the time.

Well, tomorrow, day 2, I have to be there at 7:40am and go til 4pm. All riding time.

Tear em up, kid. You're doin great. :ultracool

 

[Tames D]

Well, just got back from the first night of class riding. I'm on the Blast, and it's just as well at this point. heh

We're learning *torque*, controlling the bike at low speeds. Did cone weaving, figure 8's, and 90 degree turns with stopping with the front tire in a box. It was alot of fun.

My problems learning torque are keeping consistent with the clutch and throttle. I keep wanting to use throttle to adjust my speed rather than keeping throttle and clutch in the "gray" area and using the rear brake to control speed. That, and focusing too much on the cones rather than looking ahead far enough. So, yeah, I knocked a few down. heh Also, sharp turns to the right are much more difficult for me than turns to the left. I guess that's normal if you're right handed, opposite is true for lefties. But ****. I was getting frustrated with myself.

There are 2 other girls in the class as well. Me and 1 other are doing ok. The other one...man...she set the thing down twice before she even got going. Then when she did get going she was all throttle and no clutch..flying across the lot with the instructors screaming at her. OMG, I would have probably been crying at that point. lol They had to yell at her alot, but she's starting to get it.

Well, tomorrow, day 2, I have to be there at 7:40am and go til 4pm. All riding time.

Hopefully she won't get killed before she gets it...

 

[Jade Tigress]

Hopefully she won't get killed before she gets it...

They took her off to a clear side of the lot with her own instructor working one on one with her. By the end of the night she was weaving the cones.

I must say, the instructors are REALLY great. She had them scared for a minute there though.lol!

 

[bydand]

Souonds like a good course and some very patient/understanding Instructors. Have fun, looking forward to the report tonight.

 

[Tames D]

They took her off to a clear side of the lot with her own instructor working one on one with her. By the end of the night she was weaving the cones.

I must say, the instructors are REALLY great. She had them scared for a minute there though.lol!

I think there is one like that in every "type" of class environment. Just need a little extra attention and their cool. Glad to hear it's going well for you.

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

Keep on enjoying your class Jade!

Speaking of dying quick on a bike about 14 years ago a car ran a red traffic light as I was making a turn. Fortunately I saw it and sped up otherwise I would not be here now. :asian:

Then just last week I was out on my dad's Honda and a car came around a bend 3/4 of the way in my lane probably pushing sixty in a forty five mile per hour area and I thought I was buying it then but fortunately I moved out of the way. :erg:

 

[Jade Tigress]

Report Day 2:

Ok, got there at 7:40 this morning. The first half hour was free practice on any of the exercises we did the previous evening. Then we all parked to discuss the first new exercise for the day. One of the instructors asked which bike was mine. I told him and he rode off on it. Returned with a Road King. I like it better actually. I set it down a several times when I'm almost stopped. I find I am turning the handlebars to the left which makes it lean and it's so heavy I can't keep it from laying down. heh
But moving, I'm just fine. And that doesn't happen all the time, it was happening particularly when we were turning around in a box. But some of the guys were having the same problem though.

The last exercise of the day was locking up the rear brake on gravel. We start at 15mph and have to work our way up to 30mph. They said I need one more good run tomorrow at 15 then I bump up to 20. I do wish I was doing a little better. I get frustrated with myself, I knock down cones and ****. I don't think I'm going to pass the course. I don't think I'll have all the exercises done to the standard necessary to pass. But hey, it's a start right?

Tomorrow and Monday are supposed to be smokin hot days, we're doing the high speed stuff which means wearing a leather. *sigh* The days are looooong. I was/am dead *** tired.

 

[Tames D]

You'll be fine Pam. Sounds like your confidence is down a little. Just think about all the difficult things you've overcome in the past and put yourself in that positive mindset. It's all about the attitude...

 

[bydand]

You'll be fine Pam. Sounds like your confidence is down a little. Just think about all the difficult things you've overcome in the past and put yourself in that positive mindset. It's all about the attitude...

Agree 100% You can do it! Relax, don't get wound up and it will go much nicer. Have a relaxing evening and don't worry over the leathers. They breath very well and are much cooler than they look like they should be.

 

[Jade Tigress]

Agree 100% You can do it! Relax, don't get wound up and it will go much nicer. Have a relaxing evening and don't worry over the leathers. They breath very well and are much cooler than they look like they should be.

I do own a couple leathers. I wore my lightest today, a midweight with all the vents open...sweated my *** off this afternoon! lol! We didn't have to wear our leathers for the slow speed stuff.

I'll try to keep a positive attitude, I'm very competitive and tend to be hard on myself, but I am also realistic in recognizing my weaknesses. Oh well, I certainly won't give up...I just want to be exceptionally good!