MSF course or permit+test?

[Bonehead]

Basically, as of now my bike is not street worthy and won't be fore a while. At least a few months. I want to start riding bikes ASAP since, as my boss put it, if you can't ride a bike and come close to diagnose it you aren't a real mechanic. Since I don't ride the bikes as of now, I need to get a license first to start testing them.

Here in CA the MSF course is $250, while the license test is just the fees associated with the whole test. However, I do not have a bike to use so that kind of puts the test out of the running. However, if my boss is nice enough, I can borrow a bike from him. I will need to ask him about it as well, so I will see what happens tomorrow.

Pros/cons of both?

Thanks in advance guys (and gals)

 

[edukaycheon]

Take the course, it'll definitely teach you stuff your buddy won't tell you, and you might get an insurance discount and some stores/manufacturers will give you a discount if you've taken the MSF course. Plus you don't want to be dropping a borrowed bike while you're learning. The bikes MSF provides are easier to learn on as well.

 

[AlphaDogChoppers]

I don't know how the course works in CA, but here in PA, if you take the beginner's course, a motorcycle is provided as part of the course. Usually a Suzuki GZ250 or Honda Rebel 250. The course is also free here. $250 is a lot of fucking money for that course!

You do get a discount with insurance after taking the course, but I believe that discount is only for two years.

 

[Bonehead]

[quote author=edukaycheon]
Take the course, it'll definitely teach you stuff your buddy won't tell you, and you might get an insurance discount and some stores/manufacturers will give you a discount if you've taken the MSF course. Plus you don't want to be dropping a borrowed bike while you're learning. The bikes MSF provides are easier to learn on as well.
[/quote]

True, however the money side of it is a bit of a pinch. It's pretty hard to raise $250 on a $9/hr when half your paycheck goes to gas most of the time. I have been riding on and off when a) the boss is not in haha and b) riding bikes I was thinking of buying on CL. While yes the course does teach you many things, most of which you cant learn alone, I don't know if I can spend $250 at the moment.

But, oh well. I'll find a way to do it. No tattoo any time soon in my future I guess haha.

[quote author=AlphaDogChoppers]
I don't know how the course works in CA, but here in PA, if you take the beginner's course, a motorcycle is provided as part of the course. Usually a Suzuki GZ250 or Honda Rebel 250. The course is also free here. $250 is a lot of fucking money for that course!

You do get a discount with insurance after taking the course, but I believe that discount is only for two years.
[/quote]

RIGHT?! It is ridiculously expensive. Yes, you do get a bike but damn the price set by the state.

Really? I thought it was over the course of your life. Wow... That kind of sucks. I wonder if you would even save $250 over the course of 2 years... Man the course may not be worth it if that is true.

 

[Djfob]

Similar situation but courses here in Canada are $500 plus. Thought about having buddy's teach me but a course will offer safe riding techniques.

 

[Maritime]

Take the course, It cost me $485 here in Canada but it was worth it. I saved over half that the first year on insurance, learned a lot of good safety and survival tips and left with my license all taken care of. I also got $50.00 off a new helmet from a local merchant and I know some of the bike manufacturers are giving hefty discounts to new riders with MSF. I was already a rider before, but the instructors showed me some bad habits I had delveloped from riding dirt that are down right dangerous on the street and if you are in Cali you need all the good habits to survive the lane splitting and crazy traffic you guys have.

 

[Bonehead]

Take the course, It cost me $485 here in Canada but it was worth it. I saved over half that the first year on insurance, learned a lot of good safety and survival tips and left with my license all taken care of. I also got $50.00 off a new helmet from a local merchant and I know some of the bike manufacturers are giving hefty discounts to new riders with MSF. I was already a rider before, but the instructors showed me some bad habits I had delveloped from riding dirt that are down right dangerous on the street and if you are in Cali you need all the good habits to survive the lane splitting and crazy traffic you guys have.

That makes me feel so much better haha. Thats a lot of money. Now I feel like a jackass for bitchin :
Well, at least I already have gloves and a jacket and they will provide a helmet and bike. Well, hopefully I pass it the first time otherwise $250 again is nuts hahaha.

 

[Maritime]

You should pass the first time, if the instructors are half as good as they are here. It was way easier to do it the MSF way here as they book the test with the DMV etc. and otherwise it was a lot of hassle and wasted time in lines, and then borrow a bike etc. Good luck.

 

[edukaycheon]

I think if you pass the MSF class it counts for the practical part of the DMV test no? Also even if you fail the MSF "final test" you can come back without paying extra and try again, or even if you pass you can take it again to make sure you're ready (at least that's what my instructors did).

 

[Scruffy]

Take the course. I rode from 87-93 without an endorsement, finally borrowed a CB350F and passed on the third try. Going from a long rigid with apes to a little buzz bomb was tricky, but the rider skills test was impossible on my chop. If the test in Commiefornia is like the test in WA, it is designed to flunk 98% of the takers. Even motorcycle cops who've been riding for a decade or more fail it on their service bike.

Length of the discount depends on your insurance company and the level of coverage you choose. For full coverage in WA (only kind offered by my provider), it would have cut it from $86 per year to under $60, permanently. Sad thing was, WA state law did not require bikes to be insured at the time... Here in TN, same company offers multiple levels of coverage, it would take me from $86 per year to about $75 if I had basic coverage. Full coverage costs more than the bike is worth...

 

[kopcicle]

take the course
I took my first test on a a 441 BSA single
i took my second test ( Ask Scruff about our anal State Patrol) after being out of country for 3 years on a R5 Yamaha .
I later aced a simulation (was teaching MSF at the time ) on a '82 KZ1000p
Passed our state patrol qualification on the same KZ1000p

I never once taught a MSF course where I didn't learn something from my students .
The reason I say take the course is statistics . You live longer .
That said my final words to a class were " Okay we've taught you to stay alive in a parking lot the rest is up to you . See you back here for the advanced course in a year or two ."

Unless you have a crazy old uncle like me to teach you or a dyed in the wool cynic like Scruff it's best to take the course and find experienced riding partners for the first year or so .

~kop

 

[mattfeet]

Take the MSF course. It we'll worth the $250.

 

[OJ]

Here in Canadian hinterlands I had to pay $300 for an 8 hour course (that's a minimum requirement). The course is a BS parking lot slalom and a test before being allowed on the road is to ride this painted track to one end and back. Then you get to pay ~$200/month for insurance.

Looks like MSF course provides quite a bit more bang for the buck.

 

[Rich Ard]

I am lucky in that the MSF is subsidized by the state in Michigan - but I found it to be useful and was one of a dozen people in my group who had been riding for a while. I think we all took something useful from it.

It is not the end-all training course but it's a good weekend and if it's local to you, you may find new riding buddies.

 

[carnivorous chicken]

Although I am not opposed to taking the course -- my wife did, I have friends who did -- I did it the old fashioned way (in WA state): bought a cheap bike (it was a running CB550 for $250, 23 years ago, and I still have it), stuck to side streets and parking lots until I was confident to take it out on the street, got my permit, learned the book, got a ticket for not having a license, went in and took the written after studying the book for a day, found out where the riding test was and practiced on the same lot using the cone outlines, and passed the test. Ticket got thrown out because I showed up with my license. Paid nothing but the cost of the test.

Never caused an accident or done anything stupid, and over the years I have picked up the tips they taught in class.

The OP's problem is no bike I guess, so slightly different situation, but just wanted to throw out there that I have done just fine over the years without taking the safety course. And WA state didn't require insurance on bikes back then (and I didn't buy it), so no need to use a discount.

Yes, I am expecting people to call me an idiot now.

 

[Scruffy]

Naw, I was the idiot who tried to run the test course on a hand jammer with a 17" over springer... I couldn't even fit in the diminishing circle course...

The test here in TN is easy: Start bike, duck walk it out of the parking spot. Ride around the building, park and shut off. Pay your money and get your license. Friend's was even easier, he rode the bike to the test in December, they asked him if he rode it there, sent him inside to get his license.