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Failed MSF and discouraged

K

-k-

New member
Joined
Oct 16, 2011
Location
bay area
Moto(s)
07 GSXR 600
Name
K
Hi everyone,
I've never really ridden a bike until the msf course. I had no major problems during the practice exercises but when it came to the test I got nervous and felt like i bombed it. I forgot how much I scored but the RC was also surprised i failed. I know its a personal thing and i get nervous when it comes to exams but man was it discouraging. I can come back on the last range day if there is space according to my RC but I'm not even sure if i should just buy a bike to practice or just take it and relax. I don't exactly have funds for a bike and I don't want to pay another $250.00 just because i get a little nervous again.Any advice or encouraging words would be great.
 
What I would do is buy a bike and insurance, get your permit from the dmv and just take your time. Putt around your neighborhood and get the feeling down and as your comfort grows just venture out a bit farther. Do this for a few months then retake the MSF. Remember there is NO rush, you have the rest of your life to ride and things will fall into place before you know it.
 
Ant said:
What I would do is buy a bike and insurance, get your permit from the dmv and just take your time. Putt around your neighborhood and get the feeling down and as your comfort grows just venture out a bit farther. Do this for a few months then retake the MSF. Remember there is NO rush, you have the rest of your life to ride and things will fall into place before you know it.
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Thanks, I already have my permit and I guess I should just save up for a bike to build my confidence.
 
You get one more chance for free, I'm pretty sure. What I'd do is, make sure you don't have to pay again, go to both days of classes and do their exercises over again and try for the test again. You already know what's coming on the test, that should help ease the anxiety.

If it makes you feel any better, I was one of the shitty ones who dropped the bike in the beginner's class... now I'm riding around on a 600 just fine :laughing

EDIT: Looks like you got to the bit about paying before I did.
 
-k- said:
Hi everyone,
I've never really ridden a bike until the msf course. I had no major problems during the practice exercises but when it came to the test I got nervous and felt like i bombed it. I forgot how much I scored but the RC was also surprised i failed. I know its a personal thing and i get nervous when it comes to exams but man was it discouraging. I can come back on the last range day if there is space according to my RC but I'm not even sure if i should just buy a bike to practice or just take it and relax. I don't exactly have funds for a bike and I don't want to pay another $250.00 just because i get a little nervous again.Any advice or encouraging words would be great.
Click to expand...

I was really nervous during the test part too and almost messed it up. It happens.. get a little more time practicing with some parking lot practice if you can get a bike. Don't give up! Learning new things is stressful...! Be patient and cut yourself some slack!
 
Try and get back into class ASAP ... no sense in wasting money on a bike. If you take the class again and still feel unsure then maybe riding isnt for you... Its better to waste 250.00 then a lot more for a bike that you might only ride 3 times.
Find out your school policy about taking the class again.. some do charge a small fee. I know mine charges $40 as a stand by , so they are all different with different policies .
Relax and dont over think everything , You already know whats expected and practice is always good
 
You need a friend on small bike that you can go borrow. Find a really large parking lot.

Start slow and build that confidence!
 
keep trying, come second time, talk to instructor that you failed previous time because you were too nervous. They usually understand and will work with you little bit more personally, little bit more that with others, so you will have more time and attempts for practice.

When I was on my MSF last year - there was a girl in the group who has a lot of trouble with her bike, she even dropped it once. Instructors saw that and paid extra attention to her, give her more time/practice laps. They did a great job with her, and she passed!
 
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-k- said:
Hi everyone,
I've never really ridden a bike until the msf course. I had no major problems during the practice exercises but when it came to the test I got nervous and felt like i bombed it. I forgot how much I scored but the RC was also surprised i failed. I know its a personal thing and i get nervous when it comes to exams but man was it discouraging. I can come back on the last range day if there is space according to my RC but I'm not even sure if i should just buy a bike to practice or just take it and relax. I don't exactly have funds for a bike and I don't want to pay another $250.00 just because i get a little nervous again.Any advice or encouraging words would be great.
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Hey, here's my advise; if you failed the test that means you need more riding &instruction time. Those are some very basic survival skills you're suppose to show.

Unfortunately the class ins't the best chilled out riding time; but the second time around should be a better experience because you already know what's gonna happen, right?

So just relax.. breath, and beep your horn when your happy. :laughing
 
Did you find out why you failed?

I'd just relax and take it again. I understand it can be nerve racking taking the test. I remember being nervous when I took mine, even for a fairly silly thing that didn't have any huge consequences (I just thought I'd take it to see if I liked riding a motorcycle).

I know some times you just are in the wrong mindset or had a bad day or whatever, doesn't mean you can't do it.

Worst thing that happens is you waste some time. Best outcome, you pass and have more confidence and get a license. There was a guy when I took the class that failed the first time and came back and took it and got a perfect score.
 
ToraTora said:
Welcome to teh Barf K!



Damn Wheelie Master. You do know that a used bike has already lost the value it's going to loose, and being sold shortly there after will probably be sold for less than a loss of $250, right? Especially if the OP bought the bike in the winter and sold it in the summer chances are that it would sell for more.
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There are wonderful things called transaction costs though. :twofinger Tax+Dmv fees can be a bitch. Expect at least 10% in DMV fees/taxes.
 
And depending on what you failed, you should practice on a bicycle.

Obviously easy to get and no problem practicing, the skills are identical when it comes to handling, except with the smaller wheelbase, you should work on tighter turns.
 
There have already been some very good points made in this thread, but I'd like to emphasize the opinion of NOT buying a motorcycle before reattempting the test. I don't think that is the prudent, or responsible thing to do.

I know exactly how crushed you felt when you didn't get a passing score the first time around, because I had the exact same experience as you my first time taking the MSF. Prior to taking the BRC I had no practical knowledge of motorcycles, let alone had I ever even sat on one. And as hard as I tried to follow the instructors demonstrations, there was no way I could keep up the mild pace of the course, it was just too new to me.

I didn't pass the final exam, and when I returned to the class for a second attempt I attended BOTH class days which I highly recommend you do, and when it came time for me to take the final exam again I remember that I was the last student in line to go through the course, and my heart was pumping with anxiety and fear the entire time waiting for my turn. I passed, and so will you.

Exercise deep breathing if you feel yourself getting anxiety, stay hydrated, visualize yourself successfully completing the course, and most importantly of all remember to tell yourself that you're only there to have fun. I gurantee you will pass.
 
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^^ +1
I may get some flack here, but I have to be honest.

Only YOU can decide, My only advise really is to stay off the street, until you get some skill built up. How do you do that? Bicycles a Mt Bike is a great teaching tool, UNICYCLE Builds your balance confidence, 100cc Dirt bike, if you ave any friends ask to ride it in the dirt.

I hope the best for you, when I took my MSF, I already had 35 years in the seat, I was nervous, I made mistakes, I learned a lot and the basics are always practiced. In my class there were 3 people that failed, I wont forget them, and I hope they are still alive, because in all honesty, they should have never bought a bike, some people just do not need to be on motorcycles.
 
ToraTora said:
Welcome to teh Barf K!



Damn Wheelie Master. You do know that a used bike has already lost the value it's going to loose, and being sold shortly there after will probably be sold for less than a loss of $250, right? Especially if the OP bought the bike in the winter and sold it in the summer chances are that it would sell for more.
Click to expand...

Don't forget that the OP would then have to pay sales tax and registration fees, which would probably total more than $250 anyway....
 
-k- said:
Hi everyone,
I've never really ridden a bike until the msf course. I had no major problems during the practice exercises but when it came to the test I got nervous and felt like i bombed it. I forgot how much I scored but the RC was also surprised i failed. I know its a personal thing and i get nervous when it comes to exams but man was it discouraging. I can come back on the last range day if there is space according to my RC but I'm not even sure if i should just buy a bike to practice or just take it and relax. I don't exactly have funds for a bike and I don't want to pay another $250.00 just because i get a little nervous again.Any advice or encouraging words would be great.
Click to expand...

-K- you have not failed at all. As a matter of fact you have gotten further then most people out there that just get a permit and ride on it forever. Don't get discouraged with your results but instead push forward at a slow and steady pace. Riding a motorcycle is hard and it will get easier over time. It took every ounce of strength to push through the "box" that requires you to do 2 full circles. I now practice that at the dmv weekly and chuckle to myself because I thought I would never get to that point!

I dropped my bike 3 times when I was learning and I had my GF on the back for 2 of them. They were low speed (under 5mph) and it really discouraged me. I just stuck with it and learned from my mistakes which made me a better rider!
 
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