can anyone recommend a motorcycle safety course in san diego? (live in, codes)

[futbol]

Yes, I really should practice stopping quickly more. The other problem is dealing with cars that want to turn in front of me or roll through a stop sign into the intersection. The other problem with the real world is dealing with the unexpected.

My scooter brakes seem to be automatic (uses brake fluid) for the front, but manual for the back.

The training to get the permit also said that too much speed on a curve is the leading cause of accidents. That's not a problem with me because I go slow.

Anyway, lately I've seen a lot more motorcycles and scooters on the road in San Diego. No doubt gas prices factor into that.

[whiteboyslo]

Too much speed is a relative term. More often than not with new riders, the bike is more than capable of making the corner but the rider isn't. They get a little freaked, stand the bike up, and run wide. If you ever get into a corner and feel like you're in too fast, the best thing to do is to fight the urge to stand it up and commit to it. Lean your body, stay steady on the throttle if you're on it, and hang on. Once you can get over that fear of leaning both you and the bike over (levels of which vary depending on what kind of bike you ride), you've won half the battle.

But absolutely stay in your comfort zone. You're right in that regard.

Mike

[Clevelandgal]

Yeah, never brake in a corner. Physics will be you enemy. You need to get all your braking done before you go in, and then as white boy says, throttle through it. It's the opposite of 4 wheels, so adjustments need to be made.also if not already mentioned, look through your turns-the end point, even if far more than 90 degrees from where you are...don't look at the pavement right in front of you.

[futbol]

I'm taking those turns very slow for now. I'm thinking much of this will be taught in the MSC.

Someone told me that their course even taught them how to crash when you know there is no way out.

[echo42]

I went to the Pacific Safety Council. Link below. They are CHP approved and endorsed by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation. They also provide the certificate you will need to skip the skills test at the DMV. By the time you finish the class you will have passed the skills test many times over during the duration of the training. The classroom is in MiraMesa and the track portion is located either miramesa or chula vista.




Pacific Safety Center | Motorcycle Safety Program

[1AngryTaxPayer]

There is a class every weekend am on the corner of ruffin rd and cl mesa bl.

[futbol]

Thanks echo and 1ATP.

[futbol]

Thanks for all the advice.

Today I passed the basic motorcycle riders' course at Palomar Community College. It was actually a little fun.

The program seems to be well run. To clarify, the exam at the end of this 3 day course (15+ hours) lasts about 30 minutes for 11 students. This exam is different than the one you would take with the DMV motorcycle skills test. You don't have to be perfect to pass. There are 4 tests: U-turns, swerving, fast stopping, and negotiating curves. There is also a written test which is easy.

All those in our class passed.

[Clevelandgal]

Congrats! You may not realize it until you spend some time on the road, but the course will really increase your skills and make riding more safe and FUN. All of a sudden you feel a sense of , "hey, I really, get this" as opposed to "everyone's trying onto kill me"... Which in retrospect is true, but at least you are better prepared.

[futbol]

Originally Posted by Clevelandgal

Congrats! You may not realize it until you spend some time on the road, but the course will really increase your skills and make riding more safe and FUN. All of a sudden you feel a sense of , "hey, I really, get this" as opposed to "everyone's trying onto kill me"... Which in retrospect is true, but at least you are better prepared.

Thanks and yes, I agree that it will prepare me for unexpected events on the road. That is also what the instructor said. There are many aspects of riding that you can't just teach yourself.

The other side effect of taking this course is that now I'm thinking of moving beyond a scooter to a real motorcycle. Those things are fun!