Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site drusd.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxl!ihnp4!drutx!drusd!lrd From: lrd@drusd.UUCP (DuBroffLR) Newsgroups: net.cycle Subject: Re: riding & safety courses? Message-ID: <1091@drusd.UUCP> Date: Wed, 22-Aug-84 15:32:28 EDT Article-I.D.: drusd.1091 Posted: Wed Aug 22 15:32:28 1984 Date-Received: Thu, 23-Aug-84 02:15:54 EDT References: <463@bentley.UUCP> Lines: 59 Quote: I understand that the Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) has courses in Motorcycle riding and safety... I contacted a motorcycle research firm in VA, they gave me an 800 number to call and get information. They told me that MSF was in the process of moving from Wash. DC to California (I have also heard rumors that it has moved to PA). They gave me the number of a commercial driving school on Long Island. I contacted the school; they do have a course in both beginning and advanced safety riding procedures. Each course is 20 hours (8 hours instruction, 12 hours riding) spread out over 2 weekends. They supply bikes. They tell me that the course is approved by the MSF. The max. number of students is 12. The cost is $225. Does this seem reasonable? I thought that the MSF gave courses like this themselves? --at a much lower cost (not to mention the fact that Long Island is at least 1 1/2 hour drive for me). Does anyone know how to get in touch with the MSF? Heard of other courses in riding & safety? Has anyone taken such a course; did you find it useful? Scott J. Foster I am an MSF instructor and can answer some of your questions. The Motorcycle Safety Foundation has relocated their headquarters to Chad's Ford, PA; their phone number is (215) 388-1555. Don't bother to call them there; they'll just give you the following number: (800) 447-4700. The 800 number is an answering service contracted by the MSF for the purpose of asking you where you live and then looking at their list and giving you the location of the closest MSF-approved teaching facility. The MSF does NOT teach students directly; the only courses taught by the MSF are for Chief Instructors. These Chief Instructors then teach regular instructors, who become MSF certified by this process. Any MSF-certified instructor can start a course and charge whatever s/he wants to. I did my initial few years of teaching in Illinois, where the course is administered by the state university system at NO cost to students! The Illinois program is, to my knowledge, the best in the country. I am now located in Colorado, which does not have a program sponsored by the state; the commercial MSF-approved courses that I am aware of all go for less than $100. It sounds like the Long Island course (which, from your description, is the standard MSF course) is GROSSLY overpriced. Of course, "over-priced" has to be put in perspective. While I think that $225 is excessive, the value of the course cannot be measured. It is my (personal and biased) opinion that no one should be on a motorcycle without having taken this course. Although designed to be suitable for entry-level riders, the course has an incredible amount of survival knowledge that even experienced (20 years or more) riders have praised. I'd suggest that you get a list of all locations that are at all feasible for you from the 800 number, and then make your selection purely on the basis of cost -- all MSF-approved courses cover the same material and should give you basically the same teaching.