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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.