So I took the MSF Skilled Rider course Saturday.
After spending a few hours going over the bike to make sure it was up to snuff safety-wise (including bypassing the BMU) I confidently rode to the class w/my wife following in the car with a large cooler and a folding chair just in cased they didn't have enough/any chairs - I have a bad ankle.
Got up to 60 mph coming down Hwy 5 into Marietta, and coming to a stop from 2nd gear (shifting down to first before the stop) the shift lever breaks.
Okay, the speed limit maxes @ 45 for the rest of the ride - and that for only 3/4 of a mile so I continue on - since the Mrs. is behind me I just do 35 the whole way.
She drops everything off and I send her to the BMW dealer to get/order a lever, and of course they don't have one in stock...Will be in Wednesday.
About lunch time, the bike is taking a bit longer and getting slower to crank, so I decide that in order not to delay the class any I'd rent a Buell Blast for $50 for the rest of the day. (The course is sponsored by the local Harley dealer).
It's a good thing I did because part of the reason I was taking the course was to bypass the driving test at the DMV - I'd made an appointment for 8AM and was there earlier than they suggested and still only got to the front of the line by 9AM when it was sweltering - WHAT'S THE PURPOSE OF AN APPOINTMENT????.
Have to shift down from 2nd to first in the test, so okay.
I had taken all the low speed drill on the K and was much smoother on it than the dinky Blast doing the same stuff later for the test. The difference in rear brake action made it obvious that I was using both brakes on the Blast - occasionally locking it up in the emergency braking drills.
Now I had only ridden the K a total of 1.5 hours, so the smoothness was not a result of experience on the bike - power delivery and weight got the nod here.
I've been riding since I was 16 and I'm glad I took the course - I learned some stuff and met some really nice people.
I asked if they had the same class for 2 up and they said yes - but they hadn't gotten a minimum of 6 bikes and 12 people to have one for 2-up yet.
Wouldn't mind taking the Mrs. to that one...
Rather than ride the bike 12 miles home in 1st gear, I got with the lead instructor who was also the head of rentals at the dealership (which was right across the highway from where the course was being held ), so I got with him and left the bike at the dealership until I get the part and he said he'd charge the battery for me.
They knew I was serious about taking the course - that's for sure, and were a bit impressed at my low speed handling of the K knowing that my only recent experience has been on RD350's!
More about the Blast...I'm 5'11" and have a 32" inseam - the muscles in my hips were cramping shortly after I got on the damn thing! I DO wish I'd been able to get a shift lever and that the alternator wasn't wonky...
