Harley Beginner's Riding Course ??

I took the "normal" BRC at some community college in Louisiana in 2004. I too, the HD course in Atlanta in 2006, as a refresher after a deployment. They were the same course, except the 250 Nighthawk in LA was replaced by a 500 Blast! in Atlanta. The good thing about the HD course was that they had a deal where they would put the course cost toward a new bike if I bought one there, and I already wanted a Uly anyway, so it worked out well for me. Tell your friend that if he already wants a Harley he should ask for the same deal.

Yeah it would be perfectly fine for a new rider to learn how to ride on a 200hp liter bike, no problems at all.

It can and has been done.

I'm not familiar with SoCal, but you're right, it looks like these dealerships set the price about $50 over MSF course (i found several in your area at $300) Like I said though, they do have it at the dealership where the facilities are nice and there are bikes and gear for reference, so there is value added.

fear is the mind killer

I took no stinking class. Get a small bike and a large area and go already.

I never took any class ever.
I also have a blast, the owner had fallen over and damaged the transmission and I got to fix it.
The one I have is a very hard to ride bike (but sort of fun).
Its stock, has under 3000 miles on it, and has the most on/off clutch I ever had on anything.
Every time on that bike I spin the back wheel, its got torque, and with the on/off clutch, its a handfull.

That bike would make a REAL interesting learning bike!
Even without the clutch issue, its got enough torque to have the bike go away with ham fisted clutch action and leave the learner standing there as the bike does an endo.


The shifting problem (1st and 2nd gear only worked) ended up being the shifter index pawls, for some reason the motor company made the assembly mount on slots so you could adjust it I suppose, but in a fall, it can be moved.

I know a number of beginner riders that got Harley's then crashed in turns and no longer ride.
Big heavy bikes with no lean angle are great to start out on.

Doesn't mean it's a good idea.

This^^

Teaching one or two folks, friends(?) once in a while on a large displacement bike is slightly different then teaching 6-24 students each weekend at hundreds of MSF ranges across the country, who you've never met and don't have a clue as to their abilities...Yeah it can be done but there are better alternatives.

If anyone is considering a Blast, I had the misfortune to ride one for a short period at an MSF course. It affected me so profoundly I penned a poem about it.

"The Blast" by Jim Moore

The Blast,
Sucks ass.


Thank you. I'm available for book signings.

...only at a Harley Boutique.



--Bill

I thought it was kind of fun though.
Around town, it is a blast. The one I have has some aftermarket silencer on it and its loud as hell, the thing seems to jump up and down every time the piston fires, its kind of fun.
Not that I would want to go far or fast on it...

I also took the Harley rider's course and I would recommend it. The teacher to student ratio was about 1:8 in class and 1:4 on the range. There was the expected Harley marketing included, but in my case it wasn't overly obnoxious. Learning to ride on a Blast wasn't hard, at least for me. They're small and light so they're pretty easy to handle.

I took the HD course over my state-sponsored course because, at the time, my state was doling out MSF course seats in a lottery, meaning maybe you got a seat and maybe you didn't. No waiting list, nothing, you just took your chances. Harley ran a waiting list so you signed up and they called you when your turn came up.

Oh poor baby! I had to ride one for a 300+ mile tour around Texas when I visited some friends out there. It's not a horrible bike for what it is, but I did name it the Ass Blaster.

My wife took the Harley course a number of years ago (when Buel was still in business). The waiting list for the MSF course was over a year long, and she was able to get into the Harley course right away.

She said she really enjoyed the course, and really liked the Buel bikes.

It was expensive, but worth it because I didn't have to try and teach her to ride.

Seems reasonable to offer an MSF course and market HD within said course. I'd be a little worried about a dealer pre-selling a zero experience rider a 1200cc machine, however. I guess I'm just silly...

When I took the BRC five years ago there was a short, petite gal, about 22 years old in the class. She came close to dropping the little 250 she was on numerosu times. She did pass though. She also had a brand new sportster waiting at home for her to ride.
I often wonder how that worked out...

If it was an 883 would it be any different?

I did my licensing training with a ER-6N, which is the kawa ninja 650R for you americans. I had a zx6r as my first bike, now I also have a forty-eight sportster. Still alive and never crashed during training. I personally think you can skip the 125 or 250's.

Not enough data. We don't know you, any off-road experience, or what "training" means there to compare to any flavor of basic class taught in the USA.