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Any other MSF instructors on this board?

G

Ggerg1186

Training Wheels
I coach MSF in SW Wisconsin.  Just wondered who else out there coaches for the MSF or some other MC safety program.

One of the perks of coaching is that I got to ride my connie on the Police Officer training track at SWTC in Fennimore last weekend.  Coming out of a big bend 30mph slower than the bike was capable I still hit 105mph on the back straight.  With my Yamaha Venture (trying as hard as I could scraping the floorboards out of the bend) I only hit 85.

It's a great way to meet new people and introduce them to a great hobby. 
 
Yup...  13th year with Connecticut Rider Education as RC and site trainer. Also write safety related articles for regional website.  There are other motorcycle safety professionals in COG. In fact, I think there was a thread about this several years ago. It's good to bring it up again.
 
I moved to Morehead, KY a little over 6 years ago. Every summer that I've been here, there have been MSF courses held in one of the parking lots at Morehead State University. I always wanted to take an "advanced" course, but all they have ever offered here locally was the beginner course.
I was approached at the beginning of this year by the fella who is in charge of the local MSF courses and was told that they were desperately needing instructors this year and that I should apply. Although I've never taken a course myself, I've always wanted to be involved with the MSF. I also figured that with owning a motorcycle shop here locally it would be a good opportunity to drum up some business and also a good way to get other people excited about motorcycling. Well, I received some contact information and was emailed an application to become an instructor. So, I immediately applied... and I have now received no reply in over 5 months.? I have called the Kentucky Motorcycle Program office at EKY about once a month since applying and have spoken with a very nice woman, but every time she has said "They still haven't chosen candidates for the instructor positions".... I gave up on it a month ago-
I suppose it just bugs me because I think I would make a good instructor, I have almost 20 years of license-endorsed street riding experience, I have nothing on my record that should exclude me, and I was recommended by the guy who is in charge of putting on the local classes! I will say that I have not yet seen a class in session locally this year, so maybe they are not doing them here for some reason this year and that is why I have received no response. However, I still think that if I was not chosen to become an instructor that the least they could do is send me a generic letter stating such. Maybe I'll apply again next year?
 
You should try to find the local site administrator you spoke to. He has direct contact with the state program and should know what the situation is.


LakeTrax said:
I moved to Morehead, KY a little over 6 years ago. Every summer that I've been here, there have been MSF courses held in one of the parking lots at Morehead State University. I always wanted to take an "advanced" course, but all they have ever offered here locally was the beginner course.
I was approached at the beginning of this year by the fella who is in charge of the local MSF courses and was told that they were desperately needing instructors this year and that I should apply. Although I've never taken a course myself, I've always wanted to be involved with the MSF. I also figured that with owning a motorcycle shop here locally it would be a good opportunity to drum up some business and also a good way to get other people excited about motorcycling. Well, I received some contact information and was emailed an application to become an instructor. So, I immediately applied... and I have now received no reply in over 5 months.? I have called the Kentucky Motorcycle Program office at EKY about once a month since applying and have spoken with a very nice woman, but every time she has said "They still haven't chosen candidates for the instructor positions".... I gave up on it a month ago-
I suppose it just bugs me because I think I would make a good instructor, I have almost 20 years of license-endorsed street riding experience, I have nothing on my record that should exclude me, and I was recommended by the guy who is in charge of putting on the local classes! I will say that I have not yet seen a class in session locally this year, so maybe they are not doing them here for some reason this year and that is why I have received no response. However, I still think that if I was not chosen to become an instructor that the least they could do is send me a generic letter stating such. Maybe I'll apply again next year?
Click to expand...



 
I tried a while back to get a'hold of the guy who started me down this path, but I had no luck... He's a busy dude, and I've had plenty on my plate as well in the past few months(got married, running a business, yada yada). I'll preface all of this by saying that I know he's probably the best person to eventually contact to find out what the real scoop is...

After talking with the woman at the Kentucky Motorcycle Program office a month after I applied(end of March), I felt like I had a decent rapport with her... I pretty much only tried calling the main office thereafter since she was the one sitting by the hard-copy applications. I suppose sweet-talkin' the lil' ole ladies here in eastern KY only works some of the time... >:D :) ;) ??? :'(
Her answer on the 2nd call(April) was "Instructor applications still haven't been decided upon". On the third call(May) I got "Fella who makes the final cuts is out of town, gonna do it as soon as he gets back because training starts soon.."" The last time I called(June), the lady wasn't in the office. I was busy and didn't really wanna take the time to try and get answers out of a new voice... Now, I just feel sorta weird about it all because all I've ever wanted to know is: If I wasn't chosen, why? Also, would it be worth my time to re-apply next year?

This is all purely conjecture on my part:
Why haven't they held any local classes yet this year?... It very well may be that there aren't enough students... that would then make it the first time in 7 years.!? Maybe they really don't have enough local instructors(which was why I was recommended in the first place)... but for some reason they just never accepted and trained new ones? Then again, maybe they just didn't have enough qualified applicants to make it worth their while... I honestly have no clue as to how many experienced/qualified riders are out there knocking down doors to get these positions. I'm not aware of any others around here anyways- Maybe it's simply because I personally have never taken a MSF course and that alone disqualified me.?
Whether they hold any local classes again this year or not, I specified on my app. that I was willing/able to travel to any testing site in the state, so all of this still doesn't satisfy me as to why I have not received any confirmation either way...

I guess the real reason I'm on here typing all of this is because: 1- It's something that was proposed to me out of the blue. B- It's something I've always thought I would be good at. And 3rdly, I think it would be something cool to do and it seems logical that it could be a good/positive/beneficial thing all the way around. Who services all of your training bikes anyways??? Ahhh, if I could only get my "foot in the door"...

I'll  make some calls again soon and try to get a definitive answer... If for no other reason than to give an end to my ramblings on this thread.
So, to all you guys out there that actually are instructing this year... Stay safe, Stay alert, Preach ATGATT, and remember to take it easy on the beginners when you're introducing them to the various & subtle nuances of riding such as trail-breaking, knee-dragging, and power-slides.  We all know that a CB250 Nighthawk can be just as dangerous as a C14 when wielded with the wrong hands!

-Jesse
 
Jesse -  There can be several reason you were not invited to the RCP. Too many candidates; Too few candidates; Candidates not needed in your region; No experience with the program, etc.  Our program is not running a RCP this year because almost all instructor positions were filled within a couple of weeks of the 2013 schedules being released, and student count is dropping due to saturation.  When a RCP will happen the candidate pool  begins forming near the end of the previous year, and they run 2-3 info sessions for potential candidates. There are mandatory assignments that must be completed on schedule and candidates completing the tasks move into the selection pool.  Having experience with the program does have merit because the candidate knows what to expect and how things run. Folks who worked with the program as range aids either as a student or working as a range aid have a better opportunity than those who were just students. Getting a job as a range aid (if your state uses them) is a great way to see how things work before taking the training. Taking an ERC is a real good first step. Statistically, folks who have done both of these stand a significantly better chance of completing the training successfully.
 
You can also check around your neighboring states. An MSF card is pretty much the same everywhere (you may have to work under the "supervision" of a local coach for a few classes).

We didn't have any RCPs here in SC for a couple of years because we couldn't get sufficient candidates and because one of our RC Trainers was deployed (he's USMC, now retired).

Having experience with a MSF class is desirable but not mandatory; at least it wasn't in my case. I'd never received any formal training prior to becoming a RC but I had lots of experience in teaching and 40+ years of riding experience.

Don't give up if you think it's really something you want to do.
 
2linby said:
Move to Oregon!  ;)
Click to expand...
Move to the hippy-granola deserty part, or to the expensive liberal part? No sales tax means cheap income/property taxes right? ;)
A few years ago, I rode a GL1800 from Vegas through Yosemite/Sequoia over to San Fran, then up the PCH to Portland. I then turned east on the Washington side of the Columbia River Gourge and headed back to KY. 14 days and about 5,400 miles, trip of a lifetime- I gotta say that I did like the Oregon coastline even better than California's!

Just got off the phone with the lady at the Kentucky Motorcycle Program office... She said that no new rider coaches have been chosen yet! I don't exactly know what to make of this comment, but she went on to say that a lot of their personnel retired recently and that the position of whoever is in charge of picking the rider coaches has not been filled yet.? Also said that my chances are still lookin' good and that I should receive word on the decision sometime in the next few months. We shall see-
If there's one thing that I've learned in the last handful of years, it's that NOTHING happens quick in eastern KY.
 
LakeTrax said:
2linby said:
Move to Oregon!  ;)
Click to expand...
Move to the hippy-granola deserty part, or to the expensive liberal part? No sales tax means cheap income/property taxes right? ;)
Click to expand...

Whatever part your inner self hippy granola or expensive liberal part directs you to pal..........  Yup....whatever....... :sign0023:
 
C'mon man, you gotta know that I was just messin' with ya... You can say "redneck" or "hillbilly" about the people where I live and I won't get offended! Truly sorry if I struck a nerve or if I came across as a jerk. Considering the following information, were my assumptions about the income tax rate in Oregon that far off base? :truce:

State Income Tax rates based on $60,000 income
Unless you earn very little, or earn substantially more than $60K, the following State income tax rates probably fit most of the typical folks out there, and will give you an idea of where the states ranked in 2010. Rates are rounded to the nearest 0.1 decimal, and do not include any special deductions or exemptions that may exist.

State (income tax %)
Alaska (0%)
Florida (0%)
Nevada (0%)
New Hampshire (0%) except tax on income from interest and dividends
South Dakota (0%)
Tennessee (0%) except tax on income from interest and dividends
Texas (0%)
Washington (0%)
Wyoming (0% )
Illinois (3%)
Pennsylvania (3%)
Indiana (3.4%)
North Dakota (3.8%)
Michigan (4.4%)
Arizona (4.5%)
Colorado (4.6%)
Ohio (4.7%)
New Mexico (4.9%)
Alabama (5%)
Connecticut (5%)
Maryland (5%)
Mississippi (5%)
Utah (5%)
Massachusetts (5.3%)
Oklahoma (5.5%)
Kentucky (5.8%)
Virginia (5.8%)
Georgia (6%)
Louisiana (6% )
Missouri (6%)
New Jersey (6.4%)
Kansas (6.5%)
West Virginia (6.5% )
Wisconsin (6.8%)
Nebraska (6.8%)
Maine (6.9%)
Montana (6.9%)
Delaware (7%)
Arkansas (7% )
North Carolina (7%)
South Carolina (7%)
Rhode Island (7.8%)
Idaho (7.8%)
Minnesota ( 7.9%)
New York (7.9%)
Hawaii (8.3%)
Vermont (8.3%)
D.C. ( 8.5%)
Iowa (9%)
California (9.6%)
Oregon (10.8%)
 
I guess the MSF instructors in Oregon & New Jersey can skip the "proper refueling techniques" chapter with their students. :))
About 10 years ago, I got yelled at by an old guy at a gas station off the Jersey Turnpike for getting out and starting to fill-up my work truck. ::) I still haven't heard a good(reasonable) explanation as to why these two states have these laws in effect.?

I'm just thankful that there are still some gas stations around here that let you pump your gas BEFORE you pay. Nowadays, filling up or topping off your tank and and wanting to pay with cash is one of life's little irritations... First, you've got to walk inside just to get the attendant to turn on the pump, then you walk back outside and fill-up, and then you have to go back inside again to pay/get your change. All I wanna do is stop for some quick fuel and keep on ridin' man!
 
Ranger Jim said:
I suspect it's due to some enviro-whacko law trying to prevent fuel spillage.  ::)
Click to expand...


In NJ, this law has been on the books since 1949, when the first self-service pumps came into existence, and waaaay before the enviro-whacko's.  Instead of continued speculation here's a link to the NJ General Statutes.

http://lwd.state.nj.us/labor/lsse/laws/Retail_Gasoline_Act_and_Regs.html#343a6

This thread is :eek:fftopic: and needs to be split off by the mods.
 
LakeTrax said:
I guess the MSF instructors in Oregon & New Jersey can skip the "proper refueling techniques" chapter with their students. :))
About 10 years ago, I got yelled at by an old guy at a gas station off the Jersey Turnpike for getting out and starting to fill-up my work truck. ::) I still haven't heard a good(reasonable) explanation as to why these two states have these laws in effect.?

I'm just thankful that there are still some gas stations around here that let you pump your gas BEFORE you pay. Nowadays, filling up or topping off your tank and and wanting to pay with cash is one of life's little irritations... First, you've got to walk inside just to get the attendant to turn on the pump, then you walk back outside and fill-up, and then you have to go back inside again to pay/get your change. All I wanna do is stop for some quick fuel and keep on ridin' man!
Click to expand...

Every station I have ever filled up at in Nj while on the bike would rather have me fill my bike
 
S Smith said:
This thread is :eek:fftopic: and needs to be split off by the mods.
Click to expand...
I agree Steve, and I was trying to pull the thread back on track when I mentioned MSF instructors and "proper refueling techniques". According to your link, there is such a thing! :rotflmao:...

34:3A-7. Training, supervision of attendants

No person shall dispense fuel at a gasoline station, unless the person is an attendant who has received instructions regarding the dispensing of fuel, had practical experience dispensing fuel under the direct supervision of an experienced operator for a period of not less than one full working day, and, upon examination at the end of that period, demonstrated his understanding of those instructions....

We can/should discuss these "dispensing of fuel" laws in another thread. I think your link proves what I said before... that there's no GOOD explanation. That link is actually a pretty entertaining read, but to me it just sounds like a bunch of lawyers got paid to sit around and think of whatever reasons they could to not let people pump their own fuel.
 
Over 25 yrs ago I was a instructor with the ACU training in the UK, Cool thing then was we got to go do some training with the police on there motorcycles to see how a professional does it :)
 
Hi, I was certified as a MSF Instructor, at Eastern Kentucky University in 1985-86, my dime.  Deployed to Germany (US Army), conducted classes at Hanau, Germany.
 
I've been a Rider Coach for 10 years here in Florida. I started with a company in '03 as a Range Aide and they asked if I wanted to become a RC in '05. It was the hardest thing I'd ever done as they never provided me with the necessary course materials. In '07 I was hired by the Motorcycle Training Institute, Inc. (MTII) based in Miami. We are the largest training provider in Florida and I usually work 2, sometimes 3 classes a week in Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, or West Palm Beach.

In August I completed MSF's BRCu to be able to teach the new curriculum and range exercises. All our ranges will be teaching the new Rider Course in 2016.

P.S. Stay in close contact with the KY folks, you'll not regret it.
 
Old post but didn't want to start a new one.

Are there any currently certified MSF coaches in Germany?  If so can you please drop me a PM.

Thanks.
 
LakeTrax:  Just to swerve this thread even further off course . . . Oregon doesn't have MSF instructors.  They created their own courses years ago and even won some award for best in the country.  Idaho doesn't have MSF either.  They copied and modified--and improved  ;D --Oregon's excellent courses.

If you don't want to try Oregon you could try Idaho.  Added benefits:  no silly gun laws, MUCH less left-wing politics, 80 mph speed limits, and you can pump your own gas.  Also, you can enjoy all the beautiful Oregon roads right next door.  (Bring your rain gear.)

Here's the Idaho motorcycle training website:    http://idahostar.org

Btw, California Highway Patrol ejected the MSF and their courses, and hired a couple Idaho STARS people to come in and set up courses like we have here in Idaho.  For all I know, the California folks hired some Oregon instructors too.

Fyi.
 
Took the MSF instructor course last year and was real close to passing. Downside to the course is you don't really get a lot of time to master all 17 range exercises. I crushed the riding test and the written test but was probably 50/50 on the range. I'm scheduled to take it again in August. I'm confident I'll pass this time around.

Plan on teaching in the Cincinnati, Ohio area.
 
Hazy said:
Took the MSF instructor course last year and was real close to passing. Downside to the course is you don't really get a lot of time to master all 17 range exercises. I crushed the riding test and the written test but was probably 50/50 on the range. I'm scheduled to take it again in August. I'm confident I'll pass this time around.

Plan on teaching in the Cincinnati, Ohio area.
Click to expand...

Instructor training requires a lot of self-study. Been that was since I was first certified 16 years ago and each re-certification for new programs. If the IG is read as training requires, the written eval should be straight forward. The instructor riding eval should be a cake-walk for experienced riders, even if they muscle through it. Range management and proper riding demos during peer teaching and student teaching is much more difficult. For demos... It's not how good a candidate can ride, it is how good they can demo ride.

Keep pressing forward and best of luck next time.


 
Range management and demo riding was definitely a challenge. "Ride the perfect demo" was the mantra on the range. I can definitely do it, I just needed more range time. I also needed more practice on coaching. Seeing what needs to be addressed as they are riding towards you then remembering you are seeing all the controls backwards.

The instructor coarse is a real challenge for sure. I know I'll get it this time.
 
Hazy said:
Range management and demo riding was definitely a challenge. "Ride the perfect demo" was the mantra on the range.
I can definitely do it, I just needed more range time. I also needed more practice on coaching. Seeing what needs to be addressed as they are riding towards you then remembering you are seeing all the controls backwards.
Click to expand...

Yes... It's the standard mantra. You will have time to perfect demo after being certified. Safe, Effective, Efficient range management is more critical to successful student teaching.

What helped me in the beginning prior to RCP was spending time on the range watching good instructors running live classes. I asked if I could shadow them where I could listen.  I observed and evaluated each rider; then listened to their coaching and compare to mine. 
 
I did this as well and it proved to be more confusing. What I discovered was the field instructors did things differently than how we were being taught. So I found myself seeing one way of doing things then seeing the course way of doing things. It just made it more difficult for me.

It was so bad, our instructor in chief was there and he took the 2 course instructors aside and chewed them out for half an hour. The difference in instruction ultimately helped in me failing the course.

I was paired with a range instructor who had taught for decades. I was being evaluated by my IIC. My chief told me to move to the next part of the exercise. On the range card it showed to get the riders lined up to pull into staging. My partner wasn't using his range cards and was herding the riders to the complete opposite end of the range. I got confused and started staring at my range cards. Chief interpreted that as me not knowing what I was doing and asked me if I had coordinated what we were doing before hand, which I had not. I hadn't worked with a real instructor until then and thought that since he'd taught forever, he'd be following what the range card said to do. That's why I didn't coordinate anything with him. Ultimately, I felt I was unintentionally setup to fail.

It was a big fiasco but I learned from it and will do better next time.
 
TLR said:
LakeTrax:  Just to swerve this thread even further off course . . . Oregon doesn't have MSF instructors.  They created their own courses years ago and even won some award for best in the country.  Idaho doesn't have MSF either.  They copied and modified--and improved  ;D --Oregon's excellent courses.

If you don't want to try Oregon you could try Idaho.  Added benefits:  no silly gun laws, MUCH less left-wing politics, 80 mph speed limits, and you can pump your own gas.  Also, you can enjoy all the beautiful Oregon roads right next door.  (Bring your rain gear.)

Here's the Idaho motorcycle training website:    http://idahostar.org

Btw, California Highway Patrol ejected the MSF and their courses, and hired a couple Idaho STARS people to come in and set up courses like we have here in Idaho.  For all I know, the California folks hired some Oregon instructors too.

Fyi.
Click to expand...

TLR, life is funny...
I still have days when I think back and wonder "Why did I ever leave Idaho?". :'( ... :-[

I lived in Ketchum for almost 2 years & loved just about every minute of it.
Great fishing, riding, snowmobiling, & skiing.
Even got a good John Kerry story... :-X

Looking down on Hailey, ID and an abandoned mine I found up in the Sawtooth NF.
Idaho was definitely good to me-



 

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Well, move back, man!  Life is too short . . . etc.

Idaho is not only a beautiful state, but it's not crowded like, say, Colorado, another beautiful state, and the politics here suit me a LOT better than what I hear about in Colorado, Oregon, Washington, even Nevada.  All beautiful places, but no thanks.

Job situation here getting better.  Housing still cheap most places.  The rest you know.

There are a lot of good John Kerry stories floating around Ketchum.  (Also, Clint Eastwood, Bruce Willis, Ahnold S., too.)  We visit there fairly often, but I've never ridden the bike over that way.  Consensus, at least among the people I've spoken to, is that John Kerry is quite the dufus.  Rich jerk.  But, whatever.  I knew that anyway.

Yikes;  veered WAY off topic again.  :-[
 
MSF Instructor, thanks to the Navy Safety Center and  the Air Force, since 1991, recertified to RiderCoach 2001.
Now teaching on the west coast,,,,,,of Florida.

Ride Safe, Ride Often
 
MSF instructor here... Though I've only got a couple of years under my belt.  Love taking the Connie with bags through the exercises in the BRC2!
 
Snip>I Love taking the Connie with bags through the exercises in the BRC2!

Reminded me of time a few years ago when all the company's RC's had to do the course. A fellow RC was following me through the serpentine area. I could hear the scraping of his Harley's pegs along with the constant blipping of the throttle. Then a sickening crunch as the bike went down. Thank goodness there was no damage because of the crash bars and low speed, just his pride was hurt. His comment: "Boy your bike sure can lean."
 
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