Just as soon as I get my license...

[greenheron]

My name's Alan August, age 59, from Pawtucket, RI. I used to be a professional photographer, now I sell cameras and photography equipment at the last surviving all-around camera store in the state. It's a bummer, I remember when there were four in Providence alone. In Pawtucket there was a camera store half a block from our studio. But I digress....

So.... last May, the very first time I paid over $4 for a gallon of gas, I decided that I could finally justify buying a scooter. I had been wanting one for a few years but thinking it was sort of frivolous. I paid for the gas and drove half a mile to Javaspeed. "Is Javaspeed a scooter shop or a coffee shop?" is the question; the answer is, "Yes."

The I told the salesman I wanted a scooter. He asked "How much?" I said "$2000." He said "We have two left at $1999, one red, one black." We talked for a bit then I bought a cup of coffee and sat down to think about it. When I finished the coffee I handed him my credit card and said, "Red."

It's imported from Taiwan by Genuine Scooter. They have two Buddy models, the Buddy 50 and the Buddy 150. I have the little Buddy so I call it "Gilligan."

In R.I. you can ride scooters up to 49cc with an ordinary driver's license as long as they're physically restricted to 30MPH.Go above either of those limits and you need a motorcycle license.

I felt pretty shaky at first, but with practice I gained confidence and, I hope, skill. I still slow down to about 7MPH at street corners, most of the time, but I'm working at bringing the speed up. Wind no longer scares me; 25-30MPH gusts add a different and somewhat fun dimension to the ride. Beyond that I take my car. This scooter is, after all, light enough for me to pick it up, albeit not easily.

Last fall I signed up for the MSF motorcycle course. You can't even apply for a learner's permit in RI if you haven't passed the course. Unfortunately it was at the end of October and the range weekend was bitter cold both days. Of the 15 of us, 11 had been riding illegally for years, and 1 had been riding for a while. 1 had ridden as a passenger, and 2 of us had never been on a motorcycle ever. One woman understood that she needed to wear boots, but she wore high-heeled fashion boots. She didn't last long.

After she dropped out the instructor tailored the range course to the 12 experienced riders and the other two of us fell further and further behind. All of my boots are hiking boots with really grippy soles; I just couldn't slide my foot under the shift pedal. I asked for a few minutes to practice. The instructor said no. Somehow I made it through the first day without ever shifting into second, but the engine was certainly screaming at 20MPH in first gear. The instructor ended the 5 hour class after 2.5 hours. I asked for time to practice but he said he wanted to go home and warm up.

The second day was even colder. Midway through the first exercise as I was struggling with the shift the bike coasted to a dead stop and, inevitably, I dropped. I pulled the bike up and got back on it and sat there thinking about the potential for serious injury as I fell farther and farther behind. Meanwhile the instructor was screaming at me that I was holding the class up. I waved to him (resisting the desire to give the one-finger salute) and rode the bike back to the shed with the engine screaming in first gear.

If I sound like I feel cheated and angry about it, well, yeah, I am.

But in the week between the written part and the range I visited a motorcycle dealer that was advertising a used Burgman 650. I had no idea what it was except that it was a big scooter. It was love at first sight and I put a deposit on it without even quibbling about the price. Fortunately they refunded the entire deposit when I failed to get my permit.

At this point I'm registered to repeat the range, but I'm waiting to find out then they will have an opening for me.

Meanwhile, I WANT A BURGMAN..... NOW, DAMMIT!

I keep telling myself that patience is a virtue.

Virtue sucks. (In this case.)

[BenWaB3]

Hi Greenheron,

We have a few similarities. I didn't start scooting until I was 59 (60 now) either, allthough there was a period about 20 years ago when I bought an 80cc Honda. That experience didn't turn out too well so now I just start counting at last year. Ended up picking up a 150cc Q-link Pegasus & had it until last week. Went through the safety course in the fall as well but didn't have the cold weather you describe. Luckily didn't drop the cycle during the course either, but know what you mean about screaming along in 1st or 2nd. gear. But it sounds like you got a good amount of experince on the 50cc so you should be ready to move up. I just moved up to the 400 since that's all I want & more than I need. But the Burgmans are a whole class of machine unto themselves. Hope it works out that you get one.

Ben

[hpe1087]

I agree with Ben on the 400 Burgie. After owning a 400 then up to a 650, I realize the difference in weight & control. The 400 is very well suited for city driving. It can handle its own on the interstate as well, albeit not quite as smooth as the 650. I am 56 and realize just how cumbersome the 650 really is. Most my driving thus far has been closer to town so the 400 would have been just fine. I was considering some longer trips, thus the reason for the purchase of the 650.

Complete the MSF course to gain confindence. Depending on the type of riding you're planning to do, the choice of Burgman will make a difference for your comfort level. The 400 is definately better suited for city driving with slower speeds and more stop & go. and tight cornering. Take your time to find a scoot for your needs. There seems to be plenty for sale and priced very competitively in todays economy.

Best to you in your adventures!

[greenheron]

[quote]The 400 is definately better suited for city driving with slower speeds and more stop & go. and tight cornering. Take your time to find a scoot for your needs.[quote]
Well, I'll be doing a bunch of city driving, 5 miles, 2X per day, 5 days/week, and other short trips because scooting is much more fun than driving, even in the rain like riding to work this AM.

But I'd also like to take trips to Cape Cod (simply "the Cape" to most folks in this region), a trip of about 125 miles with no alternative to highways unless I want to make it a stop and go trip of about 4 hours on local roads.

And there's my brother in-law and his wife who insist that on the highway you need a big Harley and a minimum of 1000ccs to pass trucks. I think that even they would be impressed with the Burgie 650.

--Alan

[greenheron]

I had intended to mention that I just might keep Gilligan (the little Buddy) for my daily commute and ride the Burgman whenever I can find an excuse.... um, I mean whenever I have to use the highway.

The first Burgman I ever saw was a used 650 at a local Yamaha & Honda dealer. There was a lot about the bike that the salesman couldn't figure out, but one of the guys hanging out there had a Burgman 400 so he rode it over to the main shop.

There was a crowd circling a new Honda Gold Wing, but when he pulled up on the Burgman it moved over to see what this machine was all about. It was only a matter of seconds before the oohs and aahs began, and it seemed that nobody found anything about the Gold Wing that was better than the Burgman. Not even the guy who had just bought the Gold Wing.

I've since seen a couple brand new 400s on the floor at a Suzuki dealership. Definitely great looking machines, but the 650 was just plain sexy, if you know what I mean. Some guys my age go for trophy wives, I'll be happier with a trophy bike.

[BenWaB3]

Hey Again Alan,

As to your Brother-in-law, the one advantage the Harley or 1000+cc. bike would have to passing trucks is that its weight would make it more stable going through the slip stream turbulence. Just curious - are they the types who keep asking you "when are you going to get a real bike?" as well? Going back to my own experience, I actually had a "real" bike from last fall until a couple weeks ago. It was small - a 500cc. Kawasaki Vulcan, but it was all I needed. However I just never was comfortable riding it, never got to the point where I felt I was really in control of it & it just wasn't fun. With a lot of time that would have become more natural but every time I got back on the 150 scoot it was "hey, now this is fun!!". At 60 I want to spend my remaining years of riding really enjoying it instead of hoping to get more comfortable on a cycle. And the Burgman gives you that feeling in so many ways. So the sale of the Vulcan & the 150 helped pay for the majority of the Burgman. Thinking of what you're saying though, keeping the Buddy is probably a good idea. It will get you around all those in town trips just fine and somewhere down the road you decide you would like to do all your traveling on the Burgman that will be fine too. Just let the Buddy go to a good home.

Ben

[greenheron]

As to your Brother-in-law, the one advantage the Harley or 1000+cc. bike would have to passing trucks is that its weight would make it more stable going through the slip stream turbulence. Just curious - are they the types who keep asking you "when are you going to get a real bike?"

He said the power was necessary to break through the slipstream, didn't mention weight.

He doesn't ask if I'm going to get a real bike, only if I've gotten my license yet. He and his wife both seemed pretty thrilled when I said how much I enjoyed riding the 50cc, and even more when I said I wanted to get my motorcycle license. I think his concern is not so much what I'm riding, only that it's safe to ride. Heck, with the 50cc I didn't good about riding on many of the city's streets; barely 10MPH up some of the hills (7MPH per the GPS!). I hugged the curb as much as I could, but I knew how I would feel if I was following me and it gave me a "do unto others" bad feeling.

With the restrictor removed the max speed is a blistering 40MPH (vs the restricted legal max of only 30) but there's sufficient acceleration and hill climbing power that I'm enjoying the ride immensely. Unfortunately, with neither the restrictor nor a motorcycle license I've become [gasp!] an outlaw scooterist!

[Songbird]

What a shame that your experience on the course was so negative. You should have complained! The secret to feeling safe when you are on two wheels is to practice, practice, practice! We bought our 2007 AN400 in April 2008 and I signed up for the course right away at the ripe old age of 59. I was lucky and had a very patient instructor and 8 other people on scooters with me. Everyone passed the course and I have recently met one of my fellow students in our local scooter club.
My husband and I are planning our second long trip from Santa Rosa, CA to Vancouver, WA the first two weeks in July. The only difference this time is we will both have our own Burgies as we recently added a 2006 400S to the family. I can tell you from experience that the 400 can keep up on the interstate as long as you ride with common sense. The most fun however are the beautiful highways along the California and Oregon coastlines.
Don't give up - maybe you'll pass us someday on your 650! Good luck.

Roeanne

[greenheron]

Hi Roeanne,

I agree with you about practice. My boss who is a rider agrees with you, my brother in law agrees with you too. They both live in Massachusetts where you can buy a bike, get a learner's permit, and practice until you are ready and then take a fairly simple state test. Even my with thinks I should buy a used bike and ride it illegally to practice.

But if I get caught riding an unregistered, uninsured, uninspected bike without a rider's license I'll be in doo-doo so deep.....

In Rhode Island you can't get a learners permit until you have taken and passed the MSF course. The only way to practice legally is off-road on a dirt bike. The only other way to practice legally is on a 49cc (or less) scooter that is restricted by the manufacturer to a maximum of 30MPH. There was even a bill in the state legislature two years ago to require motorcycle licenses for the restricted 49cc scooters. It barely failed and only because of strong lobbying by the state's scooter dealers.

The law says that I MUST use state-provided bikes to take the MSF course. They provide 250cc Rebels and Nighthawks. They have a clutch where I am accustomed to having a brake. They have a brake where I'm used to having a floorboard. They have a shifter where I have empty air. They are a LOT heavier than my little scooter.

I KNOW that if I could use a scooter I could pass the course hands down. MSF publishes a test preparation booklet. With my scooter I can navigate an obstacle course with the cones at HALF the distance the MSF specifies. I think I'm ready to do it with their bikes too, if I can my foot can find the shift peg this time. I've bought some boots (mandatory for the MSF course) that don't have really grippy soles like my hiking boots, so I'm optimistic.

Thanks for the encouragement. I appreciate it.

--Alan

[bxntrk]

Hi, Alan.

I'm appalled at the behaviour of your instructor. I recently finished the MSF basic rider course, and we had 2 instructors who not only wanted to make us all safe riders, but really promoted 2-wheeling and wanted everyone to succeed and enjoy the experience. Shop around for some other course venues. MSF courses are presented in all states. If there is no other in RI, then see about Mass., etc. I'd think the RI DMV would honor the completion certificate from any certified MSF school.

Good luck.

Patti

[Colchicine]

I also had a negative experience with the MSF class. Aside from actually getting IN the class, the instructors were terrible. One of them, the head guy, ran it like a drill instructor. The other guy made wildly inappropriate remarks. He also insisted on testing me by making me do harder maneuvers than the others. I already had my license and was the second most experienced person in the group (with 4 months of riding time), and I still had a hard time. I passed just fine, but I was ready to be done with the class.

Alan, you should have complained in a letter, as I did. Although I would expect it to go unanswered, just like mine.

[blueberry]

And here all this time I thought my wife and I were the only ones with a less the positive experience with the BRC, but I'm getting ahead of myself.
Alan, welcome to BUSA. I'm persuming that you paid the $160 fee for thay class. So, would you have to cough that up everytime you took the class??

[greenheron]

Well, the first range class is over and, unlike the first time around, it was an extremely positive and confidence-building experience. The state-run Community College of RI holds a monopoly on the MSF courses in the state, at least it does for the basic course, which is required in order to get a learner's permit. The cost is not so outrageous, $99 for the full course, $40 to repeat either one or both range classes. I opted to repeat both, even though I officially made it through range #1 back in October. I'm really glad I did. The October experience was a real confidence destroyer for me.

"Newbies" is the key to the October problem, I think. In October we had a class of 14. One gal wore fashion boots with 6" platform heels. They were totally incompatible with riding and she washed out almost immediately. Of the rest of us, 3 of us were newbies, and the other 10 had years of experience, either through riding illegally or through dirt biking. They were there, basically, to take and pass the test to qualify for their licenses. It was bitter cold and windy. I wore a quilt-lined leather motorcycle jacket over a thick fleece vest. I was still uncomfortably--very uncomfortably--cold.

Would it have been fair to make 10 suffer for the benefit of 3? I can't really say. It was a judgement call and I don't think that there was either a right or wrong choice. I wasn't happy about it and I'm still not, but I can't really fault him.

Tonight we had 6 students and 4 instructors... 2 instructor trainers and 2 instructor candidates. We started with 7 students, but one (who was also a repeater!) couldn't figure out the difference between the cutoff switch and the starter button, couldn't comprehend the difference between the left and right levers, and it went on. We were down to 6 pretty quickly, in spite of him getting a lot of individual attention. He never even managed to start his bike.

This time only 2 participants were experienced riders. The class was tailored to us 4 newbies, and the instructors frequently apologized to the experienced riders for putting them through exercises that they were already obviously proficient at. I made it a point to thank each of the instructors for the attention they were giving us and especially their for patience with us. I guess it paid off because they were watching our progress instead of the clock, and when it was over everybody was surprised that the class went 20 minutes over.

Colchicine, I suspect that individual complaint letters don't get acted upon but rather filed, and if a certain number, whatever that number might be, are received, then something will be done. I hope you wrote to the MSF which is the organization that certifies the instructors, as well as the organization that employed these two.

bxntrk, I looked on the MSF web site to find out about any courses that might be offered in nearby parts of Massachusetts, but the MSF site said that most states will not accept courses taught in other states. I can't imagine why, since everybody teaches from the same book, so to speak.

The second range is Friday night, so by 10PM I'll know... But I'm really confident this time around.

[Lennon]

Here in South Africa you do not need a licence to buy a bike, I have already got mine at home (Suzuki Skywave AN650 K7), but due to an error somwhere (don't ask any questions) any record of my bike licence appears to have been lost (this is Africa so what more can I say). Well now I go for my learners licence next month, this is a straight written test (checking your knowledge of the rules of the road and road signs) this licence is valid for 18 months, within this time you must book to do your drivers test, this is in a yard with special markings, through which you must perform certain maneouvers ( you must provide your own roadworthy bike)

[Songbird]

Good for you Alan, I am so glad to hear that you hung in for the whole ballgame! I know you will get your license in no time at all.
Best wishes to you,

Roeanne

[greenheron]

I passed the MSF course tonight. Doing the test in the dark added a bit of a challenge, but I only got 8 penalty points out of a maximum of 20 allowed. I crossed the line once doing a figure 8 inside a 20' x 40' box, and I went too slow for the swerving exercise and also the emergency braking exercise; I stopped in 10 feet, if I was going fast enough it would have taken me 11 feet.

Tonight's bike was a real joy to ride. I say that with extreme sarcasm. It was a b!tch to get it into Neutral, but only if I wanted to get it there. The instructor finally determined that it could only be put into N from second, not from first. BUT.... not once, but twice it slipped into N from first, all by itself, hand off the clutch, foot off the shift, while I was riding. Ya gotta figure, the bike was 20+ years old and had probably never been put into 3rd or 4th except by accident. It's no surprise it had transmission problems.

So anyway, now I can pay $26 to get my learner's permit. Then I can ride a bike during the day if I am accompanied by an experienced & licensed rider and stay off the highways.. If I haven't gotten a traffic ticket or had an accident, after 30 days I can pay another $26 and get the motorcycle endorsement. Or I can not ride at all for 30 days and if I haven't gotten a traffic ticket or had an accident I can get the motorcycle endorsement.

But since I haven't saved up enough yet to get a Burgman I can still ride my 50cc scooter, alone, day and night, on my automobile driver's license.

[Anon]

....Re: Just as soon as I get my license... I WANT A BURGMAN..... NOW, DAMMIT!....

Really? A Burgman as your first motorcycle?

My name's Alan August,age 59....

Oh, that explains it! What is it about Burgmans that attracts us older folks? (Just kidding, Alan, you're actually one of the youngsters of the Burgman world!)

....the MSF motorcycle course. .... Of the 15 of us, 11 had been riding illegally for years....

Yep, that's the way it's usually done, I suspect. I was on my third motorcycle, before I thought about getting my permit. AND permits in this state only take a simple written exam.

It sounds like you really got screwed on the first time through the course. You (and the other beginners) really should have gotten all of the intructor's time, as the other riders weren't there to learn anything, they were only going through the motions, to get the cert at the end.

[greenheron]

Really? A Burgman as your first motorcycle?

Doesn't Gilligan count for anything? It's my little Buddy 50 scooter that gave me the burg... I mean bug... to get something burger. Um, bigger.

For what I'm doing now a 150cc would be adequate to handle the hills in Providence that slow the little one down enough to make me a moving road hazard. A 150 wouldn't be adequate for driving on the highway taking me to meetings around the state. A 250 would, in theory, but there's a heck of a lot of truck traffic on I-95. So that leaves the 400cc scooters. Probably more than adequate, but I want more, I want to ride out to Cape Cod, I want to ride up to Maine, and who knows where else?

Also, in 42 years of driving, I've learned that sometimes you avoid an accident by stopping real fast. Other times if you stop where you are you're toast, and you've got to get the heck out of the way real fast. The Burgman 650 seems to have no peers in that category.

But as every good salesman knows, sometimes things just call out to a person, "Buy me. You must own me. You will never be happy until you do." The salesman's job is to help the customer find a way to rationalize making the purchase. Now go back and read paragraph number 3.

[bxntrk]

Congrats, Alan. I'm glad you hung in there. After reading your initial post, I texted one of my instructors and thanked him.

Patti

[Teddy Roosevelt]

Glad you were able to pass the MSF Basic Rider Course.

Here in Kansas I took my course on June 2, 3 , 4. I was allowed to ride my Burgman 400, and another gentleman rode his Piaggio Fly 150. All we had to produce is valid insurance. Also some of the riders were from Missouri, and the course was offered by Kansas City Kansas Community College. So I am not sure why you could not take a course in Mass. Perhaps it is the licence process. All I had to do is take the paperwork to the local DMV and pay the fee. I already had a Kansas Motorcycle Learners permit and I was told I could learn on my own. I already had over 700 miles on the Burgman when I took the class and was the most experienced rider (which surprised me) in my class of 13.

The instructors, Dale, Dan , and Kathy at KCKCC were very good and very patient. I would recommend the class to anyone in the area.

I had started to ride my 50cc Aprilia SR50 Factory just last July (could ride that in Kansas with just my licence). The Burgman 400 was a birthday present in January 2009. This at a young 59. I guess riding bicycles for the last 42 years helped with balance and cornering. I took up scootering because the old knees are starting to give out and I don't want surgery until I need to.

Sorry you had such a bad experience the first go-around.

Go out and get that Burgman, it has been great fun.

TR

[Charles Creech]

Hi,
Don't feel bad about not passing the MSF course. I am 66. I took the class with a 78 year old man. He passed. I failed!! I had a 400cc Burgie and traded up to the 650 Burgie in February of 2009. I only kept the 400 for 9 months. I rode it from June thru November in the winter in CT. The 650 at 540+pounds handles the truck slipstream very well. The 650cc engine gives you all of the power you need to pass any truck on the road unless they are doing over 100mph. Good luck to you as you continue to grow and gain confidence.

[Colchicine]

Charles, try adding another 90lbs to the 650's weight!

Wet Weight
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[greenheron]

I've since found out that I could have taken the course in Massachusetts. It would have cost me twice as much though, even with the extra $40 I paid for the range do-over.

The instructors on the do-over were really nice and really wanted everybody to pass. The first night there were two instructor trainers and two instructor candidates. Anybody who needed extra help got all they needed. There was only one instructor on the second night, but he gave us all the time we needed, and we even ran 20 minutes overtime... even though the class was supposed to end at 10PM... and his workday had started at 7AM! What a contrast to the first instructor.

[Lennon]

Bought my Burgman but had to wait for a month before I could ride it legally, passed my learners license on Wednesday, so doing a lot of riding now