completed the MSF ARC

[redReno_imp]

Yesterday I took the advanced rider's course offered on Camp Pendleton.
It was a great course and the instructors were very humble and knowledgeable.

The class had 24 students and over half of them were on Harleys!!!!!
I couldn't here my Staintune at all when we started up lol.
Myself and two on Harleys rode with the sport bikes. No student came up to me or my bike. However the instructors only came to check out my bike
One instructor came over just to see how many miles I had racked up, I think they thought it was an old restored bike.
The second instructor asked me a few questions and was digging my CB11, he even told me again at the end of the day as he handed me my ARC card "Nice bike"

I have only been riding for about 9 months now and have ridden a little over 7,000 miles.

In the 2 months I've had my CB11 I have put 2,200 miles on her and was actually pretty nervous to take the ARC because I wanted to get used to her more. I HAD to take the course since my command has a new motorcycle rep and they were harping on all the riders who haven't done the ARC. Luckily I came off a NH750 so I guess all I really needed to get used to was the power.... and smoothness

I am all for motorcycle courses and have been looking forward to taking the ARC, I took the BRC (basic rider's course) in September last year and obtained my motorcycle endorsement that way.

At the BRC they always made us use 4 fingers to apply pressure on the front brake and made us use both the front and rear brake at the same time and told us to NEVER apply them while in a turn. Well during the ARC they taught us trail braking which is applying brakes at the beginning of a turn and letting off as you get to the apex, while maintaining or rolling the throttle and let us use however many fingers we wanted on the front brake and they let us choose to use only one or both brakes.

Ok, so this is how the course went.

They took roll and assigned ranges around 7:00am
Sat in the class until about 10:15 (with plenty of breaks) going over introductions, safety, and some techniques.
Didn't actually start riding until 11:45 and we finished riding at around 3:00pm.

There were 8 exercises, one of them was just a demonstration.

#1 Warm up/weaves
It was just one big loop like a track and they really wanted us to speed up in the straight a ways. I stayed in 1st the whole time and revving it up to 25-30mph sounded soooo nice with the Staintune.
After going around a few times, we weaved through some cones.

#2 Emergency brake/getting out of the way (from someone you see in your mirror coming up behind you fast)
Kind of wish I had gone with the ABS model now lol. The instructors really wanted us to push our bikes to see their limitations as well as our own. My rear tire lost traction and locked up once in this exercise, and ended up doing it again later on in a different exercise and that time my wheels weren't aligned and I felt my rear wheel sliding to my right
Any way, the second part of this exercise we had to e-brake, look in our mirror, and then shift out of the way of an imaginary vehicle. It took me awhile to get the hang of it, I like taking my time but we were supposed to move out of the way as quickly as possible.

#3 Stopping distances at 15mph/25mph with and without delays (this one was just a demo by the instructors)
Which was a real eye opener, we actually travel a great distance when trying to come to a complete stop from 15/25mph and the difference in distance with and without delays were substantial.

#4 Curve adjust/trail braking
The curve adjust was going through a turn, then swerving out of the way of something, then resuming the turn.
To get a better lean and have the bike upright to keep traction, they told us to point our elbow down (on the side we were turning) to bring our upper body into the turn.
It really works!!! I was able to make tighter turns, you want as much traction as possible when trail braking so you don't lose control if you brake too much.

#5 Curving and swerving/braking and swerving
We simply went through a turn, straightened up the bike, then swerved around some cones. In the second part, we had to apply the brakes when we straightened up before swerving. I personally like just letting off the throttle to slow down.

#6 Multiple curves
This was a big loop with a few curves, it was really kicking my butt. The whole point was to do it all smooth, I had not gotten trail braking down and the bike was.....not smooth...letting of the throttle too quick...opening up too quick....

7# ...
I forgot what it was called but it was similar to the multiple curves, only we had to straighten up and e-brake. I focused more on trail braking and I was making the turns a lot smoother, it really helps to maintain the throttle and apply just enough brakes (even in the turn) to slow down just a bit.

#8 ...
Can't remember the name of this one either, but it was just two loops, one inside and one outside and all the riders were on them at once and had to signal and merge in and out of the two loops.

I was able to take this course for free, if I had to pay I still would have taken it.
I learned a lot and now I need to practice and build those good habits to retain everything I learned.

....................
It is really late for me so sorry if anything doesn't make sense. If anyone would like to know more about the course, please ask.

[oldyaler_imp]

Sounds like you learned in one day what used to take a person months/years to learn- sometimes never. Congratulations.

[Gypped_imp]

I was stationed out at Pendleton until I got out in 01, I worked next to the airfield in the 22 area. I only just started riding a couple years ago, but from what I recall we weren't required/able to take the courses that are now mandatory. My BRC instructor was actually a guy I knew growing up who had joined the AF and become a course instructor while he was in, and now teaches at the Naval bases here.

Even less related anecdote, one of my friends had his license revoked in 2000 for going 180 mph on I-5N... they had a police helicopter chasing him and everything. He was on his way on the first day of a 96 to visit his grandmother in NorCal (I think Modesto, maybe?) and decided he was in a hurry. He managed to get away with no criminal conviction or fines, but got 2000 hours of community service (the lawyer could only do so much).

It sounds like you had a good time. Once my g/f takes the BRC next weekend, I'm going to start looking for ARCs for us both. I also want to take some of the rider bonding classes, but definitely not with my own bikes to start. I'd much rather drop theirs.

[FUZZY_imp]

I really enjoyed the course as well. Makes you think & maybe remember some things you may have forgot.

[redReno_imp]

Sounds like you learned in one day what used to take a person months/years to learn- sometimes never. Congratulations.

Thanks and yes, they kept stressing that the ARC was the place to learn and not out on the street where you could do the "slam dance" with the pavement lol.

.............

I was stationed out at Pendleton until I got out in 01, I worked next to the airfield in the 22 area. I only just started riding a couple years ago, but from what I recall we weren't required/able to take the courses that are now mandatory. My BRC instructor was actually a guy I knew growing up who had joined the AF and become a course instructor while he was in, and now teaches at the Naval bases here.

Even less related anecdote, one of my friends had his license revoked in 2000 for going 180 mph on I-5N... they had a police helicopter chasing him and everything. He was on his way on the first day of a 96 to visit his grandmother in NorCal (I think Modesto, maybe?) and decided he was in a hurry. He managed to get away with no criminal conviction or fines, but got 2000 hours of community service (the lawyer could only do so much).

It sounds like you had a good time. Once my g/f takes the BRC next weekend, I'm going to start looking for ARCs for us both. I also want to take some of the rider bonding classes, but definitely not with my own bikes to start. I'd much rather drop theirs.

I'm actually on the air station, a 5954 air traffic control comm tech. Title might seem fancy but there isn't much to it.

I'm glad others are taking the courses too, even after riding for a few years.
***Also something I forgot to add, there wasn't a "test" at the end like there was for the BRC, they expected everybody to make mistakes and were ok with it as long as we knew what we did wrong and we didn't repeat them.

Oh and what do rider bonding courses consist of?
..............................................

I really enjoyed the course as well. Makes you think & maybe remember some things you may have forgot.

Yes and for us, not only is it mandatory now, but we have to do the course every three years, at least on Camp Pendleton.

[oldyaler_imp]

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Oh and what do rider bonding courses consist of?
..............................................

That sounds a little freaky. Maybe they should change the name.

[Gypped_imp]

The bonding courses (it does sound a bit freaky) are basically just to get a better feel for, and control of, the bikes. They're an extension of the BRC and ARC. Or that's my impression, at least. I can't seem to find any around here whenever I look.

I liked Pendleton, and I much preferred the chow hall for the air field over the one in our area, it was civilian staffed at the time. I worked at ElMaCo, doing calibration and electronics (primarily radio) repair. They were already shifting the focus of my job when I got out, I have no idea what it's like anymore. At the time though, we were the intermediate step between standard maintenance at the platoon/company level and sending stuff off for depot level repair.

[wildezt_imp]

I really like the MSF courses... as soon as you hit the T its.."Right thumb, Right now...!!!"

[Jim21680_imp]

I agree about the value of the MSF courses, and it's a shame that some riders think they are above such a thing. I learned some very good habits in the BRC, and I use them just about every time I ride. I'm signed up for the intermediate rider course later this month, which seemed to be the best fit. I certainly didn't want to take the BRC again, and the ARC didn't seem appropriate since there's a 2-year gap between the CB1100 and my last bike. Really looking forward to it.