Quote Originally Posted by Fred View Post
Ok, an update, if it can help others who will go through the same process in the future.

The tests in the Wubao lu center is organized exactly like Wrangler described above for the Hongkou center. Passed the 1st part (slow slalom between poles) without problem.
I asked several times to the "instructor" if I could try the entire test today (the whole course) because I find it stupid and useless to have to wait 1 month for the 2nd part, and moreover, I want to buy the bike now ! ;-)) To no avail... I didn't give him any "gifts", I consider it not necessary if I can pass without trouble.

Several comments I'd like to share with you guys :
- the "instructor" maybe talked 1mn30sec totally to each one of us since we started the "training". He usually points to the bike keys when you arrive, you go fetch your bike and start training by looking at what the others are doing. During this time he stays in his warm office... Then yesterday he went out, explained in 1mn the whole course, told them to go train, then went back inside. So globally, if you're not sure about something, if you ride with knees wide open, if you make the biggest no-no on the bike, nobody will be there to point the right technique to you...
- I dared to ask him (yeah I know, how impolite and silly of me...) if they ever do some lessons outside, in the streets, he looked at me with eyes wide open and yelled "you're joking ?? It's very dangerous in the streets !"..... Yeah, I know, that was my point, yeah.... Like you're supposedly there to teach us how to survive out there, yeah... Definitely, we do not share the same logic. ;-))
- It has to be noted that while there's no training on the streets, the other newbies on the bikes take care of that for you... There's only one course, one way, but still you have to expect having guys cutting you off, taking the course on the opposite way (!!), stopping to answer the mobile phones in the middle of the poles, etc. :-))
It dawned on me once again that they never receive any training or explanation on how to share the road, so that's why they behave like they do in the streets : not only because it's a "me first !" attitude, but also because they are not taught anything about the whole concept of sharing the road...
- As I wrote before, the whole "training" is done on bikes with "automatic" clutch, meaning you can change gears with your left foot as usual, but no clutch lever on the handle bar. So it means you cannot stall when stopping the bike. So what's the point of having an exercice to stop & start uphill, for f..k sake ?? You just stop, hold the rear brake and throttle your way uphill... What's the difficulty there ?


Maybe the very experienced members of this site could add all their advices, hints in order to help the newbies like myself : what other things should we do to perfect the "basic training" ?
A Very nice writeup Learning to ride is not easy, and learning in China on your own is alot harder. Keep it up, you're already a hero.


One rule I practiced alot was this: in emergency situations you have two choices, do not mix them up. 1) Brake hard, but keep the bike UPRIGHT, AND STRAIGHT. 2) Swerve, depending on how your bike handles and what speed you're going, you could apply some brake force, but in an emergency, you will tend to over brake. So I train not to use the brake if I'm swerving. If your wheel stops and it's not upright, gravity wins, and then you hear a plomp sound! If you think about it, this can be rephrased to a more generic rule: Don't panic and do the right thing. Just don't panic. This also somewhat overlaps with target fixating.

Another rule: if you find your rear tire sliding out, don't panic, you can correct with a combination of steering and throttle. This can happen if you manage to lock your tires, braking hard. If you don't notice this immediately on, you could either high-side or low-side. Or if you know what you're doing, and keep it up, it's called drifting.

A China specific rule. If you intend to get anywhere in one piece, and still keep your nerves wired think like this: we laowai's are stupid, we don't know how to drive. It's the Chinese that know the rules, and we have to learn their ways. You have to learn how to read the traffic here. They are the majority, it's much easier accept their ways, instead of wining about it, even if it's only in your head. I still get the occasional scare once in a while, but generally I'm very comfortable riding in China. The objective is to ride, and enjoy my ride, not to educate 1.6 billion Chinese.

I remember when I first started. I also could not join an MSF course, had to learn on my own, reading and watching youtube vids of MSF and other training sessions, also typical crashes and discussion on why's and what's. Not to sound like an old sod, that was just 5 years ago, ~August 2006. I bought a 1992 Cruiser, VLX 400. When the man handed over the key, I asked him to ride the bike home for me. He wanted to give me back the money. "I don't want to read about you in the obituaries."

Since then, I can count total of three years riding, on two bikes. I've crashed two times on my only long trip (Kunming-Chengdu-Kunming) but I was able to quickly pick up the bike an continue, no damage to the bike or me. Both times I was tired, wet, sick with a fever and in a hurry. I am no guru, you should wait for more experienced riders to chime in.

For those who took the MSF course, could you help putting up a list of do's and don't's for us poor newbs.. I'm a very confident driver within my limits, but because I didn't have any sort of formal training, I don't know the rules by heart. Maybe I have many bad habits.