Posted by Linnette on October 16, 2000 at 03:17:16:
In Reply to: Re: One word of caution posted by Barbara Brooker on October 14, 2000 at 12:33:43:
but I do have a 96 Virago, which I love. It truly glides down the road.
Your SO is an instructor for Safety Foundation courses isn't he?
I took the advanced course yesterday, which was totally informative and helpful, but I failed the certification because I didn't drive fast enough. I don't think the instructors made it clear that you had to finish the more than the first part in a specificied length of time. But I also didn't stop quick enough at the end either. And hit a cone in the weave. Actualy several problems with the "evaluation" (test!).
I'd gone down twice while doing the extreme weave exercise. I have problems getting the friction right on the clutch, as really only have two fingers with any gripping power (broke the other two, and they are crooked and weak, they cause me problems playing golf too).
Do you think the advanced course really helps you with real life riding? I thought the swerving part was good, and the taking curves, but the extreme turns are very rare. I have a turn that is downhill, curved, and at an acute angle, that I occasionally use on the roadway near my house. I can do it fine, and it is not nearly as acute as the ones we did in the practice course.
I do find the Virago harder to handle on those tight turns, and since Ive not ridden it as long as I had the Savage, lack of experience may have contributed to my problems.