What the MSF Course Doesn't Teach You: 5 Things to Know Before You Ride

You passed the MSF Basic RiderCourse and you've got your completion card — now what? The MSF is a 15-hour course on a closed range, and it's genuinely great at what it does. But there's only so much you can replicate in a parking lot. Here are the things I wish I'd known before hitting the road after the MSF — including one the course barely touches: what riding does to your hearing. In this video: what to do with your MSF completion card (DMV endorsement and insurance discounts), how a motorcycle handles at real road speeds (engine braking and countersteering), how to read traffic and why you should never trust a green light, why the bike you trained on feels nothing like your own (Honda CB300R vs Honda Rebel 500), how to protect your hearing with motorcycle earplugs, and how to handle road obstacles like potholes, tar snakes, and oil in the middle of the lane. One stat, stated precisely: NHTSA found that about half of fatal crashes involving a motorcycle and another vehicle happen at intersections — often a car turning left across the rider's path. Don't trust green lights. The hearing research I mentioned — NIOSH's recommended limit is 85 dBA over 8 hours, and every 3 dB above that cuts the safe time in half: https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/noise/preve... MSF endorsement rules vary by state — this is how it worked for me in North Carolina. Check your own DMV, and if you get stuck, drop a comment and I'll help you figure it out. Just passed the MSF, or been riding for years? Tell me what you'd add to this list — half of what I've learned on this channel came from the comments. 🏍️ Bike: Honda Rebel 500 📍 Riding around Raleigh / the North Carolina Triangle 🎥 New rider series — weekly uploads from mile zero HEARING PROTECTION**: Alpine motorcycle earplugs: https://link.amazon/B09I05QlH Hearos earplugs: https://link.amazon/B09Enyzhn GEAR I USE**: Helmet: https://link.amazon/B0j1uNgz8 Gloves: https://link.amazon/B05GNCuxs 360 Camera: https://link.amazon/B03XQDX1f Helmet Cam: https://link.amazon/B06yDvFWA CHAPTERS 0:00 So you passed the MSF — now what? 0:53 What to do with your MSF completion card 2:10 Real road speeds: engine braking & countersteering 5:14 Traffic, and why you never trust a green light 10:32 Your bike isn't the MSF bike (CB300R vs Rebel 500) 14:04 The one the MSF doesn't mention: your hearing 17:17 Road obstacles: potholes, tar snakes & oil 21:25 Final takeaways Subscribe to follow the new rider series — experienced riders critique my riding, new riders ask questions, and everybody gets better. WATCH NEXT: 5 Beginner Motorcycle Mistakes: What My First 2,000 Miles Taught Me →    • 5 Beginner Motorcycle Mistakes: What My Fi...   I Passed the MSF Course: What New Riders Should Expect →    • I Passed the MSF Course: What New Riders S...   **: Affiliate disclosure: some links below are affiliate links — if you buy through them I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. #MSFCourse #NewRider #MotorcycleTips #BeginnerMotorcycle #HondaRebel500 #Rebel500 #MotorcycleSafety #MotorcycleEarplugs #HearingProtection #LearnToRide #RoadHazards #Motovlog #MotorcycleLife #NorthCarolina #KudzuMoto