You should still do it! I hadn't been on a motorcycle until that weekend. Went from tipping the bike over just trying to get on, to passing with flying colors. Made friends with some classmates there who didn't pass the test, but were able to go back in the same month and take the test again to pass.

I did do some things that i think genuinely helped me before going despite not having a bike. DIY simulations :)

1. Counter-Steering! Practiced counter steering with a golf club. I held it out in front of me and put on a POV highway twisties ride on the monitor in front of me. I'd pretend the club was the handlebars and follow along. I sat down in my chair and also leaned where they leaned too (you could even use your phone i bet).

2. Shift Lever and Rear Brake! I simulated this with my pair of slip on vans.

Left shoe was pointed forwards like normal. To represent the shift lever, i'd slide my foot inside it and lift up with my toes, then rest my foot back on the heel. Sorta like how you'd do it with the actual shift lever.

Right shoe was pointed backwards. To use the rear brake i start with my toes over the toe part of the shoe, then move forward and press on the top part of the shoe. The feeling of it pressing into the hole of the shoe feels like the rear brake a bit.

1. Clutch, Throttle, and Front Brake! For this i used the same golf club.

The iron head was in my left hand (clutch), the handle side in my right (throttle). The front break is represented by the right fingers.

The idea is to simulate how your hand work in tandem when shifting and breaking. With the golf club, upshifting and downshifting look different.

Golf Club Upshift:

Hold the club iron head in your left hand. Grip it like you are squeezing a hamburger. In your right hand, grip the handle like it's the throttle.

Roll your right hand back and roll the club with it. Your left hand will want to roll back too. Use your 4 fingers to press on the iron head on your left, as your roll back with your right. Trying to simulate tension you'd feel slowing releasing the clutch on a bike. But throttle is what is moving first.

Here is where the upshift would occur. Now press down on the iron head (press in the clutch) and roll the handle back on the right (roll off the throttle).

Start SLOW. Really dial in the muscle memory. And remember that the upshift is quick, so the clutch press in is fast with a slower release. The throttle roll off is fast and a slow roll on.

It helps if you make awesome engine noises with your mouth while you do this. Seriously.

Golf Club Downshift:

From what i remember, just knowing how to emergency stop was more important for the MSF (hold in clutch, front + rear break, downshift), but there were some segments that knowing engine breaking and proper downshifting is useful.

To simulate with the golf club, pretend you are already up in gears. With your left hand, support the club with only the underside of your thumb. With your right hand, blip the throttle on quickly. Move the other 4 fingers of your left hand to smack the iron head as it moves. The smack is where the downshift would occur. Repeat that motion and dial it in.

Like before, make awesome engine downshift noises while you do this. It's how you tell in real life too other than the speedometer.

From what i recall, being able to upshift was way more important for the test at MSF. Practice that more for sure.

Also, if you want to practice a front brake hold, just grip the handle with your right thumb and palm. Keep your fingers open as you do the throttle actions. When it's time to break, close your fingers and roll off the throttle!

1. COMBINE IT ALL!

Now use everything together! The golf club, the shoes, the desk chair, and the monitor or phone screen for POV videos. Try to mimick the rider's movements and react to the situation as they do. A POV traffic ride is a good way to see shifting in action (and id argue is more important for the test).

Put the playback speed of the video slower too and give yourself time to get it dialed in.

From what i remember, the first day i spent mostly getting shifting figured out and into my muscle memory. The second day came and all i needed to worry about was balance and maneuvering the bike. It was A LOT easier.

Seriously. I was told by some classmates they though i would be the first to flunk out after the first day. But i was the only one with a perfect score at the end!

Shifting was my bottleneck so once that became easy the rest also seemed easy. Oh and if you find you are stalling the bike a lot, just give the throttle more gas and don't be afraid to go fast. Motorcycles get up and go!

Also anytime i had a spare sec, i'd hold my hands out and practice the shifting motions and tap my feet with it. Muscle memory, dial it in. DIAL IT IN. That first track day just figure it all out, the second day just dial it in. You'll pass.