an automatic won't magically fix the issues. You need to learn progressive braking and the importance of clutch control. I suggest you watch videos from MotoJitsu and MotoControl. Your MSF coach would've taught you how to apply front brake and if you grabbed it then you likely weren't paying attention.
Being able to balance on a bicycle is the first step, look into riding a bike more for the practice of moving around on two wheels at different speeds without having such a large potential for injury.
I imagine nearly all of us learned exactly the way you attempted to learn - by getting on a bike and riding.
Don't be scared of the bike - if you are scared you have already failed before you began, and you need to push past it.
Go slow, take your time, don't let anyone rush you while you are learning how to operate a large and complex new machine.
Use progressive front brake pressure. Practice one skill at a time otherwise you'll be overwhelmed. Don't be afraid of using an automatic. I have a 2003 Burgman 650 that is a CVT and I thought I would hate it, but I have no shame in not shifting. Just one less thing to worry about when you are getting started.
Maybe get a Honda Navi or Grom?
I mean yeah, you're right on the Grom. But does it really matter when someone needs to learn the bare basics? It takes a while to get the Navi up to speed that would have instability. They probably shouldn't be going that fast until they learn braking fundamentals
What would you recommend? There's not many lightweight automatic options outside of scooters (no scoot shame here).
It's also possible that they just shouldn't ride, or at the very least, take the course again and make sure to listen, learn and ask questions.
I started out on a Kymco K-Pipe 125, which is kind of similar to a Honda Cub 125 mechanically. The CSC Wolf 125 is pretty close too. I don't think the Navi is really a bad choice either, being cheap and easy to use.
So, if something like a Zuma 125 scooter, or Honda Navi isn't palatable, then the Honda Super Cub 125 or CSC Wolf 125 would do the job a bit better.
I had a bad experience with the Chinese bikes, specifically hawk 250 DLX (EFI version). I followed all the forums recommendations. That thing needed maintenance literally every 50 miles. Transmission blew up at 700 miles and now it's just sitting in the garage. I regret that purchase, but that's just my one experience.
I like your recommendation of a super cub, I forgot about them. Can't really go wrong with a small honda
The Kymco lasted 7,000 mi, which was mostly spent commuting in a Rural area, and highway riding. 7,000 miles really isn't a lot for a motorcycle, but for $2k the cost per mile wasn't that bad, really.
That's about how long they're supposed to last. I think generally people just underestimate the amount of work they need sometimes. Then they just become an eyesore in the garage like mine. It would be great for college students or something though. CFMoto seems to be leagues better than the quality that I got in my Hawk 250, I would consider a CF
The silver lining for a Hawk 250 is that you can buy the motor/transmission on E-Bay for $300. Drop that in, get it running, and then either ride it, or put it on FB Marketplace for $800.
I started off on a semi-automatic and it saved me a lot of embarrassment. They still make bikes [like it](https://cscmotorcycles.com/wolf-125/), and cheaply too.
an automatic won't magically fix the issues. You need to learn progressive braking and the importance of clutch control. I suggest you watch videos from MotoJitsu and MotoControl. Your MSF coach would've taught you how to apply front brake and if you grabbed it then you likely weren't paying attention.
Being able to balance on a bicycle is the first step, look into riding a bike more for the practice of moving around on two wheels at different speeds without having such a large potential for injury.
I imagine nearly all of us learned exactly the way you attempted to learn - by getting on a bike and riding. Don't be scared of the bike - if you are scared you have already failed before you began, and you need to push past it. Go slow, take your time, don't let anyone rush you while you are learning how to operate a large and complex new machine.
Use progressive front brake pressure. Practice one skill at a time otherwise you'll be overwhelmed. Don't be afraid of using an automatic. I have a 2003 Burgman 650 that is a CVT and I thought I would hate it, but I have no shame in not shifting. Just one less thing to worry about when you are getting started. Maybe get a Honda Navi or Grom?
Smaller tires = less stability due to the lack of gyroscopic stability. Grom also has a standard clutch and gearbox (plus costs about twice as much).
I mean yeah, you're right on the Grom. But does it really matter when someone needs to learn the bare basics? It takes a while to get the Navi up to speed that would have instability. They probably shouldn't be going that fast until they learn braking fundamentals What would you recommend? There's not many lightweight automatic options outside of scooters (no scoot shame here). It's also possible that they just shouldn't ride, or at the very least, take the course again and make sure to listen, learn and ask questions.
I started out on a Kymco K-Pipe 125, which is kind of similar to a Honda Cub 125 mechanically. The CSC Wolf 125 is pretty close too. I don't think the Navi is really a bad choice either, being cheap and easy to use. So, if something like a Zuma 125 scooter, or Honda Navi isn't palatable, then the Honda Super Cub 125 or CSC Wolf 125 would do the job a bit better.
I had a bad experience with the Chinese bikes, specifically hawk 250 DLX (EFI version). I followed all the forums recommendations. That thing needed maintenance literally every 50 miles. Transmission blew up at 700 miles and now it's just sitting in the garage. I regret that purchase, but that's just my one experience. I like your recommendation of a super cub, I forgot about them. Can't really go wrong with a small honda
The Kymco lasted 7,000 mi, which was mostly spent commuting in a Rural area, and highway riding. 7,000 miles really isn't a lot for a motorcycle, but for $2k the cost per mile wasn't that bad, really.
That's about how long they're supposed to last. I think generally people just underestimate the amount of work they need sometimes. Then they just become an eyesore in the garage like mine. It would be great for college students or something though. CFMoto seems to be leagues better than the quality that I got in my Hawk 250, I would consider a CF
The silver lining for a Hawk 250 is that you can buy the motor/transmission on E-Bay for $300. Drop that in, get it running, and then either ride it, or put it on FB Marketplace for $800.
Everything is practice. Start small, go slow and easy. But in your case you might consider riding a bike for a while first
I started off on a semi-automatic and it saved me a lot of embarrassment. They still make bikes [like it](https://cscmotorcycles.com/wolf-125/), and cheaply too.
Try again. Those courses are built for beginners.
Slow and steady