bicycle helmets japanese image
DS
Hey, I'm a college student and I'm considering learning how to motorcycle to get across campus. The problem is, I do not know anyone who owns one, and wouldn't I need to own one if I decide to take a motorcycle class?
If anyone who has a license is willing to walk me through the steps on how they got their license, I'd greatly appreciate it! I live in Illinois, by the way.
Answer
First, can you ride a bicycle? If not, you should start on one of those, to learn to balance and steer. It's much safer and easier than tackling a 400 lb machine and trying to balance it.
Okay, then go to the DMV and get the brochure on the MSF, Motorcycle Safety Foundation. They are all around the US. They have a 'beginners course' where they supply the bike. It's about half riding and half classwork. The riding is at 10 mph in a parking lot, so you don't need a license or even a learner's permit. This is some peoples' first actual time on a bike, and they do it just to see if they like riding at all. The MSF course doesn't teach you to ride, but it teaches you some very important safety habits to make you safer while you learn. You learn, of course, by riding.
So then you get a bike. What kind of bike? We answer that question a lot here. In brief it is Japanese, used, medium-sized, NOT a specialized sportbike. Maybe $2500-3000. You need a helmet, jacket and gloves at least.
You go to the DMV now and get a learner's permit. Then you get on your bike and ride it slowly around the a quiet residential neighborhood or quiet country lane until you get all the controls down pat. I wouldn't recommend that you need any training, except the MSF course is good. They will show you how the clutch and shift work if you've never driven a manual-shift car. After that you can figure it out.
When you feel ready, venture out into traffic, and get used to that. Then, when you feel confident, go for a few longer rides out into the country. When you're ready.
Then. when you feel competent, you go back to the DMV and take a written test and a riding test.
Now this is the generic version. There may be some wrinkles. Here in California, for instance, we don't have separate motorcycle license, its' an endorsement on your car license so you have to get that first. In some states if you pass the MSF course the DMV waives the riding test.
It's good to have friends that ride, because there's a whole lore attached to it. But once you have a bike you will meet people! 8^)
First, can you ride a bicycle? If not, you should start on one of those, to learn to balance and steer. It's much safer and easier than tackling a 400 lb machine and trying to balance it.
Okay, then go to the DMV and get the brochure on the MSF, Motorcycle Safety Foundation. They are all around the US. They have a 'beginners course' where they supply the bike. It's about half riding and half classwork. The riding is at 10 mph in a parking lot, so you don't need a license or even a learner's permit. This is some peoples' first actual time on a bike, and they do it just to see if they like riding at all. The MSF course doesn't teach you to ride, but it teaches you some very important safety habits to make you safer while you learn. You learn, of course, by riding.
So then you get a bike. What kind of bike? We answer that question a lot here. In brief it is Japanese, used, medium-sized, NOT a specialized sportbike. Maybe $2500-3000. You need a helmet, jacket and gloves at least.
You go to the DMV now and get a learner's permit. Then you get on your bike and ride it slowly around the a quiet residential neighborhood or quiet country lane until you get all the controls down pat. I wouldn't recommend that you need any training, except the MSF course is good. They will show you how the clutch and shift work if you've never driven a manual-shift car. After that you can figure it out.
When you feel ready, venture out into traffic, and get used to that. Then, when you feel confident, go for a few longer rides out into the country. When you're ready.
Then. when you feel competent, you go back to the DMV and take a written test and a riding test.
Now this is the generic version. There may be some wrinkles. Here in California, for instance, we don't have separate motorcycle license, its' an endorsement on your car license so you have to get that first. In some states if you pass the MSF course the DMV waives the riding test.
It's good to have friends that ride, because there's a whole lore attached to it. But once you have a bike you will meet people! 8^)
Should i be intimidated to ride a Harley?
Wyatt
Im 17 and really wanna get a motorcycle in the next few years. I didn't grow up with a dad so i missed out on a lot of the "man" stuff like motorcycles and cars. I have never rode a motorcycle in my life and i know nothing about them and am totally spooked about riding the first time. Is it tough? What do i need to know before trying? should i take a first time rider course? Thanks!
Answer
I read somewhere, a few years ago, that more than half of all buyers of new Harleys were either total newbies or else coming back to riding after 20-30 years (raising a family no doubt). And at the time I wondered why total noobs would want such a dauntingly big, heavy bike.
Well then a friend of mine (a woman who rides) wanted to buy one, and she began asking me questions about them. I've been riding a long time but I had never ridden a Harley. So I suggested we rent one for a day and split the cost, and take turns switching between the Harley and her bike. I have to say I was just shocked at how easy the Harley was to ride, how easy to manage and 'well mannered' it was. This was a Heritage Softail, maybe the biggest bike Harley's ever made, a 700 lb beast.
Harleys are 'cruisers'. Cruisers have a lower center of gravity, and a lower seat, so they feel much lighter than they are. Now ALL motorcycles feel pretty light once you get up to about 10 mph. On the road, weight means stability. But big bikes are a little scary when you're holding them up at a stoplight, or parking them on a slight hill. The Harley was even easy to hold up and park.
Ten minutes on this bike taught me all about cruisers. They are not good-handling, high-performance, they are stable and easy to ride. They support a relaxed, laid-back riding style, which is a lot safer than 'pushing the envelope' on a crazy sportbike. They are comfortable and relaxing to ride. The Softail would make a great touring bike, at 85 mph it's like sitting in a flying easy chair and watching the scenery go by. And I say that not exactly being a Harley fan, or a cruiser fan.
BUT I would seriously not recommend you get one to learn to ride on. You're likely to be hard on your first bike. You will almost certainly drop it once or twice (at least), nothing serious, just losing your balance in a parking lot, stuff like that. And you will almost certainly abuse the clutch. Even a halfway decent USED Harley is like $10k.
I would recommend you start on a Japanese cruiser, a used one. Honda Shadow, Kawasaki Vulcan, Yamaha Star, Suzuki C50 or Boulevard. Something between 5 and10 years old, old enough to be depreciated but new enough that you can still get parts. Maybe with a few dings and bruises already so you won't feel so bad when you drop it. 750cc is a good size to start with for a cruiser, it feels light, its easy to park, but it will still cruise on the freeway all day without the wind blowing it around. Maybe $3000. If you buy carefully, you can sell this 'old beater' a year later for about what you paid for it. And -then- if you want a Harley go get one, and it will be the same but bigger and nicer.
You don't need professional training to ride a motorcycle. You learn by yourself, by riding. The MSF course (Motorcycle Safety Foundation, in the US, in other English-speaking countries they have something similar) only teaches you some very important safety habits to keep you safe while you learn on your own. It's probably a good idea. They supply the bike, you just show up, so a lot of people do it who are just considering getting a bike and want to see what it's like and if they can even do it.
If you've never ridden a bicycle, i would start on a bicycle, just to learn about balancing and steering. If you can drive a manual-shift car, learning a motorcycle will be easier because you understand how a clutch and gearshift work. But the controls are different, you clutch with your hand and shift with your foot, so you need to develop new 'muscle memories'.
Also leave room in your budget for a helmet, jacket, and gloves, at a minimum. The gloves and jacket are about abrasion resistance when you skid on the ground.
If you know anyone who rides, pepper him with questions. Bikers love to talk (and write) about motorcycling. It really is just as much fun as it looks. 8^)
I read somewhere, a few years ago, that more than half of all buyers of new Harleys were either total newbies or else coming back to riding after 20-30 years (raising a family no doubt). And at the time I wondered why total noobs would want such a dauntingly big, heavy bike.
Well then a friend of mine (a woman who rides) wanted to buy one, and she began asking me questions about them. I've been riding a long time but I had never ridden a Harley. So I suggested we rent one for a day and split the cost, and take turns switching between the Harley and her bike. I have to say I was just shocked at how easy the Harley was to ride, how easy to manage and 'well mannered' it was. This was a Heritage Softail, maybe the biggest bike Harley's ever made, a 700 lb beast.
Harleys are 'cruisers'. Cruisers have a lower center of gravity, and a lower seat, so they feel much lighter than they are. Now ALL motorcycles feel pretty light once you get up to about 10 mph. On the road, weight means stability. But big bikes are a little scary when you're holding them up at a stoplight, or parking them on a slight hill. The Harley was even easy to hold up and park.
Ten minutes on this bike taught me all about cruisers. They are not good-handling, high-performance, they are stable and easy to ride. They support a relaxed, laid-back riding style, which is a lot safer than 'pushing the envelope' on a crazy sportbike. They are comfortable and relaxing to ride. The Softail would make a great touring bike, at 85 mph it's like sitting in a flying easy chair and watching the scenery go by. And I say that not exactly being a Harley fan, or a cruiser fan.
BUT I would seriously not recommend you get one to learn to ride on. You're likely to be hard on your first bike. You will almost certainly drop it once or twice (at least), nothing serious, just losing your balance in a parking lot, stuff like that. And you will almost certainly abuse the clutch. Even a halfway decent USED Harley is like $10k.
I would recommend you start on a Japanese cruiser, a used one. Honda Shadow, Kawasaki Vulcan, Yamaha Star, Suzuki C50 or Boulevard. Something between 5 and10 years old, old enough to be depreciated but new enough that you can still get parts. Maybe with a few dings and bruises already so you won't feel so bad when you drop it. 750cc is a good size to start with for a cruiser, it feels light, its easy to park, but it will still cruise on the freeway all day without the wind blowing it around. Maybe $3000. If you buy carefully, you can sell this 'old beater' a year later for about what you paid for it. And -then- if you want a Harley go get one, and it will be the same but bigger and nicer.
You don't need professional training to ride a motorcycle. You learn by yourself, by riding. The MSF course (Motorcycle Safety Foundation, in the US, in other English-speaking countries they have something similar) only teaches you some very important safety habits to keep you safe while you learn on your own. It's probably a good idea. They supply the bike, you just show up, so a lot of people do it who are just considering getting a bike and want to see what it's like and if they can even do it.
If you've never ridden a bicycle, i would start on a bicycle, just to learn about balancing and steering. If you can drive a manual-shift car, learning a motorcycle will be easier because you understand how a clutch and gearshift work. But the controls are different, you clutch with your hand and shift with your foot, so you need to develop new 'muscle memories'.
Also leave room in your budget for a helmet, jacket, and gloves, at a minimum. The gloves and jacket are about abrasion resistance when you skid on the ground.
If you know anyone who rides, pepper him with questions. Bikers love to talk (and write) about motorcycling. It really is just as much fun as it looks. 8^)
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Title Post: If I don't own a motorcycle or know anyone who owns one, how can I legitimately learn how to ride one?
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