05-13-2016, 11:21 PM
Much food for thought here. The value of basic motorcycle training was recently covered in Motorcycle Consumer News and the writer of that article discussed how some states were rethinking the value of current new rider courses. Since these courses are industry related, the emphasis has been to present riding as something anyone can do safely. I have a problem with that. I've had friends through the years who wanted to learn but never felt comfortable on two wheels even though they successfully completed a rider safety course. This was brought home to me a few years ago when the wife of a good friend was nearly killed while riding her Bergman. She had successfully completed the rider course at a HD dealer but it was evident to Sparky and I after riding with her that she was not ready for real street riding. Within a year she had an accident while riding with her husband. Thanks to ATGATT she recovered from her injuries but now will not ride a bike, even as pillion.
Like Ptero, I had no formal motorcycle training; learned to ride on a friend's BSA 441, riding it on a graded dirt road near home. From there I bought a dirt bike, an SL100 Honda, and kept to dirt trails. That time spent learning to ride on dirt trails was more valuable than any riding course I believe. When I bought my first street bike I felt I had learned the basics of riding. A school of hard knocks was to follow as I learned how to survive in traffic.
Like Ptero, I had no formal motorcycle training; learned to ride on a friend's BSA 441, riding it on a graded dirt road near home. From there I bought a dirt bike, an SL100 Honda, and kept to dirt trails. That time spent learning to ride on dirt trails was more valuable than any riding course I believe. When I bought my first street bike I felt I had learned the basics of riding. A school of hard knocks was to follow as I learned how to survive in traffic.