To ride or not to ride, and what to do if you DO decide to ride

My lessons while learning to ride a motorcycle

Riding a motorcycle requires consideration and a certain amount of risk tolerance. I will never tell someone that they should or should not ride a motorcycle, that is up to them to decide. I know some riders that after one close call decided that it was too risky and quit. For me the reward outweighs the risk. The quote that comes to my mind - 'Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?' - Daniel Daly, US Marine. You should carefully consider whether or not you are willing to go through the process to become SAFE and proficient while learning how to ride (and if you should be riding), while having to listen to comments from friends and family about how dangerous it is to ride ... Many motorcyclists will be more than happy to tell you how to operate your motorcycle / what you should wear / how you should act. They may not always have the facts straight so consider any information with your own lens, how you operate a motorcycle and with a grain of salt. Including my information. Ron Davis has a list of Really True Truths that I have also found to be true. Everybody gives you information that they have found to be true for themselves but which may not be true for everybody. If you decide to ride you should never stop the learning process. Also think about what you want of the experience when you ride your motorcycle? As with any new endeavour you will need to learn new jargon enabling you to talk to other riders in a coherent manner. The Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) training books help start you with this new language. You can also sign up for a free basic training online course that Triumph motorcycles are offering.

Little Sue gives her reasons to ride and why each Each Ride is an Adventure The Dream That Many Will Not Understand

This is my list advantages and tradeoffs of riding a motorcycle

So ... You have decided to ride a motorcycle

First things first, learn the local laws and regulations. Do NOT just have a discussion with your buddies about what THEY did to get their license. The laws may have changed and it could end up being a deadly or expensive mistake:
That being said, I will share my "truths" with you, the most important is not to wait but to Ride. Just Ride. MOST importantly you MIGHT feel that all of the below information is like drinking from a firehose. Don't be concerned if you don't get everything all at once. Keep reading this and anything else about the riding a motorcycle and it will all slowly soak in:
Now that you are comfortable with how the bike works NOW go out on the street. Again, trips around the neighborhood on streets that you are VERY familiar with. When I started I found a road in town that had a stop sign at the top of a hill that turned right onto a narrow 2 lane street. One I mastered that (holding a brake on an incline and turning right all at the same time) my confidence went up:

Now that you are comfortable riding ...

Practice ... Practice ... Practice ... Learn ... Learn ... Learn


Riding with a Pillion

Riding with a passenger(or pillion) takes additional skills, care and consideration.

Motorcycle Gear Care and Feeding


Motorcycle Home


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