Top Three Secrets to Know for Your Motorcycle Safety Course
by Torque74 contributor, Kary Adams
That first day we head into the motorcycle safety course to learn to ride a motorcycle, there’s a lot going through our heads. Below are some secrets and tips with a checklist to help you prepare!
One thing I want to pass on to ladies considering riding that I wish someone had told me is how easy it was going to be to learn. Now there are still challenges to overcome fears; mine were riding with other vehicles for the first time, hitting the highway and pulling out quickly onto a road with heavy traffic, but overall, I didn't know much about motorcycles when I learned to ride, I knew nothing of basic operation, and had my husband teach me how to turn it on before my class, but that was it! If you want, watch a couple videos on basic operation (that gives me a video idea for you our new YouTube channel!) I am sure there are videos out there to give you some insight.
First, have fun! Remember, no matter what happens, you’re there because you want to do something fun, challenging and amazing. If it terrifies you and you hate it, guess what, you never have to do it again. See our last blog post to remind yourself how awesome it’s going to be once you first lift your feet and roll forward!
Don’t let the guys intimidate you. You may be the only female, or you may be in a class with many ladies. You don’t need to go out of your way to find an all-female class, but many Harley dealers will offer ladies’ classes if you feel more comfortable. The instructors are very patient and you really just need to concentrate on what you are doing. Don’t worry about anyone else. Everyone is nervous. You’re all in the same boat. They are likely feeling exactly as you are.
In my class, the ladies executed the maneuvers a little more solid than the men because you could tell we weren’t “competing.” Just check your ego at the door and have FUN.
If I had to pick the top three secrets to keep reminding yourself would be first and foremost, always look where you want to go. This is probably the biggest “secret” to executing the maneuvers the best you can. We tend to look down at where the front wheel is, but in actuality, we steer the handlebars exactly where we are looking. So keep your eyes up and look where you want to go, especially when practicing your “box” turns (making tight turns in a box drawn on the ground). You’ll still be using that tip for as long as you ride.
Second secret would be to breathe and take your time. Don’t try and rush or worry about dropping or anything else. You’ll see that the learner bikes are pretty beat up typically, which means that lots of guys have dropped them before, and did during my class, so just don’t worry too much about that (notice I said guys… 😉). Remember, laws of the universe say we attract that which we fear or think about, so visualize yourself doing everything perfectly, especially the maneuvers that might look difficult. They’re really not. Likely if you were in a lot by yourself, you’d do them perfectly, so don’t even stress yourself over it and tune everyone else out. You’re going to be fine. You’ll likely never see any of those people ever again anyway, and the instructors will help you if you have any issues. Don’t be afraid or embarrassed to ask. Th guys will likely be less apt to ask for fear of looking silly in front of other men. Ladies, we’ll have an advantage there.
My last secret would be to start using your back brake as early as you can in your learning process. We tend to focus so much on that front brake and controlling the release of the clutch that it takes some of us a bit to transition and really the back brake is what you’ll want to use more since it’s an easier and smoother stop. It’s also what can make you tip over if you try and stop while your handlebars are turned. Ask me how I know!! 😊
Once you have gained some confidence riding with actual cars on the road around you, plan a back-roads longer ride, with someone if you can. Make a destination and plan your route. I noticed on days I went for really long rides, the next day I felt really comfortable and things were starting to become second nature….like riding a bike (haha).
Now let’s get into what you will need to consider for your first big day. It’s going to be exhilarating! Get a good night’s sleep because your adrenaline will be pumping.
The course you select will likely have some really beat up gloves and helmets for you. Let me stress the “really beat up” part. Now, sometimes us ladies are a little (or a lot) grossed out by wearing a helmet that 250 other sweaty and nervous riders have had their head and gloves that sweaty hands have been in. Plus, there’s that whole vision of a guy walking out of a restroom that didn’t wash his hands…..
So, here’s our recommended list of what to bring. It’s not necessary to go buy a helmet in case you hate riding and are terrified and never do it again. However, the pro would be, you have your own helmet forever to ride on the back of someone’s bike, or to go 4-wheeling, and if you love riding but later want a different style, and someday want to take a passenger, you have an extra helmet. So, the first thing (if you don’t have your own helmet) we recommend is a bandana. You can tie it around your head protecting your hair and forehead. There are also biker head wraps you can get for fairly inexpensive as well that will cover all of your hair and leave you with what we lady riders refer affectionately as “helmet hair.”
Yes, you can buy a used helmet prior to the class, but used helmets for every-day riding are not recommended. It would be fine to wear a used helmet just for the course since you are only going very slow speeds 90% of the time. Once you begin riding, however, it’s a good idea to get a new helmet because if a helmet has been previously dropped, it may have stress areas or cracks in it that will not hold up if a more serious accident occurs. Most veteran riders will tell you to never buy a used helmet. My friend Rob is a MSF instructor and former racer. He said he always recommends a full-face helmet for the first year or two that you ride. Plus, if your mother is terrified that you have decided to tackle a “death machine” at least she can have a little peace of mind that you are being proactive to protect yourself. You’ll likely want a couple styles eventually anyway. For long rides I like a full face because back roads have a lot of bugs. A few good whacks to the forehead where your eyes start watering and it startles the mess out of you, and you may consider the full face. Some however find full-faces too constricting or they feel claustrophobic. So eventually you may end up with a couple styles to accommodate your riding patterns.
Gloves are required for your course. Your local home improvement store will have mechanics gloves for around $10. If the thought of wearing dirty gloves worn by hundreds of hands is not as appealing as the thrill of riding, we recommend picking up a pair. Use them for yardwork or gardening after you take your class. Or, this may be one item that you decide to invest in in advance. I’d recommend shopping in person first, even if you end up buying online. Some gloves are made for different styles of riding and may look cool online but may have a shape that is not comfortable to your type of riding. Some gloves are made for cruisers, some for dirt bikes or dual sport bikes, and some for racing. If you live in a cold climate, you may have some winter gloves that will suffice. If you are like me, comfort is everything!
Gear for all possible weather scenarios for the season is important. I live in Florida where it is hot and sunny nearly every day. However, some small rain cells appeared on our second day, making it miserable rainy weather to learn to ride in. They did not cancel the class. On the plus side, I was never afraid of riding in the rain after that day. Out of 15 people, I was the only one who was dry and comfortable because I brought high boots almost to my knees (it was all I had), a rain jacket and dry socks for a lunchtime change out because I saw the forecast. The last thing you want to be worrying about is shaking from the cold and hardly being able to concentrate because you are freezing from being wet all day. My entire class was cold and wet, many of them wearing nothing but a soaked long-sleeve t-shirt. It wasn’t cold out, but people were literally shaking from being wet for hours. The instructor actually complimented me for thinking ahead, as you’ll have to learn to do this as a rider anyway.
Here’s a summary checklist:
- Bandana, headwrap or helmet
- Mechanic’s or winter-style gloves you can operate the bike comfortably
- Boots with a fairly flat heel that cover your ankle or high-top tennis shoes
- Jeans
- Long-sleeved shirt
- Layers for weather changes (jacket, rain jacket or full rain suit if you have one) dry clothes if forecast is for rain
- Water (and perhaps a snack if you are prone to needing a quick snack; you would be able to snack during your classroom portion)
- If the class is all day, you’ll need to bring a lunch or bring money if you plan on eating somewhere nearby
- Sunglasses (some classes will provide protective eyewear or require it if you don’t have any)
Next steps: If you have a bike already, practice! Find a local lot you can go and practice your turns. Cruise around your neighborhood for 15-30 minutes a day to get yourself comfortable and practice executing your stops, turns and turn signals (believe it or not this was something I really had to remind myself because I have small hands and it was a little bit of a thumb reach as they are clearly designed for man-hands). Then I kept forgetting to turn them off! My husband would remind me five miles later at a light and shake his head. It was kind of funny now looking back and we still joke about it. Guess what my second bike had? Turn signal canceler! Problem solved.
Don't ever feel you have to "keep up" with whomever you're riding with. Take the lead. My husband liked the idea that he could keep an eye on me, and it made me more comfortable when riding alone that I wasn't staring at someone else for my route. New riders have a comfort speed when you first begin. You'll work up to comfort with those higher speeds, but at first I rode 30-45 mph roads around me frequently and before I knew it I was doing 55 without even realizing it, then realized my Suzuki Boulevard 650 was a bit lightweight for high speeds like 70 on highways, and I wanted something "meatier" almost within the first 2 months. So this may be something to keep in mind for your first bike. I bought something affordable, and paid cash, so I could decide what I wanted for my next bike. Or maybe you are just fine with yours and stay with her for years. When I bought my second bike, I was actually a little sad to see her go because it was my first bike. I got attached to her. I never dropped her, and she was in perfect shape for a 2006 with 800 miles on her when I bought her. 
If you don’t have a bike, you’ll want to start shopping. Our next blog post will be all about things to consider when shopping for a motorcycle, but start thinking about what styles you are attracted to, and what type of riding you are going to be doing.
Have fun and ENJOY! You’ll always remember your first day riding!