Basic Motorcycle Safety course

Every new motorcyclist is excited to be on the road and to ride. Taking a motorcycle safety course insures the excitement continues.

Why a Motorcycle Safety Course is Necessary?

A motorcycle safety course is necessary so that a rider may learn about the machine from a safety standpoint. This means understanding basics about how the machine works and how the rider must interact during actual riding. A two and a half day course only starts the basics but should lay the foundation to encourage a rider to investigate their motorcycle further and to understand the physical restraints of the bike and the rider interaction with the bike during riding. This includes accelerating, breaking, stopping and turning. If the basics are learned then its easier to practice good habits as riding depth increases. The basics that are taught in the basic motorcycle safety course per the Motorcycle Safety Foundation is as follows:

• Introduction to motorcycling
• Protective gear / What to wear
• Controls such as the clutch and brakes
• Pre-ride inspection of your motorcycle
• Preparing to ride your motorcycle on the class range
• Street strategies to avoid trouble and stay safe
• Driving and riding impairments such as use of alcohol and drugs
• How to maneuver the motorcycle
• Avoiding obstacles
• Lane changes
• Passing
• Riding at night
• Collision avoidance skills
• Swerving
• Special situations
• Carrying a passenger or cargo
• Dealing with tire failure
• Dealing with animals
• And other topics, all included to increase motorcycle riding enjoyment and safety.

The other two obvious reasons to take a safety course is to get a break on insurance and to substitute the rider test for the state exam.

Motorcycle Insurance Breaks for Safety Course Participants

Insurance companies such as Geico, Progressive, Foremost, State Farm and others give discounted rates to riders who have participated in a safety course. Statistically, its been shown that riders with a safety course are in less altercations than those that do not take a course. Savings of three to five percent can provide some incentive for buying more safety equipment. Safety classes also encourage riders to wear helmets regardless of state laws. Two thirds of all fatalities in states that do not require a helmet to be worn might have been prevented if a helmet was worn.