Rider Training Programs - Learn From The Best

Depending on your state of residence, you may be required to take a motorcycle skills test before riding on public roads. Not every state requires that you take one of these training programs, but if you want to gain the skill to ride safely and quickly, regardless of traffic or road conditions, then you should always take an introductory rider skills training course. Even an experienced rider can benefit from additional training.

Self-Taught Riders

In states where a motorcyclist is not required to take a skills course before being granted a license, you’ll find that the number of motorcycle accidents is higher than in states that enforce this requirement. If you taught yourself how to ride a motorcycle, we can assure you that you’ve developed many bad habits over the years. These can vary from a fundamental lack of knowledge in relation to the principles of safe biking, all the way through to aggressive and sloppy riding habits, which can cause accidents. Self-taught motorcyclists are among the most dangerous on the road, but a motorcycle training course can help smooth out those rough edges in just a few hours.

Types of Courses

Attending a Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) riding course, or a similar one in your area, will cost you no more than $350 and provide the skills you need to be a confident, safe, and fast motorcyclist. Typically, courses start at a basic level, but you sometimes have the option of taking advanced classes, including instruction provided by local motorcycle police. These courses are obviously for experienced riders, but they will take you to the next level when it comes to your riding skills. You’ve already invested several thousand dollars in your bike and protective gear, so it makes perfect sense to spend a few hundred more on a rider training program. In fact, most motorcycle dealerships will offer you a discount for signing up for a training course when you purchase your bike from them.

No Bike?

Most modern motorcycle training centers can provide you with a bike to learn on, if required. This means you can get a real feel for what it’s like to ride a motorcycle in a live environment before you spend your hard-earned cash on one. It also means that when you graduate from your training course, you’ll be a safer motorcyclist because of it.

Course Benefits

The very last place you want to learn how to recover from a skid is on your own on the open road. A Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) riding course will teach you everything you need to know in a controlled environment, all under the guidance of an experienced and certified instructor.
You’ll learn about high-speed and low-speed driving skills, with particular focus on how to corner properly. Learning how to stop in an emergency, as well as how to react in emergencies, are other key skills you’ll know. Urban riding skills will also be part of the training, teaching you to scan your riding environment for potential threats and learn how to anticipate an accident before it happens.

The more advanced courses will even teach you how to “crash” your bike properly in the event of an accident. For example, you’ll learn that the safest place to be in the event of an accident is as far away from your bike as possible. Most motorcycle fatalities result from bikers trying to hold onto their bikes in the event of a crash, instead of letting go and getting away from danger. A perfect example of this is when you see an experienced rider crash during a track day – they separate themselves from the bike and look for a safe place to slide or roll to a stop.

Another helpful skill you’ll acquire is basic motorcycle maintenance, which enables you to perform a thorough pre-ride check of your bike and save money on essential motorcycle ownership tasks, such as oil changes and maintaining the correct tire pressure.

Advanced riding training programs also teach group riding, so if you do ever head out for a long drive with your buddies, you’ll have a much better understanding of how group riding dynamics work. High-speed cornering as a group is a very different experience from cornering as a solo rider.

Insurance Benefits

We already mentioned that many motorcycle dealerships will offer a discount on your purchase when you sign up for a rider skills training program. Still, the financial benefits don’t end there. Many insurance providers will discount your insurance premium by up to 25% for attending a rider training program of their choice. This reduces the upfront insurance premiums you pay, but it also lowers the risk of a serious accident, which could cost the insurance company millions of dollars.

The benefits of taking a rider skills training course far outweigh the costs involved, so we would recommend that every motorcyclist take at least one of these courses during their lifetime. This definitely applies to anyone who has been riding for a few decades – it’s time to iron out all those bad habits of yours.