1. They’re dangerous.
True – you don’t have the safety cage of a vehicle around you, and what gives you cold in a car, can kill you on a bike. Having said that, the technology has come a long way; my family and I wear airbag vests, chest plates, backplates, and flashing brake free lights on the back of our helmets. The biggest danger is actually other distracted drivers! You must ride with the mindset that everyone is out to kill you, often unintentionally!
2. They’re difficult to learn.
False – The Motorcycle Safety Foundation offers a
Basic Rider Course (BRC). You don’t know anything about riding on the morning of day one. By the end of day two, you’re comfortable on a bike and have your license waiver card to get an M-license to legally ride one. Now, mastering how to ride is a lifelong pursuit, you have to be willing to be bad at it at first, and patient to get out there and ride – different bikes, terrains, situations, speeds, to get comfortable. More fun if you ride with a group so get on Facebook and look for local riding groups.
3. Motorcycling is only for the tough and rough Harley/biker club dudes!
False. According to the
Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC), the fastest-growing market segments are women and millennials – both of my kids (Grayson-19 and Justus-17) ride with me. The older dudes are retiring out of the market and friends don’t let friends buy a Harley! Two of the coolest women I know in Atlanta (Hanni and Elaine) are both accomplished riders.
4. Motorcycling is expensive.
False. I started with a Vespa scooter – you can pick up a clean, used one on eBay or CL for around $2,500. That’s plenty of power to get you started, help you get acclimated with your surroundings, and learn how to control a bike. Once you feel comfortable on a scooter, you can move up to a 250cc motorcycle (that’s the engine size) like a Honda Rebel; KTM, Yamaha, and even BMW make these entry-level bikes that are a ton of fun to ride around town. They start in the $4K range. Get some saddle time under you and you can upgrade again to a 500-1000cc that can take you into the mountains or across the country.
5. I can ride in my regular clothes when I ride a motorcycle.
False. All the gear, all the time. You wear the gear for the fall, not the ride. My family won’t get on a bike without the proper motorcycle jacket, pants, gloves, boots, and a quality helmet. They don’t have to be expensive, but they do have to have the proper protection. I’ve gone down (fallen) four times in the past 10 years and have walked away from each because I wear all the gear. I like Dainese, REV’IT for clothing and boots, Shoei and Arai for helmets.
I’m getting certified this year by the
Motorcycle Safety Foundation to become a rider coach and love talking and teaching anything motorcycle related, so ask away. Happy Riding and Keep the Shiny Side Up! 😉 Nour
