There is a Proper Way to Learn How to Ride a Motorcycle

When I was growing up, the "proper" way to learn how to ride a motorcycle consisted of a 30 second lesson given by your buddy about how to use the throttle and clutch, just before you went careening off into street traffic on a borrowed motorcycle you had never ridden before. You were lucky if you even remembered how to use the brakes--in that era, learning how to ride a motorcycle was strictly a seat-of-the-pants affair. You would be considered a successful graduate of this "training" if you lived to tell the tale!

At the time, it seemed that getting good information on a safe way to learn how to ride a motorcycle was severely lacking. But now, with the advent of the Internet and other ways to reach out to fellow motorcyclists, you have no excuse not to start out your motorcycling career on the right foot.

Nowadays, professional training by licensed instructors has taken the place of those wild and exciting times of my youth. The principal benefit of taking professional motorcycle lessons is that you get a safe location to try out motorcycling for the first time. You will also learn techniques and drills that will actually help you and be of use in the real world.

You can also learn valuable and time-tested information in the classroom that will serve you well when you finally start riding in real traffic. Professional motorcycle lessons are readily available almost everywhere in the developed world, and you would be very foolhardy to skip this vital step in learning how to ride a motorcycle properly.

In these training classes, you will be provided a motorcycle and motorcycle helmet, and learn how to ride a motorcycle from the ground up, starting with basic fundamental motorcycle control and systematically advancing to more complicated techniques. All the while, a licensed instructor will keep an eagle eye on you, to keep you safe as well as prevent you from doing something ill-advised. It's a great way to start off motorcycling on the right foot, and not have to worry about unlearning any bad habits about riding you picked up from your friends or neighbors.

You should have no doubts that this is undoubtedly the best way to learn how to ride a motorcycle. You will also get the benefit of seeing if motorcycling is in fact something you want to pursue, without risking your neck or wasting money buying a motorcycle you end up not wanting. The only "disadvantage" of formal motorcycle lessons is that you will not get to regale your friends with entertaining stories about how you almost crashed into a parked car or wrapped your brand new motorcycle around a telephone pole while riding it home from the dealership!

To some of you, professional training might simply seem like an optional choice. And true, it's not mandatory in most places. But if you really, truly care about your personal well-being, there is no question at all. Everyone should always remember the first time they rode a motorcycle, but not because it landed them in the hospital! Be wise and learn how to ride a motorcycle the right way.