Step 1. Sign up for the Motorcycle Safety
Foundation (MSF) course.
The Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) is a national program supported
by state motor vehicle administrations designed to teach potential
motorcyclists how to ride. Contact your local motor vehicle
administration and get on the waiting list, which can be up to six
months. [Check out
www.msf-usa.org
or call 1-800-446-9227 for the site nearest you.] Other
options include Harley Davidson's Rider's Edge classes (www.harleydavidson.com),
or a few private instructors/schools scattered around the country.
The MSF course can be completed over a weekend, after which you
receive a certificate that can be turned in for a motorcycle
license. The nominal fee of $100 or so saves you the hassle
of going to the motor vehicle department, taking a written test
and returning 3 months later with a bike and licensed companion to
take the driving test.
More important than the convenience, however, is the incredible
amount of training and education you receive. Each student
is provided a bike for the weekend, upon which you will learn to
ride, shift, turn, stop, low speed maneuvers, emergency maneuvers
and proper braking technique. Experienced instructors
provide you a steady stream of tips and safety awareness issues as
they step you through the on-bike training sessions.
Step 2. Obtain proper riding gear.
A DOT approved
helmet, blue jeans or sturdier pants, boots that cover at least
the ankles, gloves, glasses/goggles and a riding jacket, leather or
otherwise. While you are waiting for your MSF course date,
use your spare time on weekends to start checking out gear and
bikes. Try on helmets and jackets. Since you're
leisure time to check out the sale racks, especially if winter is
approaching and you know you won't begin riding until the
following spring.
Helmet -- Basically, there are three types: half, 3/4
and full face. Full face provide the best protection, as
they protect the chin and more of the face.
Half-helmets provide acceptably adequate protection and offer the
most wind-in-the-face open motoring sensation, but are also the
noisiest. This was the author's first helmet, and even with
a 40% hearing loss, turned out to be way to noisy. Perhaps
the kind that has closed ear straps instead of open ones would
have made a difference.
Three-quarter helmets offer the quietest ride and perhaps the best
overall compromise. The come with and without face shields.
Face shields offer protection from bugs and allow you to wear your
normal glasses. Otherwise, you need a good pair of
wrap-around, shatter resistant glasses or goggles that will keep
the wind out of your eyes.
Jacket -- Leather is top choice. High-tech
fabric jackets with padding, especially those with perforations
for summer riding, are becoming increasingly popular.
Personal taste and comfort should weigh in heavily. A word
about the perforated jackets -- once you start moving, the
wind-chill factor immediately sets in. Although the
temperature in the afternoon may be going up to 90, when you leave
the house in the morning at its 70, you can be quite cold and
would need a vest or sweatshirt as well. If you plan on
getting one jacket and one jacket only, get leather. If you
live in the southern part of the country, the perforated jackets
might work.
Boots -- Boots perform several functions. One, they
protect you from the heat of the exhaust and engine. Two,
they protect your feet and ankles if you have a mishap and the
bike falls on you. Three, many motorcycle boots have special
oil-resistant soles to increase traction such as when you put your
feet down at a toll booth. Four, sport bike riders seems to
favor, and some say are mandatory, to use special
racing-type features that eliminate flex between the sole and
heel. Since the majority of us boomers are unlikely to buy
radical sportbikes, expect to pass on the radical boots.
Step 3. Spec out your first bike A few
of us have a pretty good idea of what we want, since a particular
bike might have been the impetus to get a motorcycle in the first
place. For the rest of us, especially those who never rode
before, sorting through all the choices can be a challenge.
Ultimately, you want to go to a few dealers, sit on a few and test
drive those that look most appropriate. Of course, you must
have a license before you can test ride. Another place to
shop around are the larger bike-shows. A few of the exhibit
bikes are often for sale, and there are frequently for sale/swap
sections where you may find some older bikes. Most owners
will let you sit on their bike if you want to see what its like.
It doesn't hurt to start out conservatively and plan on getting
a "starter" bike first. Whether new or used, your focus with
a starter bike is to get something that won't cost an arm and a
leg and gets you on a bike that is similar to what ultimate goal
is. For example, if you think you will end up with a V-twin
cruiser like a Harley Davidson, Victory or Yamaha, start off with
a small displacement, lightweight cruiser made by Yamaha, Honda or
Suzuki. These are inexpensive new, and there are ample,
late-model used ones on the market for 20%-to-50% less. The
same holds true of sportbikes, streetbikes, tourers, off-road and
retro/classic bikes. If you are buying a new bike, start
looking for deals in August as dealers make room for the next
year's model.
New or used, put together a budget. Include funds for
gear and insurance; for a used bike, don't forget inspection,
registration, sales tax and some repairs/improvements. When
buying a used bike, its best to insist the seller have it
inspected. As far as resale value of bikes, check the links
page for sources on bike prices. With the exception of
Harley-Davidson, a new bike generally depreciates 20%-to30% the
first year, and after that, probably slows down to between
3%-to-10% for a few years, depending on mileage and condition.
One thing about buying a used bike is that if you're careful about
what you pay for it and sell it within a year, you won't lose much
more than the sales tax, registration fees and any expenses you
put into the bike. For more specifics in evaluating bikes,
go to The
Beginners Bike website.
Step 4.
Buy the bike and get insurance This is pretty basic.
Assuming you have your license, you can ride your bike home, ask
the seller to deliver it, or rent a trailer. Many sellers
will let you use their tags for a few days until you get your new
tags. Either way, you can arrange insurance before you pick
up the bike, a good idea in case the seller isn't covered.
When buying a bike, make sure you test ride it and that everything
is in working order. Ask if there's anything else that comes
with the bike, such as service records, manuals, covers, saddle
bags, original parts that were replaced for performance or
aesthetic reasons but are still good. The most important
things from a safety point of view are the tires are not more than
5-to-10 years old (no cracks and plenty of tread), the brakes are
good and all fittings, nuts and bolts are tight. If the bike
is high mileage or more than 10 years old, have a reputable
independent shop check the bike out as soon as possible,
preferably before you conclude the transaction. Insurance
for older riders such as us boomers is fairly reasonable.
Most firms also give discounts for certain motorcycle organization
memberships and those who have passed the MSF course.
Mainline insurance companies such as State Farm and CNA won't
cover motorcycles at all or only for those who have auto policies.
Your best bet is to get several quotes for those that specialize
in motorcycles. See the Insurance list under the Links page
on this site, and check with other riders in your area for
recommendations.
Step 5. The Open Road You have your bike and
are now ready to ride. Start off by just becoming familiar
with the bike. Learn the basics of the bike, the fuel
cutoff, kickstand, finding neutral, the shifter and clutch, and so
on. Go to an empty parking lot and practice some of the
maneuvers you learned in the MSF course. Ride around some
back country roads and get used to the way the bike handles the
curves. Riding with others for pleasure is often more
preferable than riding alone. Look up some of your MSF
classmates and join so local organizations. There are
numerous marque-specific clubs all over the country, as well as
both formal and informal riding and touring groups. (We'll
list some of these organizations future enhancements to the
website. Meanwhile, ride safe, ride sound and enjoy your
bike. Always do a pre-ride check up, weather check and make
sure you wear you protective gear.
