Mandatory Safety Classes?

Training course

I’ve been involved in a discussion on LinkedIn regarding licensing and whether or not motorcycle safety courses should be mandatory for obtaining a motorcycle license. Here in Pennsylvania if you have an automobile license all you need to do is pay a small fee for a motorcycle permit. With that permit you can walk out of the building, mount a bike (any bike, any size)  and ride away. Zero instruction of any kind. In my case I bought a bike, rode it on weekends on back country roads until I got proficient enough to venture out in traffic. Anyone who rides knows firsthand the kind of muscle memory that is required to ride proficiently and safely. That only comes from repetition and practice. Practice that, I believe, too many people acquire in the crucible of the open road rather than a safe, closed environment.

It is a bit frightening to imagine young, enthusiastic riders getting their permits and jumping on a GSX750 with a power to weight ratio they have no idea how to control and hurting or killing themselves because they haven’t had anyone tell them about situational awareness or clutch and throttle control, what to be aware of with regard to riding in traffic, safety gear, the importance and effectiveness of the front brake or any other instruction of any kind except from a friend, who most likely is also self taught. In fact, during my safety course my brother and I actually heard someone say “oh, my husband never uses his front brake”. Amazing that a seemingly experienced rider would say something so dangerously incorrect.

The MSF (Motorcycle Safety Foundation) course is a good one but it’s not mandatory. Many riders get their permits, renew them every two years and never take a course. It’s a strange and potentially dangerous system. I’d favor a mandatory instruction course with graduated licensing, say under 500cc for anyone with less than 2 years experience. There are myriad ways to set it up that would be better than our current system. I’ve heard so many stories about riders who hopped on a bike with no experience or instruction, crashed, hurt themselves or their passenger and who consequently never rode again. I was curious as to the licensing methods in place in other states and countries. This blog has been viewed in every U.S. state and in nearly every country. I’d be interested in any feedback or opinions anyone can provide.

Ride safe.

2 Comments

  1. A brown

    I have been riding since I was 17 and after getting my car licence immediately applied for my motorcycle one. In wisconsin you have to take a road test with an examiner driving behind you, although it was short it was done by the book and required you show riding competency. I passed and enjoyed many years riding all size bikes.

    Fast forward to ten years back when I moved to the uk on a job assignment and after my first year I had to take both the driving and bike test, just as if I was beginner …..both written and driving tests for the car were not easy and required serious studying and taking driving lessons in order to correct bad habits . After a few month of preparations this was passed and I was ready for my bike test , I should mention that I have taken most bike safety courses offered in wisconsin, I have been on 3 Keith code track courses and have ridden in over 15 countries on all type of bikes, all this being said I was not even close to ready for the rigorous preparation for the 2 level process to get the u

    K licence. The first in a basic skill certificate done both in a parking lot and on the road, the second is a 3 day advanced course( needed for the over 125cc permit), 8 full hOurs every day on the road with a n instructor analyzing very inch of the way , how you handle yourself, the exam itself is right after the final day and it's precise and must be major error free. It was a long, hard and expensive exercise , but has it made me a better rider , absolutely both for my own benefit and that of my passenger and all others on the road.

    I truly now believe , the better you are MADE to learn and prepare BEFORE you start riding the more you will enjoy your bike by keeping it firmly on the road where you both belong.

    1. Bud Miller (Post author)

      Wow, A. Great info! Thank you for the comment. I had heard U.K. licensing was totally different than it is here in the states. This is exactly the kind of input I was hoping to get with this post. I particularly like the "bad habits" comment. I think self taught riders intuitively make mistakes which they then continue and which then become second nature. Much appreciated. Ride safe.

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