Rider's Education

Racy Lady Motorcycle Safety School

Racy Lady Motorcycle Safety School 

Choosing The Motorcycle That's Right For You 

Buying a motorcycle is a big expense and only the first part of a quite costly hobby. Do your homework and research to find the bike that fits you best.

First you should determine what kind of riding you will want to do:

• Are you planning on mostly commuting?
• Do you want to go on slow, relaxing cruises up the coast?
• Are you adventurous and see yourself touring the country?
• Are you an off-road, dirt rider?
• Or do you want to do more aggressive, high performance riding, and go to the track?

Different kind of motorcycles for different styles of riding:

• There is the standard street motorcycle, which is perfect for commuting. Those bikes are great beginner bikes. Their seating position is comfortable and upright, they are easy to handle, and not too aggressive. However, aggressive enough to pass by traffic and get you from A to B.
• Then there are the cruisers, often chosen by women due to their low seat height. Great for shorter riders and much less intimidating, since they are more forgiving than sportier styles. In addition, they are great for a relaxing Sunday cruise.
• Touring/Sport Touring Bikes are basic street bikes with more comfy seats for long rides, big fairings to protect the rider from the head wind, and usually come with saddle bags for luggage. Great for long distance riding, but not the best beginner bikes, due to their weight.
• Dual Sport/Enduro Bikes are for on and off road riding. They come with a dirt bike chassis and suspension, which gives them a quite tall seat height. Dual Sport bikes are fun and easy to ride. They are light and easy to handle, which makes them great beginner bikes. However, not perfect for short people.
• Dirt Bikes are the perfect way of learning how to ride. Even if you are an experienced rider, riding dirt will keep improving your skills. Dirt/Motocross bikes are very light weight, with no mirrors, lights etc., and really hard to break. You will crash in the dirt, and if you do, you don't have to worry about breaking your bike. Attention: dirt bikes are stock not street legal!
• Sport Bikes are usually not the best beginner bikes. With today's technology basically all sport bikes are full on race bikes. They feature a lightweight aluminum frame, stiff suspension, powerful brakes, and gripping tires. If you like high performance riding and speed, you will consider transferring to a sport bike once you outgrow your beginner bike. Ride safe, and take high speeds to the track!

When choosing your first bike, consider your level of experience.As a beginner, you might not want to choose an expensive, brand new bike as you WILL drop it. It may even be just a slight tip-over at a very low speed. Rest assured that it will hurt more than your bruises seeing your brand new bike on the ground.

It is always a good idea to start on an older, smaller bike, with lower cc's, i.e., less power.

These motorcycles are often more forgiving. Perhaps by the time you have outgrown your first bike, you will want to do a different kind of riding altogether. Or, maybe you will simply want to step up to a bigger engine and newer model.

RIDE SAFE, RIDE SOBER, AND
ALWAYS STAY WITHIN YOUR LIMITS!

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Starting To Ride

If you are just planning on riding a motorcycle, we suggest you get the proper training first. Practically, anyone can take the DMV test, get on any bike and ride. However, we strongly suggest learning the proper techniques first. According to statistics, 90% of riders involved in accidents have been lacking proper training and were either self taught or taught by friends.

There are several great beginner classes offered. The Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) offers a variety of rider courses, including the Basic Rider Course. Completion of this course substitutesthe DMV practical when getting your motorcycle license.

See www.msf-usa.org for more information.

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Basics 

Particularly as a beginner motorcyclist, it is important to do your homework and learn as much about proper riding techniques as possible. Don't worry, everybody has been there. We all started out as beginners. Learn how to ride properly, keep improving your skills, and be involved. The more you know, the safer you will be.

MSF (Motorcycle Safety Foundation)
www.msf-usa.org
Start riding by learning the basics of operating a motorcycle. The MSF course not only teaches you how to ride, but also spares you the practical part of your motorcycle license test.

Rich Oliver's Mystery School
www.richoliver.net
One of our greatest racers, Rich Oliver, teaches everyone, from beginner to road racer, how to become a better rider. Rich Oliver's fun camp will make a huge difference and will be the most fun you ever had. Trust us, we speak from experience.

Newbie Rider
www.newbierider.com
Everything you ever wanted to know about motorcycles.

MotoFemina
www.youtube.com/profile?user=motofemina
16 video clips chronicling three new women riders and their experiences in learning

Ride Bikers Ride
www.ridebikersride.com
A site to support women riders.

Beginner Bikers
www.beginnerbikers.org

AMA—Beginner's Help
www.amadirectlink.com/roadride/NewRider/index.asp
American Motorcyclist Association—Beginner's help.

Total Motorcycle—Beginner's Guide to Motorcycling
www.totalmotorcycle.com/school.htm
A beginner's guide to motorcycling.

SoCal Real Riders
www.socalrealriders.com
Learn how to ride a motorcycle from scratch. Borrow a bike for the DMV test. Improve your street riding skills.

Street and Dirt Bike Instructions
www.motorvike.com/StreetBikeClasses.htm
One on one street and dirt bike training in Los Angeles and Ventura County.

On The Road Again, Driving School Inc.
www.ontheroadagainmotorcycleschool.com
Motorcycle training for beginners, returning and advanced, from Montauk to Manhattan.

Ride Chicago
www.ride-chicago.com
Ride Chicage offers classes from basic licensing to experienced, oil change and service as well as private instruction.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/pedbimot/motorcycle/McycleRiderWeb/pages/3Comparison.htm
A comparison of Rider Education and Practices across the Country

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Advanced 

We never stop learning! There is plenty of information for skill improvement for advanced riders. Take advantage of those resources. Keep learning, keep being safe!

MSF Experienced Rider Course
www.msf-usa.org
The Motorcyle Safety Foundation offers Experienced Rider Course.

Rich Oliver's Mystery School
www.richoliver.net
Rich Oliver's Mystery School teaches even Road Racers how to improve their riding skills.

Motorcycle Tips & Techniques
www.msgroup.org/default.aspx
This site provides motorcycle saftey tips and techniques for all kinds of motorcycles.

Street and Dirt Bike Instructions
www.motorvike.com/StreetBikeClasses.htm
One on one street and dirt bike training in Los Angeles and Ventura County.

Streetmasters—Motorcycle Workshop
www.streetmasters.info
A precision cornering workshop for motorcycle riders.

On The Road Again, Driving School Inc.
www.ontheroadagainmotorcycleschool.com

Ride Chicago
www.ride-chicago.com
Ride Chicage offers classes from basic licensing to experienced, oil change and service as well as private instruction.

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Riding Schools 

Investing money in the right education will pay off down the road! Motorcycle schools at all levels, from beginners to road racers, are important tools to be safe on your motorcycle, regardless if cruiser, dirt bike, sport riding, touring etc. Learning how to control your motorcycle better can not only save your life, but also spare you expensive repair and hospital costs.

Freddie Spencer's High Performance Riding School
www.fastfreddie.com
Freddie Spencer's High Performance Riding School is designed for riders of all abilities. Taught by three-time World Champion Freddie Spencer, it uses a process of learning that applies as well to novice riders who simply want to improve their street riding as it does to racers who dream of winning world championships.

Jason Pridmore's STAR School
www.starmotorcycle.com/starclub.html
The Skills and Techniques for Advanced Riding Motorcycle School was created to help you become a more proficient, more confident rider. Whether you're a street rider who wants to improve your skills to gain confidence and become a safer rider, or a track day junkie and racer looking for answers on how to go faster on the racetrack, the STAR Motorcycle School has a training program designed specifically for you.

Reg Pridmore's CLASS Motorcycle Schools
www.classrides.com
CLASS is the premier motorcycle track school in the nation for street motorcyclists

California Superbike School
www.superbikeschool.com
The California Superbike School is all about cornering, training riders in the exact skills of cornering motorcycles.

National Association of State Motorcycle Administrators
www.smsa.org
A list of all US state motorcycle training programs.

Total Control Advanced Riding Clinic
www.totalcontroltraining.net
Lee Parks' Total Control Advanced Riding Clinic is for all those looking to further enhance their skills in a controlled environment with expert instruction.

MSF Rider Courses
Whether you're just starting out or have been riding for some time, there's a Rider Course for you.

Reduc Sportbike Association
www.reduc.com

North East Sport Bike Association (NESBA)
www.nesba.com

Mid-Atlantic Road Racing Club
www.marrc.org/html_docs/rrs.html

Corner Speed
www.cornerspeed.net

Frank Hawley's Drag Racing School
www.frankhawley.com

Trials Training Center
www.trialstrainingcenter.com

Women's School of Motocross
www.dmsports-wsmx.com

Loudon Road Racing Series
www.lrrsracing.com

A Day in the Dirt
www.adayinthedirt.com

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Track Days 

Track days are a great way to get to know your bike better and improve your riding skills in a safe environment. You ride within your skill group, without street hazards, such as oncoming/cross traffic, dirt, oil spills, or car drivers on their cell phones. Every track day organizer provides instructors to ask for help on and off the track.

The Track Club
www.thetrackclub.com
The Track Club offers track days at Buttonwillow Raceway, Infineon Raceway, and Laguna Seca Raceway.

Take It To The Track
www.ti2tt.com
Ti2ttand Trackoholics offer track days at Buttonwillow Raceway, Willow Springs, Streets of Willow, as well as Vegas Classic Course.

Trackoholics
www.ti2tt.com/node/305

TrackDaz
www.trackdaz.com/ti/trackdaz/index.html
TrackDaz offer track days at Willow Springs Raceway, as well as Streets of Willow.

Sportbike Tracktime
www.sportbiketracktime.com
Sportbike Tracktime offers track days at Raceways throughout the country. Please check their schedule for dates and locations.

Apex Track Days
www.apextrackdays.com
Apex Track Days offer track days at Miller Motorsports Park.

AZ Trackday
www.aztrackday.com/v2
AZ Trackday offers track days at Firebird International Raceway, as well as schools, workshops, bike and gear rentals.

Tony's Trackdays
www.tonystrackdays.com
Tony's Track Days offers track days at New Hampshire Motorsports Speedway and New Jersey Motorsports Park.

Lone Star Track Days
www.lstd.com
Lone Star Track Days offer track days at Texas World Speedway, as well as The Motorsport Ranch.

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Articles, Books & Reading Musts 

Teaching a Newbie to Lean
www.msgroup.org/Tip.aspx?Num=006

Dumping a Bike is no Sin
www.msgroup.org/Tip.aspx?Num=007

What They Didn't Teach During The MSF Class
www.msgroup.org/Tip.aspx?Num=003

Tire Pressure
www.msgroup.org/Tip.aspx?Num=009

One Rule That Will Keep You Alive On City Streets
www.msgroup.org/Tip.aspx?Num=011

Taper Braking
www.msgroup.org/Tip.aspx?Num=030

Books

Jerry "Motorman" Palladino's Ride Like a Pro III and Ride Like a Pro for the Ladies

The Motor Cop Survival Video; a riding video used by law enforcement agencies for training in street survival skills; available from the Street Smarts Video website

The Secret Skills of Motorcycle Riding, Parts I and II

Streetbikes—Everything You Need To Know by Bill Stermer

How to Ride a Motorcycle by Pat Hahn

Performance Riding Techniques by Andy Ibbott

Smooth Riding the Pridmore Way by Reg Pridmore, Geoff Drake (Contributor)

The Motorcycle Safety Foundation's Guide to Motorcycling Excellence, Second Edition

Proficient Motorcycling: The Ultimate Guide to Riding Well by David L. Hough

More Proficient Motorcycling: Mastering the Ride by David L. Hough

Street Strategies: A Survival Guide for Motorcyclists by David L. Hough

Ride Hard, Ride Smart by Pat Hahn

Sportbiking: "The Real World": The Advanced Rider's Handbook by Gary Jaehne

Sport Riding Techniques by Nick Ienatsch

Total Control: High-Performance Street Riding Techniques by Lee Parks

Twist of the Wrist, Twist of the Wrist II by Keith Code

Motorcycling Excellence:Skills, Knowledge, and Strategies for Riding Right by MSF

Pro Motocross and Off-Road Motorcycle Riding Techniques by Donnie Bales, Gary Semics

Road Magic by Susan Foss

Magazines

Motorcycle Magazines are a great resource to keep up to date and learn the latest news about the motorcycle industry and latest developments. You can also read about road tests, bikes, gear, etc.

Cycle World
www.cycleworld.com

Motorcylist
www.motorcyclistonline.com/index.html

Robb Report—Motorcycling
www.motorcyclingmag.com

motorcyle.com
www.motorcycle.com

RoadRUNNER Touring and Travel
www.roadrunner.travel

Road Racer X
www.roadracerx.com/index.php

Ride Texas
www.ridetexas.com

Road Racing World
www.roadracingworld.com

Cycle News
www.cyclenews.com

Motorcycle Magazines News and Subscriptions
www.magsdirect.com/motorcycle-magazines.html

Women's Magazines

Biker Ally Magazine
www.bikerallymag.com

Sistercycle
www.sistercycle.com/gallery.html

Women Riders Now
www.womenridersnow.com

Helmet Hair Magazine
www.helmethairmagazine.com

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Bike Maintenance 

Motorcycle maintenance is a very important tool when it comes to safety on a bike. And please, don't listen to your boyfriend or co-rider! Learn from our mistakes. Your owner's manual is your best friend. Take your bike to scheduled oil changes as well as services. Your owner's manual will tell you when it's time.

Specs for Newer Model Motorcycles
www.wantfacts.com

Motorcycle Safety Group
www.msgroup.org/articles.aspx

Motorcycle Tips & Techniques
www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPjYweKeiLk

How To Pick up a Bike
www.whitehorsepress.com/index.php?cPath=149

Handbooks To Download

The Motor Book Store
www.themotorbookstore.com/shopman.html
A great selection of Clymer Motorcycle Repair Manuals and Haynes Motorcycle Repair Manuals at discount prices.

Articles

Motorcycle Maintenance
www.webbikeworld.com/books/guide-motorcycle-maintenance.htm

Motorcycle Chain Cleaners
www.webbikeworld.com/r3/motorcycle-chain-cleaner

Handlebar Risers
www.webbikeworld.com/t2/motorcycle-handlebar-risers

Maintenance—Long Before Your Tour
www.msgroup.org/Tip.aspx?Num=027

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