Driving is fun. It gets you from point A to point B, it’s relaxing and if you have your dream ride, it can earn you some street cred. Like many drivers, however, you probably get tired of it, even on a good day.
Perhaps you’re forgetting that there’s another way to get around – motorcycles. Nothing is more satisfying than conquering the open road on a bike. The idea of you on a motorcycle sounds badass, doesn’t it? Let’s make that dream a reality.
Getting Started
Before you even start learning how to ride, it’s essential that you have the right gear. Here’s a quick rundown of safety equipment for motorcyclists:
- Helmet
- Eye protection
- Jacket
- Gloves
- Pants
- Boots
- Ear protection
Training
When you first ride a motorcycle, it’ll feel a lot like learning to drive. You’ll putter around an empty lot and get the hang of the controls, with a few slipups along the way. While it’s common for people to do this, whether it’s between friends, family members or significant others, you should still consider being trained by a professional.
Enroll in a Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) training course, and you’ll be taught skills that will make you a careful, competent rider. These skills will last for the rest of your life. Make sure you learn all the motorcycle laws and how they change, too.
Getting a Bike
All motorcyclists like to think they’re invincible on the road, but sometimes we have to be real and remind ourselves that accidents can happen at any time. One way to avoid an accident early in the game is to buy the right bike.
If you spend a ton on a cool new bike right away and end up wrecking it, you’ll feel terrible. If you spend a ton of money just to end up selling the bike a few months later, you’ll feel like you wasted money and will have to suffer depreciation.
Do yourself a favor and buy a cheap bike that you know will get the job done. Looks are a plus. Don’t look at anything more than $1,000 until you’ve spent a considerable amount of time on your first bike. You’ll be happy you got so much out of a good deal.
If you already have a bike, make sure you get it ready for riding season. This includes changing the oil, checking the coolant, checking the tire pressure, and use some 4D-40 to ward off possible rust.
Register Your Ride, Get a License and Get Insurance
The good news is that insuring a motorcycle won’t break your bank. The yearly payment you make won’t be much higher than a monthly car insurance payment. Having motorcycle insurance covers the cost of medical treatment, should you get injured in a motorcycle accident.
Getting your license and registration is relatively painless. The license test only has a written portion, and if you pass your training class, the DMV test will be easy. To register your bike, all you have to do is show documentation that you own the bike, write out a check and obtain a shiny new license plate.
Once you’ve put in the work to become a motorcycle rider, you can finally get out and enjoy the road.
