Here are 5 basic rules that all riders should make their own once and for all, and never stray away from:
We strongly advise you to take the Motorcycle Safety Foundation Courses Level 1 and Level 2. MSF Level 1 is mandatory in most states to get the motorcycle endorsement on your license. But MSF level 2 (Defensive Driving) is usually not mandatory. Yet this course is packed with good advice. In some cities, you can do it at night if you are not free during the weekend. It only takes a few hours to complete, and you will come out with life-saving strategies to ride more safely in traffic. Even if you are a seasoned rider, take the MSF Defensive Driving Course: you will get something out of it that may get you out of a pickle in many occasions.
Your motorcycle insurance carrier will usually give you some discount if you show you completed these courses.
We also strongly encourage you to continue educating yourself as a rider. We quickly fall back into bad habits. Reading books and watching videos about rider safety and how to better handle yourself in traffic is a great way to remain connected to basic safety rules and riding strategies that work.
There are also many motorcycle riding group classes available across the US that help you take better control of your machine. These classes teach hands-on riding skills and are often led by former motorcycle cops. These officers have honed their riding skills for years and become masters at handling any type of bike in any situation. They will teach you how to better take your turn, how to maneuver in tight spots, how to avoid falling down when braking, how to stop your bike faster in screaming emergency situations, etc. These are not just useful skills to have, but life-saving skills to practice.
Cops have also seen all kinds of traffic accidents. They teach situational awareness at a level that most riders don’t have because they haven’t put as many hours “in the saddle” as motorcycle cops did. There is always something to learn from these classes, and we encourage you to find them in your state. In Florida, Jerry Paladino teaches an excellent maneuvering skills course on close range. Jerry has trained other motorcycle cops to teach his course. So even if you don’t live in Florida, you can still be trained by the guys of RideLikeaPro.com in many states.
If you ride a sports bike, it is a good idea to check what Keith Code and his SuperBike School have in store for you. They also maintain a calendar of training sessions in several states, so you don’t need to go to California to be trained at a high level on cornering and other sports bike riding skills.
These are only 2 examples of continuous rider education courses that you can take to perfect your skills and riding habits. We do not specifically endorse them over other motorcycle classes, but they are well-known teachers and we like to share. We encourage you to find from your local HOG chapter and local motorcycle dealers what other riding classes happen in your city and state.
Depending on their level of approval, your insurance carrier may also give you a discount on your policy when you show you completed such courses.
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