...knowing your machines capabilites, limitations, and riding accordingly, that's "Riding Right!"
New Rider's Info page
Getting Started One of the best new rider info pages I have found is from the American Motorcycle Association (AMA), http://www.americanmotorcyclist.com/riding/street/gettingstarted Good information on getting started, training, choosing the right first bike, gearing up, and other great info on the sport from a creditable source.
Speaking of sources, I urge you to be wary in your quest for knowledge, as there is a lot of misinformation out there. Well-meaning friends, neighbors, and total strangers will tell you things that they believe, but are not in your best interest. Just because someone has been riding longer than you, has a cool bike and garb, or post something on a web blog doesn't make it so. Things like: - Don't use the front brake... its too dangerous. - You need to know how to lay the bike down, to avoid a crash. - Loud pipes save lives. Think about that last one for a moment. Having loud pipes doesn't make you a better rider, training does. All that noise does aside from disturb the peace, is to instill a false sense of confidence. Check out the stats at the end of this page. I can't see where loud pipes would have helped any of those folks. Sixty three percent of crashes in NC were motorcycle only. What good did loud pipes do for them. If you are involved with another vehicle, over 80 percent of the time they come at you from your 12 o'clock. What good would pipes do then? Still thinking? Good.
Getting Legal in NC Riding a motorcycle, or a scooter larger than 49cc, requires a motorcycle endorsement on your license. To get that endorsement you are required to pass a written test and a riding test. Completing a MSF course, however, earns you a Riding Skill Waiver Card which you can present to the DMV, instead of taking the DMV riding test.
For the written test, you will need to study the NC DMV Motorcyclist Handbook, which you can download here; http://www.ncdot.org/DMV/driver_services/motorcyclists/ The course layout for the DMV riding test is shown on the last pages of the handbook, along with the path for the five maneuvers. The cone interval is about 14 feet on the long side and 9 feet on the off sets. This riding test can to passed with a little practice, but for most beginners, usually on too large a bike, it is too intimidating. This is one reason the MSF classes are so popular.
If you already have a NC drivers license, the first step is a learners permit. You take just the written test, which is 25 questions, multiple choice, right out of the Handbook. The road sign ID test and the vision test are also done. Lay your money on the counter, and that permit is valid for 12 months, and may be renewed, once, for another six months.
Motorcycle Safety Foundation Beginner Rider Courses (MSF BRC) are given through the State of NC Community College system, www.ncmotorcyclesafety.org Click on the Sites tab along the top.
Community college campuses near Asheville include:
AB-Tech
Blue Ridge C.C., Hendersonville(Flat Rock)
McDowell T.C., Marion
Southwestern C.C., Franklin
Caldwell C.C., Hudson(Lenoir).
MSF BRC classes cost around $200, and are 20 hours. That's usually 4 hours Friday evening, then the rest of the weekend. The student to teacher ratio is usually 6:1. Complete the class and bring your MSF Riding Test Waiver Card with your permit to DMV, lay your money on the counter and they put the M, for motorcycle, endorsement on your drivers license.
Another option if you have your own bike and learner's permit, is to call Get Riding Right! With personal one on one instruction from Get Riding Right!, you can learn to ride, and stay safe while gaining confidence and experience. After you log a few thousand miles, you can take a MSF Experienced Rider Course (ERC) in your own bike, and earn a Riding Test Waiver Card. An ERC is a one day class and cost less than $100.
I encourage all riders, at all levels, to continue to learn from any creditable source available. From hands on initial and refresher training to reading books and periodicals; the more you learn, and the more you ride, the better and safer a rider you will become. No fear, more FUN!
North Carolina Motorcycle Safety Facts source NCDMC
Motorcycles represent about 2 percent of all registered vehicles in North Carolina, but account for about 10 percent of all fatalities on our roads.
As of September 1, 2007, 63 percent of all crashes involving motorcycles were single vehicle crashes (motorcycle only).
Of those crashes involving other vehicles, over half (53 percent) were the fault of the motorcyclist.
Of those crashed where the motorcyclist was at fault, 81 percent occurred when the rider crossed the centerline either while passing another vehicle or while negotiating a curve.
Of those crashes where the other vehicle was at fault, 57 percent were failure to yield the right of way at an intersection and 43 percent were turning left across the motorcyclist path of travel.
The majority (82.7 percent) of fatal motorcyle crashes were the motorcyclist fault.