The Beginner's Guide To Motorcycles

• Better Man in brief
• Make sure you dress the part, more importantly for safety than style.
• Don't kid yourself that you'll be riding a big hog right away - start small.
• The best and safest way to get into it is to take an approved MSF Beginner course.

"Just because our motorcycle licensing laws are preposterous doesn’t mean there isn’t a safe way to bust into the coolest hobby in the universe."

In most U.S. states, obtaining a motorcycle endorsement on your driver's license is about as easy as filling out a magazine survey. Almost anyone -- regardless of motorcycle experience -- can pass the written test without studying, march down to the nearest Suzuki dealer and lay a stack of Benjamins down on a brand new 1300cc Hayabusa, only to blast it into a ditch up the street. It happens all the time. That’s the reason why the U.S. has one of the highest motorcycle crash rates in the world. In Japan, it takes years of training and experience on smaller bikes in order to finally be licensed to ride the monsters, and that’s the way it should be.

Just because our motorcycle licensing laws are preposterous doesn’t mean there isn’t a safe way to bust into the coolest hobby in the universe. We think this guide is the best strategy for beginners looking to get the wheels in motion. 

ATGATT

You may have heard the term “all the gear all the time” intoned by experienced riders, and those are six essential words to which any novice rider should take heed. Once you have committed yourself to the electrifying world of motorcycling, the first step is to outfit yourself in the proper gear. Whether you borrow it from a friend or invest in a head-to-toe set of quality riding apparel, gear is mandatory. In fact, all Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) courses require full gear, so it’s best to meet this need from the beginning. Although gear is not required to ride a motorcycle in the U.S., and some states do not have or enforce helmet laws, these are not good reasons to neglect to suit up. It will literally save your ass, as even Rossi can attest to. The last thing you want to be is a “Squid” (rider with no gear), no matter how cool you may believe you look without your gear on.

When we talk about proper gear, we mean helmet, jacket, gloves, pants and boots. A decent helmet will be DOT certified, though the highest safety rating is both SNELL and DOT approved. Shoei and Arai are two of the best helmet brands on the market, and we can back that up with years of experience riding with both brands in the dirt and on the street. A decent leather jacket should have CE-certified shoulder, elbow and back protection. Proper riding pants will have hip and knee protection, and boots should be full leather, extending past the ankle. Different gear is available depending on where you do most of your riding, and you can easily find gear with all of the safety credentials for nearly any genre of motorcycling either online or at a local dealer.

Training

Now that you’re properly equipped to ride a motorcycle, it’s time to understand one. Before you even book an MSF class, take some time to study the mechanics of a motorcycle, from the throttle to clutch actuation to the fuel delivery system, and so on. This will help you understand certain aspects of motorcycle control before you actually hop onto one in class. If you’ve ever driven a car with a manual transmission, a parallel can be drawn to motorcycling, as you are performing the same task, only with a clutch lever and foot shifter. Also, if you have a chance to practice on a dirt bike with an experienced rider, learning in the dirt is a fantastic way to learn to tame a street motorcycle.

Next, you're gonna need a bike...

When you’ve found a bike that suits your riding style, new or used, ride it for a year without any modifications."

After grasping the mechanics of a two-wheeled machine and acquiring the proper gear, you should find the nearest MSF RiderCourse and book a beginner-level class. Not only will you learn from trained instructors how to ride a motorcycle, but you will also learn crucial traffic-safety techniques. Also, most MSF courses provide you very tame bikes with which to complete the training, and you will get a 10% insurance discount with your MSF RiderCourse certificate. Riders of all ages and experience levels can be found in the MSF Beginner course, and it should be considered a basic requirement to all new riders. Lastly, one of the most critical portions of motorcycle education centers on deflecting poor advice. Listen to your instructors, rather than the Squid down the street with the scratch-and-dent Gixxer 1000. There’s a reason he’s sporting strawberry road rash and a significant loss in brain cells.

Get Legal And Find A Bike

Once you’ve got some decent training under your helmet, you should feel confident enough to hit the road. First, you’ll have to get a motorcycle license endorsement. This way, if you’re ever pulled over by the cops, you won’t risk having your bike confiscated and license suspended. Also, a motorcycle license endorsement requires the completion of a written test, which means you’ll have a chance to study safety on the road even further using the MSF handbook.

When you've obtained your endorsement, the time has finally come. That 1400cc ZX14 you’ve been drooling over can now be yours! Nah, just kidding. No beginner bike should exceed an unmodified 500cc for a first ride -- end of story. The Kawasaki Ninja EX250 or Ninja EX500 are fantastic beginner bikes because they feature domesticated, smooth torque and low horsepower. Other bikes like the Suzuki TU250X and Triumph Bonneville are fairly docile as well and serve as great beginner bikes. Honda just released a CBR250R to go head-to-head with Kawi’s Ninja 250. There are countless used bikes like the smaller CC Honda Nighthawks and Yamaha V-Star 250s that will get you going at a safe, comfortable speed and friendly power level.

When you’ve found a bike that suits your riding style, new or used, ride it for a year without any modifications. Focus on improving your riding skills, adapting to traffic, road conditions and weather, and learn how to perform basic maintenance on your bike. Stick with experienced riders and steer clear of uneducated newbies. Get in the habit of performing routine bike inspections, including tire pressure, oil level, chain lube and loose bolts. Become one with your motorcycle and you shall ride far -- safely.

Bring Your Skill To Redline

After a certain time passes, you’re going to feel the need to upgrade to a larger CC motorcycle. You’ve used your first trusty set of wheels to learn the basics, and now it’s time to have a bit more fun with a little more power. The next logical step up from a 250 or 500 is a 600 or 750, depending on your skill level and confidence. Once you seal the deal on a Yamaha R6 or Kawasaki Ninja ZX6, it’s time for some advanced training. There are oodles of advanced-rider schools across the country, and some of our top picks are Superbike School, Total Control, Penguin Schooland the Fishtail Riding School. With great power comes great responsibility, and schooling yourself on advanced riding techniques is one of the most responsible steps a motorcycle rider can take. Track days are also an exceptional way to learn, as the more education you attain, the better a rider you will be. Good luck on the road, and ride safe!

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