Riding a motorcycle is exhilarating, but it can also be dangerous. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that 5,172 motorcyclists died in crashes in 2017.
As with any other skill, the more experience you gain riding a motorcycle, the safer you will be. Even if you only ride your motorcycle a few minutes a day, this valuable experience helps you become a more skilled, safer rider.
Skills to work on
When you get on your motorcycle, work on concentrating on the road ahead of you and avoiding distractions. You should also practice refining your traction control, throttle control and braking for a smoother ride.
Additionally, focus on anticipating dangerous riding situations and positioning your body correctly to make hairpin and high-speed corners successfully. If you can, adjust the positioning of the motorcycle’s suspension setup to optimize it for road travel.
Georgia’s motorcycle riding courses
To further hone your motorcycle skills, you can sign up for Georgia’s Experienced Rider Course or the Advanced Rider’s Course. A one-day workshop, the ERC teaches you how to enhance your turning, braking and evasive maneuvering motorcycle skills. You will also learn “street strategies” to help you become a safer, more competent rider.
The ARC is also a one-day course, and it teaches you a variety of personal risk management, self-assessment and riding strategies. You will receive guidance from an experienced Georgia Motorcycle Safety Program coach who provides insight into advanced motorcycle riding techniques. You must provide your own helmet and motorcycle to take either of these classes.
