4 THE RIDER AND THE MOTORCYCLE
Motorcycling is a
unique experience.
Compared to a car,
you don’t sit in a
motorcycle, you
become part of it.
Not as a passive
driver, but as an
active rider arcing
into a string of
smooth corners,
playing along with
the rhythm of the
road; shifting,
accelerating,
and braking
with precision.
Whether you
ride to and from
work or prefer
the camaraderie of a group ride on the
weekend, motorcycling engages all your
senses and creates an invigorating sense
of freedom.
Along with that freedom comes
responsibility. All states require
some form of license endorsement
demonstrating you possess a minimum
level of skill and knowledge. This
booklet and other motorcycle
publications can help prepare you to
be successful. You might also consider
taking a formal hands-on training
course, even if your state doesn’t require
that you complete one. You’ll learn how
to improve your riding skills and mental
strategies, so you can be a safer, more
alert rider.
The diagram above illustrates the
complex environment that awaits you,
and supports the concept that, as the
Motorcycle Safety Foundation says,
“Safe riding is as much a skill of the
eyes and mind as it is of the hands and
feet.”
Successfully piloting a motorcycle is a
much more involved task than driving a
car. Motorcycling requires a fine sense
of balance and a heightened sense of
awareness and position amidst other
roadway users. A motorcycle responds
more quickly to rider inputs than a car,
but is also more sensitive to outside
forces, like irregular road surfaces or
crosswinds. A motorcycle is also less
visible than a car due to its narrower
profile, and offers far less protection by
exposing its rider to other traffic and
the elements. All these risks can be
managed through study, training, and
practice.
RIDING ENVIRONMENT
