Motorcycle training

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Riding the Muholland Canyon in Southern California

Motorcycle training is a type of skills training oriented towards the needs of those who ride motorcycles on public roads. It is the equivalent of driver's education for automobilists.

Riding a motorcycle is an extremely demanding activity, not only because of the traffic surrounding the rider but because we, as human beings are genetically designed to walk or run — not to ride a motorcycle. The real problem comes when we "react" to a circumstance, our human reaction (usually to stop or break immediatelly, or even worse when we freeze with fear) creates even a bigger problem sending the motorcycle into a crash.

As airline pilots, motorcycle riders should attend classes to get proper training and learn not to trust his/hers instinctive reactions but use the proper (learned) techniques. Mandatory motorcycle training, known as Compulsory Basic Training is common in Europe and is found in a minority of U.S. States. Additionally, in those states where training is not mandatory there are schools and organizations that provide training for beginners and refresher courses for experienced riders. Many of these schools teach curricula developed by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation. Completion of such courses often results in lower insurance rates.

In the United Kingdom organisations such as the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) and Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) offer advanced rider training with the aim of reducing accident rates. Advanced training is optional but there is often an added incentive to riders in the form of reduced insurance premiums.

Motorcycles are inherently very stable machines, as the gyroscopic effect of the two spinning rims aligns the vehicle in a perpendicular to the road (earth). Motorcycles are also very stable on turns, if the rider doesn't upset the balance with his/hers instinctive reactions or sheer panic.