Learning to Ride a Motorcycle

To some people, motorcycles may seem simple or small. However, this is simply not true. Driving a motorcycle is more complex compared to driving a car. Just like you wouldn’t drive a car or fly a jet without proper training, you should not drive or operate a motorcycle without adequate training or licenses.

When driving a car, you get it, start the car, put the gear knob in the right gear, press on the accelerator or the break and turn the steering wheel.

This is not how you drive a motorcycle. You have a clutch level, a front brake, a gear-shift level and a rear brake level. In addition to operating these switches, you need to be able to turn the handlebars and lean the motorcycle to steer it. Finally, you always need to keep balance while riding a motorcycle.

If this sounds complicated, it’s because it is. Also, don’t forget that when riding a motorcycle it is not only about you driving it, but also about the environment and its impact on your ride, be it distractions to you or high winds that influence the position of your motorcycle.

Airline pilots who also ride motorcycles say that driving a motorcycle is the closest experience to flying they have ever encountered. Airline pilots go through a lot of training to be able to navigate a plane. Driving a motorcycle requires a lot of training, too.

In any field, the best practitioners are not necessarily the best teachers. This is why in the beginning you want to learn only from certified instructors and not your friends. Your friends may have the best intentions, but not the best teaching skills. Good teachers are very patient, are able to explain complex concepts in a simple way and they also spend a lot of time studying the latest research and updates about their craft.