Beginner

Welcome sister! Congratulations for wanting to ride. First things first. Why do you wanna ride? Okay, whatever the reason, you've come to right place.

Your first step is to find a motorcycle safety course like those sponsored by The Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF). They will supply you the training bike and helmet. You'll need a leather or other material riding jacket, leather gloves and solid boots that cover your ankle.

It is super important that you take classes to learn to ride and NOT learn from someone who is not a pro instructor because next thing you know, you're picking up their bad riding habits. Plus the motorcycle safety courses teach a certain methodology for riding and this will make all the proper riding techniques become second nature, totally ingrained in your ying/yang. You want this because the challenges you face as a rider whether new or seasoned are mighty out there in the urban jungles or wide open terrain. The more you know, the sweeter the ride, for real.

Riding a motorcycle exposes you to everything. The experience is awesome and it's all yours, sister. Mother Nature, motorcycle mechanics, and every manical moment becomes YOURS as you ride one on your iron steed. You need the proper training and cool knowledge to face the unknown out there as an easy rider.

Learning to ride is not hard. You don't have to be tall, just you. Women from all walks of life, all ages and sizes ride motorcycles, including a variety of different styles. If you can ride a bicycle, then you understand that riding a motorcycle, too, is about balance. It's about finesse. You don't muscle it around, you don't take away it's responsibilities as an iron horse. You let the bike do it's thing and you do yours. Operating a bike is actually a very graceful activity, so brute force is never needed.

1. Go apply for your learner's permit and get the DMV motorcycle driving booklet.

2. Sign up for the Motorcycle Safety Classes near you. Learning to ride a motorcycle is a popular activity these days so you may be faced with a long wait. But there's plenty you can do in the meantime to get prepared for your classes. Here are some resource suggestions.

4. Get great books about riding. Link to amazon dot com below and check out the motorcycle riding books available. There are several great ones including sport touring and racing. Also peruse www.whitehorsepress.com. Buy those that will help you prepare for your class and with your future street riding techniques after you learn to ride. Here are some suggestions:

6. Visit motorcycle dealerships and check out what style bikes you like. You may like the cruiser type like a Harley-Davidson or a "crotch rocket" sport bike like a Kawasaki Ninja or a sport touring bike like the BMW R1100. Size yourself on the bike. Does it feel comfy? You can customize many bikes to fit you. Go check out all things beginner and more including the different bike styles for beginners but realize that you don't have to ride only these smaller bikes. Check out this resource Best Beginner Motorcycles

Sometimes new riders just go for the gusto because the larger gusto bike suits 'em better. It's all about feel and comfort. Definitely read up on the road tests from magazines and e-zines regarding that particular bike you've been sizing up. Go to Size Matters for more info.

7. Buy some motorcycle magazines at the store or read reviews online at the magazine website because you'll learn lots about the different bikes from extensive road tests, you'll learn about the motorcycle culture, riding techniques and so forth. Here are some suggestions:

Motorcycle Consumer News
(by subscription only)

Hot Bike

Cycle World

Motorcyclist

Hot Rod Bikes

Cycle Source

Street Chopper

American Iron

Road Bike

American Rider

Rider Magazine

Sport Rider

The Horse Magazine: Backstreet Choppers

Motorcycle Cruiser

Iron Horse Magazine

Cycle Source Magazine

V-Twin Magazine/Easyriders

Thunder Press (free mag available in dealerships)

8. Join some motorcycle riding clubs and organizations. Check out the other wind sisters who ride and find a riding buddy.

9. Check out web resources. There's alot to think about when you learn to ride and as you get more experienced, all the great lessons learned in your class will become second nature. And as the MSF slogan is "The More You Know The Better It Gets." Knowledge is power and it equals a great riding experience. Check out tips & tricks within this site

Here are some cool beginner resources on the web where you can learn all kinds of things:

10. Buy learning DVDs....there are many to choose from and you can get great stuff from the web that are terrific such as:

11. Be prepared like a diva girl scout. When you are a new rider, there is so much to know. Take experienced rider classes after you've accumulated a few hundred miles in the saddle. Ride with folks that have lots of road time on their two wheels. Get more books on the subject. You learn so many great tips from others that you will be able to share with a new rider in the future. And never be afraid to ask a question! Jump into a new rider forum online and ask questions and learn more.

Have fun with riding. It's a serious sport because it requires lots of focus and awareness and we women are very good at having to be extremely focused, yet web thinkers and multi-taskers.

PS. Everybody drops their bike at least once whether a guy or gal. Just try not to. If you do, pick it up, smile like you meant to do it, kiss the air and wink. Here's how to learn how to pick up a dropped bike by a favorite girl rider, Skert: www.pinkribbonrides.com