Leaving Harley to Lead

I don't ride a Harley, I don't want to ride a Harley, and none of my friends ride Harleys (OK - 2 Buells among us). But I love Harley-Davidson. Why?

Well, they sponsor a Women's Rider Month, they have garage parties, they have women's only Rider's Edge courses, and now they have this seemingly-cool mentoring program, "Share Your Spark":

I watched the short video on their site and was simply directed back to my local Harley dealer to ask about it (not high on my list of things to do -- maybe when I've finished watching paint dry). Why won't the site tell me more? Ugh.

I think the mentoring program is an outstanding idea. My hubbie is an MSF instructor and I know he's passionate about helping new riders get more instruction than the Basic Rider class. Wouldn't it be fun to be a mentor or have a mentor?

I'm always struck by the fact that Harley is left alone to undertake these initiatitives and all the other bike manufacturers are silent.

I'm going to investigate this further (I think it's open to riders of all bikes) but I'm curious if y'all have more info.

Basic Rider Course - Why You Want to Fail the Test

The motorcycle safety courses offered by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation are a fantastic way to learn how to ride. Learning to ride a motorcycle is a chicken and egg thing -- which comes first, the bike or the training? If you don't have a motorcycle of your own, it's hard to find a friend who will let you thrash their bike as you learn. And pretty much everyone thrashes their first bike.

Motorcycle Rider Education (MRE) offers state approved courses for brand new riders. They provide the motorcycle, helmet, and really big parking lot! Course details vary from state to state; in my state, California, the course includes a classroom session and two half-days of riding. For me, the most exciting benefit was the DMV certificate which allowed me to waive the dreaded skill test at the DMV.

This class is perfect if you've never ridden a motorcycle before. You get to duck walk, wobble, weave and stall, all under the watchful eye of a friendly rider coach. Then you take your test, you probably pass, and you go on your way.

But are you ready for the road? Honestly, probably not. You're ready to practice in a parking lot on your own. Here's a tip, and you won't read it anywhere else: if you're a really new rider, consider not passing the test. Give the classroom session and the two days of skill instruction your very best efforts, but hold back a tiny bit on the test. Here's why: if you don't pass, you can take the class again for free. (Check with your own location first, but this is pretty standard.) That means twice the riding, twice the instruction, twice the practice before you have to find a bike and be on your own.