Should I get a cheap
motorcycle and learner’s permit and lean on my own? All I need to
be street legal is a learner’s permit and that only requires
passing a written test. Scary isn't it? These things are big complex dangerous
machines. I wasn’t sure how to drive it down the driveway to even
start learning. Plus, without ever having driven one, how could I be
sure it would fit me well? I decided to sign up for a course to
learn how to drive it.
The MSF (Motorcycle
Safety Foundation) has a Basic RiderCourse
In my area, there
are two main organizations this course. A set of classes is
sponsored by ABATE. ABATE is a non-profit motorcycle advocacy group.
They are cheap, just $75 dollars for the class. However, they were
booked out solid through the end of the year. The other choices was
through Harley Davidson. They were pretty booked up too, but there
were 3 dealerships in my area offering classes, so I found one I
could get into. They are much more expensive at $300, but also
include an extra day of class time. And I think the class size is
normally smaller. Plus you ride a Harley :)
Before the course
started, I wondered if I should have waited for next year for the
cheaper ABATE class. But, the Harley class worked out well, and I
consider it money well spent.
Advice: Ask what
happens if you drop out of the class or fail the test. The
dealership I took it at had a nice policy. They’ll let you try
again in the future: wait list for free, or guaranteed spot for half
price. I think this is a dealer specific policy and could change, so
ask in advance. At $75, failing and paying a second time isn’t too
bad, but at $300, failing and paying a second time is pricey.
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