Finding a beginner motorcycle training class

A Rider’s Journey: This is the second in a series of blog posts by DeAnna DeCaluwe about her journey to recreate her father’s last ride.

When I dedicated myself to this adventure, I realized I would need to discover a class that could teach me how to ride. I’m not sure whether I said this in my prior post, but I have never actually operated a motorcycle. I’ve ridden on the back of a few, but was never allowed—or cared to be—at the controls.

So, how to find a class? I began looking online and asking friends and family. Eventually, I stumbled upon a local college offering lessons. If you don’t have any riders in your inner circle to ask, I would encourage you to browse the Motorcycle Safety Foundation website.

The Motorcycle Safety Foundation is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting motorcycle safety. This organization develops curricula used across the United States, and has a lot of great reading materials and videos surrounding rider development and safety practices. It’s also easy to search their site for classes near you by entering your zip code.

It turns out there are several different types and levels of classes offered—everything from a Basic Rider Course for beginners to Skills Practice and Street Rider Courses. For starters, I’ll stick to the Basic Rider Course, at least for now.

I also found—as part of the registration process—that there is a prerequisite to taking the Basic Rider Course. An online class needs to be completed within 30 days of taking your scheduled in-person class. In my next post, I will share details about the online class and what you can expect from it.
Until then, thank you for joining me on my rider’s journey.

DeAnna DeCaluwe, a married mother of two boys, is the newest member of the Dairyland Cycle family. To recreate her father’s last ride, DeAnna is learning to ride this summer. Join her as she takes a rider’s journey.