The Rest of the Story

Through the years motorcycles have made leaps and bounds in braking, and suspension, and frames, and steering, and fuel delivery, and in so many things that make riding a pleasure. I have seen the speed and power of scooters increased to a level that should have riders saying enough, not more. But, I have also seen major progresses in safety. My 1976 Harley Davidson was one of the first generations with disk brakes front and back, now it’s nearly standard to have anti-locking linked disk brakes. Lookin’ back, playing with the carburetor was part of owning a motorcycle, today the luxury of fuel injection and the onboard computer has become standard and the engines have become way more efficient.
Today we two-wheel Riders have a large choice of machines to express who we are, and many different levels of training, so we need to keep up with our riding skills to keep up with the ride. Those that have progressed far enough to think of taking an advanced rider class (ARC) will be happy they did. But riders beware. The last riders course I took had ten riders enrolled for the day, and at the end of the class there were two riders that should have passed, but all ten riders passed. Eight of these riders left that day thinking they had nearly mastered their bikes, when truth be told, they were still shaky or unable to do a 24’ figure eight, (a good rider can do a 22’ foot U Turn). A few even locked up the rear brake during the power stop exercise, (incorrectly applying your brakes will get you hurt), but they had enough points to pass the class. Some only took the class for an insurance break, or to waiver out of the skills test at the DMV. Many will not practice and perfect what they’ve learned. They will ride on the streets thinking they know more than they really do, and maybe become their own worse nightmare when the 'skills' they think they have become due.
Looking back, I’ve learned training and riding go hand in hand. If you are on the training end, don't be afraid to tell a rider they don't meet the standards needed to be safe on the street. If you are the Grasshopper, don't be satisfied in just knowing how to start and stop a motorcycle, and don't be full of yourself because you passed a class, continue learning and practicing. You will need those skills if you plan on becoming an old rider and able to look back at the great times you’ve had scootin’ down the road with your friends.
John ‘Hammer’ Hanzlik

Road Captain ALR

Chapter 1 Omaha., Neb.