by Scott Freeman

Created on: July 20, 2009

"Only a motorcyclist knows why a dog rides with his head out of the window" is a quote that has been around for some time.

Do you yearn for that open air feeling yourself? Have you watched motorcyclist ride by and thought, "That looks like fun!" If so, riding may be something you want to look into.

Every thing we do in life is a balance of risk and reward. If you are thinking about riding a motorcycle you need to be honest with your self about both the risks involved and the rewards.

Death, crippling injury and pain are all possibilities. They are also possibilities when walking down the stairs, driving the car or any other activity. Are they greater possibilities when riding a bike then when driving a car? They sure are.

On the other side, the feeling of the wind in your face, leaning the bike thru a curve, feeling the changes in temperature on your skin as you cut thru the mountains, or the smell of the pine trees as you ride thru the forest are all experiences that you can not get with the seem intensity and clarity in a car.

I remember my first night ride. It was just short trip home after a meeting on a road I drive nearly every day. Crystal clear and just a bit on the frosty side. As I rode home I was suddenly struck by the difference from driving the same road in a car. On the bike, I realized I was part of the night, not riding thru it! With no glass in front of me or car roof over my head the stars were gleaming bright, the crisp air was flowing straight into my chest and I could lightly smell the sweet smell of someone's wood fire on the chilly night. My heart soared.

What is an experience like that worth to you? Only you can decide that. For myself, I am very grateful that I had that experience and others that I have had since taking up riding.

Since you are still reading, I think you are still interested in this idea. Let's look at some of the ways to minimize the risks.

First and foremost is to learn how to ride properly. I am not talking about the friend who has been riding "for a real long time". I am talking about learning from an actual riding teacher. Look to your local DMV or college, they should be able to steer you to your local version of the motorcycle Safety Foundation's "MSF" course. This course combines classroom and range time where they will get you on a motorcycle and teach you the basics of motorcycle control and safety. It is great to be in a course with other new riders as you can learn by watching as well as by doing.

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