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Take an MSF Course
That’s Motorcycle Safety Foundation to you, and it’s your first stop on the road to motorcycle success. Fifteen individual courses span a wide range of experience levels, starting with the Basic Rider Course—five hours in the classroom, 10 hours on a bike in closed-course learning—or the Introductory Motorcycle Experience—a two-hour touch-and-feel familiarity class designed to help you decide if motorcycling is for you. (Of course, it will be.) The Basic Rider Course will cost no more than $250 for those 21 and over, and $150 for those younger.
Once you’ve got the basics down, the sky’s the limit. You can just ride, or you can be one of those type-A people who are all about ongoing education; there are all kinds of post-graduate riding schools to teach you everything from roadracing to observed trials (sort of like rock climbing on specialized off-road bikes).
RIDE SMART
In the Los Angeles basin, the car is king. Proof is in the jam-packed freeways that clog the city’s arteries like the veins of a lifetime-burger enthusiast. Unfortunately, California is also the only state in the country that caters to the efficiency of motorcycle commuting. Those unfamiliar with the Golden State’s “motorcycle lane-sharing” legality tend to view the practice critically. But the efficiency can’t be denied. Here are statistics and some pros and cons of three commuting methods of a Cycle World staffer.
Conclusion: For this commute, the motorcycle is clearly the best option. It saves an average of three hours a week and about $25 in fuel compared to the truck. Throw in a day or two on the bicycle and the savings are even greater while also keeping you healthy.
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