Getting Started as a Motorcycle Rider

I put together this page about how I became a motorcycle rider in order to help other women who are thinking about riding a motorcycle, but aren't sure where to get started. It's the advice I would have wanted had I been learning to ride a motorcycle, or buying one, on my own, without an experienced, trustworthy motorcycle rider right there by my side, helping me.

And I want to thank all of the many women who have emailed me to say that this page and other resources on my site have been helpful to you. As long as I keep getting such emails, it means this page was worth putting up.

Take a course

Whether you know for sure you want to ride and nothing will change your mind, OR, you are just sort of kind of thinking about riding a motorcyle, take a basic rider course.

MSF courses are available in 46 US states (not in Oregon, California, South Dakota or Idaho - they have their own riding schools). Classes can be fully booked MONTHS in advice, especially for the spring and fall, so call and book as early as possible.

You will very likely know, at the end basic rider course, if you want to ride a motorcycle. And if you take it and are totally overwhelmed on the first day and decide to quit, or are even told you need to restart at another time, IT'S OKAY. Lots of people do that and, on that second time of taking the course, because it's no longer the first time, do way, way better. Even if you take it and pass it on the first try and then decide you don't want to ride a motorcycle, you've got a great story to tell.

I know a lot of people run right out and buy a motorcycle as soon as they think they might want to be a motorcycle rider and begin riding almost immediately and get their license have no problems at all - good for them. I know far more who run out and buy a motorcycle and it's parked in their garage for months, even years, at a time and rarely ridden and they never bother to get their license. I also know people who ride, never took the basic course, and they are LOUSY RIDERS: they don't know laws, they don't wear proper gear, they do dangerous stuff in traffic, and on and on. TAKE A COURSE. 

I started my journey as a motorcycle rider by taking a day-long "taster" course in Germany where I was living, in 2008 (first photo on the top left corner of this page). I had NEVER been in the motorcycle driver's seat before. This course was perfect in teaching me some basics absolutely from scratch. I don't speak German, but the instructor did speak English and spoke English to me whenever possible, and that will probably be the case for you too if you are in Germany and look into this. I had to sit through a short lecture in German that I didn't understand at all, but then we got out to the riding course and the instructor was happy to speak English when talking to me. I didn't get anything from the course in terms of a certificate or permit, but I did get a lot of great advice and a very basic understanding of motorcycle riding and confidence and a hunger for MORE. If you are in Europe, visit a local Honda dealership and they will probably have brochures somewhere in the lobby of the motorcycle sales department about such taster courses. If not Honda, then try another dealership for a different motorcycle manufacturer.

If you are in the USA, some motorcycle dealerships might host free women-only intro-to-motorcycling events, such as the Women's Passport to Ride event at Beaverton Honda Yamaha Suzuki (Oregon) and the Harley-Davidson Garage Parties for women at various dealerships. You won't get to ride a motorcycle at these intro-to-motorcycle events, but they are terrific inspiration (and I have a t-shirt from attending the Harley event in the USA that gets a LOT of attention from non-Harley riders whenever I wear it - they love the message). These are meant to be safe, no-pressure spaces, because new women motorcycle riders tend to be very self-conscious and self-deprecating and lacking in any kind of confidence, unfortuantely. There’s nothing like watching a woman smaller than you pick up an 800 pound bike (362.87 kilos) and then tell you, “YOU can do this.” At the Harley event I attended, there was food, short demonstrations (how to get your license, picking up a bike, how to get started riding, how to choose gear, etc.) and gift bags - it felt welcoming and more than 100 women attended - and most weren't riding motorcycles yet (I was already - but, hey, free shrimp and free gift bag!). 

The web addresses I had for the Beaverton and Harley-Davidson events no longer work. If you go to archive.org and cut and paste this URL, you can see and archived version of a HD even from March 2003
http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/women_riders/garage_party_events.jsp?locale=en_US

Launched in July 2021, the Ride With Us program from the Motorcycle Industry Council started doing intro courses at motorcycle events in 2022 similar to the taster course I took in Germany. Have a look at their web site and they will list at what events they will be offering a short taster course, and consider going to one!

When I felt ready to take a course and to get my license, I was living in Germany; to get even a driver's license in Germany requires about 20 hours of classes, in German - and the classes are VERY expensive and mandatory. You can take the written test in English, after you take the class -- and the written test is jaw-dropping in its difficulty, even if you speak German. The riding test might be in English if you find an instructor that speaks such. Facing all of that, I decided to just wait until we moved back to the USA. Had we not been about to move back to the USA, I would have gone back to Kentucky for a vacation, gotten my license there by giving my family's address as my residence, then got my motorcycle license transferred to a German license (and note that Germany does NOT accept all U.S. state's driver licenses for transfer; check the web for more info).

My husband and I moved back to the USA in Spring 2009, but I signed up for a Motorcycle Safety Foundation course in Louisville months before we had arrived, as these classes fill up very, very fast. I LOVED the MSF course; you do not have to have even touched a motorcycle in order to take this class, and the classes are available all over the USA (but not in Oregon). All you need is high-topped shoes (this can be tennis shoes - I used hiking boots), pants (no shorts), long sleeves and any kind of gloves. If you don't have a helmet, they will provide such. In most states, if you study up and take your written motorcycle test and get your permit before this class, you will get your license immediately upon finishing the class and presenting your paperwork to the DMV. Half my class were women, and at 43 during the class, I was not the oldest woman in the class! I got my motorcycle license in July 2009.

In the German course, I rode a Honda CB600. In my MSF classes in the USA, I road a Kawasaki Eliminator and a Honda Rebel, both 250s. That was helpful in being able to know what kind of first bike I wanted - something around 700 or less, and where I could be firmly on the balls of my feet, well below the toes, at the least, on either side of the bike while stopped. Had I been starting to ride entirely on my own, without the guidance of my husband, a very experienced motorcycle rider, I hope I would have gotten a 250 something and outfitted it with some small panniers and used that just to commute to work and back as a way of getting more experience.

I will say that after taking the class, I still didn't feel ready to jump on a bike and GO, anywhere, anytime. As you read this page, you will see how I did get ready to be able to do that.

Buy Gear

Before I bought a motorcycle, I started buying my own motorcycle gear, because I was riding pillion with my then boyfriend (now spouse). I could not afford to go out and buy a full set of motorcycle gear all at once.

The first piece of "clothing" I bought was a motorcycle helmet, and that's what I recommend you buy first as well. You can find substitutes for other motorcycle gear - your jacket doesn't HAVE to be an actual motorcycle jacket. Your shoes don't have to be ACTUAL motorcycle boots. But the helmet has to be be an actual motorcycle helmet. I am a strong believer in wearing a full-face motorcycle helmet and was happy to pay the big bucks for a new, quality helmet. I figured that, even if I decided NOT to ride a motorcycle on my own, a helmet would be a good investment because then I'd always being able to say yes to being a passenger on a motorcycle. It was really nice to have my own helmet once I finally took a motorcycle riding class. That helmet later saved my life.

It's fine to buy all your motorcycle gear used except the helmet, IMO -- the helmet needs to fit you perfectly, and with a new helmet, the likelihood of any hairline fractures are small (there's a good chance a used helmet has been dropped at least once).

In those early days riding pillion, I borrowed a motorcycle jacket from a friend (he ended up giving it to me, in fact), and wore some winter gloves I had. I always wore jeans and high-top hiking boots while riding on the back of my husband's motorcycle. The jacket is a major expense, so don't buy one until you buy a motorcycle.

I still haven't bought boots especially for motorcycle riding. For years, even a year into riding my own bike, I just wore hiking boots. When I started riding my own motorcycle, I tried on the few pairs of boots in motorcycle shops that might fit me - and none really fit well or were what I wanted. Unfortunately, I cannot buy shoes of any kind online - I have to be able to try them on first. Finding motorcycle boots in a shop to try on is incredibly hard, and even if you can find such, the selection is tiny and they usually don't have my size. What do I wear to ride? I wear high-ankled steel toed work boots. I have an entire page on advice for motorcycle riding footwear and it explains why I chose those particular boots.

I'm an ATGATT girl: all the gear, all the time. I always ride with my helmet, jacket, gloves and hiking boots. I might, on rare occassions, wear just jeans on an errand or around a place I'm camping if it's really hot, instead of my motorcycle pants, but otherwise, I'm in my bike pants. If you come off the bike, any skin which is exposed will hit the tarmac and be shredded. Why would you want to risk that? Wear the tank top under your jacket and parade around and show it off after you get off the bike. 

Buy a Motorcycle

I bought my own motorcycle in November 2009 - a 1982 Honda Nighthawk 650. Buying a motorcycle was definitely the hardest part for me of becoming a motorcycle rider. I had (and still have) a very limited budget, so I couldn't afford a just-one-owner bike, let alone a new bike. However, even if my budget hadn't been tight, I wanted a very used bike as my first motorcycle, so that, if I totaled it, or if I dropped it a few times, I wouldn't be absolutely devastated.

I really had no idea what I was doing in buying a motorcycle. I certainly didn't feel comfortable test riding motorcycles, since I hadn't ridden a motorcycle in the four previous months and, even then, just ridden for two days in the motorcycle basic riding class. Luckily, I had (and still have) a very knowledgeable motorcycle-riding husband, who helped tremendously in picking out bikes to go look at on Craigslist and giving each a test ride.

As I had someone helping out (thanks, schatz!), we decided to buy a motorcycle big enough in terms of power for me to keep up (mostly) with my husband on his motorcycle when we ride together, powerful and reliable enough to take on a trip of several days, low enough already for me to ride (no need to lower it), and very comfortable to ride (I don't want to lean over at all, like on a sports motorcycle).

Had I not had an experienced motorcycle rider to help pick out my first bike? Then I think I would have looked for a Kawasaki Eliminator 250 or a Honda Rebel, like what I road in my motorcycle class, and just ridden that around town for all my commute needs until I figured out what kind of motorcycle I wanted. That's what I recommend for women who are just starting to ride a motorcycle. Some day, when I no longer ride off-road or travel by motorcycle, that might be what I downgrade to. You know, when I'm 80...

Which Motorcycle Should YOU Buy?

Don't go looking to buy a motorcycle, especially a new motorcycle, until you can say what it is you want the motorcycle for: To commute to and from work? To take pleasure rides on weekends? To cruise? To go fast? To travel long distances? To ride mostly on tarmac? To sometimes ride on gravel or dirt? To carry a lot of things (groceries? luggage?)? Your answers to these questions will help you know what kind of motorcycle you want, and to be able to help a salesperson help you find what you need.

Here's my opinion regarding what motorcycle is right for different riders:

For more details on different kinds of motorcycles, see this Wikipedia page on types of motorcycles

When You Have a Motorcycle to Ride

As I mentioned earlier, I did not feel ready to just jump on a motorcycle and go do all the things I wanted to do after the MSF class and got my license; I felt like I needed a LOT more practice. So I decided to create a list of goals for my first year of owning and riding my own motorcycle. I thought this would help push me to actually ride and avoid the temptation of letting the bike sit in the garage, as I've seen so many people, particularly women, do. Yes, learning to ride a motorcycle can be a challenge - you've got to make a commitment to meeting that challenge. 

My goals for my first six months of riding:

• Ride, on average, four times a month (once a week), even for just 20 minutes at a time.
• Be completely comfortable going over 45 miles an hour (don't laugh - in the early days, this was terrifying to me).
• Ride for at least an hour, all at once, on an interstate.
• Go at least the speed limit in curves (I frequently went 10 miles under).
• Ride at least 1500 miles cumulatively.
• Ride to another state.
• Do an all-day (at least six hours) ride.
• Go camping while out on my own motorcycle, even for just one night.
• Be ready to take another, more advanced Motorcycle Safety Foundation course.

To reach these goals, I started by practicing at least once a week just on the street where I lived and in a nearby school parking lot, no matter the temperature. I would just drive around our small block one way, then drive around it the other way. I practiced breaking and cornering every week. I got on that bike and rode it, even for just a bit, every week, without fail. Two weeks into riding my own motorcycle, I rode about 40 minutes on what I consider my first real motorcycle ride, out of the small town where I live and back. And for about three months, before every ride, I would practice breaking - just riding around the neighborhood and stopping - because that super scared me

Yes, I was a very cautious rider. Most people aren't this cautious. But I needed to do what I needed to do.

For the record: I now average about 4000 miles a year on my motorcycle.

I started looking for women's motorcycle clubs almost as soon as I arrived in Oregon. I was looking for both for people to ride with when I wasn't riding with my husband and announcements for events I might be interested in. Groups were find on any search engine or social media platform using various keywords (like women motorcycles Oregon or women motorcycles Portland). I joined mailing lists and I ended up attending an event. However... I didn't do any riding with any of the groups I found, and I still don't. I have tried a few group rides with my husband - dual sport riders - and realized I just don't like riding in groups: I'm too slow for most people, I'm too self-conscious about how I ride, and I like concentrating on other things rather than all the riders in front or behind me. But if you want to find a group, by all means, do so - it's relatively easy to do.

Changing Motorcycles

It is perfectly normal to switch motorcycles. You might realize you want something more powerful, or something better for gravel roads, or something that goes faster, or something smaller and more nimble than what you ride now. Don't ever think you are stuck with a motorcycle - there's very likely someone else out there that will buy your current bike.

After two years, I switched. I bought a KLR 650 (Kawasaki), a dual sport motorcycle. I loved loved loved the smooth ride of the Honda Nighthawk (four cylinders is so awesome), but my goal was to be able to do more adventure motorcycle riding - that means riding off-road sometimes, sometimes all day, to get to my destination. My Nighthawk could go on hard packed gravel, as most any cruiser can, but it's hard to stand up on a cruiser on gravel, and you most definitely need to stand when riding such if its loose. I needed something lighter, that was made for adventure travel. Here's more on my transition from a cruiser to a dual sport motorcycle.

Some people transition to a bigger, more powerful bike for a smoother ride, so they can go faster and so they have more power. Some people change to a smaller bike, so they can more easily travel on dirt roads. People's tastes change. Don't try to follow the crowd - do what you want to do, ride the bike that you want to ride (if you can afford it, of course).

How did I sell my bike? Craigslist! I wrote the longest motorcycle ad EVER, all about how it was my first bike and how much I loved it and blah blah blah, and all the reasons I was selling the bike and a detail of all that I'd spent on the bike to improve it. I got two very mean responses from men who said I was being ridiculous to write so much and that I was asking too much money for it (I asked for as much as I paid for it a year before - we spent a LOT of money on improvements, but I didn't add those to the costs). I ignored them - and after just a few weeks, I sold my bike to a man who loved Nighthawks and wanted one for his wife, who had just learned to ride.

Before you sell, read up on motorcycle selling and buying scams - know what they are, know what they look like, and be on your guard!

Maintenance

This is the biggest reason I was reluctant to get a motorcycle: maintenance. I am not mechanically minded enough to do what I see most motorcycle owners doing when it comes to maintenance, and I've seen many people say, "Well then you shouldn't ride!" I think it's bull crap.

Learn how to check the oil and other fluid levels. Your motorcycle manual will tell you. If you have a neighbor that you think might be able to help teach you that, hit them up. And learn how to add more oil if needed.

Learn to check tire tread and tire pressure, and learn to put air in your tires. Your motorcycle manual will tell you how much pressure for each tire.

You need to be able to inspect your motorcycle and other equipment (panniers, your gear, etc.) before you ride. You need to listen to your bike and know when it doesn't sound quite right. 

I currently do not know how to clean and maintain my chain - I admit I let my husband do all this and more. I ride only with him. But if you aren't married to someone who can do it for you, absolutely, you need to learn to do this yourself.

Get your motorcycle serviced regularly. Motorcycle shops will usually list all the services they provide with a price list right next to their check in desk. Motorcycle shops are SLAMMED in March and April, the start of riding season. If that's when your motorcycle will be due for a service - and your motorcycle manual will tell you after how many miles your motorcycle needs to be serviced - then in December, call your local motorcycle dealer or shop and find out when to call to get an appointment for March or April to get your bike fully serviced. Take the timeline for getting your motorcycle serviced VERY SERIOUSLY. Don't put it off! By having your motorcycle regularly, professionally serviced, you reduce the chances of a breakdown and you extend the life of your bike.

Storing the bike overnight

Motorcycle theft is RAMPANT.

If at all possible, garage your bike. I do NOT mean in a parking garage - I mean in a private one or two-car garage that has a door that locks. If you don't have a garage, consider which of your friends might and would be willing to rent space to you.

If that's not possible, then buy every lock possible to lock your motorcycle. Motorcycle thieves target motorcycles parked outside of apartment complexes and in parking garages, and they look for the bike with just the steering lock on, or just maybe one other lock on. Put a bike cover on it as well.

Most people will not say anything to someone, or even a group of people, standing around a motorcycle doing whatever to it - they will just assume it belongs to the person trying to saw through something.

Motorcycle theft is such a huge problem that I dread riding my motorcycle to into Portland, Oregon - I use a very heavy bicycle lock that could be broken only with a very powerful saw electric, I never park in a public parking garage, and I dread the seconds before I see the bike again, fully expecting it to be gone. UGH.  

If your bike is going to sit for many weeks, it should have an empty or a full gas tank, nothing in between (to prevent rust).

Emergency Information

Walk yourself through the scenarios of what you will do if you have a breakdown or if you have an accident. Will your insurance pick up your bike and take it, and you, where you need to go? Call them and ask (I have Progressive and, yes, they do and they have!). When the tow truck arrives, will you have the bike taken to your home or to a shop? Know before you call. And is there someone who can pick you up at the bike shop and take you home or will you need to call a taxi or car service?

If you have a flat and can't change it yourself, be forewarned: your insurance company will tell the tow truck driver to take you to a tire store. YOU DO NOT WANT TO GO TO A TIRE STORE. Because they DO NOT SERVICE MOTORCYCLES. They cannot and will not help you. You need to go to a motorcycle dealership, preferably one that you have already called on the phone and asked if they have innertubes or tires that you will need and if they will change it for you. And know that they probably won't be able to help you that same day, so if you aren't in the town where you live, you may be looking at staying at a hotel waiting for your motorcycle.

If you are injured, who will you call - will you have an ambulance take you to a hospital or a friend? That may depend on your insurance. If you are in an accident and are unconscious, who should the emergency services phone? It's a good idea to have this written down on an index card you get laminated and carry with you in your jacket and/or on the bike (tank bag, for instance). That note should also have your name, blood type and an emergency contact (NOT your address). Having it written down can help you when you aren't thinking clearly after an accident.

What about hair and makeup?!

I can't believe how many web sites for women to get started motorcycle riding start with THIS info! If you are so worried about this, motorcycle riding isn't for you.

I wear lipstick because I look lousy without it, it doesn't smudge in my helmet and it protects my lips from sun burn. If I wanted photos or video close ups when I was wearing a helmet, which hasn't happened yet, I'd wear some water proof mascara (like Itchy Boots does!). I don't wear foundation ever, not even off the motorcycle, and I think it's ridiculous to wear it when you are motorcycle riding. If you are using your motorcycle to commute to work or some place where you need to wear makeup, then take your makeup with you and put it on after you change out of your biker gear. You can get great motorcycle luggage from my husband!

Hair? The hair you get when you take off your helmet is the hair you have. You can braid it, but know that your motorcycle helmet might not fit if you do. I sometimes take a head band, which I do NOT wear with my helmet, since my helmet wouldn't fit with it - I wear it after I take off my helmet if I think I look better with it than without it.

What the journey can look like

My first two years of owning and riding my own motorcycle in photos (Honda NightHawk), October 2009 - September 2011

My experience on my KLR 650, in photos, beginning in October 2011

So, that's my journey to becoming a motorcycle rider. Hope it helps someone out there to become a motorcycle rider herself! If you need more encouragement, I think the Ride With Us web site has GREAT resources and advice. It's a Motorcycle Industry Council program launched in 2021: the Ride With Us team works to introduce everyone to the incomparable thrill of riding a motorcycle. We are a not-for-profit trade association dedicated to the growth of safe and smart enjoyment of motorcycles. Here is their "getting started" section, about how to choose gear, choosing a bike, etc. Here is their page on training, which promotes the Motorcycle Safety Foundation courses, but also links to the four states that use something else for motorcycle training (California, Oregon, Idaho and South Dakota): . I love all the imagery with women on the Ride With Us web site!

Also see my other advice pages:

For Women Who Travel By Motorcycle (or want to) 

Advice for Women Motorcycle Travelers: Packing

Advice for Women Motorcycle Travelers: footwear (shoes & socks).

Advice for Women Motorcycle Travelers: Transportation and Accommodations Choices

Advice for Women Motorcycle Travelers: Suggested Books and Web Sites

Suggested short motorcycle routes in Oregon and Washington state (from an hour to all-day; many can be linked together to create longer trips).

Our Motorcycle Travel & Rally Plans for 2012

transire benefaciendo: "to travel along while doing good." Advice for those wanting to make their travel more than sight-seeing and shopping, whether in your own country or abroad.

 
Photos of Me & My KLR
 
See the TravelAdvisor map of where I've been (not just by motorcycle).

 
Follow me!

coyotebroad, personal Twitter account
About travel, motorcycling, tent camping, bicycling (mostly as a commuter), politics & things I find amusing. 

More after this word from my husband:

Adventure Motorcycle Luggage & Accessories
www.coyotetrips.com

Aluminum Panniers and Top Cases,
Top Case Adapter Plates,
Tough Motorcycle Fuel Containers, & More

Designed or Curated by an experienced adventure motorcycle world traveler
Based in Oregon
You won't find these exact products anywhere else;
these are available only from Coyotetrips
(my husband)

coyotebroad's motorcycle resources | return to coyotebroad abroad home page | contact me

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Getting Started as a Motorcycle Rider: My Journey (Tips for Women Who Want To Ride)
 
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transire benefaciendo: "to travel along while doing good." advice for those wanting to make their travel more than sight-seeing and shopping.
 

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