motorcyclebloggers.com

It’s amazing in an activity like ours, even the most simple techniques aren’t known by the vast majority of the participants. I bet if you asked ten random riders, maybe two or three would know what you are talking about. I was self-taught in 1980 and didn’t even hear the term counter-steering for about 5 years (push right, go right took another 5 years until I took my first MSF course). When I bought my second bike, an 1100, moving up from a 200!!!, the first turn I took, I went into the on coming lane (way wide). It was because I was trying to turn by leaning (not counter-steering) a bike that was much bigger than what I was used to. Even though I eventually learned how to get the bike to turn sharp (lean harder? ….. I was actually counter-steering harder and didn’t know it), it wasn’t until I finally read in Cycle Guide magazine (blast from the past) that you had to “steer” a motorcycle in the opposite direction, that I finally was in control of where my bike went. Where’s the public service campaign or REQUIRED training for motorcyclists that our tax burden has been paying for, for years. If every motorcyclist was required to take the MSF course before obtaining a license, I’ll bet my life savings we’d half the accident rate!!! Even if they just learned counter-steering and using the front brake.

Err, ‘You mean you can get a license…

Well, I knew tha car driving license was a simple formality, but bikes are another story. To allow people to ride a Hayabusa or a big Harley without the most basic training (counter-steering, jeez !) is frightening for other road users.
I don’t see the cost as a problem for the gvt. Actualy it should be considered per capita and most of it would be supported by the wanabee rider. Where I live, a driver license is indeed expensive, but, anyway, bikes are not cheap either.