Wisconsin is the birthplace Harley Davidson Motorcycle and seeing a motorcycle on its road is a sight that we’re all familiar with. Over the past 10 years in Wisconsin, 36 percent of motorcycle fatalities occurred with riders that did not complete the safety training or skills test necessary to receive a valid motorcycle license. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel wrote an article on this problem earlier this month. Two of the worst years for motorcycle fatalities where 2007 with 47 percent and 2012 with 43 percent, according to the article.
One of the easiest ways to break into the sport, more safely, is to take a safety course. Meredith Jarvis, a student currently in the basic safety course, highly recommends it. “It’s a lot of hours, a lot of people in the same level as you so it’s really easy cause it’s a good environment, and it take the nervousness away,” said Jarvis. The hardest thing to pick up in the class was the tight turns. She does plan on purchasing a bike after the course and taking the advance course after a little bit of practicing on her own.
Madison College offers several safety courses and there are three different motorcycle courses. There is also a scooter and a three-wheel motorcycle safety courses. The first course is motorcycle basic rider course that teaches skills and defensive riding tactics. The classes consist of 10 hours of riding time and six hours of instruction in the class. The class is offered at the Commercial Campus and during the summer at Reedsburg from June 4 through Aug. 10.
The next course is motorcycle advance rider course, which helps enhances risk management, improves perception, hazard awareness, and improves cornering, braking, and crash avoidance skills. This course includes three hours of classroom activities and five hours of riding that emphasizes on cornering finesse, body positioning, and braking in a controlled riding environment. This course is currently only offered at Reedsburg’s campus.
The third is a Street Rider Course for on road experience. The focus of the course is to identify and respond to typical situations in multiple riding environments. Students are exposed to lane positioning, visibility and space cushion, situational awareness, and proper cornering process.
The instructors are veteran riders that have been trained and certified by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation and approved by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Motorcycles are provided during this course.
Jeff Roessler, one of the motorcycle instructors, likes to stress the importance when taking the course. “Getting trained, wear all the (safety) gear all the time, and just having a good attitude about riding,” Roessler said were the most important things he emphasizes.
Taking these courses may save students money, as well. Completing an advanced motorcycle-riding course may even help lower a rider’s insurance premium, according to the DMV.