An Introduction to Motorcycles

Another activity that I have always been obsessed with is riding motorcycles. I had a few friends with dirt bikes growing up and I always thought they were seriously the coolest thing ever. (I still do.) My parents would never let me get my own dirt bike, so I was always sneaking over to my friends’ houses any chance I got so that I could ride theirs. Some of my best memories ever are riding dirt bikes through the woods on a hot summer day. Something about being on a motorcycle is just the most free feeling in the world. It’s just you and the sound of the bike, nothing else. In my opinion, it is a great way to escape from everyday life.

I was so fascinated by motorcycles that I eventually saved up to get my own when I really should have been buying a car instead. Having a motorcycle as my primary source of transportation definitely wasn’t ideal, but I totally made it work. I have no regrets; Riding all over Houston on my first bike for about a year was one of my favorite experiences ever and still is to this day. Ideally, I would like to have a car as a primary source of transportation and a motorcycle to use as a secondary source. I eventually sold my bike and bought a car, but I hope to have another bike sooner than later. I also wanted to upgrade my bike to something a bit faster since I am quite the adrenaline junkie.

While riding motorcycles is certainly one of the most fun activities that I can think of, it is also one of the most dangerous. I still encourage anyone who is interested to get involved, but they should definitely be aware of the potential risk. In my opinion, everything we do as humans carries some degree of risk. It’s up to you to decide if that risk is worth it or not. The unfortunate element of danger involved in riding motorcycles is a big part of the reason that I eventually sold my bike. My brother was involved in a serious accident and was almost killed. Even though he was technically at fault in the accident, I still decided to give riding a break for a while. I’ve gotten a couple of chances to ride since then, but I’m always very cautious. I can’t wait to one day get another bike and return to riding for good.

Anyone who is interested in riding motorcycles just needs to take a “Basic Rider Course” in order to get a Class M endorsement on their Driver’s License. The program consists of completing skills on an actual motorcycle as well as in a classroom. Everyone is required to take the course, regardless of prior experience. I still feel like I learned a lot even though I already knew how to ride a motorcycle. The program provides students with many great safety tips and techniques. Anyone who is interested in taking the Basic Rider Course can learn more about it here: https://www.msf-usa.org/brc.aspx