continued....

Instructors walk participants through road position, handling skills, watching for road hazards as well as maneuvering corners. With these becoming reflexive by nature, it allows the rider the opportunity to focus on watching traffic and other potential problem spots while riding.

If any reckless driving habits are brought up as an objection to riding a motorcycle, although not a scientific fact many riders claim to drive cars as well as their motorcycle in a more cautionary and safe manner having completed a safety course.

Clutch and Chrome's article, 'Motorcycle Safety Course: The must have accessory' not only goes into more depth on the subject, it also gives links to resources and courses. 

Successfully completing most motorcycle safety courses automatically entitles participants to a motorcycle endorsement on their driver license. Interestingly enough, according the above NHTSA study 24% of motorcycle operators involved in fatal crashes were riding without valid licenses at the time of the collision.

Once again, you've removed yourself from a hazardous category.

The study also found that 45% of motorcyclist killed were involved in single vehicle accidents, meaning no other vehicles were involved. Most experts agree this is due to lack of formal riding training or riding beyond the operator’s abilities, both of which would be taught at a recognized motorcycle safety course. 

Using the motorcycle for commuting brings up the most popular reason for buying a bike, the economy factor. With motorcycles getting forty miles to a gallon of gas, bikes look better every time the price of crude oil moves upward. If the motorcycle is being bought for commuting during the work week, it’s helpful to know twice as many fatalities happen on weekends as opposed to weekdays. 

Finally, making a common sense point potentially eliminates a majority of fatalities from two statistical categories. In overall motorcycle fatalities 27% were riding with blood alcohol levels above the legal limits. Sixty one percent of those killed in single vehicle crashes on weekend nights had blood alcohol levels above the legal limits.

By removing drinking and riding from the equation, the fatality numbers are theoretically greatly reduced.
 

In the name of love
The discussion points given in the article so far have mostly applied to family and friends, but the most challenging person to convince is the significant other. While all the statistics can be used, helping the ‘better-half’ appreciate your new found passion requires a few more gentle steps. 

With a significant other, the conversation about buying a motorcycle should happen when the inclination is first starting to grow. As soon as the idea of jumping the saddle starts to form, why not take your wife around the dealerships to look at motorcycles with you? While there, the conversations overcoming any safety concerns can start, taking advantage of fellow bikers surrounding you. Don't worry about looking like any less of a man, it’s a conversation heard a lot at the dealership!

The advantage of cruising the dealerships together is not only introducing your significant other to the motorcycles, but also the lifestyle that surrounds riding. Between owners groups, organized rides and regular events it gives someone who may not have necessarily been bitten by the biker bug an interest in the two-wheeled social world and lifestyle.

Also, any stereotypes that your significant other has about bikers will quickly be dispelled as you both visit dealerships and meet riders.

By including her in this part of the process you’ve essentially created a slow burn buy-in to the idea of you on a motorcycle, but to make the sale complete include your significant other in the safety course. The valid excuse of needing her to know how to handle a motorcycle in case of a non-riding accident while out on a trip not only makes sense but brings her that much closer to a bike of her own.
 

Following through the curve
If everything goes to plan your friends, family and significant other are happy enough to give the seal of approval for that brand new motorcycle. You noticed we wrote 'happy enough'. Your work isn't over convincing them the motorcycle was a great idea.

Everything that was promised such as taking the safety course, wearing protective gear and most importantly, riding safely needs to be followed through every time you sit on your motorcycle. Giving into peer pressure and riding beyond their limits were two of the items included in Clutch and Chrome's'Ten things new riders do completely wrong'.

When you bear in mind every biker lays down their motorcycle at some point in time the pressure is on to make that later rather than sooner, if not for the reason of building confidence in your family and significant other. It’s a challenging task since a majority of multi-vehicle accidents involving motorcycles are usually the fault of the car-driver.

Every month of safe riding under the motorcycle belt affirms their faith in you and trust in the decision of letting you ride the roads on that two-wheeled therapy called a bike.

So there you have it, facts figures and a style to argue the case to get you out on the open road before you can say Harley-Davidson. As with all our articles, if you have any suggestions or real life stories to embellish what you've just read, we'd love to hear from you.

As for thanking us, well repayment can come in form of riding safe, staying out of trouble and passing along everything you've learned to the newer kid on the block.

After all, isn't that what riding is all about?