How hard is it to learn to drive a motorcycle?

can you ride a bicycle? the main diffrence is the hot metal at your calfs.

You would have to know how to drive a manual transmission – and be familiar with a clutch. I can’t think of too many fully-automatic motorcycles.

It is easy the faster you go the easier it is to stay up.

practice, practice, left hand clutch, right hand front brake, left foot shifter, right foot rear brake,

put a bike on the center stand and PRACTICE, oh and have fun…

How many times can you easily pick yourself up? Otherwise its all learning coordination and timing skills. Go for it, I taught my wife and 2 other girlfriends to ride.

If you can ride a bike, you can drive a motorcycle. Like when first learning to drive a car it took a little time to get use to the controls but you got it. Same for mc’s. Unless you are under 20 years old and still made of rubber I would not try to learn on your own. Join a motorcycle safety/training course.

Mom, the best advice I can give you is to take the MSF (Motorcycle Safety Foundation) Basic Riders course. The skills you will learn will be invaluable. Most states will waive the skills portion of the endorsement test with an MSF certificate. You will also get a break on your insurance!

Don’t rule out the the maxiscooters like the Suzuki Burgman, Yamaha Majesty or the Honda SilverWing. All are 400cc – 650cc automatic motorcycles. I have ridden motorcycles and have owned 2 of the Burgman 650′s.

I love the Burgman because you can run in full automatic mode (twist and go) or shift through the gears if you wish. The newer models have overdrive AND a power button for an additional burst of speed. Plus I can carry my raingear, shoes, lunch, laptop, purse and miscellaneous junk under the seat!

Happy early Mothers’ Day!

Dee aka ScubaGirl

I think my answer will be a little more critical in terms of analysis. Why? Well, I can’t tell you how many crashed motorcycles come from baby boomers deciding they would like to ride, and then blowing a big wad of cash on a Harley. Disaster ensues.

So, if you are still on the fence, here’s the questions I would ask myself were I in your shoes:

1. Am I reasonably coordinated? Do I have a good sense of balance?

-I have friends who have no business on a motorcycle and they know it. They’re simply not very physically adept (which honestly has nothing to do with weight, it’s motor skills–weight just makes you hit the ground harder).

2. Am I too old for this?

-I don’t know how old you are, but I personally intend to hang it up at 50-55 or so. The reflexes get too slow for heavy evasive maneuvers, and your body gets less flexible, too. Bones break more easily, and accidents become ever more costly in terms of rehab and your ability to bounce back. Broken bones at 30 heal pretty well given good nutrition and adequate ortho care. At 50, especially for females who are prone to osteoporosis, it ain’t so easy.

3. As noted by others, am I adept at a stick shift?

-I don’t think this is a deal-breaker, because you CAN get scooters which are invariably automatic, and lots of those Stellas and Vespas have great style. You can also certainly get one with enough power to keep you happy, more than likely. The big ones aren’t slow.

However, the motorcycles that offer this so far are not for amateurs–take the new Yamaha FJR-1300 AE. That’s one big motorcycle. Personally, I don’t believe in automatic motorcycles because I think the added difficulty of the clutch and shifting keeps some folks off of motorcycles who really should be off motorcycles–for their own good. Now, that’s not to say that the complexity of shifting has screened out idiots–on the contrary, lots of 20 year olds with sportbikes with the power to weight ratio similar to a jet plane work a clutch just fine–it’s that pesky retaining wall that gets them. Eck.

4. Why do I want to do this?

-I don’t think occasional riders do very well–I don’t have data to back this up, but anecdotally, a lot of accidents happen shortly after folks get back in the saddle. If riding is just going to be a weekend thing, I think it’s very difficult to acquire the skills and maintain them without regular training courses (which are an option, of course, and recommended to keep you sharp anyway).

Riding a motorcycle is like piloting a plane. It requires the same level of judgment and coordination, as well as the technical aptitude with regard to control of the machine. Pilots say that flying is easy when things go right–computers do lots of the work now. The reason there’s a pilot in the cockpit is for when things go very wrong.

Motorcyclists gets targeted by road rage drivers, not to mention just idiots who “didn’t see you!” Your evasion skills and alertness MUST be higher than the drivers around you, because a) they’re more likely to run into you than another car, and b) it will sure as heck cost you a lot if you get hit–it’s not like a fender-bender in a car. It’s going to hurt, guaranteed.

I’ve been riding a good long time and haven’t had anything other than two minor lay-downs, both of which were in severe inclement weather (I used to ride in anything–not so much anymore). I think it’s consideration of the above that has kept me alive.

Go to Borders or whereever and pick up a copy of Proficient Motorcycling by David Hough. Best $35 or so you’ll ever spend. He’s very thoughtful about these issues. He’s got a whole series you’ll like. Good luck whichever way you decide to go. . .

About as easy as learning to ride a car…

Sorry, couldn’t help myself.

one: you don’t drive a bike you ride a bike
two: if you can ride a bicycle you can ride a motorcycle
three: have good hand and foot cordination

Not difficult at all. Once you get on it you become one with it. Just point in the direction you wanna go and twist the throttle till just before your heart is in your mouth. Dont jam the brakes, choose your gears wisely and always always wear a helmet.

When choosing a bike go for function not form. The more often you ride the more fun you’ll have.