Everything Bremerton: Head out on the highway … on two wheels

Most types of motorized transportation fascinate me. I have had the distinct pleasure of participating in closed course competition sports car racing where I got the chance to drive some rather expensive high performance machines in a manner that is not allowed on public roads.

Most types of motorized transportation fascinate me. I have had the distinct pleasure of participating in closed course competition sports car racing where I got the chance to drive some rather expensive high performance machines in a manner that is not allowed on public roads.

Riding on the back of my husband Jason’s Harley has also been really fun these past three years. But recently I started to get a yearning to learn how to ride a motorcycle myself.  I love to learn new skills and am a firm believer in the concept that you are never too old for anything if you set your mind to achieving it. I also understand that there are risks involved being out on the road with two wheels and obtaining the proper training first helps to mitigate those risks.

Pacific Northwest Motorcycle Safety is a Puget Sound-area organization that provides training and testing for the beginner and more advanced motorcycle enthusiasts. Their staff members are experienced, knowledgeable and professional individuals on every single level. If you want to learn how to operate and ride a motorcycle, contact this organization and take their basic rider course. If you are already riding and do not have your endorsement stop riding illegally right now. Take the course and pass the test. Then go back to riding on the roads with the correct set of skills and knowledge that will help make you a safer rider. Two days of the proper instruction now may save you many days of healthy riding in the future.

Learning something new means making mistakes and practicing skills over and over until you are completing them successfully. Taking the basic rider class means that you get to make those mistakes in the safest possible controlled environment. I should know since during the morning of the second day of training while leaving the grid, I dumped the bike.  Yep, fell right over. I skinned my finger, bruised my knee and knocked my pride down to the basement. I had trouble with the bike the day before so I switched to another one without telling the instructors. That was my bad and I paid the price for it.

Now that I know exactly what it is like to fall down on a motorcycle, I won’t be going there again anytime soon. I will be riding and practicing with all sorts of escape routes or ways out of situations running through my mind at all times. Practice, practice, practice and then practice some more.

Thanks to the overwhelming faith and support from the wonderful people in my class and the instructors Chuck and Sean, I was able to Band-Aid up, wipe the tears, get back on and complete the training. I was also able to successfully complete the testing portion at the end of the day and received my endorsement.  Sadly my days as a possible hand model are over because of the decent sized scar I will carry with me on my finger as a reminder of my new two wheel adventure.

Be a safe rider. See and be seen. Motorists, watch for bikes at all times. Happy riding everyone!

For more info: www.pnwmotorcyclesafety.com

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