Minnesota motorcycle-rider education program caters to women

Learning to safely drive and ride a motorcycle may seem like a natural progression from a childhood bicycle, but after the fact that both have two wheels, the similarity ends.

So how does a woman get acquainted with the skills necessary for safe and efficient enjoyment of this diverse mode of transportation? One way would be to jump on a motorcycle, release the clutch, hang on and hope for the best. The smart and safe way is to participate in Rider Education. The Minnesota Motorcycle Safety Center, a division of the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, offers such training throughout the state.

With a little twist to the standard Rider Training and Education program, the Minnesota Motorcycle Safety Center and the Harley-Davidson Sport Center of Duluth will be offering a “Ladies Only” class at Lake Superior College in Duluth. This class is offered to ladies only and runs for three days.

Suzanne Kachelmyer of the HDSS said this is the first time a class of this type has been offered for ladies only. Kachelmyer explained the program will run for three days totaling about 14.5 hours. The first day will be classroom lecture and exercises. The following two segments will be spent on smaller, lightweight motorcycles on a closed circuit skills area. Clutch and throttle control, basic maneuvers, straight-line riding and turning complete the first on-board segment with advanced maneuvers such as counter-steering, maximum braking and tight turns being taught and practiced in the second on-board segment.

Kachelmyer said ladies will be required to have a motorcycle instructional permit, helmet, over-the-ankle footwear, long pants and eye protection to participate in the class. Those ladies that successfully complete the course will be awarded a certificate of completion that allows them to skip the motorcycle skills test and receive their motorcycle endorsement to their Minnesota driver’s license. Additionally, according to Kachelmyer, successful participants will receive a new motorcycle helmet.

There is a nominal cost for this training. Complete information is available by calling the Harley-Davidson Sport Center in Duluth at (218) 729-9600 or Lake Superior College at (218) 733-5914.

Tags: twin ports rides, budgeteer, auto, education, lsc