Total Motorcycle’s Beginner’s Guide to Motorcycling
– 20th Anniversary Edition –
Be inspired. Make this year THE year to start riding and adventuring. Start off right by reading our Beginner’s Guide to Motorcycling. Millions of new riders each year are helped by our guide.
Main Sections:
- Section One: The First Steps.
- Section One 1/2:Insurance
- Section Two:Choosing Your Ride and not someone else’s.
- Section Two 1/2: Motorcycle Seat Heights
- Section Three:The Basic styles of Motorcycles.
- Section Four:Motorcycle Gear, Gearing Up
- Section Five:Routes and Lessons – Learning to Ride
- Section Five 1/2:Counter Steering & Push Steering
- Section Five 2/2:Counterweighting – Tight Turns, Tight Skills
- Section Six:The Soul of a Bike – The Engine
- Section Six 1/2: The Engine Wars: Single vs. V-Twin vs. In-line Four
- Section Six 2/2: How loud do you want it?
- Section Seven: Motorcycle Tests and Quizes
- Section Eight:Motorcycle Maintenance, more than kicking tires.
- Section Nine:Survivability – Cars Versus Motorcycles
Appendixes:
- Appendix One: Lessons I’ve learned, the hard way.
- Appendix Two:First ride stories.
- Appendix Three:The Future of Motorcycling
Advice:
- Total Motorcycle Forums
- Total Motorcycle New Bikers Forum
- Total Motorcycle Motorcycle Safety, Security & Rider Tips Forum
- Total Motorcycle Shop
- Riders Writes:Andrew Durling
As a motorcyclist myself, trying to come up with a description for what motorcycling means to me and others is difficult to get across in words alone. The best description I can think of is: Motorcycling isn’t about transportation alone, more than just a lifestyle, it is a life changing event; period.
If you have never rode a motorcycle before this can be difficult to understand what I’m trying to get across. You may be thinking its all about the clothing, merchandise, music, engine size, bike style, manufacturer or lingo. I won’t lie to you, a small part of it is. For me, it is about the feeling you get when you ride. You fill all of your senses with that feeling.
Imagine this: Your riding down a clear road, tank full of gas, no where in particular to go with the whole day ahead of you, you smell the countryside/mountains/fresh rain/forest/ocean/hay as you pass, the sun shining down with the wind at your back. You can choose to go down any road that you want, hit the twisties, cruise the super-slab or explore that small town ahead… That feeling is the of freedom, and it is extremely addictive. Enjoy our Beginner’s Guide to Motorcycling!
Motorcycling and the Senses:
You will find that motorcycling will fill the needs of all your senses:
Sight: The roads, the scenery, the horizon stretching in front of you…
Smell: The countryside, mountains, fresh rain, forest, ocean, hay…
Sound: The rumble of the engine, the wind whizzing by, nature…
Touch: The control of the machine, the feel of being part of everything around you and not just driving though…
Taste: The dust in the air, the sweetness of fresh rain…
Don’t forgot the other senses as well.
The sense of belonging to something bigger than you’ve known before: The community, a brotherhood/club of bikers, good times and good friends.
The sense of accomplishment: Riding further, visiting new places, trying new roads, improving your skills and more….
While you can do all that in a car, it isn’t even close to that feeling. Trust Us. 🙂
Welcome to the Beginner’s Guide to Motorcycling section of the website. This section is dedicated to those who are new (or newly) into motorcycling. It is my hope that the information provided will enhance your motorcycling career.
Have fun out there, enjoy the ride and be safe. – Mike Le Pard (webmaster)
General Information:
Iron Butt Association Riding Tips – Know your limits, Forget high speeds, No caffeine, Prepare your bike, Maintenance & Accessories, Electric clothing, Pack wisely, Prepare yourself, Avoid boredom, Towing service, Stop to go Faster, Know when to stop!, Positive mental attitude, Eat healthy foods, Eating times, Separate your stops, Obtain fuel early, Wet weather riding, + more.
The Motorcycle – Selecting the right Motorcycle to suit your needs, lifestyle and expectations.
Used Motorcycle Evaluation Guide – last updated 5/6/02 — now 26 pages (125k) of quasi-nutritious moto-info!
Rider safety and protection, Carrying a pillion passenger, Born again bikers, Dealing with Risks, Observation and hazard recognition , Overtaking and dealing with traffic. Motorcycle Control, Learn about positioning, Improve your cornering, Touring, Group Riding without getting lost, Touring, Riding on motorways, Riding in the rain.
