Motorcycle safety month: Drivers, riders beware

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Chad Thompson
  • 90th Space Wing Public Affairs
F.E. WARREN AIR FORCE BASE, Wyo. --  It weighs about 400 pounds. It has a max speed of more than 140 miles per hour. It has no seatbelts, airbags or doors.

The only thing between a rider and the road is a helmet, gloves, boots, leather jacket and long pants.

A life or death situation while riding one can take milliseconds, so training and the proper attire are important.

This year's first motorcycle safety course took place April 21 to April 23 in the wing safety office, and the class cost $25.

"Before anyone buys a motorcycle, they need the motorcycle safety course, or they will be pushing their new motorcycle home and putting it in the garage," said Troy Weaver, 90th Space Wing safety office.

According to Air Force Instruction 91-207, The U.S. Air Force Traffic Safety Program, all military motorcyclists, on or off base; all civilian motorcyclists on base or off base in a government duty status; and all operators of government owned motorcycles must complete an approved motorcycle rider education course.

The course is designed for people with little or no riding experience, but even experienced riders can benefit from it, Mr. Weaver said.

April 21 was the classroom portion, and April 22 and April 23 were the hands-on portions with the motorcycle.

"The course will teach them everything," Mr. Weaver said. And he suggests students get familiar with where everything is located on a motorcycle before they take the course.

The students should have all the proper personal protective equipment or they won't be getting on a bike, Mr. Weaver said.

The PPE needed for the course are gloves, boots, long pants, a long shirt or jacket and a helmet designed to meet or exceed Department of Transportation standards, said Gary Widup, Wyoming Department of Transportation. Eye protection is also required if a helmet doesn't have a full-face shield. The goggles should be impact or shatter resistant.

A motorcycle jacket and pants constructed of abrasion resistant materials, such as leather or Kevlar, is strongly encouraged but not necessary for the course, Mr. Widup said.

Mr. Weaver has been riding motorcycles for more than 20 years, but he said he learned something from the course when he went through it several years ago.

"One of the things I learned a lot about was the front brake," he said. "I never knew it was a 50/50 pressure between the front brake and the back brake."

Mr. Weaver said too much application of the front brake can make someone flip and not enough even pressure from the back and front brakes won't allow someone to stop a motorcycle effectively.

Another helpful tip Mr. Weaver has is about safety when passing tractor-trailers.

He said, when bikers pass a slow moving tractor-trailer, they should do it as quickly and safely as possible because its tires have a lot of pressure. If one blows, it can be deadly for someone riding a motorcycle.

Motorcycle safety is always a concern for the Air Force, Mr. Weaver said, and the first course of the year is also in conjunction with May's Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month.

According to the National Highway Transportation Administration, the number of motorcycle deaths was 35 times higher than cars per mile driven in 2007, and 71 percent of those deaths occurred between May and October.

Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month is not only for the riders but also to let others know the riders are out there. "So be aware," Mr. Weaver said.

Awareness is important but mentorship is equally important.

Motorcycle mentorship is also covered in AFI 91-207, and Mr. Weaver is trying to start up "Military on Bikes" here.

Military on Bikes is a program to get more experienced riders together with younger riders in order to build skill development and reinforce safe riding practices, Mr. Weaver said.