The Motorcycle Safety Foundation is celebrating Motorcycle Awareness Month this May with two initiatives: MSF RIDE Day events and MSF DIY Challenge.
Motorcycle Awareness Month was established in the 1980s to raise awareness of motorcyclists on our roads and to advocate for practices that keep all road users safe. The MSF’s efforts work to that effect by providing new riders a chance to try riding and by encouraging existing riders to practice their skills to become sharper riders.
The MSF RIDE Day events are free to participate in, and everything is provided, including the motorcycle, helmet, and gloves. Designed to give those interested in riding their first taste of a motorcycle, the events consist of MSF-certified RiderCoaches guiding participants through the basics of the controls, balance, and operation of a motorcycle. Some RIDE Day events also offer SKILLS Checks for experienced riders to get feedback from coaches on their technique.
Throughout the month of May, MSF RIDE Day events will take place in California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Nevada, New York, New Hampshire, Ohio, Texas, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin. Visit the event’s webpage for more information and to find a RIDE Day event near you.
The MSF DIY Challenge promotes the MSF DIY Drills, which are a series of videos that walk riders through exercises and techniques to continue developing their riding technique. On the MSF website, riders can find videos sorted into two categories. The Quick Drills videos are short animations to help riders review a drill while practicing in a parking lot. The Practice Prep videos are longer and include additional tips and real rider examples to thoroughly explain the exercise before your practice session.
The DIY Challenge is supported by Comoto, which is awarding free gear to selected participants. Those wanting to participate in the challenge can try out some of the exercises in the DIY Drills videos, record their attempts, and post the results to social media using the hashtag #MSFDIYDrills.
Whether you’re new to riding or have many miles under your belt, Rider encourages you to take advantage of these free resources during Motorcycle Awareness Month. For more riding tips and skills exercises, check out our monthly Motor School with Quinn Redeker installments.
