THE Motor Company has trained more than 350,000 new riders over 14 years and has now changed its training program with the launch of its new Harley-Davidson Riding Academy –the only national rider training program hosted by Harley-Davidson dealerships and conducted on an all-new Harley-Davidson motorcycle.
Since its inception in 2000, Harley’s rider training program has successfully trained more than 350,000 new riders with a premium Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF)-approved rider training experience, and now the Harley-Davidson Riding Academy’s New Rider Course provides nearly everything needed to take the first step towards motorcycle riding, including MSF-certified instructors, use of a motorcycle to learn on, and a minimum of 20 hours of combined classroom and range training with a guaranteed 6:1 student/instructor ratio. All the students need to supply is appropriate riding gear.
Harley-Davidson Street 500 motorcycles will be provided for the training rides.
Additional features developed specifically for use in the Harley-Davidson Riding Academy include an industry-first ‘Power Limit Calibration’ that puts a ceiling on the vehicle’s low-gear speeds, allowing only the maximum rate a student needs in the course, and a unique ‘Vehicle Protection Kit’ that allays student fears of damaging the vehicle in a tip-over.
“Instilling confidence is vital to preparing new riders to move from the classroom to the open road,” Angela Thundercloud, Harley-Davidson Rider Training Manager, said. “We designed everything – the experience, the curriculum and the equipment – to inspire that needed confidence and empower new students to have a ton of fun learning to ride on a Harley-Davidson motorcycle.”
In many states, completion of a Harley-Davidson Riding Academy course can exempt riders from needing to take an additional road test before becoming licensed, and many insurance providers offer discounts to graduates.
In addition to changes in the US, where more than 180 Harley-Davidson dealers offer training courses, Harley-Davidson Riding Academy is expanding globally into Mexico, China and South Africa.
www.h-d.com/ridingacademy