Learn to ride, get a license or just have fun

On Friday night, at 5:45 p.m. at Albemarle High School, the spring-summer-fall training ritual will begin again: It's my first motorcycle safety class of the season.

Classes are kicking off and cranking up across Central Virginia, starting this weekend at the high school (www.opendoors1.org) , April 16 at Shenandoah Harley Davidson in Staunton (www.shenandoahhd.com )  and ongoing at Central Virginia Motorcycle School (www.cvms4riding.com) in Orange.

The three different venues offer the same program with a whole lot of differences. All teach you the basics of riding, from how to shift and use Mr. Clutch to how to swerve around grandmothers in Buicks, slam on the brakes and make tight U-turns.  All of the schools give you the basic book learning you'll need to survive and each school provides you with your Virginia motorcycle operator license, if you pass. All offer an experienced rider course as well, where you bring your own bike and prove what you can do on the range.  All are approved by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation.

The schools differ in many ways, however. Albemarle's state-sponsored, county-run program provides Honda Rebels, Nighthawks and Suzuki cycles, will let  you borrow a helmet and give  you the goods.

Shenandoah's Rider's Edge program uses my favorite bike: The Buell Blast. It's one off the few training bikes you can take off the range and roll down Interstate 81 and keep up with traffic. You can ask how I know that. It also provides an intense motorcycle environment, held at the Harley shop and including tours of the place. It has more invovled classroom work, discusses motorcycling in deeper detail and has a smaller class size. It supplies the bikes, but you need to bring your own helmet. Discounts are offered on gear for students.

The Motorcycle Safety Foundation has teamed with other organizations to help influence the way you ride.

Central Virginia, owned by Dick Becker and Sandi Fox, holds court at Orange Powersports, the Honda dealer on U.S. 15, just outside of the town of Orange. They use Suzukis and Hondas and provide helmets. Their basic course is similar to Albemarle County's, but they offer one-on-0ne tutoring, special sessions to help you ride your own bike when you get it, and other services that a small, privately-owned organization can provide.

All three are approved by the Virginia Rider Training Program, which oversees rider education in Virginia. All three are well-run and have experienced instructors:    I've taught at all  three, so youcan ask how I know that.

The courses typically run Friday night and a half-day Saturday and Sunday, except for the Rider's Edge program,  which is three whole days. Some classes are offered during the week at Shenandoah and CVMS will consider it. There are plans in the works for week-day schooling at the county, if there's enough desire and students.

So there you have it and there it is: There's no reason to spend another season without a bike or to ride without a license. We're here, take us up on the offer. It's a hell of a lot of fun, in the class and on the road.