thePULSEThe Central MA Motorcycle School Preaches Safety First
By Alex Kantarelis
Have you ever had the urge to get on a motorcycle and enjoy the thrill of riding down the highway in the warm sun? If that sounds like it’s up your alley, but you don’t know how to start, you need to stop by the Central Massachusetts Motorcycle School in West Boylston, MA. Whether you’ve been a passenger on a motorcycle before, are interested in getting your own license, or are completely new to motorcycles all together, it’s the place to get things going. Site Coordinator Doug Gilmore said, “We get people who have never even sat on a motorcycle as a passenger. They take the course and they’re riding around in no time.”
Riding a motorcycle is definitely a passion in Gilmore’s life. He credits his love for motorcycling as his motivation for teaching newcomers. His course, which takes only two days to complete, is very similar to driver’s ed. You learn how a bike operates, motorcycle laws, proper decision-making on the road, and ~ most importantly ~ how to drive. It is a combination of in-class instruction and on the road instruction. In this case, the road is replaced by a controlled (and safe) course designed specifically for motorcycles.
Getting your learner’s permit at the Registry of Motor Vehicles is the first step to getting your license ~ and it’s easy to do even without experience. After that, an interested person could register for the course, come in for his or her (yes, the school gets lots of both men and women) session, and, assuming a passing grade, be on the road at the end of the week. “Somebody could call today, could start a class next Tuesday, and could be riding around by next Thursday,” Gilmore said.
Assuming all goes well and you pass the course, the school automatically passes you with the RMV, and subsequently passes you for your license. You don’t need to make a second trip to the RMV. And best of all, insurance rates go down. Taking the course gives you an automatic insurance discount that is good for life. “With drivers’ ed you only get a discount for three years on your insurance but with the motorcycle course you get a discount indefinitely,” Gilmore said. “It pays for itself after a few years,” he added.
The other option is getting your learner’s permit, practicing for a few weeks, and then going to the RMV and taking a road test to get your license. But that’s not necessarily the best way to go about things. “Are you really safe on the street, I don’t know,” Gilmore said. Taking the course is not required, but is definitely recommended. “For the extra few dollars, how much is your life really worth?” Gilmore added.
As you may have figured, motorcycles are not only fun, but they also offer many other benefits, some of which may be more obvious than others. “The average sport bike gets around 40 miles per gallon, which is better than the average Honda Civic gets,” Gilmore said. “It’s more than just fun, it’s something that becomes a part of you,” he added. So if riding a motorcycle is something you’ve always considered, it’s time to make it happen. The first step is giving the Central Massachusetts Motorcycle School a call and starting you’re new exciting life.
