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Learn bicycle before motorcycle?

I knew how to drive a car with a manual transmission as well as how to ride a bike before I learned to ride a motorcycle. Of the two skills, I think that knowing how to ride a bicycle is the least useful of the two. Having just built a new bicycle and started riding for the first time in a decade, I have to say that the bicycle doesn't handle anything like my motorcycle. The bicycle requires a degree of balance and finesse that the motorcycle simply doesn't give a shit about. Probably something to do with the 450lb weight difference and the completely different suspension/chassis/geometry.

I wouldn't sweat it if you don't know how to ride a bicycle...
 
It's theoretically possible..

I just think that it will be a lot harder if he doesn't learn how to ride the bicycle first. The main problem that I've seen arise in class when a student has never ridden a bicycle:

-During the 2nd exercise, where you begin to get to know your friction zone and then pick your feet up, I find that people won't trust that the bike will feel more stable once they pick up more speed.

Being unable to understand this basic concept, and knowing what it feels like to pedal faster when you're on a bicycle makes it very difficult for people to pick their feet up and increase their speed. If you can't pick your feet up in this 2nd exercise, it's going to make it virtually impossible for you to proceed to the next step, which is stopping and starting.

He can certainly try and make a go at it, but I definitely think that he'll make it a lot harder on himself than he needs to. Why not spend an afternoon learning how to ride that bicycle and then go take the class?
 
fubar929 said:
I knew how to drive a car with a manual transmission as well as how to ride a bike before I learned to ride a motorcycle. Of the two skills, I think that knowing how to ride a bicycle is the least useful of the two. Having just built a new bicycle and started riding for the first time in a decade, I have to say that the bicycle doesn't handle anything like my motorcycle. The bicycle requires a degree of balance and finesse that the motorcycle simply doesn't give a shit about. Probably something to do with the 450lb weight difference and the completely different suspension/chassis/geometry.

I wouldn't sweat it if you don't know how to ride a bicycle...
Click to expand...


+1 to an extent.

I've been riding a bicycle for ages. It helped a little in learning how to ride a motorcycle.
A few weeks ago I got back on a bicycle for the first time in months after riding my motorcycle on a regular basis. Riding the bicycle was hard! You have to have really good balance. On the motorcycle, if you're going to fall from lack of balance, you have plenty of time to catch yourself. Bicycles give out fast.
Knowing how to drive a stick shift definitely helped though. Not so much as having the ability to do it but having the understanding of how it works.
 
just don't try to drag knee in a corner while riding a bicycle...:(

it doesn't really work as well as it does on a motorcycle...:mstingray
 
learn to ride a bicycle first. if he doesn't know how to balance on two wheels, attempting to ride a motorcycle is idiotic and invoking Darwinism.
 
If I could bet on it, my money says he wipes out harder and sooner without bicycle
learnin ;)
 
Uhhhh, a motorcyle is a bike - with a motor. A lot of the basis instincts are shared. I'd be very surprised to find a really good rider who can't ride a bicycle well. My brother and I were really into bicycling for years, when it dawned on us that it's all pretty much the same. The rest is history...
 
I'm gonna sign up for the Triathlon this year. Yep, I'm gonna do it. :thumbup
I'm a little concerned however, that I've never learned to swim or ridden a bicycle. I'm pretty sure I can do it though. :thumbup

:twofinger

:Popcorn
 
I disagree with the idea that driving a manual car before you ride a motorcycle helps. I was pretty hopeless in a car when it came to using the clutch correctly, but i took quite naturally to it on a motorcycle. Of course, understanding the concept of a clutch is key. But as to actually doing it in a car? Most people i know who drove manual cars had to "reprogram" themselves to change the way they thought about shifting because shifting a motorcycle is not really all that similar to shifting a car. Also, the whole "random select vs. sequential shifting" thing can throw people off as well. (Downshifting to a stop, they'd just hit it once because they'd only change gears once when stopping at a light from say, 3rd gear).

I would say that riding a bicycle is important simply because it helps you balance. The MSF instructors here seem to agree with that as well. Bicycles are good because they teach you the basics of balancing any 2 wheeled vehicle. No, it's not exactly the same, but it's close enough that it's a good way to develop a feel for things if you don't have access to a small motorcycle to play around on.
 
Pakow said:
the first two questions i ask someone when they express interest in learning to ride a motorcycle are:

a. can you ride a bicycle?

b. can you drive a stick shift car?

If you can't do both, you are not ready for a motorcycle. Period.
Click to expand...

You don't need to drive stick in a car. Car manual and bikes don't have the same feel.

MSF has a great way of teaching clutching to noobies.
 
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1RUN said:
Uhhhh, a motorcyle is a bike - with a motor. A lot of the basis instincts are shared. I'd be very surprised to find a really good rider who can't ride a bicycle well. My brother and I were really into bicycling for years, when it dawned on us that it's all pretty much the same. The rest is history...
Click to expand...

Yeah, That's my sense, too. With two wheels, it seems like one cannot (CAN NOT!!!) change direction without countersteering first. Even though order magnitude lighter machinery, the same physical limitations apply.

I kinda feel sorry for someone who has gone so long without riding a bicycle. My own predilections tend towards passing that rite first.

Whether it's a prereq for motorcycles isn't for me to tell. I say let them try it out. The MSF range is a relatively safe place to make mistakes. Better that than the road.
 
It would interesting to see if a person who learned how to ride a motorcycle without knowing how to ride a bike, could jump on a bicycle with no problem.

I'll bet a non-bike rider can't perform a slow speed counter steer on a motorcycle without falling down more then a few times.
 
hmmm...all this "does it transfer from bike to moto or not" discussion got me thinking: what about being able to ride a unicycle? will that help you learn to wheelie :p
 
I'm kinda disagree with ya. I didn't know how to drive a stick shift car yet ( try to learn :teeth ), but i'm still good at the clutch anyways :twofinger
Pakow said:
the first two questions i ask someone when they express interest in learning to ride a motorcycle are:

a. can you ride a bicycle?

b. can you drive a stick shift car?

If you can't do both, you are not ready for a motorcycle. Period.
Click to expand...
 
As others have said, I suppose it depends on the person, but the years of mountain bike riding I did definitely helped when I learned to ride a motorcycle. Most helpful skills developed were a well-developed sense of balance and the instinct to look well ahead instead of straight down while riding. Plus, years of riding the bicycle on the streets of SF gave me a good habit of looking out for sudden hazards (like doors opening in front of you).

On the flip side, I initially had to really concentrate on the hand controls on the motorcycle since I was so used to squeezing both levers on a bicycle to stop. I was also used to only using 1-2 fingers to brake, which threw my MSF instructors into fits. But, the MSF course made it easy to adjust since they run you through everything step-by-step.

Overall, I'd guess not necessary to ride a bicycle, but I think that it would definitely help.

Jennifer
 
Thanks everyone for the interesting responses. In fact, his father didn't like him -- a fact that was once aired on national television, courtesy of Oprah Winfrey (true story). And the reason his mom never taught him how to ride a bike is that his childhood home was on a steep hill, and she didn't want him killing himself.

So, the consensus seems to be: I need to teach him how to ride a bike (there is one on hand). Now I just need to find out how to teach an adult to ride a bicycle... but that's what Google is for. :)

(He does, however, know how to drive a stick-shift car.)
 
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they had it on abc news a while ago, the quickest way to teach someone to [balance a bicycle] is the basics of countersteering. turn the front wheel towards the direction you're falling. can teach someone balance in under an hour.'

Also assuming you have moto gear they can fit into they wouldn't have a fear of falling off.
 
vaara said:
In fact, his father didn't like him -- a fact that was once aired on national television, courtesy of Oprah Winfrey (true story).
Click to expand...

Yikes!
Now I just need to find out how to teach an adult to ride a bicycle... but that's what Google is for. :)
Click to expand...

ATGATT! And in front of as many people as possible, preferably drunk (the crowd or him, either way).
J/K, but not about the gear. Take him somewhere with as few people as possible, and have him wear at least gloves and a lid. If he falls, he'll want to stick his hands out first, and I can imagine the fun of going into work and explaining the reason your hands are all scabbed up is because you fell down learning to ride a bike!:p
 
Just give him the bicycle with no instruction.

If he comes back in one piece, your mind should be a little more at ease (not much though).

If he comes back all busted up and broken... well... then I'd say it's time to re-think the situation.
 
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