my own feeling about learning to ride is borrow a bike, find a quiet parking
lot(government lots on Sundays are ususlly the best), get a twelve pack -
absolutely DO NOT wear a helmet(they'll lure you into a false sense of
security and that's what the beer is for) and practice.  By the end of the
day you'll be able to negotiate traffic with the best of us.

>From: Sudhir Desai <sudhir.desai@GMAIL.COM>
>Reply-To: Sudhir Desai <sudhir.desai@GMAIL.COM>
>To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>Subject: Re: learning to ride a motorcycle (was RE: Come out of the
>      closet, all
>Date: Sun, 24 Dec 2006 14:56:03 -0500
>
>Joy,
>I guarantee you will have tons of fun; whether it be on a scooter, a
>moped, a cruiser or a crotch-rocket.
>
>Sudhir
>
>On 12/24/06, Joy Hecht <jhecht@alum.mit.edu> wrote:
>>Thanks, everyone who replied to my comment about learning to ride a
>>motorbike!
>>
>>Following Jeff's suggestion (below), I googled Northern Virginia Community
>>College, found the info about motorcycle safety education, and - yipes! -
>>took the first step!  Which was applying to NOVA (as it's called around
>>here).  Felt like a very strange thing to do, at age 50, after completing
>>ten years of post-high school education already, having completed an array
>>of advanced degrees, and even having paid off all my student loans more
>>than
>>a decade ago.  But of course this is completely different!
>>
>>Classes don't start till March, and registration doesn't start till
>>mid-January, and price has risen by 50% since Jeff had the price, but hey,
>>I'm on my way!  At least if I don't chicken out by then...
>>
>>
>>
>>Joy
>>
>>
>>****************************************************************
>>Joy Hecht
>>now living in a real house in northern Virginia
>>and Matilda, 1989 Burgundy Vanagon
>>now living in the driveway and resting after two and a half years
>>lugging Joy and her stuff around...
>>
>>For musings about life traveling in the van or living in one place:
>>http://www.joyhecht.net
>>
>>****************************************************************
>>
>>
>>
>>:::-----Original Message-----
>>:::From: Jeff Stewart [mailto:fonman4277@earthlink.net]
>>:::Sent: Sunday, December 24, 2006 9:42 AM
>>:::To: Joy Hecht
>>:::Subject: Re: Come out of the closet, all
>>:::
>>:::Is this what happens after one passes the big five-oh? How hard is it
>>to
>>:::learn to ride one, at my age?
>>:::
>>:::
>>:::Joy,
>>:::   Not hard at all. Take the Motorcycle Safety Foundation class,
>>:::available
>>:::at NOVA, costs $90.00, and they supply the motorcycle. Even though I
>>have
>>:::ridden for over 30 years, I took the class 2 years ago. I was so proud
>>of
>>:::the fact that at age 46, I scored the top in the class ( a perfect "0"
>>on
>>:::the riding skills, you get assessed points for each mistake you make).
>>I
>>:::beat out two young guys in their 20's who were both Fairfax county
>>cops.
>>:::The looks on their faces was priceless!      Jeff
>>