IRVINE, Calif., Aug. 7, 2014 – Hispanics comprise seven percent of American motorcyclists overall, and eleven percent of younger riders – those of Generations X and Y. As part of its long-standing policy of reaching out to riders of all backgrounds and ethnicities, the Motorcycle Safety Foundation has released an updated version of its Spanish language Rider Handbook to correspond with the updated Basic RiderCourse. Also, for the first time, MSF has issued Spanish versions of three of its popular “Quick Tips” sheets: Pretend You Are Invisible, Group Riding, and T-CLOCS Checklist.

Basic RiderCourse Rider Handbook

The 15-hour hands-on Basic RiderCourse, the best “first ride” for novice motorcyclists, is taught by Spanish-speaking MSF-certified RiderCoaches hundred of times per year across the U.S. The course consists of 5 hours of classroom instruction and 10 hours sessions of practical riding exercises. Successful completion of the course serves as a license test waiver in some states. Motorcycles and helmets are provided for student use during the course. Also, a course completion card may earn graduates an insurance discount. A preview copy of the Rider Handbook in Spanish is available here: https://msf-usa.org/downloads/BRCHandbook_Spanish.pdf.

Quick Tips

uick Tips is MSF’s category of single-focus safety information sheets, available for free for anyone to download, print, and distribute.

The “Pretend You Are Invisible” sheet addresses the fact that car drivers sometimes don’t notice motorcyclists in their path, especially in intersections. “I never saw him” is something heard all too often at the scene of a motorcycle crash. The information on this sheet aims to help riders stand out in traffic and compensate for inattentive car drivers. “Motorcyclists should pretend they are invisible to car drivers,” said Ken Glaser, MSF’s director of special projects. “If you assume others on the road can’t see you on a motorcycle, you will tend to ride in a hyper-aware mindset and notice much more detail of your surroundings.”

The “Group Riding” sheet provides helpful tips for those who enjoy sharing the adventure of motorcycling with other riders. Based on MSF’s “Share the Adventure – Group Riding” video kit, the sheet provides recommendations for riding formations, pre-ride meetings, hand signals, and more, through descriptive text and illustrations.

The “T-CLOCS Checklist” sheet is a convenient one-page form that guides the motorcyclist through a pre-ride inspection that can help the rider assess the roadworthiness of his or her motorcycle. T-CLOCS stands for Tires, Controls, Lights, Oil, Chassis, and Stands. Within each category is a number of specific components and systems that should be inspected for possible adjustment or other maintenance. Printed on the back of the T-CLOCS Checklist is a copy of the Group Riding sheet for even more convenience, so riders can take the page with them on each ride.

“We hope that safety-minded Spanish powersports publications will alert their audiences that our Basic RiderCourse is conducted in Spanish in communities across the U.S. Publications are also free to reprint our Quick Tips,” Glaser said. All of MSF’s English and Spanish Quick Tips sheets are available here: https://msf-usa.org/library.aspx.

The Motorcycle Safety Foundation® promotes safety through rider training and education, operator licensing tests and public information programs. The MSF works with the federal government, state agencies, the military and others to offer training for all skill levels so riders can enjoy a lifetime of safe, responsible motorcycling. Standards established by the MSF® have been recognized worldwide since 1973.

The MSF is a not-for-profit organization sponsored by BMW, BRP, Ducati, Harley-Davidson, Honda, Kawasaki, KTM, Piaggio, Polaris Motorcycles, Suzuki, Triumph and Yamaha. For safety information or to enroll in the RiderCourse℠ nearest you, visit www.msf-usa.org or call (800) 446-9227.