About
FirstRides.org is a non-profit organization aimed at increasing the number of safe motorcyclists in the world and reducing their risk. We do this by making the world of motorcycling friendly, inviting, and informative.
How
We offer full scholarships to kids ages six through 17. Since the program is aimed at those who cannot afford to start riding on their own, no fees are charged at any time. Although we accept donations. :-)Â
We supply the bikes, gear, and training. You merely need to make sure your child can ride a bicycle and is truly interested in riding a motorcycle.
FirstRides is a chartered service promoter with the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA), and all of our events are sanctioned by and insured through the AMA. In addition, multiple FirstRides coaches have been certified through the United States Motorcycle Coaching Association (USMCA). Find FirstRides on MotorcycleCoaching.org. See our Providers page for links to trainer bios.
Why
Simply put, the safest and earliest way to learn to ride a motorcycle is as a child wearing protective gear on a closed course under experienced adult supervision. FirstRides is explicitly designed to cross economic boundaries. The cost of minibikes and, more importantly, the increasingly limited and distant areas to ride them, has made dirt biking the hobby of only the well-to-do.
This excludes large portions of the population that would not only enjoy this form of recreation but also simultaneously benefit from the freedom motorcycling offers as a form of transport. It is estimated two-thirds of all jobs are too distant from low-income families to be reached via public transportation in a reasonable amount of time (3 hours roundtrip). The travel time is just too great.
With efficient, swift, and reliable transportation, many of these families could reach new jobs and better support their families. There is no doubt time spent on a dirt bike as a child translates into more fluid control of a street motorcycle later. Everyone deserves the chance to gain the skills necessary for riding a motorcycle on the street.
Finally, we are fiercely co-educational and know full well women can be every bit the rider of any man. So we strongly encourage parents to apply for classes for their daughters.
Supporters
Our supporters are an equal part of the FirstRides team. We are able to make this program free for our students through volunteerism and generous donations. Find out how you can help support FirstRides.
