Motorcycle riders complete required training

Photo by Charmain Z. Brackett Motorcycle riders move cautiously through a drill under the guidance of Byron Sylvester, course instructor during the March 6 Military Sports Bike Rider Course at Fort Gordon. Staff Sgt. Lawson Garnett is an experienced motorcycle rider.

"I've been riding for 22 years," said Garnett, of the 369th Signal Battalion, who recently took part in a new class just for riders of sport bikes. "This is my first street bike. There's a lot of difference."

Introduced at Fort Gordon last month, the Military Sports Bike Rider Course is an additional class. Riders must have completed the basic rider course and show their card in order to register for the sports bike course, according to lead instructor Byron Sylvester.

The sports bike course features eight hours of instruction inside the classroom and on the motorcycle.

"There are more fatalities on sports bikes," said Sylvester.

Because they are typically less expensive than a traditional motorcycle, the sports bikes are popular among the younger military service members, he said. These sleeker bikes handle differently from their larger counterparts.

Topics covered in the military sports bike course include cornering, swerving, curve adjustment, multiple curves and gap analysis.

Garnett said he was glad he took the course.

"Any class, even if you continue to take the basic course, definite helps," he said. "I recommend you take as many classes as possible especially when they are free."

The Military Sports Bike Rider Course is only open to military riders.

"It's mandatory for the Navy," said Sylvester. "I look for it to be mandatory for the Army."

The basic rider course is offered on a weekly basis. Two additional Military Sports Bike Rider Courses are scheduled for this month. A complete listing of courses including the basic, experienced and sports bike class are available online at https://airs.lmi.org.