At sixteen years old, I was drawn to “heavy metal thunder” of a chopper like the proverbial moth to a flame. As the story goes, I was burned. My mother forbade me to ride, look at, speak of, stand near, or think of any form of motorized two-wheel “death trap” her words not mine. Of course, as soon as I found a “friend” with a Yamaha motorcycle I was off “head out on the highway” hanging on, feeling the wind in my hair and the bugs hitting my helmet. I was free and born to be wild. Until my mother found out, our neighbors always told on me!
I was grounded for several weeks but the call to my “true nature” was so strong that my mother thought, “If you can not beat them teach them. “ My mother obtained a respectable motorcyclist to commence with lessons on a very slow machine. It too was a Yamaha. I was taken to a large parking lot, a closed factory, and began lessons. I was a quick study; I wanted freedom. When I finally achieved the requisite instructions, I was allowed to travel around the entire parking lot and building.
I will take this opportunity to explain that I have taken several years of dance lessons, played the violin throughout middle and high school, I played basketball until the other girls grew taller, played touch football, ran track and was an expert on my banana seat 3 speed Schwinn. It came as a great surprise to me that as leaned into the turn to come around the far side of the building, I struck the building! Yes, I laid the bike correctly but I hit the building! As I lay trapped on the ground under a very heavy motorcycle, I was heartbroken. There was no way in my lifetime that my mother was going to agree to allow me to come within 100 feet of another motorcycle. It is true that was my last day on a chopper.
Several things went awry in my quest to be a motorcyclist. I needed a leaner’s permit, I needed a course, I needed proper fitting with a motorcycle that I could handle and not one that just went slow. As a mature adult, I understand how my mother felt when she pictured her baby on a motorcycle. When my younger daughter wanted to drive a motorcycle, my action was vastly different but the outcome was the same.
We began at PA Department of Motor Vehicle’s website for Motorcycle Information Center. All the information about motorcycle driving is listed along with Motorcycle statistics. After a review of the information, my daughter chose the car as her choice of transportation due to finances; she had full access to my car, which I pay the insurance however, she would have to buy her own motorcycle and insurance.
To make your informed decision on motorcycles please click on PA Dept of Motor Vehicles http://www.dmv.state.pa.us/centers/motorcycleCenter.shtml to follow the website. If you already own a motorcycle, did you know that Progressive Insurance is the number one insurer of motorcycles and DGK sells motorcycle insurance? If you would like a quote give us a call we can help you out. 
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