AT2 James Johnekins (left) checks his sports bike with assistance from AS2 Miguel Wall during the Military Sport Rider Course, held Tuesday at NSF Anacostia. Johnekins and Wall, both from Fleet Readiness Center Mid-Atlantic, were joined by the course instructor Bridget Huerke. Riders put classroom instruction to practical use in the parking lot across from Enterprise Hall, building 72.
Active duty Sailors, Marines and Department of Defense civilian employees who ride sport bikes in Naval District Washington (NDW) are required to take the Military Sport Rider Course.
The one day course will be held from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 9, 10, 11, 23 and 24 at Naval Facility Support Anacostia. Participants will be taught by instructors from the Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF).
A recent NDW command census found many sport bike riders could readily benefit from this training, said George E. Revoir Jr., NDW regional traffic safety manager and Naval Support Activity South Potomac training coordinator.
Sport bikes are affordable, nimble, flashy and provide more than ample speed, said Revoir. This a major selling point for the typical Sailor and Marine.
‘‘The downside, though, is that these same features make riding sport bikes much different than handling cruisers or touring bikes,” he said.
Revoir said there have been two NDW sport bike fatalities since November 2007. This year, sport bike accidents claimed the lives of a midshipman from the United States Naval Academy in May and a Navy E-5 at the Pentagon in July. Of the 31 motorcycle fatalities that have occurred in the Navy and Marine Corps during the year, 28 have involved sport bikes.
Sport bikes come with engines that are tuned for racing, said Dale Wisnieski, a Navy Safety Center (NSC) motorcycle safety specialist. The engines are made of advanced lightweight material and highly maneuverable.
The NSC created the course in partnership with the MSF. Training includes classroom time and practical experience on the motorcycles.
‘‘The course teaches cornering, braking, swerving and other things necessary to get the most out of your sport bike,” said Wisnieski. ‘‘Also, it gives insight on rider behaviors and perceptions.”
Don Borkoski, another NSC motorcycle safety specialist, said the course will help riders respect the capabilities of their high-performance machines.
‘‘The typical racetrack bike is 600cc,” said Borkoski. ‘‘The average Sailor is buying one that’s 1,000cc or above. These bikes are great and can be a lot of fun as long as you maintain awareness of the consequence of that kind of speed.”
Sport bike riders can sign up for the course by contacting Revoir at (540) 653-8626.
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