How would you like to earn credit points toward your degree by learning to ride a motorcycle in a special uni course!
It sounds like a dream come true and a great way to encourage millennials to ride.
Unfortunately, it is so far only available at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
It’s yet another smart marketing move by Harley-Davidson to get more riders on motorcycles.
Harley-Davidson Marketing Programs Manager Claudia Garber says the company is committed to “building the next generation of riders and meeting them where they are – in this case on campus”.
The pilot uni course is being operated by the Harley-Davidson Riding Academy who hope to roll it out as a course option at other colleges and universities.
Harley-Davidson Australia marketing head honcho Keith Waddell says the integration of the H-D Riding Academy into the local “uni is a great idea and a great way to encourage the next generation of riders”.
“We will be watching the progress of the initiative with interest, however we have no plans to roll out for Australia or New Zealand at this stage,” he says.
Such a course would teach young people some much-needed skills about spatial awareness, road craft and vulnerability in traffic.
It may also make them better future drivers who look out for motorcyclists.
Licensing plan
The uni course follows a recent South Australia plan to increase the learner rider age and make it a requirement for learner riders to first have a car licence.
Our readers say it should be the other way around – car drivers should first have to get a motorcycle licence.
While that will never happen, several European countries allow young teens to ride 50cc scooters.
This promotes a healthy attitude about safety and respect for riders that seems to carry on later in their motoring life.
Anyone who has ridden in Europe will have witnessed the motorcycle awareness of drivers who sometimes wave you through or even move over to let you pass.
Uni course
A great way to get this process started is with education.
But maybe not just as uni course.
What ever happened to driver education in schools?
The Milwaukee uni course, riding Harley Street 500 motorcycles, will be an elective subject as part of their health sciences degree.
MBW on the Harley Street 500Students will not only learn to ride, but also be required to attend classroom lessons about the parts and functions of a motorcycle and safe riding behaviour.
The uni course includes use of a training motorcycle, course materials, and insurance.
Students who complete the course will not only receive one general credit toward their degree, but also an MSF completion card.
In many states that means they are exempt from the riding portion of a state motorcycle licence test and may qualify riders for discounted motorcycle insurance.
Interested students must have a valid automobile driver’s licence or learner’s permit and the ability to ride a bicycle.