FAYETTEVILLE — Bikes, Blues & BBQ brings thousands of motorcycles to Fayetteville for the rally.
For individuals who have never learned how to ride and would like to start, though, there are a limited number of places in northwest Arkansas to take lessons.
Jim Meyers of Fort Smith offers a basic riding course in Springdale. He maintains a Web site - amtc1.com - which stands for Arkansas Motorcycle Training Center. Heartland Honda of Springdale and Bill Eddy's Motor Sports in Fayetteville refer to him as a lesson provider, he said.
Also, Pig Trail Harley Davidson/Buell in Rogers offers new riders an onsite course called "Learn to Ride."
Both classes are certified by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation; some insurance companies give discounts for completing the course. Successful completion allows student to get a motorcycle endorsement on his or her driver's license without taking a road test.
"It's mandatory in about 30 states before you get a motorcycle," Meyers said.
This does not include Arkansas, he added.
Meyers said he is in the process of changinglocations so his class can be held in Springdale. He had been using a parking lot in Fayetteville, but the location became impractical.
One of the biggest problems with offering these safety classes, Meyers said, is finding a wide-open parking lot large enough to hold the course. This is one reason why there aren't more of the courses, he said.
"It has to be 180 feet wide and 280 feet long," he said. "It's difficult to find a place to do the training."
The area has to be clear of obstructions, such as lights, landscaping and parking islands.
"When you've got 12 motorcycles riding 15 to 20 mph, you need a large space," he said.
Meyers' course costs $200. The Pig Trail class costs $300. Both courses require an attendance commitment for several days.
Pig Trail rental department manager Ron Murray, who oversees the classes, said the company offers a discount on a new bike purchase if it is bought within a certain time frame of taking the class.
Meyers said he runs his courses from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and from daylight to noon Sundays. Hours vary slightly depending on the time of year.
According to the Pig Trail Web site, the course takes 26 hours, including three hours on Thursday and Friday evenings, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday and three hours on Monday.
Both programs, which provide bikes during the course, have some equipment and clothing requirements.
New riders in the Pig Trail course have to bring their own gear, which includes a helmet, a jacket, gloves, ankle boots, pants and eye protection, according to the Web site.
Meyers said participants in his program have to wear a long-sleeve garment, long pants and sturdy, over-the-ankle riding boots. He provides helmets.
Murray said the vast majority of people who take the beginning course pass it. There may be about 15 percent who do not for some reason, he said.
Murray said Pig Trail usually holds the class two to three times a month on weekends, and there's also a midweek course. Five instructors teach the classes. One, Trey Hargus, is a motorcycle patrol officer for the Fayetteville Police Department.
Pig Trail offers an advanced riders course for more experienced riders, he said.
Janet Tubbs, a driver'slicense examiner at the Arkansas State Police facility in Springdale, said the State Police recommend taking a certified Motorcycle Safety Foundation course before riding.
The State Police facility, 5048 Har-Ber Ave. in Springdale, administers both the written tests and riding tests required to get a motorcycle endorsement.
To get a permit or endorsement, the applicant has to take and pass a written test. It has 10 questions, and the score has to be at least 80 percent, she said.
"Then we can issue a permit that's good for six months. They can ride without passengers," Tubbs said. "They then have to take the driving part of the test sometime during the six-month period."
Once a rider passes the driving test or shows proof of completing a certified Motorcycle Safety Foundation course to the State Police, the person can go to the Arkansas Department of Revenue Office to get the motorcycle endorsement, Tubbs said.
"Most of the time when we add an endorsement, the customer has taken the written and driving test on the same day," Revenue Office Manager Easter Shubert said.
When taking the motorcycle riding test at the Har-Ber facility, riders need to bring their own motorcycle to take the test, Tubbs said.
Tests are given Monday through Friday, although riding tests are not given in inclement weather. The testing facility stays very busy, Tubbs said.
A motorcycle endorsement is required for riding any motorized cycle with a larger than 50-cc engine. Adults with a valid driver's license can ride scooters with smaller than 50-cc engines without a motorcycle endorsement, but the riders are supposed to carry liability insurance, Tubbs said.
News, Pages 7 on 09/22/2009