Kirtland motorcycle RiderCoaches acquire, repair training bikes for on-base courses

  • Published
  • By John Cochran
  • 377th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. --  As people who work in and for the military know, ingenuity, resourcefulness and teamwork make all the difference in achieving mission success.

When the mission is teaching new motorcyclists how to ride properly and safely, having a fleet of roadworthy vehicles is a big piece of the puzzle. Having 14 instructors certified as "RiderCoaches" by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation is another.

Thanks to the volunteer spirit and hard work of those instructors, potential riders at Kirtland AFB now have both of those pieces in place for the best possible start to their riding experience.

In October 2012, Kirtland RiderCoach Patrick Kelly, a contractor with the 377th Maintenance Squadron, informed the 377th Air Base Wing Safety Office that Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C., was contracting out its motorcycle training program and no longer needed six 2006 Kawasaki Eliminator training motorcycles. The safety office made contact with Seymour Johnson and arranged to transfer the vehicles, with shipping being the only cost of acquisition.

To buy six comparable motorcycles for the training program likely would have cost Kirtland more than $20,000.

When the six trainers arrived here, volunteers uncrated them and prepared to do whatever maintenance might be required. Because the motorcycles hadn't run in almost two years, they needed significant work.

On the last Saturday in April, Kirtland's 14 volunteer RiderCoaches donated their time and skills, performing maintenance and repair to ensure the two-wheelers would be in safe operating condition.

The vehicles needed their batteries filled and charged or replaced, oil and filters changed, tires, chains, and controls checked and adjusted, and all the carburetors had to be rebuilt. By the end of the day, all six motorcycles were running and ready for their first Basic Rider Course on base. The volunteer labor saved the $1,200 to $1,800 it would have cost for commercial service and repair.

In addition to maintenance work on the bikes themselves, wood and hardware from the shipping crates was reused to fabricate shelves and wheel chocks in the trailer used to store and transport the motorcycles. Wheel chocks were designed, built and installed in the trailer by two of the RiderCoaches.

The three training courses available on base are the Basic Rider Course, Basic Rider Course 2, and the Military Sportbike Rider Course.

With only six training motorcycles available, active-duty military students have priority, and classes are filled on a first-come, first-served basis.

Jim Dalleska, Kirtland's lead RiderCoach, who works in the 377th Air Base Wing's Installation Exercise Program Office, said so far, 12 students have trained on the refurbished motorcycles here, and the numbers will continue to add up over time.

Dalleska explained why Kirtland motorcyclists should take the training courses.

"Air Force Instruction 91-207 requires that all military riders must take motorcycle training. The base's free course counts for the state written and practical tests, so all students have to do is complete the training and pass the tests, then go get their new license with a motorcycle endorsement. New riders will learn the right way, and previous riders will refresh their skills and maybe learn something new. Sportbike riders will learn how to handle their motorcycles better."

Requirements to enroll in the Basic Rider Course include wearing the proper personal protective equipment (Department of Transportation-approved helmet, impact-resistant eye protection, full-fingered gloves, over-the-ankle footwear, long-sleeved shirt and long pants). Students can bring a motorcycle or use one of the base's trainers. For the Basic Rider Course 2 and the Military Sportbike Rider Course, students need to bring their PPE and motorcycle. For all three courses, Dalleska said, students should also bring a willingness to learn.

For more information about motorcycle training courses on base, go online to https://sites.google.com/site/kafbriders or call the 377th ABW Safety Office at 846-4227.