Before you get your motor running and head out on the highway, ensure your motorcycle is safe

By USAG Ansbach Safety OfficeMarch 11, 2013

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ANSBACH, Germany -- The temperature is rising and the ice is beginning to melt. Trees are budding and soon flowers will begin to bloom. This means it time to break your motorcycle out of winter storage. There are two things you need to do before you begin to ride in earnest: Inspect your bike and take a motorcycle refresher training course.

Perform an inspection of your vehicle to ensure everything is as it should be. The T-CLOCS (T- Tires & Wheels; C- Controls; L- Lights; O- Oils; C- Chassis; and, S-Stands) motorcycle inspection checklist is available for download from IMCOM-Europe at www.imcom-europe.army.mil/webs/docs/safety/TCLOCS.pdf. Don't wait until warm weather beckons you to ride and you run the T-CLOCs inspection to find out your vehicle is not ready to ride.

The second thing, perhaps the most important, is to take a motorcycle refresher riding course. Luckily for Soldiers, IMCOM-Europe offers free motorcycle safety courses under the Army Traffic Safety Training Program. If you are a Soldier, you only need to go online at https://apps.imcom.army.mil/AIRS/usg_disclaimer.aspx and register for the next available training date that matches your skill set and motorcycle type, which meets your work and training schedule.

As a reminder, Soldiers must have a valid Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) completion card to ride a motorcycle. MSF completion cards expire every three years with one exception.

The Experienced Rider or Military Sportbike Rider course must be completed within 12 months of completing the Basic Rider Course. Check your wallet or purse to ensure your MSF completion card is valid before your ride.

If you have any questions about motorcycle riding requirements, call the USAG Ansbach garrison safety office at DSN 468-1670/7780 or 09802-83-1670/7780, call the USAG Bamberg garrison safety office at DSN 469-1670 or 09513-00-1670 or call the USAG Schweinfurt garrison safety office at DSN 354-1670 or 09721-96-1670.

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Motorcycle safety training courses