Rider training or ATGATT. Which is better?

[FROSTY:Me]

I got asked the question by a concerned parent recently.
Should I invest in good protective gear for little johnny or should I get him riding lessons?
little Johnny has a good helmet,reasonable gloves, a dress leather jacket and tramping boots (they cover his ankle)
I had to stop awhile and think because my gut reaction was to say--BOTH.
So what would YOU say if put in that situation ?







For the record I watched little Johhny's riding and reccomended riding lessons and a cheap proper leather jacket ex cash converters.

[cowboyz]

Im thinking both. Without question good gear is a must. I surpose if you HAD to pick one then gear would be it. But riding lessons are a damn good idea.

[slofox]

Both in my book. But if you have to split the expense, I would do gear first.

[duckonin]

Frosty need you ask?...

[duckonin]

Both in my book. But if you have to split the expense, I would do gear first.

On any machine foxy it is your skills to be able to handle it that would be the "first" to have !! would it not ?

[mikeey01]

I started to answer this with my own thoughts but dam your right, which one first?.

Frist thoughts were for gear (hell your mad to go without protection) but that got me thinking, especially for a newbee....

If he gets training then he may be less likely to need good gear (around town anyway) what he's got is marginal.
If he doesn't get training then he may need the gear.

Chicken before the egg?

Me thinks for a newbee, first and foremost is rider training.... or at least a few thousand k's on the seat with a good mentor close by!

ATGATT especially when newbee moves out onto the open road.

[slofox]

On any machine foxy it is your skills to be able to handle it that would be the "first" to have !! would it not ?

Well, yeah, but then even the best of riders can be "displaced" by some loon in a car...

It's kind of chicken and egg, innit? Maybe do the lessons first BEFORE you allow little Johhny out on the road..? But if he's out on the road anyway, gear is a MUST in my book...

Ideally, buy the gear, get the lessons all on the same day!

[MSTRS:Me]

Both. IMHO.
Learn (properly) to ride = reduces chance of binning.
ATGATT = reduces chance/severity of injury in a bin.

2 sides of the same coin.

[sondela]

What if... he were to fall off while getting the training? I'd go for gear first, personally...

[James Deuce]

Ban motorcycles. That'll fixit.

[MSTRS:Me]

Ban motorcycles. That'll fixit.

Ban grumpy old cunts that have done it all...and don't want anyone else to upstage their exploits.

[James Deuce]

Ban ungrumpy old cunts who should have left their idealism at the door!

Upstaging isn't the issue. Futility is. You can lead a newbie to wisdom but you can't make them think.

It may be time to start up the "Dismount A Gearless Straphanger" to get the "no skills, less gear hurts" message across. We could call it DAGS.

[StoneY]

<<<
Next jandal wearing skirt clad sroter that passes me on a crossing gets vapourized

[James Deuce]

Or "Dagged" as the DAGS members like to say.

[quickbuck]

Okay Frosty, that is a VERY good question.. and real Chicken and Egg stuff.

I would say, "Lessons". If he has the Hat, Jacket (Dress, will be okay for what i suggest), gloves and Boots (Even if they are tramping) then get little Johnny out to a large area of Tarmac and get him some lessons on slow speed handling... On the basics.... RRRS Course springs to mind...
Doesn't have to be California Superbike School (as good as it is).

Then slowly replace all the bits of gear as funds become available. First Jacket, then BOOTS! And then buy loads of gloves for all conditions... Or, is that just me??
Oh, and Pants... hell all I can see is $$$$$.
Then we never proclaim motorcycling to be cheap transport do we...