Chapter Safety

Welcome to the safety section of the Kirkwood H.O.G. website.  We are very committed to "Riding Safe and Having Fun" and safety plays a part of every Chapter ride.  Whether you ride alone, with friends, or in a group of fellow Chapter members, safe riding is something that you should practice every time you ride.  At the Kirkwood H.O.G., we can help by providing safe riding tips and information on rider education.  We also ride in groups and our Road Captains can help you learn the additional skills of effective group riding.

Safety Attitude - A habit of safe riding begins with each and every rider and we try to instill and reinforce an attitude of safety in all of our rides.  From the Director through the officers to all the members, riding safely means that we can all have more fun.  And that's what it is really about, riding and having fun.  Please check out the following Safety Resources to help your riding techniques.

Safety Resources for Chapter Members

Safety Articles - Each month our Safety Officer creates helpful articles that are featured in our monthly newsletter, the PigSheet.  We welcome you to check out the past articles and apply them to your riding style to help make you a better, more informed rider.



Riders Training - The Harley-Davidson Rider's Edge® courses are offered at Doc's Harley-Davidson for both beginning and experienced riders.  The Rider's Edge® courses offer hands-on instruction and on-bike experience that can teach you the skills you need to get the most out of riding.  Forest Park Community College and St. Charles Parks Rangers also offer advanced rider training courses.  The Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) also has rider training material on their website including the Rider Perception Challenge and Riding With A Passenger.  The Missouri Motorcycle Safety Program (MMSP) has information on rider training as well

Group Riding/Safe Riding Techniques - The Kirkwood H.O.G. Chapter and Road Captains offer information on group riding techniques that will cover risk factors, riding formations, staging procedures, group riding policies, and emergency procedures.  This information will be provided at various Chapter meetings and in pre-ride briefings by our Head Road Captain.  The MSF also offers tips on Group Riding .

Road Captains - Our Road Captains have riding experience and many have safety instruction.  They are trusted to lead groups and enjoy sharing their riding knowledge with our members. They also attend training classes to build their skills.  For information on joining the ranks of our Road Captains, contact our Head Road Captain, Simon Batty, at khogHeadRC@gmail.com.

Ride Planning - Here are several resources to help you plan a safe ride:
Harley-Davidson Ride Planner- offered by Harley-Davidson, it is a valuable tool for route and destination planning
Missouri Road Conditions - Provided by Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT)
Illinois Road Conditions - Provided by Illinois Department of Transportation
State Motorcycle Laws - the AMA maintains a resource on motorcycle laws across our great country
TCLOCS Pre-Ride Checklist - the Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) has a great checklist for going over you bike prior to going out on a ride