A lot of back and forth ensued until last two weeks of March when we got propped right back up for a class in April-2025!
BHPian moralfibre recently shared this with other enthusiasts:
The boy was 18 months old. Just recovered from severe health challenges. Our favorite pasttime was standing on the window while holding the grill and watching cars and bikes passby. The moment one would go by, he’d promptly emit random sounds. Just as vague as “vroooomm” denoting a loud exhaust. But, this time it was different, he had inherited some muscle memory to mimic motorcycle throttle and clutch controls. Watch:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jbvy2x95xw
And thus began a long standing bond. We’d go motorcycling around town in a safe environment. This would be the weekend city loop or that lone stretch where we’d get some wind on the body experience.
Posing on the Z800:
Taking delivery of the GS:
As he grew, we’d watch motoGP together and just dream about riding together on a race track someday. And thus, time flewby. That 18 month old toddler turned into a 11 year old boy. We filled our lives with enough motoring memories to fill a 500 page book.
Luckily a career move got us to the US. He had heard from me about motorcycle parks, car shows and all the opportunities that he saw ahead. We gradually started visiting motorcycle showrooms, bike shows, et al. The goal was to keep ourselves connected to motorcycles. However, getting saddle time on one kept eluding us. We planned, analysed, paralyzed and parked our thoughts repeatedly.
Conversations graduated from thoughts to videos on Youtube. Questions up-levelled from “whether I could…” to “What is the shift pattern on motorcycles?”
And then to, why disc brakes are better than drums. Oh and those KTMs seem aggressive, should we settle for reliable Hondas. But their kits don’t include discs, bleh! These Kwackers seem fully up-to-spec for a real VFM deal.
And to all those boyhood dreams of pushing your motorcycle around canyons with your knees and elbows giving you that hotlap MotoGP banger feel:
Our motoring conversations continue. We have moved on to quoting manual trannys to turbos. Our imaginary whiteboard has a calendar where we keep crossing out years until he turns 16 to get a license. Our plans keep shifting from Civic Type Rs to VW GTIs. Occassionaly swerving to dropping the car’s ride height to plonking on a rear wing. And then we embark on ambitious thoughts that go like “Why don’t we get a junk Beetle and put it together”.
We all have to plug our generation gap. I learn new words every other week. This time it was “Flex”. Proper use: “If you get me from school in a Super Beetle, I’d have so much ** Flex **”. For us, it starts and ends with with wheels. Sometimes four but many times two. He likes Marquez, I’m an old hog who still believes Rossi is the GOAT!
Your passion rubs on to others. The energy you generate transforms into wonderful opportunities like this one at Sonoma Raceway when an owner threw doors open to his 360 Modena for the young tyke to get an experience of a lifetime to get some “Flex”:
I always keep Paulo Coelho’s quote close to my heart: “When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.”
Or as my good friend Karl says “If you haven’t gotten it yet, you haven’t wanted it bad enough”
We were picking up my friend’s Diavel from service. It had to get some warranty repairs. I offered to drive him up to the workshop. Hauling your gear in an Uber is quite a task. We hung around at the reception. I saw a small sticker that my eyes locked on:
I grabbed one and took it home. Fired up the website, “Certificate error”. But heck, it is worth getting past. So we did. I couldn’t believe that we could have a program that starts with Free and is actually Free.
From the website:
“FirstRides.org is a non-profit organization aimed at increasing the number of safe motorcyclists in the world and reducing their risk. We serve the San Francisco Bay Area and can help others get set up around the country.
We do this by offering full scholarships to kids. Since the program is aimed at those who cannot afford to start riding on their own, no fees are charged at any time for children ages 6-17. We supply the bikes, gear, and training.”
We could very well afford this one even if was a paid program. But, the fascinating part was not the cost aspect. It was the passion. Some stranger, advertising a program that caters to hooking up kids to ride motorcycles. He’d get the gear, he’ll get the bikes, figure out a course that would eventually get kids hooked on to two wheeled passion.
And then, we don’t have to spend thousands of dollars only to realize that the passion was damp squib. Without wasting any further time, I quickly signed up via the Google form on the website. This was in Dec-2024. I got a prompt response to my application with a rather long email.
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Thank you so much for applying to have Arihaan learn the love of motorcycling through FirstRides! We supply the bikes and all of the gear, including helmets, boots, pads, pants, gloves and jerseys. So have your child wear shorts and a t-shirt or tank top they can readily slip into all of this gear as the only changing facility is the restroom.
On that note, as it is missing from the form:
What is their approximate height and waist in inches? What is their shoe size?
Our next open class will be in mid 2025. We will target May and will keep you posted if you proceed. You can claim a spot by sending in a deposit (see below) and replying here. Classes are held at Metcalf Motorcycle County Park at: 300 Metcalf Rd, San Jose, CA 95138.
Please do make sure both you and your child are interested in motorcycling. They must be proficient on a bicycle as a foundation. It is safer to have a 10lb-bike fall on you than one that weighs 100lbs or more. On the day of the event, bring water, snacks, chairs, and sunscreen.
To secure a spot in one of our classes, please reply with your intent and have a Venmo payment (see our site) or deposit check of $50 for each child to “FirstRides” including their first names in the Memo field to the following address:
This payment is refundable and will be returned to you the day of the training. We simply need to minimize cancellations, as the cost of each spot is great. The class remains free. That said, we are entirely volunteer-based and would appreciate you considering donating to the program. See the Donate section of the www.firstrides.org home page for options.
And if you frankly cannot afford the deposit, reply saying so and I will give you a call to discuss. Once you’ve sent the deposit, reply to this message so we can keep an eye out for it. Also let us know how you heard about us. 🙂
Please show up at 8:30 a.m to sign waivers and get the students geared up. Classes run until 2:30 p.m. Look for a large white van in the parking lot with FirstRides.org logos on the side. Can’t miss it. If we are not there, we have made our way up the trail from the lot to the beginner oval, visible up the hill from the lot. Find us there.
Please note, you will be required to attend the class with your child. I promise, you’ll love it. 🙂
We will have a waiver and other forms you must sign the day of the event for your child to participate. We will also have an optional photo release if you are willing to have pictures and video of yourself and your child used to promote the program.
Again, the photo/video release is totally optional and will not affect your enrollment whatsoever. Our photographers will be careful yet tactful in not capturing images of your child if desired.
Thanks for entrusting us to introduce your child to the world of motorcycling. It is both fun and functional, one of the best ways to get around.
My work commitments were quite full in January. I couldn’t respond immediately. I only got to it in Feb’24 but, it was too late. The May-2025 class was full. The next one would be in August-2025.
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Our May class is now full. We can get your child in our August class if that works for you. Date and details to follow.
This one seemed far away but still quite something to look forward to. But then came another bummer:
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I have a spot for you in our November 1st class. More details to follow. Please let me know if that date doesn’t work.
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Is the August class full as well?
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Sadly, others confirmed for August since Tuesday morning. We’ve had a huge number of applicants.
If November 1st doesn’t work for you, I will refund your deposit.
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Sorry. We offered May in December and then August this past Tuesday but got no response. so it was unclear when was going to work for you. Just needed confirmation as folks are jockeying to get in classes right now.
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No Problem Clay. You are doing great work. We are confirmed for November.
Let us know if you need volunteers for any help during your training sessions.
A lot of back and forth ensued until last two weeks of March when we got propped right back up for a class in April-2025!!
I signed all the waivers. Registered for an AMA membership and was all set. We just had to show up! Is this for real? Where’s all the capitalism in this age?
Continue reading BHPian moralfibre’s post for more insights and information.
