Say what you will about some of The Motor Company’s policies, Harley-Davidson is to be congratulated on its 1 million riders trained milestone through its dealers. “We’re proud to hit 1 million riders trained,” said Jochen Zeitz, Chairman, CEO and President, Harley-Davidson. “It’s a significant milestone for the Harley-Davidson Riding Academy.”Not to mention driving traffic to dealerships with training facilities.
“Promoting rider education and training, for riders new and old, is an important part of the overall riding ecosystem,” adds Zeitz. “At Harley-Davidson, we’re committed to building ridership and deepening our connection with customers, ultimately reinforcing our goal to be the most desirable motorcycle and lifestyle brand in the world,”
Originally launched as “Rider’s Edge” back in 2000, the program was rebranded as Harley-Davidson® Riding Academy in 2013. Today, Harley-Davidson Riding Academy provides training through a network of more than 225 Harley-Davidson dealerships in 43 U.S. states, making it the largest rider training network in the United States and the only nationwide rider licensing program sponsored by a motorcycle manufacturer.
In addition to basic training, Riding Academy also offers courses for intermediate level riders, how to operate a 3-Wheel vehicle, Adventure Touring riding and Skills Practice for riders wanting to gain skills on their own motorcycles. In most states, successful completion of the New Rider Course, Intermediate, or 3-Wheel Course earns the student a license waiver to get a motorcycle endorsement on their license at the state DMV.
The majority of Harley-Davidson® Riding Academy coaches are dual certified by Riding Academy and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) to ensure they adhere to the highest standards of professionalism, safety, and adult-learning principles. Riding Academy is proud to have more than 1,500 certified coaches in its network.
