Chapter Safety
Hi, I am Bill Digman, your Chapter Safety Officer. I want to welcome you to the Safety Section of the Kirkwood H.O.G. Chapter website. We are very committed to "Riding Safe and Having Fun,", and safety has been, and continues to be, an important part of Chapter rides. 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. Chapter, we can help by providing safe riding tips and information on rider education. Group riding requires additional safety skills that our Head Road Captain will help you develop throughout the year.
Safety Resources for Chapter Members
Rider's 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. The Missouri Motorcycle Safety Foundation provides a list of Motorcycle Safety Training Centers in the St. Louis area.
Group Riding/Safe Riding Techniques - The Kirkwood H.O.G. Chapter offers information on group riding techniques that will cover risk factors, riding formations, staging procedures, group riding policies, and emergency procedures. Click here to view our Group Riding/Safe Riding Training. This information will be provided at various Chapter meetings by our Head Road Captain, and all members are welcome and encouraged to attend. Harley-Davidson offers additional resources for self-study in Safe Riding on their website.
Qualified Road Captains - Our Road Captains undergo training and must possess the right qualifications in terms of riding experience and safety instruction before they are able to lead groups. They also must attend regular training classes to maintain their certification . For information on joining the ranks of our Road Captains, contact our Head Road Captain, Duane Black via e-mail at blackland@charter.net.
A Safety Attitude - A habit of safe riding begins with each and every rider, and we try to instill and reinforce an attitude of saftety 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. To read safety articles from our PigSheet newsletters click on this link to our Safety Articles page.
Ride Planning - Harley-Davidson offers a very valuable tool for planning your next ride, the Ride Planner. It is also important to keep road conditions in mind as you plan your trip. You can find valuable information concerning road conditions at www.modot.mo.gov for Missouri roads and www.dot.state.il.us for Illinois. You may also want to go to the AMA website to learn about the various state laws regarding motorcycle safety. Finally, use the MSF T-CLOCS Inspection Checklist before each ride to make sure your bike is ready.
Safety Questions? If you have a motorcycle safety question or comment, please send it to your Safety Officer, Bill Digman, at khogSafety@gmail.com. For more information on safety, follow this link to check out our Safety Links page.