CARBONDALE - The headline for a Southern Illinois University Carbondale Motorcycle Rider Program brochure states, "Good motorcyclists aren't born, they're trained!"

Enter program Coordinator Michael J. Ashner, who has been doing that training since 1981.

"The average student age in our classes is definitely up and somewhere in the 45-to-55-year-old range," Ashner said.

And he's aware of what's caused the surges of popularity in motorcycling for aging baby boomers - more disposable income, the yearning for a new hobby and chance to feel young and uninhibited again.

Ashner sees much of the commercial marketing targeting from motorcycle manufacturers catering to older riders.

"Companies such as Harley-Davidson have bigger advertising and marketing budgets. All their stores and dealerships are in visible locations. Motorcycling has become more mainstream and includes Mom and Dad now," Ashner said.

What makes motorcycle safety training imperative for those who hop on the bikes is natural perception - larger vehicles in different traffic flow settings command a larger segment of attention from all nearby drivers.

"You see a truck pull out, you are naturally more defensive. When a smaller vehicle pulls out, the natural thought is, 'They see me,'" Ashner said. "A lot of motorcycle accidents are caused by other drivers. The reason being that drivers themselves don't think to look for a motorcycle. They don't judge them. Or estimate speeds. They (vehicle drivers) are not focusing on motorcycles," Ashner said.

Shorter and shorter attention spans are especially true today as more distractions such as cell phones are readily available and used by vehicle drivers, he said.

What Ashner stresses in the mostly weekend-long safety classes that he offers is the importance of safety gear. Although the State of Illinois does not require motorcyclists and their passengers to wear helmets, Ashner requires it in his training.

And instructors teach motorcyclists in the SIUC program important perceptual habits.

"Motorcyclists themselves have to ride defensively. We work on a strategy as far as visual. We train our motorcyclists to think of the 'what if' scenarios. They have to look ahead all the time," Ashner said.

That kind of mental training is important for older motorcyclists whose reaction time slows with age.

"Many of our older students are starting over again. Training starts with protective equipment, developing a strategy and working on good visual habits. We teach them to watch what's happening and to keep out of trouble ahead of time," Ashner said.

scott.fitzgerald@thesouthern.com

351-5076