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Briana Kramer, Monster Energy representative, competed with her co-worker on the "impaired" riding competion. Riders wore goggles that imparited their visionn to simulate riding while intoxicated. The Green Knights motorcycle club hosted the event to encourage Hill Air Force Base motorcycle riders to be safe when riding. (Alex R. Lloyd/U.S. Air Force)

Mr. Alex R. Lloyd (GS-11)

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Staff Sgt. Maverick Drewery, 388th Maintenance Group, participated in the slow ride competiontion during the Motorcycle Rodeo April 16, which challenged riders to go as slow as possible without letting their feet touching the ground. The Green Knights motorcycle club hosted the event to encourage Hill Air Force Base motorcycle riders to be safe when riding. (Alex R. Lloyd/U.S. Air Force)

Mr. Alex R. Lloyd (GS-11)

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Sergeant Donavan Lucas, Utah Highway Patrol, briefs Motorcycle Rodeo participants April 16 about the differences in riding style between state troopers and recreational riders. The Green Knights motorcycle club hosted the event to encourage Hill Air Force Base motorcycle riders to be safe when riding. (Alex R. Lloyd/U.S. Air Fore)

Mr. Alex R. Lloyd (GS-11)

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HILL AIR FORCE BASE – Aircraft Mechanic Cody Dayton has only been riding his Yamaha V Star motorcycle for a month, but has already noticed how dangerous it can be as a rider.

Few drivers pay attention to motorcyclists on the road, he said.

“People just don’t see you. It doesn’t matter how many reflector belts I have on, they still pull out in front of me and I’m lucky enough to stop in time,” Dayton said.

Now with the warmer weather, motorcyclists are out in full-force, though drivers have become accustomed to not seeing motorcycles on the roads through the winter months. It was time to remind everyone, so the base motorcycle safety program recently hosted a Motorcycle Rodeo on base.

“Most of time when people see this many riders in one place or out on the road, this puts out the message that they need to look twice and look for motorcycles before pulling out or making a left turn,” Motorcycle Safety Program Manager Allan Woods said.

Motorcycle safety training is mandatory for all military members who ride motorcycles on base. Civilians aren’t required, but advised to get the same training. Prior to the rodeo was a pre-season briefing detailing why motorcycle safety is important and reminding riders of the rules motorcyclists must follow when riding on base, where the laws are more stringent.

Green Knights Military Motorcycle Club Vice President Hazam Peralta said the rodeo was able to reinforce those safety guidelines while also exchanging ideas and lessons learned. “This gives a younger rider like me a chance to ask more seasoned riders questions. There is a lot of learning in a calm, neutral environment where we are tangibly and socially reinforcing what was taught at the pre-season briefing meeting,” Peralta said.

The Green Knights helped sponsor the event to augment the safety program on base and collect donations to support the safety program.

Hill Riders Association Emeritus President Jerry Wilcox said one of the unique factors about riding a motorcycle in and around Hill Air Force Base is the fact that hundreds of active duty military transfer to Utah on a regular basis, and many of them don’t know how to ride in the mountains.

“We teach them how to look for animals jumping out in front of them or how to avoid rocks from landslides,” Wilcox said. “However, the biggest problem is that people don’t see us.”

Hill AFB actually has few accidents on base involving motorcycles, which Woods credits to their required safety foundation courses. With more than 1,600 motorcyclists on base, the classes are always well attended Woods says.

“The military is pretty diligent with their training, which is free of charge and held during their work time, so they are getting paid to attend class,” Woods said. “We are unique at Hill because we offer more courses than anywhere in the world, and they are taking advantage of the opportunity.”

Hill AFB has also been identified as having one of the strongest motorcycle programs in the Air Force worldwide.

Classes offered include a beginner basic rider course, a basic rider refresher course, a returning rider course, and an advanced and sport bike rider course.