I'm riding now!
I guess it's long overdue to end this thread that I started.
I took a day-long taster course in Germany in 2008 to get the basics down of riding a motorcycle; the instructor was nice enough give me guidance in English, and he was really wonderful. I didn't get anything in terms of a certificate or permit, but I did get a lot of great advice and a basic understanding of riding.
We moved back to the USA in 2009 and I had signed up for a Motorcycle Safety Foundation course in Louisville months before we had arrived (they fill up fast). LOVED the course (I think it's absolutely essential!), and got my motorcycle license in July 2009!
I bought my own motorcycle in November 2009, and after various milestones, took my first motorcycle trip on my own motorcycle this month (August 2010) -- to the Horizons Unlimited meeting in Northern California. I'll do my first international trip next month, when my husband and I go on a short trip to Canada.
Another resource I found helpful: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Motorcycles, 4th Edition. It has a lot of great advice for riders.
Thanks, everyone! Happy riding!
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