Do you already have basic riding skills and a motorcycle temporary permit or endorsem*nt? Are you confident with your motorcycle abilities? Then visit our Basic Rider Skills for Returning Riders.
The Basic Rider Skills (BRS) course is designed as a learn-to-ride course for novice riders who have never been on a motorcycle. During this 16-hour course, students will participate in four hours of classroom, and 12 hours of on-cycle training covering topics such as cornering, braking, swerving, and traffic interaction. No experience is required, and Motorcycle Ohio provides the motorcycles and helmets. The goal of the BRS is to help riders acquire the basic knowledge and skills required for safe and responsible motorcycling.
BRS Highlights
- 16-hour class comprised of classroom and on-cycle instruction. Classes are typically broken into 2 or 3 days, depending on the training location.
- 3-day course schedule: 4 hours of in-person classroom on day 1, 6 hours of on-cycle instruction on day 2, and 6 hours of on-cycle instruction on day 3.
- 2-day course schedule: 2 hours of in-person classroom and 6 hours of on-cycle instruction on day 1; 2 hours of in-person classroom and 6 hours of on-cycle instruction on day 2.
- No motorcycle experience is required, but rider should be capable of balancing and riding a bicycle.
- Students attending the course will have a wide variety of riding experience and skills.
- Motorcycles are provided.
- Requires only a valid 2-wheel Temporary Instruction Permit Identification Card (TIPIC).
- Successful completion earns a 60-day BMV skill test waiver for a motorcycle endorsem*nt
What It’s All About
The BRS is designed to develop the mental and physical skills required for safe motorcycling. Participants will learn to:
- Understand the risks associated with motorcycling
- Identify and develop strategies to manage risk
- Understand how decisions affect the ability to ride MORE safely
- Develop the basic skills needed to:
- Start out
- Stop
- Shift
- Turn
- Improve basic cornering and braking skills
- Practice braking and swerving skills needed for emergency situations
Rider Requirements
- The operator of the motorcycle must have a valid Temporary Instruction Permit Identification Card (TIPIC) or motorcycle endorsem*nt or a valid motorcycle-only license.
- Use the 2-wheel motorcycles provide by Motorcycle Ohio. Scooters are not provided.
- Students must wear properridinggear along with a DOT certified helmet while astride the motorcycle.Loaner helmets are available. You may bring your own helmet; it will be subject to inspection and approval by the instructors.
- Foul-weather gear and sunblock are optional and not required to take the course, but will increase your comfort and enjoyment.
- Classes are held rain or shine.
- Students should have the physical stamina to be astride a motorcycle for extended periods of time in extreme heat or cold.
- The class is mandatory for riders between the ages of 15 ½ and 18 years of age. They must have a valid motorcycle permit, have a parent or guardian sign a release & waiver form before any riding exercises.
- The class is optional for riders over the age of 18, but they must have a valid motorcycle permit or endorsem*nt prior to participating in the first riding exercise.
The cost of the course is $75.00 and is non-refundable. To take the BRS course, you must have either a valid TIPIC or a motorcycle endorsem*nt on your license.
Classroom Topics
Classroom instruction is an integral part of the success of the Basic Rider Skills course.
Students will participate in a 4-hour in-person classroom session with a student workbook,BasicRidingSkillsCourseGuide(MOP0098), provided to assist you in the learning process. The lessons you learn, happening through active discussion and participation, will help riders like you be safer on the road. Topics include:
- Welcome to the World of Motorcycling
- Risk and Motorcycling
- Preparing to Ride
- Wheels in Motion
- Mental Motorcycling
- Cornering With Confidence
- Maximum Braking and Swerving
- Special Situations
- Impairments to Riding
Range Exercises
With the engine off and both feet on the ground, a method called static practice will be used to introduce students to new motor skills.
Each exercise has a time limit. The time provided reflects the average amount of time a novice student needs to attain and practice that specific exercise skill. Students must meet each exercise objective to proceed. Additional time may be requested during your breaks.
Where required, your instructor will provide a demonstration of the specific skills required for the exercise.
Breaks will be provided approximately every hour with the minimum break time being ten (10) minutes. Additional and/or longer breaks may be necessary depending on conditions (such as weather).
Your riding sessions will be broken down into the following sequence:
Day 1
- Motorcycle Introduction
- Basic Motorcycle Control Skills (Getting Underway)
- Starting and Stopping
- Riding and Stopping
- Higher Speed Riding and Stopping
- Shifting and Stopping
- Throttle Control and Turning
- Weaving
- Perimeter Ride
- Low-Speed Control Practice
- Press to Initiate Lean
- Cornering - 35 minutes
Day 2
- Control in Limited Spaces
- Stopping in Shorter Distances - 30 minutes
- Stopping Quickly in a Curve (Straighten, then Brake)
- Cornering with Confidence
- Upshifting and Engine Braking
- Lane Changes and Sharp Turns
- Swerving
- Controls Practice
- Traffic Interaction & U-Turns
- Rider Skill Evaluations
Students will then take a skill evaluation. Upon successful completion, the student will be issued a Motorcycle Ohio BRS course completion card via email valid for 60 calendar days and be eligible for the BMV skill test waiver for a motorcycle endorsem*nt.
Recommended Items to Bring to the Range
- Water/electrolyte drinks
- Snacks
- Rain gear (jacket and pants) – we ride in the rain!
- Chair to sit in during breaks
- Sunblock
Passing the Course
The Riding Skill Evaluation is comparable to the On-Cycle Endorsem*nt Test given by the Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Riders will be evaluated on their riding skills practiced during the course. The following is required to pass the course:
- 100% attendance
- The rider must score 10 or fewer points on the Riding Skill Evaluation at the end of the course.
- If the rider scores 11-19 points on the Riding Skill Evaluation, they are eligible for one retest. Depending on the training site, the retest may be done at the end of the course or a date scheduled by the training site.
If you are 18 years of age or older, you are not required to pass the course to take the on-cycle endorsem*nt test given by the Bureau of Motor Vehicles to obtain a motorcycle endorsem*nt added to your license.
Medical Considerations & Reasonable Accommodations
Do you have a medical consideration or want to request reasonable accommodations?
Riders should inform Motorcycle Ohio of any medical condition which may affect their ability to safely participate in the course. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Neck or back injuries that may affect your strength or mobility
- Recent injury(s) or surgery
- Pregnancy
- Mental illness
- Vision or hearing problems
- Physical disabilities, especially those affecting the hands, legs, or neck
- Ability to learn or take tests such as but not limited to dyslexia, ADD, or developmental disability
Riders with medical or other special considerations, please visit ourDisabilityInclusionAccesspage to learn how to request an accommodation.
