Course Description
Prerequisites: Ability to ride a bicycle. Full protective attire is required. Must be of legal age to operate a motorcycle on the street. under 18 must have either a California DMV issued Identification Card, California DMV issued auto instruction permit, or a valid driver's license. Any person younger than 18 years must also have the written permission of his/her parent(s) or legal guardian.
The Basic RiderCourse is a complete entry-level, learn-to-ride class that consists of at least 15 hours of formal classroom activities and on-cycle riding exercises conducted over two or three days. About five hours are devoted to learning activities in the classroom, and around 10 hours of hands-on practice are included. Training motorcycles are provided. Successful completion may lead to a waiver of the motorcycle license skill test at the DMV and possibly an insurance discount.
Classroom Content
| Unit |
Objectives |
| 1 |
Unit I - Course Introduction |
- Course Requirements
- Course Structure
|
| 2 |
Unit II - Introduction to Motorcycling |
- Types of Motorcycles
- Risk Awareness
- Risk Acceptance
- Risk Management
|
| 3 |
Unit III - Preparing to Ride |
- Personal Protective Gear
- Pre-Ride Inspection
- Routine Maintenance
- Controls
- Basic Riding Skills Information
- Range Safety Rules
- RiderCoach Signals
|
| 4 |
Unit IV - Street Strategies |
- Positioning
- Being Visible
- RiderRadar
- Mental Processing
- Common Riding Situations
- Maximum Braking and Swerving
- Special Situations
- Impairments
|
| 5 |
Unit V - Wrap-Up |
|
|
Range Exercises
| Lesson |
Objectives |
| 1 |
Familiarization |
- Identify location and operation of important controls and major parts
- Review mounting/dismounting procedures
- Use engine start and shutdown procedures
|
| 2 |
Using the Friction Zone |
- Become skilled in using the clutch friction zone for control
|
| 3 |
Starting & Stopping Drill |
- Learn clutch/throttle coordination to start out and stop with precision and control
|
| 4 |
Shifting & Stopping |
- Shift gears and stop smoothly
|
| 5 |
Adjusting Speed & Turning |
- Develop the basic skills of adjusting speed and turning (counter-steering
technique)
|
| 6 |
Controls-Skills Practice |
- Combine throttle, clutch, and brake use with a variety of maneuvers
|
| 7 |
Cornering |
- Develop the slow/look/press/roll technique for smooth, precise cornering
|
| 8 |
Matching Gears to Speed |
- Practice matching gear shifting to road speed
|
| 9 |
Stopping Quickly |
- Develop quick-stop capabilities
|
| 10 |
Limited-Space Maneuvers |
- Refine maneuvering skills to allow turns in limited spaces
|
| 11 |
Pressing to Initiate Lean |
- Develop deeper understanding of counter-steering for initiating turns
|
| 12 |
Cornering Judgment |
- Develop cornering finesse through additional rider judgment of entry speed
and degree of curve
|
| 13 |
Negotiating Curves |
- Demonstrate smooth and precise cornering techniques through various paths of travel
|
| 14 |
Stopping Quickly in a Curve |
- Learn techniques to maintain control while stopping in a curve
|
| 15 |
Obstacles & Lane Changes |
- Develop proficiency in crossing over obstacles
- Practice making safe lane changes
|
| 16 |
Avoiding Hazards |
- Learn the collision-avoidance skills of swerving and quick braking
|
| 17 |
Skills Practice |
- Capstone exercise that combines a variety of maneuvers
|
| Test |
Skill Test |
To assess basic skills using a U-turn, swerve, quick stop, and cornering maneuver:
- To demonstrate basic motorcycle control skills and ability to avoid an obstacle
- To demonstrate ability to use the proper technique to negotiate a curve
|