[patman6780]

really want to learn about and beging to ride. im at a loss and looking for a place to start. hope i can make some friends here and point me in the right direction

[megaspaz]

welcome to the forums.

Absolutely start off with the BRC. http://www.msf-usa.org/index_new.cfm?spl=2&action=display&pagename=RiderCourse%20Info

Do this course before buying anything as you may find when taking the course that motorcycling might not be for you.

[JackTrade]

BRC is great, esp. if you’ve never ridden before. I had never done more than sit on a motorcycle before I took the BRC, and I’m amazed at how much I learned in the space of a couple of days.

When you finish, you’ll be qualified to ride at low speeds in a parking lot (as the instructors invariably say), but you’ll have learned all the basics, enough to get you out on the road where you’ll start to get experience.

[JtownJJA]

Yep, I agree with the others! The BRC by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation is the place to begin. I had no experience whatsoever before I took it, and I was able to pass the test by the end of the class. Only takes a few hours of classroom on a Friday evening, and half a day of riding each on Saturday and Sunday. (At least that’s the way it’s scheduled here.) One weekend, and boom, you’ve learned enough to drive a motorcycle. It’s great. Also, it lets you know if it’s not for you before you make the financial investment. They supply just about everything. The only problem around here is the state-sponsored classes open up in February, and by March the entire summer schedule is full. The same basic course is offered at most Harley Davidson dealers, but at a much higher cost. They call it the “Rider’s Edge” course. Still, it’s worth it for everything that you learn in a very short time.

[eon]

I will add that the BRC is the place to start but it just that, the place to start. There are plenty of other ways to continue your education and you don’t even need a bike to do it. Get yourself a copy of Proficient Motorcycling by David Hough, that will teach you what you need to know to survive on the streets. Others recommend the Ride Like a Pro DVDs (haven’t seen them myself). I think they focus more on how to handle the bike but maybe someone else fill me in on that. And there is also the MSF website. You can download the course manual for the BRC as well as take some nifty online perception tests.

[owlie]

The Ride Like a Pro video is mostly low speed techniques like you learn in the BRC. Some of what he shows are the exact same thing, some are a little different, but the skills are the same.

I’d also suggest looking at Crash’s videos. They are somewhere between Ride Like a Pro and what Proficient Motorcycling would be if they made a video. Some riding technique, some safety tips.

[JackTrade]

The MSF’s “Motorcycling Excellence” book. You can order from MSF directly, or get it on Amazon.

Covers pretty much everything in the BRC, in greater depth (e.g. there’s a whole chapter on countersteer), plus some more advanced riding techniques toward the end. Also cool are the assorted little vingettes on various topics from different motorcycle professionals (former racing champs, motorcycle engineers, instructional school owners, etc.).

It’s a good basic reference tool for new riders, and much nicer than the cheap booklet you get at the BRC.

[owlie]

Agreed.

Also, if you don’t know anything about motorcycles, it is a great precursor to Hough’s Proficient Motorcycling. There is some overlap, but not so much as to detract from the value of each other.

[Author]

Posts