Basic Rider Safety

I recently attended a Basic Rider Safety (BRS) course for motorcycles taught by Doug and Kat from the Oklahoma Rider Education program. The program uses material from the MSF (Motorcycle Safety Foundation). The course is about 70% riding, and 30% classroom. I rode a dirt bike as a teenager, but I felt the course taught many valuable life-saving skills like emergency stops, swerving, better cornering, and better low speed control of the cycle. In short - well worth the money. We rode Honda and Suzuki 250 cc street bikes provided by Green Country Honda (thanks guys!), but if you enroll, your course could use other brands. In Oklahoma, the Basic Rider Safety course can stand in place of the driving test required to get a license.

As a follow up to the license issue, you must take the BRS course, go to a public safety examination officer and receive an official form removing the "A" restriction, then go to the "Tag Office" to get an updated license.

If you ride a cycle, I would recommend that you take either the Basic or Experienced rider course. Our Basic course was held over a two day weekend, provides a bike and does not assume any prior experience. The Experienced course presumes 6 months or more of riding experience, and riders provide their own bike. As a fringe benefit, it lowered my cycle insurance, and it might even lower my auto insurance because of the defensive driving component.

The MSF also offers a Dirt Bike School, but not in my immediate area.