Basic Rider Course
Have you wanted to ride but don't know how to get started? Do you ride now and want to polish your skills? If so, the Basic Rider Course (BRC) is for you!
The BRC is a multimedia training program designed to teach and improve your street riding skills and strategies. The course is scheduled for 22 hours that includes classroom instruction, text materials, hands-on riding practice, and a motorcycle (125 to 250 cc) for each student's use. Included as part of the course are:
- 10 hours of on-cycle instruction
- 5 hours of classroom instruction
- Use of motorcycle and helmet
- Course textbook
What the BRC Will Do for You
To meet the challenge of motorcycling, a rider needs skill and knowledge. The BRC will give you the physical skills to make your motorcycle perform like an extension of yourself and the knowledge to apply those skills appropriately.
In the BRC, you will practice and develop the four fundamental riding skills:
- Straight-line riding
- Turning
- Shifting
- Stopping
- Then, you will expand these basic skills into street-riding skills:
- Advanced turning techniques
- Maximum braking techniques
- Swerving
- You will also learn and practice the mental skills needed to develop:
- Street-riding strategies
- The ability to deal with special situations
- Rider responsibility
Increasing these skills through training and practice will increase your riding enjoyment and decrease your chance of a mishap. Through the BRC, you may also be eligible to receive a discount on your motorcycle insurance after completing the course.
What other benefits are there?
The riding and written portion of the Illinois motorcycle license test are waived for successful Basic Rider Course graduates 18 or older.
Discounts on insurance, parts, and accessories may be available to course graduates.
If you are 16 or 17 years old and pass the Motorcycle Rider Course, you may apply for a driver's license for full size motorcycles (16- and 17-year-olds must take both written and riding portions of the SOS test).