Motorcycle safety - Wisconsin Department of Transportation

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Motorcycles

Wisconsin motorcycle safety program

Riding a motorcycle or a scooter is an exhilarating experience. But it also requires training and knowledge that may make the difference between many years of riding enjoyment and a lifetime of tragedy for you or your loved ones. Approximately 100 motorcyclists are killed and more than 2,500 injured each year in Wisconsin traffic crashes. And most of these deaths and injuries could have been prevented. Riding a motorcycle or scooter takes more physical skill and mental concentration than driving a typical motor vehicle. Training and experience are critical to your safety.

To save lives and prevent injuries, the Wisconsin Motorcycle Safety Program is striving to improve rider training and education as well as motivate motorists to share the road. For a small fee, trained, professional instructors guide riders through classroom and on-the-bike instruction. Completion of the Basic Rider Course (for motorcycles) qualifies students for their Wisconsin Class M motorcycle license without additional skill testing. Advanced training improves riders’ skills and keeps them sharp. Courses are provided throughout Wisconsin during the riding season.

Well-trained and responsible riders along with motorists who share the road will help reach the goal of reducing the number of preventable traffic deaths to “Zero In Wisconsin.”

Transportable High-End Rider Education Facility (THE REF) - a mobile classroom

Training sites

List of Wisconsin Motorcycle Safety Program training sites

Not all of the following courses may be available at each training site or in all geographic regions. Please contact your local training site to find out which courses are offered.

Learning to Ride

The Basic RiderCourse (BRC 1)

The Scooter Basic RiderCourse (SBRC)
These courses are the best place for new motorcycle or scooter riders to start once they have made the decision to ride. The courses include approximately six hours of classroom and 10 hours of motorcycle/scooter riding exercises.

The 3-Wheel Basic RiderCourse (3WBRC)
This the best place for new riders to start once they have made the decision to ride a three-wheel motorcycle. This course includes approximately five hours of classroom and eight hours of on-cycle riding exercises.

The Basic RiderCourse 2 (BRC 2)
This course is for riders who already possess basic riding skills and are either returning to riding or are seeking a refresher course to practice and renew basic riding skills. The course includes approximately three hours of classroom and five hours of on-cycle riding exercises.

Improving Riding Skills

The Street RiderCourse 2 (SRC 2)

This course is for riders who wish to enhance their basic skills and strategies to develop a deeper understanding of perceptual street riding strategies. A brief classroom session is provided for administrative activities and the Street Smart-Rider Perception Program with the balance of the four- to five-hour course conducted on various routes throughout the surrounding area.

The Ultimate Bike-Bonding RiderCourse (UBBRC)

This course is for experienced or seasoned riders and is designed to improve a rider’s overall riding performance through smooth and precise control operation as well as body positioning on the motorcycle. Short classroom segments are woven into a full day (total of eight hours) of a wide variety of riding exercises.

The Advanced RiderCourse (ARC)

This course is for experienced or seasoned riders who wish to enhance their personal risk management, sharpen their perception and hazard awareness, and improve their cornering, braking, and crash avoidance skills. The course consists of approximately three-plus hours of classroom and four-plus hours of on-cycle riding in a controlled environment.

Specialized Courses

The Introductory Motorcycling Experience (IME)

This is a “first-touch” experience/familiarization with a motorcycle and is not intended to teach an individual to ride a motorcycle. This experiential course is approximately 90 minutes in length and helps potential riders make the decision about whether motorcycling is for them.

The Safe Motorcyclist Awareness and Reaction Trainer (SMARTrainer)

The SMARTrainer teaches basic motorcycle controls, enhances hazard awareness, and helps riders respond quickly to roadway and environmental factors in a safe and controlled motorcycle-trainer environment.

For more information contact:
Greg Patzer, Wisconsin Motorcycle Safety Program manager, Wisconsin Department of Transportation
(608) 266-7855; gregory.patzer@dot.wi.gov

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