Beginning Rider Course
(BRC)
What is
the Beginning Rider Course?
If you want to learn - or improve - basic riding
skills, the Beginning Rider Course
(BRC) is for you.
Learn the fundamentals of motorcycle operation
and practice street-riding strategies. A
passing grade in this one-weekend course allows
you to skip the Virginia
DMV road test for your
motorcycle license. To enroll, you must be
at least 16 years old and eligible to receive a
motorcycle license. Motorcycles and
helmets are provided. You do not need a
motorcycle license or learners permit to attend.
Students attend the Friday classroom session as
one group. Instructors will make
assignments Friday evening for
Saturday and Sunday driving range
exercises, which will involve about six hours
per day. Please clear your schedule from 8 a.m.
to 6 p.m. both days, since you will be expected
to attend the group to which you are assigned.
Courses are co-sponsored by the BRCC Division of
Workforce Services and Continuing Education and
the Virginia Rider Training Program, Department
of Motor Vehicles.
Who is eligible for the Beginning Rider Course?
Students must be at least
16 years of age and
have successfully completed the classroom
portion of a basic driver education course.
Other enrollment requirements include:
Parental permission
if under age 18
(We will send you a waiver form).
Ability to balance on two wheels
/ride a bicycle.
Completion of all
required forms.
(We
will send these to you;
complete them, and bring with you
to the Friday
evening class).
When are
Beginning classes meet?
Classes meet at the
following times:
Friday nights from
5:45 p.m. to 10:00
p.m.
Saturday 8:00
a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Sunday
8:00 a.m. to 6:00
p.m.
IMPORTANT!
Students must attend all sessions and
must be on time. No-shows and late arrivals
forfeit their registration
fee, and lose their place in class.
CLASSES MEET RAIN OR SHINE!
For
available classes, please
click here
Note: If above
dates are full, or do not fit your schedule,
please click here
for additional location.
Where are
classes held?
Classes meet at
the Blue Ridge
Community College Weyers Cave campus,
Room D100.
Where is Blue Ridge Community College?
What is
covered in the Beginning Rider Course?
This
15-hour course begins
in the classroom on Friday evening with an
overview of motorcycle riding,
instruction in motorcycle control and protective
gear, and a review of
the types of motorcycles. The riding portion of the program
begins on Saturday morning at 8:00 a.m.
This
portion of the program covers these riding
skills:
Straight-line riding
Turning,
shifting and braking
Street riding
strategies
Hazard avoidance
Advanced
turning
Maximum braking
Handling special
riding situations
What types of motorcycles are used?
Bikes used in the
Beginning Rider Course (BRC)
program are
small (under 300cc)
street-style
motorcycles. In the Experienced Rider Course, you will use your own
street-legal motorcycle.
Can
I use my own equipment?
In the Beginning Rider
Course, you will be supplied with a training motorcycle, a DOT-approved 3/4
or full-face
helmet and classroom materials.
You may use
your own
DOT-approved 3/4 or full-face helmet. All students
must
use motorcycles provided
by the BRC program.
What
do I need to bring to the
class?
You
must wear
protective gear
Saturday & Sunday.
This includes the following:
Eye protection
(prescription eyeglasses or sunglasses)
Sturdy over-the-ankle footwear (not cloth or
canvas)
Long sleeve shirt or jacket
Long,
non-flare denim pants or equally durable
material
Riding gloves
(preferably leather) that
cover the entire hand
Rain gear recommended for wet weather
If I take the
beginning rider class,
do I have to take the DMV licensing exam?
Successful completion of
this course will exempt you
from the riding portion of Virginia's DMV license test and may
entitle you to a
discount on
motorcycle insurance (check
with your agent). However; you will need to take the
DMV
written test. (Non-VA residents
please check with home state DMV regarding licensing).
How
much do the courses cost?
Please
click here
for current rates.
How do I
register?
CALL:
540/453-2284 (from Harrisonburg)
540/213-7002, ext. 2284 (from Staunton)
540/943-7002, ext. 2284 (from
Waynesboro)
TDD: 540/234-0848
Please have the following information available
when you register:
-
name
-
mailing address
-
home/work phone numbers
-
date of birth
-
Social Security number
-
course names & dates
-
method of payment
Phone registrations are accepted only with
VISA, MasterCard or American Express payment.
Registration is not complete until tuition is
paid. No transfers between classes are
accepted. Refunds must be requested at
least 2 weeks before course starting date.
The classes filled quickly, can I get on a
waiting list?
Yes, classes are filled on a
first-paid
basis. If you would
like to get into an earlier class, please ask to
be put on the waiting list when you register.
May
I come on standby, in case someone does not show?
We do maintain a standby
list. If you are willing to drop by when a
class starts in case we have an unexpected
opening, you must register/pay
for another class AND place your name on
the standby list when you register. This
allows us to keep standbys to a reasonable
number, making it more likely that you will get into an earlier class.
Note: If you do sign up as a standby,
please let us know if you change your mind.
We often have vacancies that go unfilled because
our standbys don't show up!
Experienced Rider
Course (ERC)
What is
the Experienced Rider Course
(ERC)?
In the Experienced Rider Course (ERC), you will
learn advanced riding techniques and practice
key street-riding skills in a one-day course.
You must hold a valid motorcycle license and
provide a street legal motorcycle,
DOT-approved 3/4 or
full-face helmet and proof of
insurance coverage.
Who is eligible for the Experienced
Rider Course?
The Experienced Rider Course
(ERC) is available to students who hold a valid
motorcycle license. You must provide a
street legal motorcycle,
DOT-approved 3/4 or full-face helmet and
proof of insurance coverage.
What
does ERC cover?
In the Experienced Rider
Course, you will learn advanced riding
techniques and practice key street-riding skills.
When do
ERC classes meet?
ERC classes are offered on
Saturdays from 8:00 a.m.
to
4:00 p.m.,
with
time for lunch and breaks.
Click Here for current schedule.
What should I bring to an ERC
class?
In
addition to
clothing and supplies required
for the beginning rider
course, you must bring the following items
to the ERC:
-
A street-legal motorcycle with
current state inspection sticker and license
plate. Your bike
must pass an
on-campus safety
inspection by ERC instructors.
-
Valid motorcycle license.
-
Proof of registration of the
motorcycle you ride to
class.
-
Proof of insurance coverage.
-
Helmet:
DOT-approved 3/4 or full-face.
Are there other training
sites in Virginia?
For
information on other Virginia Rider Training
Program sites,
please visit
www.learn2ride.com or the
DMV Motorcycle website.
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