Last year, 125 motorcyclists lost their lives on the roads of Colorado. Ever since Colorado started keeping records, there has been no year deadlier for motorcyclists than 2016. The Colorado Highway Patrol and Colorado Department of Transportation want to see this number go down, but how can they help motorcyclists cope with the dangers of the open road? Training, that’s how…

What to Expect from a Basic RiderCourse in Colorado

The Basic RiderCourse is the curriculum set out by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation(MSF) that teaches riders the skills they need to handle the open road. This learning plan is at the center of Colorado’s Motorcycle Operator Safety Training program, and there’s a chance it could play a big role in bringing down motorcyclist fatalities in this state.

This class takes place over two days and it teaches very essential skills. Students learn how to corner properly, how to look through the corner, and how best to stop. These things may sound like very mundane parts of motorcycling, but they are fundamental. The better you can perform these tasks, the safer you’ll be while riding.

What Will This Course Teach Me?

During the program, about one-third of the course will happen in a classroom. There riders learn why each of the techniques they are being taught works. Then, students head out onto a closed course to put the lessons they’ve learned to practical use on real motorcycles. This type of training will expose you to potential road hazards and how to handle those situations safely when you’re riding.

This type of information is useful not only to beginners, but to seasoned riders who often take these classes and learn things they never knew about riding. Plus, there is also an Advanced RiderCourse that graduates of the basic course can take to further sharpen their skills.

At the end of the course, there’s a written exam and a riding test. If you pass you’ll receive a course completion card. This card will allow you to get discounts from insurers and at some dealerships. It will also allow you to get your motorcycle certification from the Department of Motor Vehicles without having to take a written or practical exam.

Staying safe on the road can be life or death for a motorcyclist, so your motorcycling attorneys are going to keep bringing you all the tips we can. You can find them right here on our blog, or head over to our Facebook page.