PennDOT: Free Motorcycle Safety Courses Available Through October

Novice, Experienced and 3-Wheeled Motorcycle Operators Invited

HARRISBURG, PA--Aug. 23, 2011: Pennsylvania residents with a motorcycle license or learner's permit still have time to take free courses through the Pennsylvania Motorcycle Safety Program to obtain their license or enhance their riding skills, PennDOT said today.

Courses for new and experienced riders are available at approximately 70 locations statewide through October. A full schedule is available online at PA MSP .

The 15-hour Basic Rider Course (BRC) consists of five hours of in-class instruction and 10 hours of practical riding experience. This comprehensive safety and skills overview provides valuable training for new riders and gives experienced riders the opportunity to polish their skills and correct any unsafe riding habits they may have developed. Students taking this course are provided a motorcycle and helmet, but must bring all other protective gear.

If a rider has completed the BRC, the six-hour Basic Rider Course 2 (BRC2), formerly known as the Experienced Rider Course, allows skilled riders to refresh their safety knowledge and hone their on-road skills. Riders taking the BRC2 are permitted to carry a passenger while practicing balance and steering techniques in a controlled environment. Students taking the BRC2 must provide their own motorcycle and protective gear.

Due to the growing popularity of three-wheeled motorcycles and the unique safety concerns they present, a 3-Wheeled Motorcycle Basic Rider Course (3WBRC) is being offered in Butler, Lehigh and York counties. The 12-hour course includes four hours of classroom instruction and eight hours of practical riding experience. Students must provide their own three-wheeled motorcycle and protective gear.

To enroll in a course, residents must have either a motorcycle learner's permit or license. Motorcycle learner's permit holders who successfully complete a course will be issued a motorcycle license. Those who successfully pass their skills test on a three-wheeled motorcycle will be issued a motorcycle license with a "9" restriction, meaning they are prohibited from operating a two-wheeled motorcycle.

For more information and to enroll in a course, visit www.pamsp.com or call 1-800-845-9533, Monday through Friday, between 8 a.m. and noon.  Riders can also get information at PennDOT's motorcycle safety website Live Free Ride Alive.