More Californians Take Safety Training

According to the MSF, a record 7,840 motorcyclists took the Basic RiderCourse at 121 locations across California during June. The previous monthly high was 7,138 participants, recorded in July 2006. For the year to date, enrollment in the Basic RiderCourse as well as the more advanced Experienced RiderCourse across the state is at a 16% higher pace in 2008 than in 2007 which saw 62,000 total participants.

The California Basic RiderCourse program is provided by the MSF-administered California Motorcyclist Safety Program (CMSP) with the support of the states highway patrol. According to the MSF, the CMSP is the largest motorcycle training program in the United States with more than half a million students since its inception in 1987.

Training is more popular than ever this summer season, says Robert Gladden, MSFs director of program administration of the CMSP. Weve added new training sites to meet demand and keep the wait time for classes short, and have been adding new CMSP-recognized MSF RiderCoaches to conduct training for the increasing number of new riders.

A tip of the helmet goes to the RiderCoaches and training site administrators for meeting this high demand so successfully and to the California Highway Patrol for its leadership in overseeing such a comprehensive program.

Designed for beginning riders, the Basic RiderCourse includes approximately five hours of classroom instruction with 10 hours of riding exercises over two or three sessions. Motorcycles and helmets are provided by the CMSP. Riders who complete the Basic RiderCourse are exempted from the skills portion of the Department of Motor Vehicles motorcycle licensing test.