The Experienced Rider Course is designed for the experienced rider and their co-rider who have been riding for at least six months and want to learn more about reducing the risk of riding and then practice what they have learned on their motorcycle.

To help the experienced motorcyclist improve their riding skills, Motorcycle Ohio through the Ohio Department of Public Safety (ODPS) is offering the Experienced Rider Course (ERC) developed by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF). The ERC features an intensive hands-on approach to motorcycle rider training. There are training sites throughout Ohio and over 40 trained Instructors who are experienced motorcyclists trained to teach the Experienced Rider Course.

The program consists of 5 hours of training on your motorcycle in a parking lot under the watchful and helpful eye of a trained Instructor.

Practice riding sessions include:

• Principles of stopping
• Stopping on a curve while maximizing traction reserves
• Controlling rear wheel skids
• Principles of stopping in the shortest distance
• Turning effectively through countersteering
• Maximizing traction reserves while cornering
• Swerving techniques including the use of countersteering

For those wishing to take the course with a passenger (Co-rider) the Motorcycle Safety Foundation and Motorcycle Ohio have an addition to the ERC curriculum called the ERC Co-rider course. The course material and exercises are very similar except that the co-rider participates in the classroom and in the riding exercises as a passenger.

You the student must provide the following:

1. Your own motorcycle registered to you.
   • Dealer loan, state-owned motorcycles and students sharing a motorcycle are not allowed.
   • Scooters over 100cc may be used.
   • Motorcycles must be street legal and currently licensed.
   • Motorcycles must be insured. Students will be required to produce proof of insurance in effect at the time of the course before riding any exercises.
   • Motorcycles will be inspected by an Instructor prior to the riding session using the T-Clock Inspection Criteria and Motorcycle Ohio reserves the right to reject any motorcycle which does not pass the T-Clock Criteria or is deemed unsuitable for the course.
2. Rider must have a minimum of six months riding experience.
3. Riders and co-riders under 18 years of age must have a parent of guardian sign a release and waiver form before riding any exercises.
4. The following protective riding gear must be worn at all times during the actual riding portions of the course.
   • Over the ankle sturdy footwear
   • Full-finger gloves
   • Long-sleeved shirt of jacket
   • Long pants without holes - preferably jeans
   • DOT-approved helmet
   • Eye protection if using an open faced helmet or a full-face helmet with the face shield open
5. The operator of the motorcycle must have a Motorcycle Endorsement on their valid driver license.
6. Pay a non-refundable registration fee.
7. The following are optional and not required to take the course but will increase your comfort and enjoyment.
   • Foul-weather gear, sunblock
   • Pencil and paper to take notes
8. Additional requirements for ERC participants with a co-rider:
   • Ride on a motorcycle equipped to carry a co-rider.
   • The co-rider must be at least 16 years old.
   • The co-rider must be able to touch the passenger foot pegs when sitting on the motorcycle.
   • Switching responsibilities between the operator and co-rider is prohibited.
   • The co-rider must also pay a non-refundable registration fee.
   • Wear the same protective gear as the rider described above.
   • Co-riders under 18 years of age must have a parent of guardian sign a release and waiver form before riding any exercises.

Passing the course:

This course should not be viewed as a pass or fail experience. The Experienced Rider Course allows the student to increase their understanding of safe riding techniques and to practice these techniques on their motorcycle.

Experienced riders who do not pass this course will benefit from learning in a controlled environment under the watchful and helpful eye of a trained Instructor specifically what mental and physical riding skills need to be improved.

This course should not be viewed as a pass or fail experience. The Experienced Rider Course allows the student to increase their understanding of safe riding techniques and to practice these techniques on their motorcycle.

Experienced riders who do not pass this course will benefit from learning in a controlled environment under the watchful and helpful eye of a trained Instructor specifically what mental and physical riding skills need to be improved.

The following are the requirements to pass the course:

• 100% attendance in both classroom and riding sessions.
• 80% or better on a written knowledge test.
  • Multiple choice
  • 20 questions
  • All questions are covered classroom lectures, the classroom movies or during the range exercises. Most questions are actually covered multiple times during the course.
  • Students participating as a co-rider are not required to take the knowledge test
• 15 or fewer points deducted on the Riding Skill Evaluation at the end of the course.
  • You will be evaluated on the riding skills you have been practicing during the course and are necessary to reduce the risk of riding a motorcycle.
  • Students accompanied by a co-rider are not required to take the skill test with the co-rider.
• No errant behavior -- this is a safety course!

Medical and Other Special Considerations

Please make the Motorcycle Ohio office aware of any special requirements you may have so that arrangements if possible can be made ahead of time. Special requirements include:

• Anything you think may detrimentally affect your ability to safely operate a motorcycle. Examples include but are not limited to:
  • Too short to sit on the motorcycle with both feet touching the ground.
  • Neck or back injuries that may affect your strength or mobility
  • Recent injury(s) or surgery
  • Pregnancy
  • Mental illness
  • Vision or hearing problems
  • Physical disabilities especially those affecting the hands, legs or neck
• Ability to learn or take tests such as but not limited to:
  • Dyslexia
  • ADD
  • Retardation
• Riders and passengers with medical or other special considerations may be requested to sign an additional waiver and release depending on the type and severity of the medical condition which may affect the rider's or passenger's ability to safely participate in the Experienced Rider Course.
• Additionally, the rider or passenger may be requested to have a physician verify in writing the medical condition and the physician's assessment of the medical condition.