BRC

Don’t let your dreams stay parked any longer!

Maybe you’ve already experienced the thrill of motorcycling from the passenger seat. Maybe you already love the sun on your face and the wind at your back. Or maybe riding has been a dream of yours that will become a lifelong passion. RSRS has your ticket to ride! Get ready for miles of smiles!

The Basic RiderCourse (BRC) is designed with new riders in mind, but experienced riders will also hone their riding skills. Not only will you have a blast riding our bikes, you can earn your Minnesota motorcycle endorsement when you successfully complete the BRC.

All BRCs are held at the Sleepy Eye High School and cost $270. BRCs typically run on Saturdays and Sundays from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Our 2024 schedule includes:

April 20 – 21 May 4 – 5 May 18 – 19 June 8 – 9

June 29 – 30 July 27 – 28 August 10 – 11 August 24 – 25

MSF supplies our curriculum and materials, and you can learn more about the BRC through their website.  The BRC Rider Handbook and The Basic eCourse compliment our course.  Our BRC consists of an interactive eCourse and 11 hours of riding instruction, with high-quality, personalized coaching and many hours of practice riding.  We provide both the motorcycles and the FUN!  Riders 18 years and older can earn their motorcycle endorsement by successfully completing our BRC.  Minors can complete their motorcycle safety course requirement by completing this course.

Course Requirements: Participants must be at least 16 years old and possess a valid driver’s license.  Parents of those under age 18 must sign a consent/release form prior to riding instruction.

Participants must furnish their own protective riding gear: eye protection, long sleeves, long pants, full-fingered gloves, over-the-ankle footwear, and a DOT-approved helmet.

Participants must be able to ride a bicycle, as the skill of balancing is not taught in this course.

To successfully complete the course, 100 percent attendance is required.  Participants must complete the Basic eCourse and pass a riding skills test.

Participants 18 years or older who possess a valid motorcycle permit — or one that’s expired less than one year — and successfully complete the course may earn the state’s skill test waiver and receive their motorcycle endorsement.  Wisconsin, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Iowa residents can also earn their motorcycle endorsement through our course. Out-of-state residents should call Brent at 507-630-0551 for additional information and clarification.

Minors must complete a BRC as the first step in earning a motorcycle endorsement. They must be at least 16 years old and have a driver’s license before taking the course. Then they need to pass the state’s motorcycle knowledge test to earn a motorcycle instruction permit, and the state’s skill test to earn an endorsement.

More information about how to earn your motorcycle endorsement is here:
https://dps.mn.gov/divisions/ots/mmsc/motorcycle-license/pages/default.aspx

Online practice tests for the Minnesota motorcycle permit test can be found at a few sites. Try the MINNESOTA DMV MOTORCYCLE LICENSE TEST and Motorcycle Test | License MN 2022 | FREE Online Practice! and FREE Minnesota DVS Motorcycle Practice Test 2022 | MN.

Participants are encouraged to register in advance.  Participants can register for a class online or by mailing a completed registration form with a check or money order to RSRS.  Signing up early will allow students to receive course material earlier and provide them with more time to prepare for the course.  Enrollment is limited, but we will take walk-ins if there is room in the course.

Prior to the BRC, students will complete a five-hour Basic eCourse experience on their own. The eCourse explores basic riding skills, street riding strategies, risk management, perceptual development, situational awareness activities, and more.  

The riding portion includes 11 hours of valuable riding practice on a controlled, closed parking lot.  To enhance student learning, class sizes are small with six to eight students.  The riding exercises begin with very basic skills, such as mounting the motorcycle and identifying its controls, and steadily build to simulated street riding strategies.  The course is divided into two levels.  Level I concentrates on motorcycle familiarization, clutch control, throttle control, riding posture, and the four basic skills of motorcycle riding:  straight-line riding, turning, smooth shifting, and stopping quickly.  Level II uses the four basic skills to develop a variety of street skills, including limited-space maneuvers, countersteering, cornering, and swerving.

Training motorcycles are provided, but you may ride your own motorcycle in the course.  Your bike must be street legal, licensed, insured, and in compliance with the equipment requirements outlined in the Minnesota Motorcycle Manual.  You must show proof of insurance. This option is generally discouraged, but has been used by those who have a customized motorcycle, those who aren’t interested in learning to shift a motorcycle with a manual transmission, or those who only want to ride a scooter or three-wheeled motorcycle that doesn’t require shifting. There’s no extra charge for riding one of our motorcycles, and for most people, it’s the best option.

BRCs are held as scheduled, even if it’s raining. Learning to ride in the rain provides another opportunity to experience real-life conditions and can be beneficial for newer riders. The only time we cancel or delay a class is if the riding conditions are unsafe, such as the presence of lightning, ice, or snow.

BRC course graduates will be presented with a MSF course completion card and may be eligible for discounts from insurance companies and motorcycle dealers.