NEW RIDER COURSE 

WHAT SHOULD I EXPECT PRIOR TO CLASS?

After enrolling, you will be contacted by Cox's Harley-Davidson dealership with any specifics of your course, including what to bring, what is required, and where and when to meet.

North Carolina uses the Motorcycle Safety Foundation curriculum and employs the MSF Basic eCourse as a component of your overall class. Look through your welcome email and see if the link to the MSF Learning Center (Note: You may want to purchase the MSF Handbook https://www.amazon.com/Motorcycle-Foundation-RiderCourse-Handbook-Learning-ebook/dp/B0B6DGDJWT).

Be sure to budget time prior to the first day of class to complete the eCourse – it takes about 3 hours, and even if you have previous experience with motorcycling, you cannot fast forward through any sections of the eCourse. You will receive a completion certificate at the end of the course; be sure to print that out and bring it to the first day of class or by email.

You will need to bring these items to class with you

• Your Driver's License or Learner's Permit
• Proof of completion of any pre-required course study
• Any materials provided to you prior to or during class

WHAT SHOULD I WEAR?

Motorcycle gloves and a motorcycle helmet are the only essential motorcycle-specific items. Still, we recommend that sometime before the first night of class, you take what you have to the dealer to get it checked out. They can help you ensure that you have the right motorcycle gear.

CLASS GEAR LIST

• Long-sleeve shirt or jacket
• Long pants (heavy denim or riding pants recommended) (No Holes or leggings)
• Over-the-ankle boots (sturdy, not canvas, low heel)
• Eye protection (helmet visor, eyeglasses, sunglasses, goggles acceptable)
• Full-finger gloves (motorcycle-specific recommended)
• DOT-certified helmet  

SHOPPING FOR A HELMET

A helmet is the most important piece of motorcycle gear you will invest in. A helmet is a very personal piece of equipment. Consider buying a helmet vs. borrowing one; that way, it is yours, and it fits you perfectly and allows you to focus on learning to ride.

The staff at Cox's dealer are trained to fit helmets and will ensure you get the right one. Helmet fit is so crucial that they suggest you wear the one you settle on around the dealer for about 15 minutes. It takes that long for the helmet to really let you know if it will be comfortable in the long run. Remember, helmets are not returnable once they leave the dealership, so take the time to find the right one.

Coach Tip: The more helmets, the better. Full face is the best, followed by a modular. An open-face helmet or ¾ open still provides good protection if you feel too cooped up in a full face. Half helmets, while trendy, offer the least amount of protection.

WHAT HAPPENS IN THE CLASSROOM BEFORE YOU GO ON THE RANGE?

There are a variety of schedules. This example of a typical weekend course will give you a feel for what to expect. 

The first class meeting typically runs three hours: You'll get a tour of the dealership, fill out all the class paperwork, and get to know your peers and coaches. During the paperwork session, you will hear a lot about counseling being on time and having all the gear. Don't fret; it is just to set clear expectations for everyone. Being that an endorsement waiver is provided through this class, it has some structural aspects that the state requires to allow for licensing.

You'll get a ROADBOOK - this is a small Harley-Davidson® Journal that you will use to reflect on important points throughout the class. A review of the eCourse will follow, which will give you a chance to understand the crucial points of the eCourse better. Jump in there and participate! A lot of what is being discussed you have already seen firsthand as a car driver. Then, the class will turn to new material – an activity to help demystify motorcycle controls and their use will be held, as well as an activity to help understand important aspects of riding gear.

At the end of the night, coaches usually spend some time talking about the range days, what to bring, where the range is, and when to be there. The range is simply a practice lot; it is a large, flat piece of pavement that may be on dealer property or down the road a few miles.

This site is usually blocked off from car traffic and offers a controlled environment to learn in. The classroom will probably conclude with a discussion on the range rules and hand signals. These are all intended to help you understand how the range works and to ensure everyone has a good time during the riding portion of the course.

Coach Tip: If you need help determining where the range is, take time to drive by it on the way home versus frantically searching for it in the morning.

Pack whatever snacks you need to keep going physically and mentally. We usually provide bottled water.
 

WHAT HAPPENS ON THE RANGE?

A typical course will include two days in the range. Here is what to expect.

FIRST DAY RIDING

Your first range day will focus on getting to know the motorcycle, how to properly start it up, move it from point A to point B, and shut it off. You learn the fundamentals of clutching and shifting, turning and stopping.

Each exercise is designed to build on the previous exercises and allow you to learn quickly and effectively. Expect each exercise to take about 40 minutes. After every other exercise, a break will be held. This is usually a ROADBOOK opportunity and a chance to rest, get a drink of water, and hang out with your classmates. 

Programs typically hold a classroom session at the dealership after the first range day. The afternoon classroom session is focused on behaviors and self-assessment. This is important stuff! The more you participate, the more you will get out of it.

Coach Tip: Learning to ride can be mentally and physically exhausting. Make plans to rest Saturday night – you want to be fresh for the second range day.

SECOND DAY RIDING

Day 2 will focus on riding skills: cornering, swerving, and maximum braking. Just like the first day, expect two exercises back to back with a ROADBOOK break in between. These exercises are at slightly higher speeds than yesterday's and are a lot of fun! Expect to see smiles spread across the faces of your classmates. 

At the end of the second day on the range, the coaches will set up and score the five evaluation exercises. These are based on the same exercises you just rode and the same skills you learned over the last two days of riding.

Relax and be sure to breathe: This is just a fair measurement of your current abilities to ensure that you are ready to leave the range and venture out onto the open road. Listen to your coaches and watch each student ahead of you as they ride the test exercises. You want to be sure of the path of travel and the technique being scored.

Coach Tip: Don't score yourself during the evaluations. Not all areas of the riding exercise are scored, and most mistakes are just a few points. Riders who get worked up because they made a riding error often ride worse and make more errors. Ride on and do your best!

At the end of the evaluations, your coach will let you know how you did. If you did not pass, don't freak! There are often opportunities to take a portion of the course over or to retest later. See your Riding Academy Manager as soon as possible regarding these options.
 

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER YOUR TIME ON THE RANGE?

At the last classroom meeting, there might be state-specific content to cover, more paperwork to complete, and some celebrating to do. This is it; you are in the family now; enjoy the ride!

Students who complete the classroom and range sessions will be issued a completion document. In many states, this document will excuse the person from taking a motorcycle operator skills test through the Department of Motor Vehicles. However, it does not count as a license and is not recognized by law enforcement as a license to ride. Your Coach or your local DMV will provide you with instructions on steps to take to convert the completion document into a license. 

You will need to take your completion document to your DMV and complete any additional steps required to get the motorcycle endorsement on your driver's license. Once you've gotten your license, get out and enjoy the ride! 

When you are taking the New Rider Course at Cox's Harley-Davidson Riding Academy, you will:

• Learn to ride on a Harley-Davidson® Street 500 motorcycle.
• Getting in-class and on-range instruction from Motorcycle Safety Foundation® (MSF) and H-D® Certified Coaches
• Learning to accelerate, brake, turn, and shift safely
• Earn an MSF Basic RiderCourse Completion Card with a DMV Wavier card, which will exempt you from the riding test at the DMV and give you a discount on motorcycle insurance.

What Bike will I ride?

Harley Davidson® Street 500 motorcycles will be provided for student use during the course. These bikes have been de-tuned, and additional safety features have been added to protect the students and bikes.

How do I enroll?

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

SKILLED RIDER COURSE 

Designed for active riders who still need to be licensed, the Intermediate Rider Licensing Course is a bring-your-own bike, a two-day class where you'll sharpen your riding skills and your riding mindset. Successful completion of the course earns a license waiver that may excuse you for additional on-motorcycle testing at your DMV. Present this waiver at your DMV to add a motorcycle endorsement to your license. 

WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO EXPECT?

This 11-hour, 2-day course is taught by dedicated Harley-Davidson® Certified Coaches and Motorcycle Safety Foundation® (MSF). The price of this course is $200.

HOW SHOULD I PREPARE?

You will need the following:

• A street-ready motorcycle
• Motorcycle endorsement, permit, or license (check with the H-D® dealer for details)
• Proof of valid motorcycle insurance

The class will begin with a pre-ride inspection of your motorcycle. Plan and conduct this before your course so you can take things out of the range. Check these items, and our Bike will pass the inspection like a boss.

• Tires- check your tires for dry rot, that is, cracks in the side walls, tread depth, and air pressure. Be sure to use the tire pressures recommended in your owner's manual.
• Controls- Check your levers, pedals, cables, and hoses for function and condition.
•  Lights and Mirrors- Make sure your headlights, turn signals, and lights are functioning and your mirrors are tight. 
• Oil and fluids- Check your oil levels and verify that there are no obvious oil leaks. 
• Chassis- Check out your suspension front and rear for function and tightness, and have a look at your final drive, too. 
• Stands- make sure your side stand or center stand functions correctly and stow fully. These checks take about ten minutes and will ensure that your Bike is as ready for the class as you are.

WHAT SHOULD I WEAR?

You will need:

• Your DOT-approved Helmet
• Eye protection
• Full fingered gloves
• Long sleeve shirt
• Sturdy jeans or riding pants 
• Sturdy over-the-ankle footwear 

WHAT HAPPENS ON THE RANGE?

The course is rain or shine, so be ready for the weather as you would for any day-long ride; pack your rain gear. Also, plan for shifts in temperature; dressing in layers will accommodate the cold in the early morning. Peeling off some layers in the afternoon will relieve you from that hot sun. Also, pack some snacks. Be prepared to keep yourself mentally and physically in the game with a snack bar, fruit, or whatever keeps you focused. Most programs provide bottled water and time for a lunch break. Ask ahead to be sure.

At the range, you will start the day with that pre-ride inspection on your Bike; if you prepped it before the class, you'll feel confident about passing the pre-ride check.

Your coaches will explain the course layout, read exercise objectives and instructions, ride a demo ride to show the path of travel and desired technique, and occasionally have you practice a skill on your Bike with the engine off. Then, it is your turn to ride. 

Exercises are generally about 30/40 minutes long, and most programs will run two or three and then take a break. There will also be some range side "chalk talk" and activities, which are intended to sharpen your mental riding skills. In some states, a riding test is provided to help each rider better understand what skills they are proficient at and what they still might need to practice on.

A riding test is included at the conclusion of the range session. Riders who complete the skills evaluation earn an endorsement waiver and a Motorcycle Safety Foundation completion card.

WHAT SKILLS WILL I PRACTICE?

The course focuses on improving these skills:

• Control at low speeds
• Risk management
• Limited space maneuvers
• Cornering judgment
• Swerving and stopping quickly on straights and in curves
• Multiple curve maneuvers and surmounting objects

When you're done, you'll earn an MSF Basic Rider Course 2 completion card that may qualify you for a discount on motorcycle insurance.

FUTURE SKILLED RIDER CLASS DATES:

Coming soon

This two-day course is held from the First day 6:00 P.M. until 9:00 P.M. Second day 8:00 A.M. until 5:00 P.M. (see schedule for specific days)