Experienced Rider course on Friday and I have to say that I had higher expectations for it but over all it was pretty good. The Navy is making sailors take the ERC every 3 years as refresher training because we have had an increase in deaths this year on motorcycles, the Navy provided it for free, I got the day off work to ride all day so it wasn't too bad . The ERC really wasn't anything more than the basic riders course (riding portion) with your own bike. The drills were really the same from what I can remember, but still it was a great refresher especially with my own bike. Over all I would recommend taking it as it pointed out some bad habits that I have picked up over the years and I got a few pointers on how to better handle my bike at low speed. I also found that making a figure 8 inside of 20 feet really isn't that hard. Over all I would recommend it and a little more training and education never hurt anyone.

 

I did ERC back in 94 and was thinking of re-taking it. The Air Force suggests you take a course every 3 years, but hasn't made it mandatory yet.

 

Gee I can't wait till they make us Retirees take the updated safety courses!

 

LOL, if your a Navy retiree you already have to. Its in the new OPNAVIST 5100.12H that if you want to ride on base you have to have taken the ERC or the new Military Sport Bike Riders Course (MSBRC) every 3 years so that you can get stickers. Its also my understanding that the gate guards can challenge you and ask for your MSF card to check to see if you are in compliance. They are definitely taking this stuff seriously now.

 

Unless you are in Europe. I am one of the MSF coaches here and every AF member, dependent and AF civilian has to take the course every 3 yrs. Hell I even have to take it every 3 yrs.

 

Same for the AF in Okinawa. I think the Army has to do it every year right now. At least they haven't started messing with the Marines or the civilians that work for them on how often we have to take it but they throwing out new BS for the new riders.

 

Sorry but the AFI says should. That is a suggestion, I honestly didn't even know it was in there until a month or so ago when I was looking up the requirement to take the course for a kid. Nothing to stop the wing commanders or MAJCOM commanders from saying everyone under their command will take it every three years though. You'll find that things are done differently even at bases that are close to each other. i.e. The orange vests. On Eglin it was the orange vest or not ride, on Hurlburt you could wear a reflective belt diagonal across your chest. In reality a yellow or red mesh jacket with reflective material also met the definition in the AFI and DOD reg, but neither would let you ride on base wearing one by itself. The orange vest was never a requirement, it was simply the easiest way to comply for so many years that people assumed it was required. People still assume there is the requirement to wear red, yellow, orange or white, but last February the reg changed to say a contrasting color easily seen and reflective material is only needed at night, I still see many folks say you have to wear the orange vest though. I haven't worn one in quite a few years other than if I'm in uniform going to work. It's the cheapest easiest way for me to get a contrasting color on the Harley. On my sportbike I've got a coat that matches the bike and also is in compliance with the reg. Civilian clothes I ride on all the time to both bases now in a long sleeve t-shirt usually white.