NIU and the state of Illinois will teach you how to ride a motorcycle for free.

The Illinois Cycle Rider Safety Training Program offers classes at NIU and other locations to any Illinois resident who is 16 years of age or older.

The program consists of 20 hours of classes and on-cycle training on the NIU campus. Each class has three experienced and well-trained instructors and a maximum of 22 students.

In northern Illinois there are 13 sites and 100 classes with varying hours.

“This is a self-funded rider education program. No tax dollars are used at all,” said Jack Carson, safety program instructor.

“This is one of only three states in the country that offers a self-funded rider education program,” Carson said. “In California this program would cost you $175,” he said.

The Illinois Department of Transportation takes $8 out of every motorcycle registration fee and puts it directly into the safety program. The state then gives NIU a grant to pay for the programs it runs, said Robin Carson, safety program director.

This money goes for the equipment and the instructors’ salaries. The program provides the motorcycles and helmets for the students, but each person must bring his own protective clothing.

“I’m very happy to see that people want to learn how to ride safely,” said Robert Canon, safety program instructor. Safety and knowledge is what this program stresses. According to the Hurt report which studied 4,500 motorcycle accidents, 92 percent of motorcycle accident victims were either self-taught or taught by friends or family.

Since the classes are relatively small, the instructors can work closely with each individual student to make sure he understands what to do. “This is a chance for me to pass along my experience and knowledge to someone who’s willing to accept it,” said Dennis Ramer, safety program instructor.

“I found this class to be a great learning experience for beginning riders or for those who just enjoy being motorcycle passengers,” said Kristina Lall, an NIU psychology major, who is taking the motorcycle class. “The instructors were helpful and very encouraging,” she said.

This year NIU’s Motorcycle Safety Project has won an Outstanding Regional Program award in a national competition sponsored by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation.

For information on classes, contact Robin Carson or Greg Smith at 753-1683.