Signups for 2011 are closed!  Early class registrations begin March 1st online and at Alaska Leather!

Basic and Experienced classes begin the end of April or the first weekend in May 2009 and continue through the entire summer ending mid September 2009 depending on weather.

We also offer weekly road testing (Thursdays) for DMV endorsement. Cost is $49.00. Starts as soon as weather permits-usually the last week of April.

Questions? Please read our Top Questions Section below.

Still more questions? Contact the Rider Education Coordinator at ridered@abateofalaska.com or call the Rider Education Hotline at (907) 566-3334 or 562-2324 (Alaska Leather)

ABATE of Alaska, Inc. offers Kickstart, MSF Basic RiderCourse, Experienced RiderCourse and Experienced Rider/Passenger Course. Which one suits you?

“Kickstart ” is our pre-basic course. We recommend it for people with no experience, or unsure if riding a motorcycle is really for them. It is on Thursday evenings beginning May 4th. It consists of 3 hours of basic “on bike” riding instruction. No tests, no pressure, no worries. Student to instructor ratio is very low. Bike included for training. $99.00

Basic RiderCourse
This class gives you the fundamentals of operating a motorcycle. It is basic, however it moves at a much faster pace than kickstart. The course is spread over three days, which includes five hours of classroom instruction and ten hours of riding and it costs $275.00. Bike included for training. They begin on Friday evening for the weekend classes and Sunday evening for the weekday classes at 6:00 PM.

Experienced RiderCourse
The Experienced RiderCourse is for the rider who knows what he or she is doing, or thinks they know. Most riders who have never taken a class will be surprised how much they’ll learn. You take this course on your own motorcycle, improving your skills on your own machine. There is on-range classroom for the Experienced RiderCourse. It is five hours of riding and instruction on the range it costs $150.00. It is on Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, or Sunday evening beginning at 5:00 PM. There is a written test.

Experienced RiderCourse With Passenger
This is the same as the Experienced Rider Course above but with a passenger. On your own motorcycle. The course is designed for the rider who rides two up occasionally or all the time. This is excellent way for the driver to practice safety techniques with a passenger aboard. Your passenger will feel more comfortable on the road after this class because she/he will know what you’re doing and why. The the very first exercise is done solo and the passenger will ride on all remaining exercises. It’s a 5 hour course and it costs $150.00. No test for the passenger. It is in conjunction with the Experienced classes.

Road Test
The Road Test is a skills test for DMV endorsement it costs $49.00. It is every Thursday between 1:00-6:00 PM with a test every 15 minutes. By appointment only. You still need to go to DMV for the permit test and to have the endorsement added to your license. You have to provide a motorcycle with current registration, proof of insurance and in street legal, good operating condition.

Private Lessons- We offer private lessons for $60.00 an hour. There is a four (4) hour minimum and is also pre-pay only with appointment. Call for more details. Bike included for training.

Do I Get My License?
Successful completion of either the Basic or Experienced RiderCourses will get you a Course Completion Card which the State of Alaska, Department of Motor Vehicles recognizes as sufficient proficiency to place a Motorcycle Endorsement on your license. The bottom line is if you complete either course successfully, Yes! You get your license.

Top Questions About Classes

What if I’m late?

Your slot will be given away to a standby person at 6:15PM, no questions asked. If you are late for ANY scheduled session, you will not be allowed to continue the course. It’s best to have your personal schedual clear for the duration of any class.

Do I need a motorcycle permit?

No, you do not need a motorcycle permit for either the Basic or Experienced Rider courses.

Do I need a bike?

If you are taking the Kickstart or Basic Rider courses, you will not need a bike. A.B.A.T.E of Alaska provides motorcycles that are under 500cc’s for you to ride. The Experienced Rider and Experienced Rider with passenger courses both require that you bring your own bike. A.B.A.T.E of Alaska recommends that you be familiar with the operation of your bike well before class time and that you have plenty of fuel for the day.

#6 – How long is it?
The Basic RiderCourse starts with a classroom session attended by all of the students. That’s approximately 6pm till 10pm on the first night. The class is split into a morning and afternoon session with the morning session students starting on the range at 8am till around noon and the afternoon session students are on the range from about 1pm till around 5pm. Then, both sessions will combine in the classroom from 6pm till 10pm. The written evaluation is administered on the second night so be prepared.

We will then repeat the range times on the second day: 8am for the morning session and 1pm for the afternoon session. The riding evaluation is conducted at the end of your range time on the second day. There is no classroom on the second day so once you are done, around noon for the morning class and around 5pm for the afternoon class, you are done.

All class ending times are approximate and based on the actual start time of the class as well as the advance preparation of the students. When you pay for the class you will be given the course book and your homework assignment. Do your homework and your time spent in class will go quicker. Range times vary due to rider participation, weather and other random factors. It is helpful to the class as a whole if you show up early for everything. Showing up early for the range gets you riding sooner and showing up early for class allows you to ask questions. Show up early.

Don’t plan on staying up all night either night. You will be spending a minimum of four (4) hours riding each day so take it easy and get as much rest as you can.

Basic RiderCourse runs from the first weekend in May (hopefully beginning April 28th this year) through the first weekend in September, Friday through Sunday. A second session is Sunday through Tuesday for the months of May and June-maybe longer if the demand is there.

The Experienced RiderCourse takes approximately 5- 6 hours and it runs from 5:00 to 10:30 PM or later. Only one evening! There is no classroom indoor for the Experienced RiderCourse, it’s all done outside. There are both skills (riding) knowledge (multiple choice) tests. The Experienced RiderCourse is being offered Wednesday, Friday, Saturday or Sunday depending on demand. The Experienced Rider Course with Passenger is in conjunction with the Experienced RiderCourse.

We have a lot of fun but we are serious about your learning. Participation is the key to your success. And if you miss any classroom or show up late for the range then you are done. No excuses.

#5 – What if I don’t pass
We have an extremely high passing rate. Take it easy and have some fun. In the event that you do not successfully complete the riding evaluation you are allowed one re-test within 30 days. We recommend spending a week or two at home, studying your course handbook and resting, returning refreshed to re-test on one of the following weekends.

#4 – What if it rains?
What if it rains. Do you stay at home from work/school when it rains? Do you leave your bike in the garage if it rains? Will you ever get caught in the rain? Rain is something you will face as a rider and we still teach in the rain. Riding in the rain is more fun that you might think, so don’t worry about it.

#3 – What do I need to bring?

From head to toe:

• -Helmet. We have loaner helmets for the Kickstart and BasicRider courses.
• Eye protection. Glasses (prescription, not fashion), sunglasses or safety glasses.
• Long sleeves in the form of a jacket, sweatshirt or a long sleeve t-shirt. Think layers. If it is hot you will want to take your jacket or sweatshirt off and you need to have long sleeves for a variety of reasons.
• -Gloves. Full-finger leather or riding gloves. Absolutely NO fingerless gloves allowed.
• Pants that aren’t loose around the ankles. Leave your bell bottoms at home.
• -Over the ankle footwear. You need ankle support when you are riding. Sturdy boots, over the ankles and lace-ups are acceptable. Open toed sandals are expressly PROHIBITED.
• -Raingear, just in case. We call it rain insurance.
• Water, granola bars, etc. There are portable toilets but no other facilities. You can leave for lunch (one hour), there are several restaurants in area.

#2 – Where is it?
Classes are held at 4700 South Bragaw Road in the Municipal Permit office building. Come early to the first night of class because there is always a waiting list and if you show up late you might be booted out of the class. Follow this link to Mapquest for driving instructions (www.mapquest.com).

#1 – Will I get my license?
With successful completion of the written and riding evaluation for the Basic RiderCourse and the riding evaluation for the Experienced RiderCourse, you will be issued a course completion card. The State of Alaska, Department of Motor Vehicles, also known as the DMV accepts this card as proof that you have taken the class. Take your Course Completion card to the DMV and they will give you a new license, assuming that you don’t have any outstanding warrants, traffic violations or parking tickets. Keep in mind, the Anchorage Police Department and Alaska State Troopers do not accept this card so you need to go to the DMV, wait in line, fill out the forms, play with the pencils and sit on the bench and get a new license. You get a new picture too.