The Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) is a United States national, not-for-profit organization, founded in 1973, and sponsored by the U.S. manufacturers and distributors of BMW, BRP, Ducati, Harley-Davidson, Honda, Kawasaki, KTM, Piaggio/Vespa, Suzuki, Triumph, Polaris Motorcycles and Yamaha motorcycles. MSF maintains rider training curricula used in most states for novice and experienced riders.
The MSF fosters a "ride safe" attitude, and promotes lifelong learning for motorcyclists. It also participates in government relations, motorcycle safety research, public awareness campaigns, and technical assistance to state training and licensing programs.
Courses
Motorcycle Safety Foundation Basic RiderCourse Highlights - This 5-minute video is a capsule summary of what you'll experience in our hands-on, 15 hour, Basic RiderCourse training program. Five hours of classroom instruction prepare you for ten hours...
MSF is a developer of comprehensive, research-based rider education and training curricula designed to develop or advance motorcyclists' riding skills.
Course descriptions
Online content
MSF offers several courses via iTunes U including "An Adventure in Motorcycle Physics", "Dr. Ray's Street Strategies", "Dr. Ray's Guide to Group Riding" and "Dr. Ray's Seasoned Rider".
Course administration
MSF administers courses directly in New Mexico, Indiana, West Virginia, and New York. However, in most states courses are administered by state agencies or universities that use MSF's curricula. Individual training sites may be public, as through technical colleges, or private organizations. Thirty-one states use the MSF tests for licensing, and 41 states use the MSF motorcycle operator manual. In 47 states, these local training sites are certified by MSF. California, Idaho and Oregon states use non MSF-developed curricula. All fifty states have rider training programs.
MSF is recognized by most state departments of transportation in the U.S. Successful completion of MSF's Basic "RiderCourse" usually replaces a state's riding exam, and may also replace the written exam, to receive a motorcycle operator's endorsement or license. Some insurance companies also offer discounts to those who have passed an MSF course. All United States military personnel are required to graduate from an MSF course to ride a motorcycle either on or off base.
Intellectual property dispute
A 2006 lawsuit by the MSF over alleged intellectual property infringement by the Team Oregon Rider Safety Program was settled in 2008. Team Oregon is a motorcycle training program run by the Oregon Department of Transportation and Oregon State University. In the settlement, Team Oregon was granted permission to use MSF materials provided a statement of MSF copyright ownership was included. Team Oregon also agreed to only market its materials in Oregon, as in the past, and will still deny that the agreed upon acknowledgment of copyright is needed. Team Oregon claimed victory in the settlement, in that no payments were required and they may continue to use the training materials, while the MSF said the settlement was the same as one they had offered in 2006.
Underlying the dispute was the question of whether programs like Team Oregon, or Idaho's Skills Training Advantage for Riders (STAR), were free to develop their own training programs, specifically in response to the contention by the state programs that the MSF had made changes in their course that weakened it, making it easier to pass while putting riders at greater risk. Idaho's training manager had expected to be named in the suit along with Team Oregon, due to their similarity to Team Oregon.
See also
- Congressional Motorcycle Safety Caucus
References
External links
- Official website
- National Association of State Motorcycle Safety Administrators
- Motorcycle Safety Foundation at the Open Directory Project
