Many dirt bikers find little else that matches the thrill of riding, but the sport can be dangerous for inexperienced riders, because successfully navigating tracks involves a great deal of skill and technical knowledge. To help individuals acquire the skills they need for safe riding, the Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) has established rider courses through its DirtBike School program.
The most basic course at DirtBike School, Closed Range Exercises (CRE), lasts for a single day and teaches participants how to ride an off-road motorcycle and how to choose the best dirt bike for their needs. The course has no classroom component and all instruction takes place in a dirt lot. MSF often limits CRE classes according to the age of participants to make participants feel most comfortable. After completing CRE or learning basic skills elsewhere, individuals can enroll in Introduction to Trail Riding (ITR), a half-day class that takes students to existing trails for experiential learning. ITR training focuses on safe dirt bike operation and the development of proper judgment. Students ride their own dirt bikes in this course.