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Will this be the week that enrollment finally opens for Connecticut Rider Education Program motorcycle training courses after weeks of delay, with some classes having already been canceled?
“Registration is currently closed” notices remained posted Sunday night on CT State Community College web pages where aspiring motorcycle riders are supposed to go to enroll. The courses are largely staged on community college campuses across the state.
Students are still effectively locked out; unable to take classes including the Basic Rider Course, passage of which is mandatory to receive an “M” endorsement on a Connecticut driver’s license. There’s frustration and growing hostility in comments about the situation on social media.
Not only have wannabe riders been deprived of becoming legal riders, dealers have been deprived of potential new customers, and the state has been deprived of revenue thanks to what seems to be a standoff between CT State and CONREP over the price of courses this year.
There’s been little clarity so far.
As best as RIDE-CT has determined, CONREP reportedly proposed a modest $20 increase in the BRC fee to $260 back in January while CT State sought a $110 increase – a whopping 46 percent – to $350.
That’s according to knowledgeable folks inside CONREP. No one has officially commented from CONREP or the state Department of Transportation, which oversees CONREP.
CT State’s only comment came on March 30 when it reported that “…enrollment fees have not been set” and that class schedules and final program details will be announced “once these discussions are complete” between CT State and the state Department of Transportation, which oversees CONREP.
As of Friday, the two entities were apparently still at odds.
In a vaguely-worded email sent to site managers late Friday afternoon, CONREP’s program director Piotr Milczek reportedly advised, “We are working closely with the college to streamline the process across all campuses. Upper management is aware and we are working diligently to get this rectified as soon as possible.”
Milczek’s comments offered little insight but raised the possibility of another fly in the ointment to opening enrollment and getting classes started.
In the past, the individual community college campuses handled enrollment for the locations that they ran. Tunxis Community College in Farmington, for instance, runs classes not only at Tunxis but in East Granby and Fairfield. CT State is now consolidating enrollment through its website.
Meanwhile, aspiring riders as well as Connecticut riders in general are fuming, and showing their unhappiness in comments on social media.
“Welp. Looks like I’m riding dirty,” wrote Shannon Neron in a comment on the CT Motorcycle Rides and Events page on Facebook.
Don Toews asked, “Aren’t these classes mandatory to get the motorcycle endorsement? I would think the state couldn’t cancel them if they are mandatory.”
Bryon Vary stated emphatically, presumably referring to a $350 charge for the BRC, “I’m sure I speak for everyone but whoever is charging that much to teach new riders to get on the road can suck my balls from the back.”
John Pereira wrote, “The greed continues with the state. Like everything else they create many of today’s issues – this in particular will have many riders just take their chances and ride without an endorsement.”
The ongoing situation raises numerous questions, but there are few answers, such as “Does CONREP lose money, break even or make money? If so, how much?”
RIDE-CT is trying to find out what it costs to run CONREP annually as well as how much the program receives in tuition fees. The state Department of Motor Vehicles reported last week that the $6 “motorcycle education” assessment on each motorcycle registration in the state brought in $191,364 in 2025 – all of which goes to CONREP.
Other questions that need answers include:
“Is CONREP’s $260 proposed fee sufficient?” for the program to break even and offer required training for students at a reasonable price.
“Or is CT State’s push for $350 necessary or simply a money grab designed to extract as much as possible from aspiring riders?” who have no say in the matter – unless they want to ride illegally.
“What is the potential impact of more riders out on the roads without training and riding illegally?” There have already been at least three deaths of motorcyclists in Connecticut in recent weeks.
The situation involving CT State and CONREP hasn’t received much news coverage but word is beginning to spread. Dealers are slowly learning that newly-minted riders won’t likely be visiting showrooms anytime soon.
George Libby, owner of Honda, Triumph and Yamaha motorcycle dealer Libby’s Motoworld in New Haven, said Friday he was unaware of the delay in the start of training classes this year and said the potential impact might be he “won’t be selling motorcycles” to the usual crop of new customers.
Libby suggested that CONREP “should look into using state land” for its training classes, which would bypass CT State. “I wish I had enough land. I’d do it here,” he added.
Meanwhile, Mike’s Famous Harley-Davidson in New London and the only place in the state outside of CONREP to offer new rider training, has a message for callers that says it’s experiencing a significantly higher level of phone calls and a high level of enrollment.
A check of the dealership’s website shows the earliest openings for its “New Rider Course” are not until mid-July with some classes in late July and into August nearly full. The course at Mike’s Famous costs $395, but class size is smaller than CONREP’s classes.
With CONREP being the dominant player in motorcycle training in the state, a reasonable solution needs to be found quickly – one that puts students out on training ranges without bilking them.
(Photos by Bud Wilkinson from the RIDE-CT archives.)
