Team Oregon

Team Oregon is an Oregon-based motorcycle safety education program jointly associated with the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) and Oregon State University. Established in 1984, it provides rider education, practical skills training, and licensing-related instruction for motorcycle riders in Oregon. Unlike a commercial motorcycle manufacturer or retail brand, Team Oregon functions as a public-service and training organization whose activities are closely connected to Oregon's motorcycle endorsement system. The program's operating model combines public funding and participant fees. ODOT supports Team Oregon through motorcycle endorsement-related license fees, while students pay tuition for individual courses. Training has commonly been delivered through community colleges, schools, and other practical facilities, with advanced instruction taking place at selected karting or track venues. Partner institutions have included Lane Community College, Chemeketa Community College, and Portland Community College. Team Oregon's principal entry-level offering is Basic Rider Training, a multiday course combining classroom work with on-motorcycle range exercises. The course is designed for people with little or no riding experience and generally supplies training motorcycles and helmets. Intermediate Rider Training is intended for riders who have some familiarity with motorcycles but need structured practice and coaching. Rider Skills Practice provides a shorter skills refresher, while Advanced Rider Training uses higher-speed track-based exercises for experienced riders. The program became increasingly important as Oregon linked motorcycle endorsement eligibility to rider education. Team Oregon supported Oregon Senate Bill 546, sponsored by Senator Vicki Walker, which made rider education mandatory for new motorcycle endorsement applicants. Governor Ted Kulongoski signed the measure on July 23, 2009. The requirement was introduced in stages based on age and was fully phased in by January 1, 2015. Under the resulting system, Team Oregon courses became a central route for new Oregon motorcyclists seeking an endorsement. The organization has also served as a model beyond Oregon. Its training materials and program approach have been used in other states, including Idaho and Illinois. The program was nationally recognized through the Motorcycle Safety Foundation and was associated with sponsorship from the Oregon Traffic Safety Commission. A 2004 American Institutes for Research evaluation sponsored by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration identified Oregon as a national best-practice example in program administration, rider education, and licensing. Team Oregon has reported broad reach among Oregon riders. Approximately 70 percent of the state's riders have received training through the program, according to the referenced material. Historical enrollment figures show substantial growth, from roughly 1,800 students annually in 1993 to about 8,000 students per year by 2008. The program has also been involved in public discussions about motorcycle fatalities, emphasizing rider judgment, hazard awareness, and practical control skills as important elements in preventing crashes. Although motorcycle fatalities had declined substantially after the program's implementation, later increases in fatality rates in Oregon and nationally continued to shape its safety mission. The program faced a copyright dispute with the Motorcycle Safety Foundation, which alleged that Team Oregon and Oregon State University had used protected materials in developing their curriculum. The case was filed in federal court in December 2006 and was resolved through an out-of-court settlement in December 2008. No settlement terms are included in the available reference material. Team Oregon remains best understood as a government-university motorcycle safety and licensing-support program rather than as a conventional consumer brand.

Team Oregon began in 1984 as Oregon's statewide motorcycle safety program. It was formed through cooperation between the Oregon Department of Transportation and Oregon State University, combining the state's transportation-safety responsibilities with university-supported education and program administration. Its purpose was to improve rider competence and reduce motorcycle crashes and fatalities through structured training rather than relying solely on licensing examinations or enforcement. During its early development, Team Oregon built a curriculum around classroom instruction and supervised motorcycle exercises. Courses were commonly held in parking lots at educational institutions and schools, while more advanced classes used karting or track facilities. The program's entry-level training became the main gateway for novice riders. By 1993, approximately 1,800 students were receiving motorcycle instruction each year. By 2001, the program enrolled more than 5,000 students, with the large majority taking its basic riding course. Historical figures in the available material indicate that approximately 85 percent of students completed the program that year. The program expanded further during the 2000s. Enrollment reached approximately 8,000 students annually by 2008, and Team Oregon's materials and methods were used in other states, including Idaho and Illinois. Training was also delivered through local community-college partners such as Lane Community College, Chemeketa Community College, and Portland Community College. This distributed structure allowed the program to offer courses at multiple sites while retaining a common statewide safety and licensing mission. Team Oregon's public role was reinforced by national recognition. The Motorcycle Safety Foundation and the Oregon Traffic Safety Commission were associated with recognition or sponsorship of the program. In a 2004 study conducted by the American Institutes for Research for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Oregon was identified as a leading example in motorcycle-program administration, rider education, and licensing. The reference material also attributes a substantial decline in motorcycle fatalities after implementation of the program, although it notes that fatality rates later rose in Oregon and across the United States. A significant policy turning point came with Oregon Senate Bill 546. Team Oregon supported the measure, introduced by Senator Vicki Walker, which required new riders to complete motorcycle education before receiving an endorsement. Governor Ted Kulongoski signed the bill on July 23, 2009. The requirement was phased in by age: younger applicants became subject to it first, the threshold was later extended to older applicants, and the mandate was fully implemented on January 1, 2015. This legislation made Team Oregon's courses even more central to the state's motorcycle licensing process. Riders who already held an endorsement in another state and moved to Oregon were exempt under the described rules. The organization also experienced a legal challenge concerning its instructional materials. In December 2006, the Motorcycle Safety Foundation sued Team Oregon and Oregon State University in federal court in California, alleging copyright infringement and claiming that its materials had been used in the development of Team Oregon's own program. The dispute ended in an out-of-court settlement in December 2008. The terms are not provided in the available sources, so the long-term operational effect cannot be established here. Team Oregon's course portfolio has historically included Basic Rider Training, Intermediate Rider Training, Rider Skills Practice, and Advanced Rider Training. Basic Rider Training combines classroom lessons with range instruction and is intended for beginners. Intermediate Rider Training is designed for riders who have basic familiarity but need more coaching and evaluation. Rider Skills Practice offers a shorter skills refresher, while Advanced Rider Training serves experienced riders through classroom and on-track exercises. Together, these courses position Team Oregon as a continuing rider-development system rather than a single licensing class. The program is headed by Aria Minu-Sepehr according to the referenced encyclopedia material and remains Oregon's official motorcycle safety program.

1. 2015Endorsement-training mandate is fully phased in

   Oregon's staged requirement for new motorcycle endorsement applicants to complete rider education reaches full implementation.

   Source
2. 2009Oregon enacts mandatory rider education

   Governor Ted Kulongoski signed Senate Bill 546, establishing a phased motorcycle education requirement for new endorsement applicants.

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3. 2008Annual enrollment reaches approximately 8,000

   The program was reported to be teaching about 8,000 students per year.

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4. 2008Copyright dispute is settled

   Team Oregon and Oregon State University settled the Motorcycle Safety Foundation litigation out of court.

   Source
5. 2006Copyright lawsuit is filed

   The Motorcycle Safety Foundation sued Team Oregon and Oregon State University over alleged use of copyrighted instructional material.

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6. 2004Oregon program receives national best-practice recognition

   An American Institutes for Research study sponsored by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration identified Oregon as a leading program in administration, rider education, and licensing.

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7. 2001Basic training dominates enrollment

   About 5,044 students were recorded, with approximately 89 percent enrolled in the basic riding course.

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8. 1993Early enrollment reaches approximately 1,800 students

   Historical program data records roughly 1,800 motorcycle-training students in a year.

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9. 1984Team Oregon is established

   Oregon launches Team Oregon as a motorcycle safety partnership involving the Oregon Department of Transportation and Oregon State University.

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A publicly supported, skills-focused motorcycle education program that combines licensing preparation with crash-prevention training and practical rider development.

• Basic Rider Training (BRT)Beginner motorcycle training

  Team Oregon's principal novice-rider course combines approximately seven hours of classroom instruction with approximately eight hours of supervised range riding over three days. It is intended for people with little or no motorcycle experience and has historically attracted the great majority of students. Training motorcycles and helmets are provided. The course teaches foundational control, braking, cornering, hazard awareness, and riding judgment, and it became a central route to Oregon motorcycle endorsement eligibility after mandatory education was phased in.

• Intermediate Rider Training (IRT)Intermediate motorcycle training

  IRT is a one-day course for riders who already have some motorcycle familiarity but want structured practice, evaluation, and coaching. The referenced format includes four hours of classroom work and four hours of range instruction. It is positioned between beginner instruction and independent road riding, helping participants develop greater confidence and safer control before or during the endorsement process.

• Rider Skills Practice (RSP)Skills refresher

  RSP is a shorter, range-focused practice program designed to refresh and refine motorcycle handling. The described format lasts about five hours and emphasizes practical exercises rather than a full beginner curriculum. Team Oregon recommends recent on-road experience before participation, making the course suitable for riders seeking a structured tune-up of braking, turning, maneuvering, and other core skills.

• Advanced Rider Training (ART)Advanced motorcycle training

  ART is intended for experienced motorcyclists with substantial street-riding mileage. It combines a short classroom session with several hours of on-track education, allowing riders to practice proficiency at higher speeds in a controlled environment. The referenced program offered the course at Pat's Acres in Canby and in Medford. Its use of karting or track facilities distinguishes it from Team Oregon's parking-lot and range-based foundational courses.

• 2009Support for Oregon Senate Bill 546

  Oregon, United States

  Team Oregon supported legislation introduced by Senator Vicki Walker that required motorcycle rider education before a new endorsement could be issued.

  Outcome. The bill was signed on July 23, 2009, and its age-based requirements were fully phased in by January 1, 2015.

  Source

• 2009Support mandatory rider education legislationStrategy

  Oregon policymakers were responding to concerns about motorcycle fatalities and the role of rider judgment and skill in preventing serious crashes.

  What changed. Team Oregon supported Senate Bill 546, which required new motorcycle endorsement applicants to complete approved rider education through a phased implementation.

  Aftermath. The bill became law after being signed on July 23, 2009, and the requirement was fully phased in by January 1, 2015, increasing the importance of Team Oregon's training courses in the licensing process.

  Source
• 2008Resolve Motorcycle Safety Foundation copyright litigationOther

  The Motorcycle Safety Foundation alleged that Team Oregon's curriculum development involved unauthorized use of its instructional materials.

  What changed. Team Oregon and Oregon State University resolved the lawsuit through an out-of-court settlement.

  Aftermath. The available reference confirms the settlement but does not provide its terms or describe specific curriculum changes.

  Source

• 2006Motorcycle Safety Foundation copyright lawsuitControversy

  The Motorcycle Safety Foundation alleged that Team Oregon and Oregon State University used its copyrighted materials in creating Team Oregon's motorcycle-training program. The litigation was filed in federal court in December 2006 and concluded with an out-of-court settlement in December 2008. The available reference does not state the settlement terms.

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• 2015Motorcycle endorsement education requirement becomes fully phased in

  The age-based implementation of Oregon's mandatory rider-education requirement reached its final phase, making course completion applicable to all new motorcycle endorsement applicants covered by the law.

  Regulation
  Source
• 2009Oregon signs motorcycle rider-education mandate

  Oregon Senate Bill 546, supported by Team Oregon, was signed by Governor Ted Kulongoski. The measure created a phased requirement for new motorcycle endorsement applicants to complete approved rider education.

  Regulation
  Source

1. Team Oregon
2. Team Oregon official website