Vancouver Island’s leading motorcycle training and education facility
About VISC
A History of Safety
The Vancouver Island Safety Council (VISC) is a non-profit organization that is dedicated to providing industry leading rider education and training to Victoria and the South Island community. Starting In the late 1960's, the Safety Council started with the Tom Thumb Safety Program. In 1971, motorcycle training was introduced and added to the Safety Council by several people from the local motorcycle dealerships.
In 1974, the Canada Safety Council (CSC) started a motorcycle training program and VISC became a partner. The CSC manual for motorcycle rider training was based on the one created by VISC. As of today, the Vancouver Island Safety Council's Motorcycle Training Program has helped over 12,000 British Columbia riders develop the skills, knowledge and confidence needed for a lifetime of safe and enjoyable motorcycling.
Focused on Motorcycle Training
Over the years, VISC had gained a solid reputation on Vancouver Island as 'the place' to learn how to ride a motorcycle. In 2012, VISC focused its training and education efforts solely on motorcycle rider training and withdrew from the Tom Thumb Safety and Driver Training programs. Each year VISC introduces over 300 new students to the challenging and exciting world of motorcycle riding.
Our Novice Skills Course exceeds the ICBC certified training course minimum requirements by at least 8 hours, and our two day Traffic Skills Course is the most extensive on-road course of all riding schools in BC. We believe the extra riding time equates to better prepared riders as they gain the confidence and knowledge needed to ride safely and pass their ICBC Road Test.
VISC continually evolves and refines our courses to ensure we are providing our students with the most up to date rider training programs in the province.
Motorcycle Courses
VISC has designed a selection of motorcycle training courses that begin at the entry level for brand new riders wanting to learn how to ride confidently and safely. Following courses continue to build on core skills learned and offer students more advanced riding techniques and how to get the most out of their machines.
Our Novice Skills Course is designed to take brand new riders with little to no riding experience and within a few hours have them confidently riding and maneuvering around multiple different exercises. Students will ride the ICBC Motorcycle Skills Assessment at the conclusion of this course.
Preparing for the ICBC Road Test is the foundation of our Traffic Skills Course. Students get plenty of seat-time, coaching and riding practice in this two day dedicated traffic course, which includes the use of a VISC motorcycle for their upcoming Road Test.
Existing and returning riders can partake in our Rider Refresher Training Course (RRT) or Experienced Rider Course (ERC). Each course offers already fully licensced riders an opportunity to receive instructor training to refine and hone skills that may have been forgotten, deteriorated or never learned at all! Students ride their own motorcycles and will engage in various exercises designed to refresh and refine core riding competencies.
Our Instructors
We are proud to employ over twenty, professionally trained and ICBC licenced instructors who all have a passion to share their knowledge and enjoyment of motorcycling with our students. Each VISC instructor has undergone months of training in our instructor training program before being certified to teach our courses.
First aid , AED and CPR certifications are held by all of our instructors. The result is a dedicated group of well trained, knowledgeable, friendly and professional instructors who love what they do. Just speak with a VISC course graduate and they will be quick to tell you how helpful and fun their VISC instructors were.
If you are a rider with over three years riding experience and are interested in becoming a VISC instructor, please visit our Employment page for details on how to apply to our Instructor Training program.