The three Q-Ride courses, pre-learner, restricted (RE) and unrestricted (R), form a holistic competency-based training and assessment program. The courses are delivered by Q-Ride training providers, accredited by TMR.

You must undertake the Q-Ride courses to progress through the motorcycle licensing system if you live within a 100km radius of a Q-Ride training area.

Pre-learner course
The Q-Ride Pre-Learner Course is designed to help you gain basic riding knowledge and motorcycle handling skills in a safe environment before learning to ride on the road.

Designed for people with no riding experience, the course is conducted entirely off-road encompassing theory elements, demonstrations, coaching and riding practice. The course covers the basics of riding including protective gear, riding curves, controlled braking and good roadcraft.

The course aims to ensure you have the knowledge and skills to manage routine riding situations under supervision, to instil good riding attitudes, and to minimise the likelihood of harm due to inadequate riding knowledge or skills.

Restricted (RE) course
The Q-Ride Restricted (RE) Course is designed to help you further develop your riding knowledge and skills.

Designed for people who have completed the pre-learner course and have some riding experience, the course is split between off-road and on-road activities. The course reviews and builds on the pre-learner course to further develop your knowledge and skills.

The course aims to ensure you have the knowledge and skills to manage riding situations unsupervised, to reinforce good riding attitudes and to minimise the likelihood of harm due to inadequate knowledge, skills, or risk management.

Unrestricted (R) course
The Q-Ride Unrestricted (R) Course is designed to reinforce your riding knowledge and skills, and further develop your higher order cognitive skills and risk management strategies.

Designed for people who have completed the restricted course and have significant riding experience, the course is conducted predominantly on-road. After an off-road check to ensure you can safely be taken on-road, the course consists of on-road riding interspersed with stops to provide coaching and discuss safe riding behaviours and strategies.

The course aims to enhance and reinforce your riding knowledge and skills to effectively manage riding situations on a more powerful motorcycle, to reinforce good riding attitudes and to minimise the likelihood of harm due to inappropriate riding skills, behaviours or risk management.

Completing a Q-Ride course
When you have demonstrated all of the competencies for the course, the Q-Ride training provider will issue a Q-Ride competency declaration. Your training provider may notify TMR directly that you have successfully completed the course, or may tell you to present the competency declaration at a driver licence issuing centre.

If your Q-Ride training provider notifies TMR directly that you have successfully completed the restricted or unrestricted course you may be eligible to upgrade your licence online at www.qld.gov.au/transport.

A Q-Ride competency declaration is not a licence. You must apply for and be issued the relevant motorcycle licence (learner, restricted or unrestricted) before you are authorised to learn to ride or ride that class of motorcycle unsupervised.

What to wear
To undertake a Q-Ride course you must wear :
• A helmet that complies with the Australian standards (AS/NZS1698 or AS1698), or the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe standard (ECE 22.05).
• Eye protection.
• Gloves providing appropriate protection.
• Long sleeved shirt or jacket.
• Long pants that completely cover your legs.
• Fully enclosed shoes or boots.

Your Q-Ride training provider may supply protective gear for the course.

What to ride
You must undertake a Q-Ride course on a two wheeled motorcycle that is not a moped. You will not be able to do a course on a trike as you cannot demonstrate all of the competencies required, as you could on a two-wheeled motorcycle.

If you are undertaking the pre-learner or restricted courses the motorcycle must be a learner approved motorcycle. If you are undertaking the unrestricted course the motorcycle must not be a learner approved motorcycle.

Q-SAFE riding tests
The Q-SAFE riding tests are designed to evaluate a person’s ability to ride safely and correctly, in different road situations. There are two Q-SAFE riding tests, one to obtain a class RE provisional or open licence and one to obtain a class R provisional or open licence.

You can undertake a Q-SAFE riding test, as an alternative to a Q-Ride course, if you live outside a 100km radius of a Q-Ride training area.

The requirements that apply to Q-Ride courses regarding what to wear, and what to ride also apply to the Q-SAFE riding tests.

Information on this page is sourced from: Queensland Motorcycle Riders' Guide  Department of Transport and Main Roads, October 2016