I took the class with Jennie's uncle. He said in New Jersey, where he's originally from, the way you get a motorcycle license is sort of the way you can get your driver's license in Ohio after age 18. You take a written test and get a 30-day permit, then you borrow someone's motorcycle and practice, and then take the state-sponsored test.
I can't imagine doing it that way. The class I took was invaluable because it teaches you everything from taking turns while accelerating, quick stops, swerves, low-speed offset weave, high-speed offset weave, small-radius figure eight/U-turn, obstacle traversal, when (and when not to) to use your front and rear brakes. I wouldn't trust myself to learn or be aware of those on my own or even from an experienced rider. The test I took only covered curves, quick stops, figure eight/U-turn, and swerving.
For example, there were other experienced riders in the class that had been riding a little while but never had taken any formal training and were either riding illegally or had just been using dirt bikes. Both of these guys were using their brakes during turns and that is a big no-no when riding a motorcycle. They had no idea and just had been lucky they didn't skid and crash thus far. So they were surprised and thankful to learn about that and correct their behavior.
