Took the basic rider course as I recommend everyone else to do. Wasnt very difficult, for me it felt like riding a heavy bicycle just motorized. Didnt have the good fortune to drop the bike so I cant say much about emergency procedure but our instructor was very knowledgeable and kept everything running smoothly. If youre on the fence about shelling out the cash I say do it, youre better off being taught how to properly operate the vehicle than to go out there and learn through failure because you might just end up a grease stain on the road. Dress for the slide not the ride.