Motorcycle Training in the USA?

[Jake-Suzuki GSXR 750 K7]

To all,

In america what kind of tests do you have to pass before getting your license?

In the UK we have to complete the following:

• Compulsory Basic Training (CBT) - this is what you need to complete to start riding a motorbike for the first time and it just includes the basics. Expires after two years.
  
  Theory test - This consists of 50 multiple choice questions on everything from bike handling to road conditions ETC. Then straight after a Hazard Perception Test will begin. This consists of 14 video clips showing various hazards, and you are marked by how early you notice a hazard and if you notice how it developes to affect your riding, for every clip the maximum is 5 for seeing it as early as posible down too 0 for not seeing it at all (in one clip there are two hazards your marked on) To pass you have to get 43 or more right on the Multile choice questions and for the hazard peception it is 44 and above out of 75.(Completing this allows you to take your Practical)
  
  Practical test - This is either on a 125cc or 500cc, depends if your having your full or standard license. This consists of the examiner taking you down different roads meeting different hazards. You will then be taken to a narrow road (with traffic) and be asked to complete a U-turn in the road without putting your feet down showing your in control at all times. Also you will be asked to walk the bike doing a U-turn. Then you will be asked to do an emergency stop and about 30mph, quite simple but you have to remember to indicate, then change gear and make rear observations after you have stopped or you fail. Also throughout the test you will be watched to make sure you are maing correct observations, life savers etc and your position in the rode is correct. To pass this you have a maximum of 15 minor faults you can make before failing, a minor would be classed as not checking you mirror before slowing or accelerating. If you get 5 minors for the same thing it become a serious fault - resulting in a fail. Also if you dont check your blind spot (lifesaver when leaving a rounderbout or turning right from a main road then you will fail automatically.
  
  Considering you do all of this right you pass
  
  So what is the training like in america? Is it similar to what i have to do?
  
  Ride safe,
  
  Jake.

[Fast Eddy B]

Good question. I've done the above, direct to a bike 46.6 hp or above for a full license.

The training is good, but Euro concerns are making it even more strict coming October.

One drawback is the lack of (any speed) countersteering, emergency direction changing.

Good question.

[big_ry_ry]

Each state has their own set of laws.

Stating that in NY we have a 20 question test to recieve your permit.
After your permit you have to have I believe 20 hours on your bike before you can schedule your road test. My road test was a right turn, another right turn pull over and park. Two right fiqure 8's and two left. Then contiunues forward made a right on the main road and then another right to take me back to the starting point.

The whole time the DMV examiner is in a vehicle that you supply with someone else with a MC license driving the car. The whole process lasted 10 minutes at most..

Here in NY you can not ride alone with your permit, some states allow you. Here you must be accompanied with a licensed rider(on another bike)
But a lot of people here in ny don't even have a license and still ride. My brother did this for about 5 years. No license, but bought a bike (drove it home from a dealer) and had insurance.. He did get his MC license in Japan but NY did not recongnize it. In Ny it is only driving out of class, so it is basically a ticket and you continue riding.

Any other question feel free to ask!

Oh unless you take your road test on a trike you have no restrictions on what bike you can ride. If you take the test on a trike then you are restricted to trikes.

[Johnj]

Seems to me there were no motorcycle endorsement in Missouri when I started riding, but when I renewed my license in 1976 they just put it on there. I moved to Kansas about 1979 and they made me test to get the endorsement. 20 questions and a little ride.

[dean owens]

as has been said, every state is different. i can tell you what i did. in north carolina i went in and took the written test that gave me my permit. it was 20 questions. with my permit i was allowed to ride any time of day or night, on any road and by myself - as long as i didn't leave the state.

i don't think there is any delay or hours needed on your motorcycle before taking the road test. and i have no clue what the road test is. from what i've heard, it's very difficult and even experienced riders need to take a smaller bike to the dmv to take it or they will have a difficult time passing.

what i did was take a motorcycle safety course. it was three days. first day was all classroom. watching videos, reading, and discussion. day two started on a motorcycle. we started just learning the friction zone of the bike. by the end of the day we were doing various riding exercises. we then went back to the classroom for the rest of the day for more videos, reading and discussion. day three was back on the bikes. we continued to build on what we learned the previous day. it ended with a "road" test. there were 4 exercises.
1 - a tight figure 8
2 - "emergency" swerve and stop
3 - a quick stop
4 - can't remember this one completely but i think it was taking a decent turn without hitting the breaks, letting off the throttle or going outside of the lines.
each mistake is a certain number of points. if you get 21+ points then you fail.
i'm sure some of the instructors can clear some of that up better.

after that, it was back to the classroom for a written test.
after passing both of those i got a little card. i took the card, my learners, and my old license to the dvm and got my new license with my motorcycle endorsement. i have no restrictions on what bike i can ride - this is where common since should kick in. like not starting off with a 600cc+ sport bike.

[Brackstone]

One drawback is the lack of (any speed) countersteering, emergency direction changing.

Good question.

Wait the practice in the Europe doesn't involve speed, countersteering, and emergency direction changing???

[Fast Eddy B]

One drawback is the lack of (any speed) countersteering, emergency direction changing.

Good question.

Wait the practice in the Europe doesn't involve speed, countersteering, and emergency direction changing???

I can only speak for my training in the UK. To get an any-sized bike license I did a thing called DAS. DAS right now is unregulated by the DSA (Driving Standards Agency), but the test is set by them. Countersteering was not mentioned by MY instructor. It was not necessary in order to pass the test. The story I was told was that the further out in the sticks you get, the more the examiner will require the finer points of cornering and road positioning, while in London you need to save your "O Ring" from becoming roadkill.

Soon, Euro regulations will require something like the 'offset weave', but may not HAVE to include the idea of countersteering. Some instructors already do, more will likely start, as far as being regulated...we'll see. the new regs are totally changing the face of testing, as somethings like 40 brand new test centres will open in October, and up to a hundred smaller ones will close. They need to have a parking lot sized space to do the 'weave' and higher speed emergency stop (from 31+ mph).

Pardon my parentheses, but by (any speed) countersteering, I meant high/lo....any...at all. Clear? No? Good.

[storysunfolding]

Most state's have a knowledge test paired with the alternative motorcycle operator skills test (Alt-Most). Here's an outline of the Alt-most
http://www.webbikeworld.com/motorcycle- ... ycle-test/

However, in some states you can take the Motorcycle safety foundation's Basic Rider Course which has 5 hours classroom and 10 hours of range time as a minimum as a way to bypass the skills test or in some states both tests in getting your license.

In Va- it's a 25 question multiple choice test, and the altmost at the DMV or complete a BRC in the state of VA.

[Brackstone]

One drawback is the lack of (any speed) countersteering, emergency direction changing.

Good question.

Wait the practice in the Europe doesn't involve speed, countersteering, and emergency direction changing???

I can only speak for my training in the UK. To get an any-sized bike license I did a thing called DAS. DAS right now is unregulated by the DSA (Driving Standards Agency), but the test is set by them. Countersteering was not mentioned by MY instructor. It was not necessary in order to pass the test. The story I was told was that the further out in the sticks you get, the more the examiner will require the finer points of cornering and road positioning, while in London you need to save your "O Ring" from becoming roadkill.

Soon, Euro regulations will require something like the 'offset weave', but may not HAVE to include the idea of countersteering. Some instructors already do, more will likely start, as far as being regulated...we'll see. the new regs are totally changing the face of testing, as somethings like 40 brand new test centres will open in October, and up to a hundred smaller ones will close. They need to have a parking lot sized space to do the 'weave' and higher speed emergency stop (from 31+ mph).

Pardon my parentheses, but by (any speed) countersteering, I meant high/lo....any...at all. Clear? No? Good.

Dang,

Thanks for sharing that information Eddy. I thought countersteering was a must know for any motorcyclist. I'm surprised they'd only teach it to some people based on location.

I kind of understand their thought process. We don't teach doctors how to launch rockets cause they aren't going into space. But still I think when it comes to motorcycling it's not scalpes and stratosphere it's more like apples to apples. (which is a fantastic game btw)

[Jake-Suzuki GSXR 750 K7]

The tests in the UK are further getting harder. This year they are going to introduce new Standards in October, issued by the Driving Standards Agency (DSA)

The new EU standards set extra and more demanding special manoeuvres that must be included in every practical motorcycling test. These new standards include:

- at least two manoeuvres being carried out at slow speed, including a slalom
- at least two manoeuvres being carried out at higher speed, of which one manoeuvre should be in second or third gear, at a speed of at least 30 km/h (18.6 mph) and one manoeuvre avoiding an obstacle at a minimum speed of 50 km/h (31.1 mph)
- at least two braking exercises, including an emergency brake at a minimum speed of 50 km/h (31.1 mph)

Nothing major but making it more demanding for younger riders ensuring safety on our roads. I also hear word that they will be increasing the multiple choice questions even further, already gone up from 35 in 2006 to 50 in late 2007.

Dean owens

You said:

i have no restrictions on what bike i can ride - this is where common since should kick in. like not starting off with a 600cc+ sport bike.

Does this mean you can ride any bike under 21? Or do you have to still have restrictions if you pass your test at 17? For example, power not exceeding 33bhp for the first two years?

big_ry_ry

You said:

Oh unless you take your road test on a trike you have no restrictions on what bike you can ride. If you take the test on a trike then you are restricted to trikes.

The same question applies to you as did dean above. If you pass on a motorbike at 17 is there any restrictions?

Thanks for the replies.

Ride safe,

Jake.