Total Motorcycle Community Forums

Yeah your probably right. The legislators that would make such laws would probably no nothing about biking and make silly regulations.

UberC wrote:I dunno I guess maybe restrict the size of the bike and where you can ride it at first...

You're talking about licensing in most European countries. Britain restricts new riders to bikes less than 33hp. You can buy any larger bike but must restrict it to 33hp. For me I think 33hp is plenty enough for a new rider.

Alas, what makes sense in Europe does not make it over the pond.

Again I think that drivers should also be restricted to what car or SUV they can buy as well since where I am I see many who don't know how to handle daddy's beemer or their huge land yachts.


NY is tame with regards to such laws. In Indiana there's a special tax that only motorcyclists are subject to which will help fund spinal and brain injury research. And Denver, CO has a law that restricts motorcycles to their stock exhaust pipes, even if the aftermarket pipe is quiet. Cars and trucks are not targeted by this law some of which can be loud as hell.

i got my permit back in early june, took the MSF riders crourse in august and 3 weeks later now, i recieved my waiver from the course and have my license......

In Pa. if you are already licennced to drive a car there is only one question.

Do you have $10?

Gees. Australia seems to have the hang of things. Until about a year or two ago they had a law in that said you arent allowed to learn on anything more powerful than a 250cc bike.
The newer law now states however that you are allowed to ride any 250cc bike and there is a list of lowever powered bikes 250cc - 650 that you are also allowed to ride. The power to weight ratio is 150kw/tonne.
seems pretty fair to me.

The only problem is that there is no exceptions at all for cruisers ... so if you want to learn on a decent cruiser, 650 is your limit here =P. It keeps us safer though id say.

Notorious_Nick wrote:Gees. Australia seems to have the hang of things. Until about a year or two ago they had a law in that said you arent allowed to learn on anything more powerful than a 250cc bike.
The newer law now states however that you are allowed to ride any 250cc bike and there is a list of lowever powered bikes 250cc - 650 that you are also allowed to ride. The power to weight ratio is 150kw/tonne.
seems pretty fair to me.

The only problem is that there is no exceptions at all for cruisers ... so if you want to learn on a decent cruiser, 650 is your limit here =P. It keeps us safer though id say.

Probably better off, those learner cruisers are cramped, at least that's how I felt on my GZ250.

Just had to add to this post. It has been a LONG time since I took my driver's licence permit test so I don't know what the questions are or how many are on the test. in PA my class "m" permit was 20 questions mostly about controling the bike in certain situations. Then of course the MSF license skills test took about 10 min. Here's on for you. I also have a Truck Drivers license (CLD Class A (Tractor Trailer) Here is how it went permitt test : 250 questions about anything and everthing regarding a truck (big Rig) control, pre trip inspection, how air breaks work, how to adjust them. ect....... That was just the permitt test. then you have the skills test: 1: drive the tractor trailer in a straight line (backwards and forwards. 2: Inspect the truck (this takes about 15 min) Here's a fun one for you: Backwards Sepentine!!!! (this is a Tractor Trailer we're talking about) Then a 1 hr road test!!!!!!!!!!!! All of that to get my Truck Driver's license. I guess what I'm getting at is In PA the state seems to design there licensing test to fit what you will be driving, I do however, feel that people going for their regular drivers license SHOULD take a road test!

Seetrout wrote:In Pa. if you are already licennced to drive a car there is only one question.

Do you have $10?

It's only $5 here.

They should have mandatory defensive driving courses for all licensees. Then the motorcycle test could be the motorcycle test, and not cover basic traffic ground. Not to mention also that the hordes of drivers who presently are not competent on modern busy roads would have their skills increased for the benefit of all (especially bikers) - or be rightly culled out or have restrictions placed on their licenses. Everyone would be safer and their insurance premiums would drop too.

I also found the NYS written test wide of the mark, especially because of a lot of technical alcohol questions that had nothing to do with anything (unless one carries an blood alcohol tester around with him when he drives).

p.