I don’t actually want one but I’m curious about the logistics of it. In my state, you can take the MSF class and that will waive the written and driving test. That’s all well and good. But if I don’t take the MSF course, I can take the written test and get a learner’s permit, just like a motor vehicle license. I can drive my motorcycle as long as I’ve got a motorcycle licensed driver with me. Does that mean that they have to be on the same bike as me? That doesn’t seem very safe for a beginner since the weight of the additional rider will make the bike handle differently.
Assuming that I can’t take the MSF course (none in my area, too expensive, whatever), how am I supposed to get my bike to the testing facility to take the test? I can’t operate it with just a permit and I may not know anyone that has an endorsement or maybe they’re unable to help me because of reasons.
Obviously, the MSF course is the way to go when possible but it seems that there are other obstacles that aren’t necessarily easy to overcome.
When I was growing up in Virginia, they set up cones in a lot and the tester observed the motorcyclist carry out a series of maneuvers. This was the 1980s.
Might depend on the state, but when I got my motorcycle license in CA, a motorcycle learners permit allowed you to ride a bike during daylight by yourself. It’s not like a car learner’s permit.
Putting another rider onto a new motorcycle rider’s bike would be a really bad idea, so I would be surprised if any state had that requirement. Are you sure you actually need a licensed motorcycle driver with you?
Looks like Oregon requires another licensed motorcycle to be with you, but on another motorcycle.
I bet that anybody who actually wanted to learn to ride a motorcycle could contact a local motorcycle enthusiast group that would be more than happy to accompany them on some fun rides for practice. If there’s anything I know about motorcyclists, they love hanging out with other people and riding/talking about their bikes.
When I originally read it, I glossed over the “and who has visual contact with the restricted licensee” and fixated on the “accompanied by” part. So there’s no “backseat rider” requirement, which is good. But there’s also no driving while the sun shines exception, which is bad.
Through some snafu when I renewed my car driver’s license, my new license arrived with car, motorcycle, and commercial class 1. This was thirty some years ago and has remained this way since. I’ve taken advantage of the error a few times.
The TIP is valid for 180 days. While driving on the motorcycle TIP, you cannot ride at night or carry passengers. Also, you must be under the constant visual supervision of a licensed motorcycle operator who is at least 18 years old at all times.
So yes, you’re supposed to be watched by someone with a valid motorcycle endorsement, but that observer can’t be a passenger on your bike; they would need to be on their own bike or in a car.
I actually got my MC endorsement in Minnesota many years ago, and it looks like the rules there haven’t changed since then.
While you are operating a motorcycle with your instruction permit, the following restrictions apply:
You must wear a helmet and eye protection approved by the federal Department of Transportation (DOT) - visit the DOT Website for more information
You may not carry passengers
You may not ride at night. “Night” or “nighttime” means the time from one-half hour after sunset to one-half hour before sunrise
Note that no observer is required in Minnesota.
Having a competent observer accompany a learner is probably more useful these days than it was years ago: there is a plethora of Bluetooth-based helmet-to-helmet comm systems out there (here’s one brand) that allow full duplex communication, i.e. it’s like being on a telephone call. So the observer can critique/warn the learner in real-time, improving safety and learning rate.
A former co-worker of mine was a license motorcycle riding instructor. I attended his 2 hour training class and got my learner’s permit. A few weeks later I rode his Harley around a mall parking lot for a couple hours at 5 am. He signed off on my application and I got my endorsement. He did this for me as a long time friend and he was certain I was the type that I wouldn’t do stupid things on a motorcycle. A few months later I rented a Honda 500 motorcycle for a day and rode with about 20 others to Mt. Rainier and back. This was back in 2004 and I haven’t ridden a motorcycle since. I dropped the endorsement back in 2016 to save $14 on my driver’s license renewal.
I don’t know if this is still the case, but in Toronto in the mid-70’s, Transport had a small setup for driver testing - it was a bunch or roads set up in a window pattern (a crossroads surrounded by a square) and they told you to drive a specific pattern while the examiner watched from the center. (Keele and 401?) There was a traffic light in the center, so they could watch you signal and wait for a light. The one trick was to turn left into a 4-lane road and you had to turn into the inside lane then signal and shoulder-check to get in the outside lane for a right turn.
I managed to learn to ride on the university grounds, which were effectively private property so the regular police didn’t bother me.
Fun fact - you got a special permit to ride your motorcycle to the exam site, but the warning that you could not drive it home afterwards if you failed the test.
Funny thing is - in those days, temporary licenses were hand-written forms. I turned in my moped license permit to get my temporary with the motorcycle endorsement once I passed. Th guy filling out the form didn’t look closely, my moped permit was the same as a auto license except for the endorsement number. I got a temporary that said “card and motorcycle”.
I went out west for a summer job, traded in my temporary for a license in that other province - car and motorcycle. Then when I moved back to Toronto, I submitted that to get an Ontario “car and motorcycle”.
My wife reminds me regularly, when necessary if she doesn’t like my driving, that I have never properly learned to drive a car.
Funny thing - same thing happened to my brother when he moved to Newfoundland one year. His motorcycle license also became a car-and-motorcycle due to clerical error.
I would strongly advise anyone interested in a Motorcycle license to take an pfficial course. You will learn how to handle a bike at low speed properly, how to pick it up if it goes over, how to safely make sweeping turns at speed, etc. There are a lot of ways tomruin your day on a bike. Get training.
I took a three day training course, which included 8 hours on a bile they provided. We did noth closed course and open road work (you needed the learners to take the course). When it was over, they lent you a bike and brought in an examiner and we all took our tests. I think only one person in the class failed.
I am extremely glad I did it. I felt way more confident on a bike afterwards, and I had ridden some motocross bikes when I was young. They also let us try miltiple styles of bikes so we could find out what we liked.
Couldn’t agree more. And after you’ve gotten your license, and ridden for a while, the MSF experienced rider course is incredibly worthwhile. I know people who’ve been riding for decades who take it every few years.