Motorcycle...learning to ride? license? i know nothing!?

Question

i am in southern california.

what do i need to do to get a motorcycle license? how do i learn to drive a motorcycle? are there required classes? i drive stick now, i hear it's similar to that? somewhat? i have no motorcycle experience...

my boss' husband had his harley at work on friday, and i fell in love. plus the gas mileage! i want one! i felt too dumb to ask him about how to get a license etc. haha. what's a good starter bike? my first bike will be used i am looking specifically for harleys....

any reccomendations or advice, websites, please share!

Answer 1

Most states DMV's offer a class either for free or very cheap like $20. There are also private classes that are more like $400 for a weekend. The free ones are the best, they provide the bikes and safety equip, you go on Sat and Sun afternoon, at the end of the class they test you and if you pass you don't have to take the DMV test. The DMV test can be very hard if you ahve a bigger bike.

As for buying a bike it would be ideal to try out a few before you buy one. There are some places you can rent bikes and could try out a few different styles and models. As for Harleys unless your going to spend over 10k, your just going to wind up with a sportster and they aren't the best bikes, very rough, with you being a women you mght not like your hands and forearms shaking so much it can get tiring. If you like the Harley style there are many japanese bikes that are easily mistake for Harleys but also are much more reliable and a smoother ride. Hope that helps.

Answer 2

Nobody has mentioned the MSF--Motorcycle Safety Foundation.  You can take a class from them,they even provide the bike.  It's worth every penny.  You can find them through the DMV (they have a brochure there, you don't have to wait in line or anything)>

You get a learner's permit, just like with a car license.  You study the booklet, then take a written test and a riding test.  The riding test is supposed to be hard (it wasn't when I took it but that was  years ago).  If you take the MSF course the riding test is waived.  The written test is mostly about safety and defensive driving, its very different from the car test which is mostly about rules of the road.

Harleys are wonderful machines but VERY EXPENSIVE.  They are very big and heavy, not optimum for a beginner, though many beginners buy them and do okay.  You might want to start on an older Japanese bike, say 5-10 years old.  You're going to be hard on your first bike.  You're going to abuse the clutch, and you might drop it once or twice before you get the hang of it.  If you get an older Japanese bike with a few bruises already on it, after six months or a year you can sell it for about what you paid for it and by then you'll have a better idea of what you want.  Believe me, a Honda or Suzuki or Yamaha is just as much fun, though it might not have the -class- of a  Harley.

A good starter bike is something relatively small.  In SoCal you have to ride a lot of freeways so I'd recommend something around 500-650cc, which is small and light enough to learn on but still has enough 'p**p' to do high speeds on the freeway.  The smallest Harley is the Sportster, which is 883cc or 1200cc.  You can buy a good used one for about $4000 or so.  Not the easiest bike to learn on, but you could do it if you really wanted.

Please remember that half of all motorcycle accidents (and fatalities) are riders in their first year.  So safety should be your primary concern.  That's why the MSF course is a good idea.

Answer 3

This won't answer all your questions but it can't hurt to watch and might expand expectations.  See the proffered video of

product source.  People who want to learn are probably best suited for this classic.

Also, try garagegirls.com if you've got questions.

Answer 4

your local community college will have a training class.  contact the DMV for more info.

Answer 5

if u were in dallas i'd show u myself..... you are looking great in that profile pic

the fact that you drive a stick is a +.... all you need to learn is where the controls are located and the handling.

to get the license all u need is to take the written test and u can take the driving portion at the same place or jsut take a motorcycle safety foundation course and you can of course get an exemption for the driving portion when u complete the course. also u get a discount on your insurance with the course.....

msf.org

Answer 6

Take the MSF class and they will teach you everything you need to know there.

it cost 250 bucks to take it.

and all the buzz about harley's having good mpg I've come to see as fAKE.

but u be the judge. i just dont see how a 700lbs+ bike with a 1200cc engine can give you a good mpg...I've heard some ppl say their harley's give like 60+mpg....not even ninja 500 gives that much.

Answer 7

Contact your local DMV office and ask them to give you names of instructors for the Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) and ask about the Basic Riders Course. this is a full weekend, about half classroom, half practical instruction on an actual working motorcycle.  

Most classes are probably full, from now  to the end of the season, but in CA, you generally have a lot of riding days in every month except january.  

If you take the course and pass, you only need the written test to get your Motorcycle license or endorsement.

No Test on a motorcycle at the DMV, and just to put the cherry on top, it usually gives you a discount on your insurance.  They provide the bikes, but you need a helmet that fits, a good pair of bots that covers the ankles, gloves and a longsleeve shirt, so that you don't get sunburned, or skinned from a fall.

I would suggest a Buell Blast as the training bike of choice for the Harley line, its not an HD, but most of the engines are sourced from HD, and the buell is much lighter than a harley. (360 lbs.)

HD dealers offer a version of the BRC at their shop or afiliated in some way, so you could call and ask them about it.  (name might be riders' edge?) And they may have openings, though it may be expensive, $350-$400?  (Just guessing...)

The issue that screws up many people is learning to shift, because it requires you to use your left foot(gear shifter) your left hand (clutch) and your right hand(throttle) all in finely calibrated actions, to get a bike to move. Meanwhile your right foot is holding you up and helping you balance the bike.  The rest is almost like riding a bicycle but with a lot more power and fun. Some people are never going to be coodinated enough to ride.

If you can successfully hold a car with the clutch on a hill, and let it slip just enough to stay at the top of the hill, then you are way ahead of most beginners. (THOUGH its not recommended to do that in your car.)

Answer 8

not sure about required stuff in the USA..  but classes are the best way to go...    & buy a cheap j*p bike to learn on..  much cheaper to throw down the road than a HARLEY...& all learners thow them down the road.. its part of learning..

Answer 9

You have a few options on how to get an M1 License. First you could Start reading the DMV Motorcycle handbook, take the written test for the permit, have someone teach you to ride around; take the riding portion test at the DMV and hope you pass.

or

You could sign up for an MSF certified class. They will teach you what type of questions come up on the written test. And they teach you the basics of riding a motorcycle. Once you pass the class(it's easy) they give you a certificate and don't have to take the DMV riding test. There are 2 downsides to taking the class. 1st) If you are 21+ the class cost $250 or if your under 21 the class is $150 2nd) the classes are booked for months.

I recommend taking the class unless you are willing to ask your boss to teach you.

Answer 10

Take the MSF course

Answer 11

>>  i felt too dumb to ask him about how to get a license etc. haha.

Don't.  We all have to learn somewhere.

Getting a motorcycle license similar to getting a car license.  You basically

(1) go to DMV and pick up driver/rider's manual

(2) study

(3) go back and take the written test - pass

(4) with the learner's permit practice riding

(5) you might have to take the 5 hour class

(6) take the road test - pass

(7) be happy.

If you already have a driver's license, then you only take the motorcycle section.  After you get your permit, you can take the MSF (motorcycle safety foundation) course.  After the successful completion you will be given a license (no road test).

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>>  my first bike will be used i am looking specifically for harleys....

Just know that large engine bikes are (1) large engine (2) heavy.  So you do NOT get goo gas mileage.  

The first bike should be a junker / beater.  You will drop it 10 time the first day.  So don't get anything new or shiny.

Good Luck...

Answer 12

if your in socal and know were OCC is they have classes there on the weekends and you can use there bikes to take the test at DMV...if you want a harley most girls ride "sportsters"