learner's permit

[i2kdave]

So, I signed up to take the safety course and it was full until October 10th and I thought I was going to have to wait until then to start riding, but I found out yesterday that in North Carolina you can get a learner's permit by taking the written part of the test! I looked over the book last night and went this morning and passed! Gonna start riding tomorrow as soon as this tropical storm blows over. :2tup:

[Moedad]

It's the same here in CA. Have fun and BE SAFE!

Originally Posted by i2kdave

So, I signed up to take the safety course and it was full until October 10th and I thought I was going to have to wait until then to start riding, but I found out yesterday that in North Carolina you can get a learner's permit by taking the written part of the test! I looked over the book last night and went this morning and passed! Gonna start riding tomorrow as soon as this tropical storm blows over. :2tup:

[Dupo]

Same in Pa too.

You cant do the MSF without a permit. You woulda been screwed!

[alanmcorcoran]

Check the rules on the permit. In CA no riding at night, no riding on highways and no passengers. I kind of figured the passenger thing, but I didn't realize the other limitations until I went on-line to confirm my suspicions on the passenger thing.

Later on I noticed it said it right on my permit. Yeah, I'm not too bright.

Never got stopped when I was accidently illegally riding at night, but boy did I see a lot of cops. They had just passed a new cell phone law out here, the state is teetering on bankruptcy and the LEO's were out in force.

[i2kdave]

You cant do the MSF without a permit. You woulda been screwed!

They don't require a permit to take the class here.

Check the rules on the permit. In CA no riding at night, no riding on highways and no passengers. I kind of figured the passenger thing, but I didn't realize the other limitations until I went on-line to confirm my suspicions on the passenger thing.

The only restriction mine has is the no passenger thing.


The guy at the DMV made sure to tell me not to go driving into SC, because they won't honor our permit. I guess either they don't have learner's permits, or they just don't like ours. :roll:

[Jer]

IA has the permit but you have to be within 1000' of a licensed rider at all times.

[Dupo]

Originally Posted by i2kdave

The guy at the DMV made sure to tell me not to go driving into SC, because they won't honor our permit. I guess either they don't have learner's permits, or they just don't like ours. :roll:

They probably can't read it :neener:

[k13fer]

I'm on my permit too i just got my bike... friday? yeah friday and i'm waiting on a notary and license plate then I'm on the streets. in ohio we just take a safety course and they waive our maneuverability test for 60days. do they do that other places too?

[patrick_777]

In Oklahoma, if you take the MSF class, they waive the driving skills test altogether. You just take a written exam.

[alanmcorcoran]

California has a written to get the permit. The written is not super difficult. Some of the answers are common sense and some you can guess at (and there's not that many questions.) I took it after skimming the handbook in line and got just enough right to pass on the first try. They give you three tries. The sense I got is no one has ever left the DMV building without a permit. The permit allows you to do practically anything a license does, except as noted above: no night time, no freeway, no passengers.

To get the full license you either have to pass the DMV ride test or the MSF course test. You have a year from the time you get the permit to get this done. If you take the MSF course, they also have a written test. There's a lot more questions on it (50), but it's even easier than the DMV written. They give you a version of the DMV ride test at the end of the third day. Only two people in my MSF class of 12 did not pass, one of which fell off the bike and could not continue. Even if you fail the MSF, they will let you come back and retake the test. As noted in a related thread, there was only one tricky part of the rider test involving tight U turns. If you pass the test, they mail you a piece of paper (DLR 389, I think) and then all you need to do is bring it to the DMV and you are licensed.

When I asked around myself about the licensing details, I found out a lot of motorcycle enthusiasts started on dirt bikes as kids and many either rode unlicensed for years (or are still riding unlicensed.)