Question

[Kromm]

I have been trying to talk my wife into learning how to ride for years. She now has deiced that she wants a Trike so she won't have to learn how to ride and get an Class M endorsement (we live in Ca. where a regular Drivers License is all you need for a Trike)

We are planning a cross county trip (after she retires in about 2 yrs) and I have told her she is still going to need to take the MSF course and at least get the endorsement in case she gets pulled over in another state that requires a Motorcycle endorsement for a trike. She disagrees and says since we live in Ca, all she needs is her drivers License. I have told her that when in another state, you have to follow their rules. She will be considered as driving without a License.

This is a disagreement that we have had for a while. Today she told me that if I make a post on the forums about this, she will abide by what everyone says. So I am asking for everyone's opinion on this for her.

So PLEASE help me out.

 

[ShawnKing]

So PLEASE help me out.

I wouldn't argue with her about that aspect of it. I'd tell her she needs to take the MSF class simply for safety's sake. Riding a bike or a trike *isn't* the same as driving a car. Taking the MSF course at least familiarizes her with the issues riders face.

Good luck!

 

[charismaticmegafauna]

<snip>...She disagrees and says since we live in Ca, all she needs is her drivers License. I have told her that when in another state, you have to follow their rules. She will be considered as driving without a License. So PLEASE help me out.

In the movie: "World's Fastest Indian" Burt Munro got stopped, speeding with his streamliner, in Nevada -- he got away with: "It's registered in New Zealand....".

 

[SouthernCruizer]

My $.02 worth. Many states require you to get a state drivers license when you move there within 30 days. They usually start the clock when you have an "event" that meets the requirements of citizenship, such as buying a home or setting up home via rental, applying for any state benefits or licenses, or registering to vote there. If you are just passing thru or visting for a short interval, then that state would honor your current home state drivers license. Of course, you would be required to follow their road rules, regardless of what your home state's rules are.

So...wife 1

hubby 0

 

[Toecutter]

You can get crunched on a trike just as fast as you can get crunched on a bike. I would seriously reconsider putting somebody on one that thinks it's just like driving a cage.

That said, I'd never encourage my wife to learn to ride, having seen her drive....

 

[bramfrank]

Due, you need a change of attitude. First of all you're planning on RIDING, not DRIVING. Riding is a state of mind. Driving is an activity.

Also, the MSF is a great course, but as others have said, if your state doesn;t require a moto endorsement, then you can feel free to travel anywhere in North America - there is reciprocal recognition of license privileges across Canada and the United States.

 

[user 213]

I don't believe the license is a problem. The MSF is very worthwhile though. She needs to learn how necessary it is to pay attention to things when she's on a bike or trike.

Has she actually ridden a trike? It's much more of a work out than riding a bike. You have to steer them, and it takes more effort than a car.

Then there is the cost factor. In CA you can score a Can Am Spyder for about $13,500-$15k. Almost any decent motorcycle based trike is going to cost a lot more, $20-40k range. If money isn't an issue, go with the Lehman Gold Wing trike. Lehman also offers HD and Victory trike kits, with the Victory ones being the low end of the budget. Very nice quality and outstanding customer service.

 

[charismaticmegafauna]

Has she actually ridden a trike? It's much more of a work out than riding a bike. You have to steer them, and it takes more effort than a car.

Of the few things I've heard about the CanAm Spyder, one is: they are a work-out to steer those two front wheels.

Maybe?, a Piaggio MP3 would be the way to go?

'Kromm': She now has deiced that she wants a Trike so she won't have to learn how to ride

What....??

Then there is the cost factor. In CA you can score a Can Am Spyder for about $13,500-$15k. Almost any decent motorcycle based trike is going to cost a lot more, $20-40k range. If money isn't an issue, go with the Lehman Gold Wing trike. Lehman also offers HD and Victory trike kits, with the Victory ones being the low end of the budget. Very nice quality and outstanding customer service.

I actually looked at the Lehman site (because I knew that they make, relatively?, inexpensive Suzuki 800cc model) -- only to find that many (most) of their trikes aren't for sale in CA.... :blink:

 

[user 213]

FWIW, you can do trike searches on Cycle Trader. There is a Suzuki Volusia (sp) in Oregon for ~13k.

 

[Tenchi]

I got my license via MSF course because:

a ) it was a piece of cake

b ) I got an insurance discount for doing it

c ) I never turn down the opportunity for better education.

2 and a half days for a wealth of knowledge is not a big price to pay. Wifey is right, she doesn't have to do it, but the benefits of doing it outweigh the costs, especially for a new rider.

And we should all be so lucky that we can find a woman to ride across the country with us... my pillion seat grows dusty from lack of use!

 

[Niehart]

Paging jdog109socal. Please pickup the forum phone.

 

[fjrboomer]

In Ok an M/C license is required for a trike but I am sure they would respect the laws of CA regarding the requirement for a license. +1 on OCfjr regarding the CanAm Spyder as an option as a trike. I rode one in july 07 and it is a great ride. It is not a bike but it will go and handles very well. The only problem is it is awfully quick for a new rider.

Your wife should defintely take the the MSF course as she will learn a lot that will help keep her safe on whatever she rides. Good luck to you and her and enjoy the adventure.

 

[YooperDick]

A person convinced against their will, remains unconvinced.

 

[jzzmusician]

Please have her take the MSF course. You could take it (again) with her. I'm not going to preach about safety, I'll let someone else do that. But have her take the class.

My 16 year old got her driver's license today. I told her that now she "officially" is recognized as being able to operate a car. She said, "dad, it's a *driver's license* not an *operators* license."

I said, "yeah I know."

"Do you know how to pick a line into a corner, what to do if the rear end starts to get away on ice or snow? Do you know when to brake and why?"

I said that knowing how to "drive" was very different from knowing how to "operate" a car.

I promised her that if we have any kind of year here financially, I'll take her down to CA to a drivers school. She can go there and I'll go a motorcycle school.

Education is a good thing.

Bob

 

[user 213]

I said that knowing how to "drive" was very different from knowing how to "operate" a car.
I promised her that if we have any kind of year here financially, I'll take her down to CA to a drivers school. She can go there and I'll go a motorcycle school.

Education is a good thing.

Bob

Absolutely true! You might also consider checking out the SCCA events in your area, or at least closer to home than CA. The Solo II events, (renamed?), are single car runs in a cone course. Speeds are lower and focus is on control. You do have to be a SCCA member, but that's $40 and cheap entrance to the fun. There are also time trials now, which are similar, but at slightly faster speeds w/o being car to car racing. A little investment in time and you and her may have a blast, while increasing her driving skills. Almost any car can be classified for the event. No roll bar, race tires or other expensive items necessary for these classes. Helmet possibly. You can very much take the daily driver out to do this stuff. Sure, it might not be 'optimal', but that's sort of the point here, she will learn to handle the car she drives, and what happens when she does it wrong, and right! Plus she gets to shag cones for half the day, which teaches speed, agility, and giving back to something you participate in.

Linky

 

[Mooseonagoose]

If I had a loved one or even friend that was insistent on a three wheeler, I'd be just as insistent that it be "two-in-front/one-in-back" as in Piaggio, Can Am, T-Rex, JZR, Triking,.... As opposed to a "one-in-front/two-in-back" trike variety! There's a reason off-road 3wheelers got banned! Of the four varieties of rigs [2-wheeled/4-wheeled/& the two 3wheeled types], trikes are the least stable and the 2frt/1rr are perhaps the most stable. I left out sidecar outfits, but they're in a league of their own. Back when the early Morgans were allowed into the sidehack racing game there was a big cry of "foul"; they simply cornered better, and it had nought to do w/ power-to-weight since the hacks were generally lighter. It's just my two pennys worth, but I think "trikes" are just an accident waitin' to happen! ...and as someone else pointed out, particularly if the rider thinks he/she can approach it as if they're driving a cage!

 

[Kromm]

Thanks for all the input..

She has agreed to take the MSF course :yahoo: (which is what I really wanted her to do). We have been riding for over 30 years. She has talked to other lady's that ride and has always shown an interest in learning, but the idea of only 2 wheels kinda sets her back. Her fear comes for over 30 year's ago, after we first got together. I had bought my very first street bike (a Honda 400 4 Super Sport). She was interested even back then on learning how to ride. I took her in my moms LARGE front yard where their was LOTS of soft grass and 1 Tree off to the side, and tried to teach her. Now I know I am no instructor, and I was adapting to a street bike from the dirt myself. Back then the way you learned how to ride was to basically jump on and go. You got some instruction from some one on how to use a clutch and brake, and that was about it. You found someplace to practice that was open and you went to it. Well remember that 1 tree in the side of the yard, she found a way to drive in to it (about 5 mph). She didn't get hurt,and no damage to the bike. I have told her that Instructors today are VERY good, and that there are no trees on there training course .

She is leaning toward the Can Am Spyder. We have been looking at trikes for a while for her. When I get the FJR paid off (Which will be within the next few months). We will make our decision on actually what to get.

Again thanks for the help....

 

[El Toro Joe]

Thanks for all the input.. She has agreed to take the MSF course :yahoo: (which is what I really wanted her to do). We have been riding for over 30 years. She has talked to other lady's that ride and has always shown an interest in learning, but the idea of only 2 wheels kinda sets her back. Her fear comes for over 30 year's ago, after we first got together. I had bought my very first street bike (a Honda 400 4 Super Sport). She was interested even back then on learning how to ride. I took her in my moms LARGE front yard where their was LOTS of soft grass and 1 Tree off to the side, and tried to teach her. Now I know I am no instructor, and I was adapting to a street bike from the dirt myself. Back then the way you learned how to ride was to basically jump on and go. You got some instruction from some one on how to use a clutch and brake, and that was about it. You found someplace to practice that was open and you went to it. Well remember that 1 tree in the side of the yard, she found a way to drive in to it (about 5 mph). She didn't get hurt,and no damage to the bike. I have told her that Instructors today are VERY good, and that there are no trees on there training course .

She is leaning toward the Can Am Spyder. We have been looking at trikes for a while for her. When I get the FJR paid off (Which will be within the next few months). We will make our decision on actually what to get.

Again thanks for the help....

I would go with the Can Am...alot more stable than a typical trike

 

[monk69]

Check with AMA