07-27-2018, 03:35 AM
(07-26-2018, 05:56 PM)Cormanus_imp Wrote: The alternative to people 'going big to start' is the sort of regulation we have in Australia where there are two classes of motorcycle license and you are limited to certain bikes for at least a couple of years and then you have to pass a further test to be allowed to ride large capacity bikes. Some of the LAMs (Learner approved motorcycles) are up to 650cc so they can perform pretty well and I suspect many people who ride motorcycles for commuting or weekend spins don't ever bother getting an unrestricted licence. In my view, it's not a bad arrangement, but there's a moment when the state intrudes to far into these things. It's a matter of opinion where that line is drawn.
When I was in Japan many years ago, the "beginner" class was only up to 100cc. The market for "look fast" mods was huge. I had an friend--a Japanese college student--who had a 100cc Suzuki which looked exactly like a 600cc GSX-R. Only the sound gave it away. Well, that, and it topped out at 100 klicks.
In Utah, you have to pass a written test and a riding test to get a motorcycle endorsement on your driver's license. Most riders just take the foundations course to satisfy the riding test. The size of motorcycle you use to pass the riding test determines your license restriction: 90cc or less, 249cc or less, 649cc or less, 650cc plus = unrestricted. Also, for the first two months, all new riders are considered learners and cannot ride with a passenger, after dark, or on interstates. I think those are pretty reasonable requirements. If I could change anything, it would be learners for six months rather than two months.