KymcoForum.com
General => General Discussion => Topic started by: mrpackerguy on May 09, 2011, 02:29:50 PM
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In Wisconsin you need a motorcycle endorsement (license) to operate anything over 50cc. Yet, Kymcos 125 models don't look really any larger than the 50cc offerings. Has anyone got pulled over riding a 125cc and ticketed for not having a motorcyle license? I would guess one giveaway riding a 125cc that could be noticeable to law enforcement is perhaps riding too fast.
Also, I assume there is no problem getting a 125cc scooter licensed and titled without a motorcyle license.
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No problem in Indiana getting it licensed and titled. Our state has no issues with taking your money on a yearly basis. My 2007 Agility cost me over 100 dollars to license and register it and it will not go down for another year. Then it pro rates to about 45 dollars yearly in six years. It will cost roughly 450 dollars for 5 years. I bought if for 1000 dollars. Pretty good business, and I forgot to include the sales tax that the state got when it was bought new and again when I purchased it used. And the tax that the dealer had to pay. It adds up. You can bet the cops are looking for their share. They will find you sooner or later. Then you will have to pay court costs and higher insurance on all your vehicles. You will have to pay for impoundment costs. In my case, knowingly riding an unlicensed bike would jeopardise my job. So decide if that is a good road to go down. Too many things to consider so I just got the endorsement and registered it. I sleep better. :)
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I know only one person here in Nashville who was cited for not having the M endorsement. He was stopped for rolling a stop sign in my neighborhood on his Buddy 125. In general practice, it seems that someone has to do something egregiously stupid on a scooter to get the attention of the local cops... I think it hurts their machismo to have to ticket a scooter rider.
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No problem in Indiana getting it licensed and titled. Our state has no issues with taking your money on a yearly basis. My 2007 Agility cost me over 100 dollars to license and register it and it will not go down for another year. Then it pro rates to about 45 dollars yearly in six years. It will cost roughly 450 dollars for 5 years. I bought if for 1000 dollars. Pretty good business, and I forgot to include the sales tax that the state got when it was bought new and again when I purchased it used. And the tax that the dealer had to pay. It adds up. You can bet the cops are looking for their share. They will find you sooner or later. Then you will have to pay court costs and higher insurance on all your vehicles. You will have to pay for impoundment costs. In my case, knowingly riding an unlicensed bike would jeopardise my job. So decide if that is a good road to go down. Too many things to consider so I just got the endorsement and registered it. I sleep better. :)
Actually, not really asking about riding it untutled/unregistered. I've paid the registration fees and license plate fees and all that. Asking about riding a scooter larger than 50cc without a motorcycle endorsement on your DL, even when such scooter looks like a 50cc and whether anyone has been stopped in such a situation. Madison is a big college town, so there are TONS of scooters everywhere.
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I have not been pulled over for driving without a motorcycle license. That is because I have a license.
Why the need to cheat the system? Are you weighing the cost of getting a license vs. getting a ticket for riding without a license?
Sign up for a motorcycle safety course and learn the proper way to handle a bike.
Most courses will take care of the motorcycle riding test and written test too.
They are a fun way to spend a weekend.
Be safe, be legal.
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I have not been pulled over for driving without a motorcycle license. That is because I have a license.
Why the need to cheat the system? Are you weighing the cost of getting a license vs. getting a ticket for riding without a license?
Asking out of curiosity more than anything else. I just got a Agility 50 after agonizing over that vs a good used Suzuki 250 for the same amount of $$. In the end, it came down to the license issue, the fact I haven't ridden a motorcycle for 30 years, and I guess also because the wife and kid said they would enjoy it, though I can't get my wife on it to save her life. There are courses as you mention at the local tech college and at the Harley dealer ($200 vs $400), but the times aren't convenient enough right now.
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I have an unlimited mc license.
But looking for riders without license is one of the favorite pastimes of our officers.
Roughly what can happen to adult criminals:
1st fine: approx. 1 month's salary
2nd fine: 1.5 month's salary + confiscation of vehicle
3rd fine: confiscation of vehicle + jail (for a lot of money suspended on probation)
(Still milder than "three strikes" in USA)
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I have an unlimited mc license.
But looking for riders without license is one of the favorite pastimes of our officers.
Roughly what can happen to adult criminals:
1st fine: approx. 1 month's salary
2nd fine: 1.5 month's salary + confiscation of vehicle
3rd fine: confiscation of vehicle + jail
(Still milder than "three strikes" in USA)
Interesting. What country are you in. I know the European driving laws and violations are generally stiffer than in USA.
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Sorry, I forgot: Germany
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200 US$ fine. (around 20 % of average monthly net salary here).
Additional stuff for reoccuring offenders.
p.s. I hope that "reoccuring" is English word.
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p.s. I hope that "reoccuring" is English word.
Close. Try "recurring". ;D
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I had the same issue with getting the endorsement. Bought a Kymco Like 50c, kept it 1 week and took it back for the dt300i. I took the 2 day course at $225 and Kymco sent me a $100 VISA Debt card for completing the safety course. I'm very happy with the decision. Now I can keep up with traffic and am legal to ride any motocycle.
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""In Wisconsin you need a motorcycle endorsement (license) to operate anything over 50cc. Yet, Kymcos 125 models don't look really any larger than the 50cc offerings. Has anyone got pulled over riding a 125cc and ticketed for not having a motorcyle license? I would guess one giveaway riding a 125cc that could be noticeable to law enforcement is perhaps riding too fast.
Also, I assume there is no problem getting a 125cc scooter licensed and titled without a motorcyle license.""
You have a wife and kid and you would ask a question of whether you should drive around town on a motorcycle without an endorsement? Do you like spending the holidays in jail so you don't have to eat dinner with the family? Is this a real question?
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Close. Try "recurring". ;D
;D
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The police where I live are taught to look for scooters with 2 rear shocks and moped tags . Some people either remove the badging or rebadge their over 50 cc scooters as 50cc . As far as Im concerned it serves them right when they get caught . JMO .
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I have not been pulled over for driving without a motorcycle license. That is because I have a license.
Why the need to cheat the system? Are you weighing the cost of getting a license vs. getting a ticket for riding without a license?
Sign up for a motorcycle safety course and learn the proper way to handle a bike.
Most courses will take care of the motorcycle riding test and written test too.
They are a fun way to spend a weekend.
Be safe, be legal.
100% agreed.
After arriving in CA I found the licensing steps much more cumbersome than Mid-West. I did make sure to tackle the car and M classifications dually to avoid paying the issuance fee twice. Took the State Motorcycle Safety Course for a little over two hundred that allowed me to bypass the state motorcycle road test. This was worth it as I did not have two wheels available until my scooter purchase last Friday. IMHO the M class keeps you in insurance Co's good grace and safety course is good for reduced rates. Why not simply get the "M" and be safe and done with it?
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I posted this in the Xciting 250 area, but no one ever goes there, so I thought for posterity I better post here too.
I Passed my driving test today here in Indiana. Scary really, as the test isn't just a pushover for a machine with any size. One poor guy, with a Harley, while just parking the bikes awaiting instructions, had it fall over on him. Caught his foot underneath and he couldn't get up. The people with ABATE, who do the testing, had to pick the bike up off him. Prior to my taking the test two guys with big Harleys failed the test. One guy mentioned I could probably make $200 just loaning out the Xciting 250 to guys to take the test today. Despite it being big for a scoot, it is still smaller than a Harley.
Further, many of the tests were timed for points, like being able to accelerate and stop at a given point. Well, honestly that scoot is so quick with acceleration, I could leap from the line and stop in the box in good time. Other guys were just getting their clutch fully engaged when it was time to stop. So despite blowing the U-turn test, my other scores pulled me through.
I like to ride legal, and get the endorsement. Besides, once you have it, I think it stays with you. The smartest thing someone could do is pass the test on your small scooter, and then go buy the bigger bike when you are ready.
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I posted this in the Xciting 250 area, but no one ever goes there, so I thought for posterity I better post here too.
I Passed my driving test today here in Indiana. Scary really, as the test isn't just a pushover for a machine with any size. One poor guy, with a Harley, while just parking the bikes awaiting instructions, had it fall over on him. Caught his foot underneath and he couldn't get up. The people with ABATE, who do the testing, had to pick the bike up off him. Prior to my taking the test two guys with big Harleys failed the test. One guy mentioned I could probably make $200 just loaning out the Xciting 250 to guys to take the test today. Despite it being big for a scoot, it is still smaller than a Harley.
Further, many of the tests were timed for points, like being able to accelerate and stop at a given point. Well, honestly that scoot is so quick with acceleration, I could leap from the line and stop in the box in good time. Other guys were just getting their clutch fully engaged when it was time to stop. So despite blowing the U-turn test, my other scores pulled me through.
I like to ride legal, and get the endorsement. Besides, once you have it, I think it stays with you. The smartest thing someone could do is pass the test on your small scooter, and then go buy the bigger bike when you are ready.
I passed my exam on 30 year old Vespa with non functional front brake. My gf on Kymco Zing 125. :)
The guy with Harley was very optimistic...
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I had a HD Sportster for driving school and test.
I've got the worst bike, because I was the last to join the course.
Japanese and European bikes had already been assigend to the first participants.
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Is it a requirement at the driving class and test to use the bikes available for the class or can a person use their own? I don't plan on EVER riding anything other than *rosie*......and would hate to have to "learn" and test on a bike that 1. I had never driven before and 2. Shift a bike ......
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I think another question to ask is not whether you want to spend time in jail, but if you want to make any family member an accidental caregiver?
By this I mean do you want to force any family member to take care of you - short or long term from any accident injury? I see too many scooter riders on their 50cc bikes riding in Philadelphia without a helmet, while wearing flip-flops, heels or clogs. Also, will your insurance cover you for riding an unlicensed scooter, especially if you injury another person or damage another vehicle?
A rider can be killed in a crash only going 30 mph. I'm in a scooter club of in Philly. A few years back another member lost her toe when she crashed her 50cc doing 35. A 125cc can go faster and is probably heavier.
It bears repeating. Learn to ride safely and get your license. The risk is too great, especially if you have a family.
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Is it a requirement at the driving class and test to use the bikes available for the class or can a person use their own?
In Germany you can use your own bike, if it meets certain requirements (minimum power, displacement and top speed etc.).
But how do you move your own vehicle to the driving school and test center - still without driving license!?
And would you buy a bike without any experience (and of course without test drive)?
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In Germany you can use your own bike, if it meets certain requirements (minimum power, displacement and top speed etc.).
But how do you move your own vehicle to the driving school and test center - still without driving license!?
And would you buy a bike without any experience (and of course without test drive)?
Easy. You can take the learner permit test ahead of time and get your learner permit. Then ride your own bike to the road course classes.
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The only reason I would caution against using your own bike, is that fact that you might drop it during while doing the course. If you use the bikes supplied by the school then if you drop it then it's no big deal. The bikes that they have probably have been dropped numerous times. I would not want to drop my own bike.
That being said...when I took the course in Calif they actually had a 50cc ruckus that they allowed me to use.
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Easy. You can take the learner permit test ahead of time and get your learner permit. Then ride your own bike to the road course classes.
Not every country is USA. :)
This is not possible in most European countries.
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In Indiana you get a permit good for 1 year. I would assume most states are like that, but don't know. On the permit you are not allowed to ride at night or with passengers, and you must take and pass your driving test within one year.
You are allowed to take the test using your own bike that you ride there, though they do have bikes there to use. The day I tested, everyone brought their own bike.
Despite the risk of it falling over, I would rather use my bike, because I know it. Though the thought did occur to me that I sure wish I still had my 1969 Honda 50 or 1974 Yamaha 80 to take the test.
The best thing would be to borrow someone's Can Am Spyder or Ural. Hard to knock those over at low speeds.
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I just completed my ME course on Sunday. I passed the driving skills test with fairly little difficulty, riding one of their 250cc Suzuki baby-Harley knock-offs. I tell you, one of those Can-am 3-wheelers would avoid the main reason for failure (dropping the bike), but it might be awfully difficult to make the 2 U-turns within the 20x40' box that the test required (that's 6x12 meters). That was the only really difficult part of the test (and the only place where I lost points- for putting a foot down :( ).
Honestly, other than how to drive and shift a standard motorcycle, I didn't learn anything at the course that I hadn't already learned in 6-months of riding my 50cc out on the road (things like lane position, situational awareness, braking in a curve, proper cornering, etc.), OR learned from an internet forum (things like wearing proper gear, pre-ride inspections, basic maintenence). I could see that others in the course (the true Newbs) were learning more, and if you want to jump straight from 4-wheels to 2 (especailly with a 150++ size motor), it could save your life. But so can common sense and a healthy respect for the risks you're taking.
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Not every country is USA. :)
This is not possible in most European countries.
That's one thing I wish this forum would do that most others do: post location (if you opt in) under the avatar. So hard to know where everyone is from.
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That's one thing I wish this forum would do that most others do: post location (if you opt in) under the avatar. So hard to know where everyone is from.
MarioG, Cortez and myself are from Croatia, ts1 seems to be Indian living in Germany and everybody else is from USA.
Thats it. ;D
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That are our special driving tests.
Choose a subtest on the left side under "Grundfahraufgaben Kl. A" and look the video / draft.
http://www.fahrtipps.de/motorrad/grundfahraufgaben.php (http://www.fahrtipps.de/motorrad/grundfahraufgaben.php)
1 minor mistake allowed.
And additional ~45 minutes in common traffic from urban over rural twisties and the highway, all must be included.
Imho the dynamic tests (Ausweichen - evasion manoeurvre) need some training on the motorcycle. Pushing the handlebar is quite different between a scoooter with 10" wheel and something much bigger.
The probably most difficult test is hard braking and then evasion. You must switch your mind and hand/foot fast, because if you still pull the brake while trying the evasion...
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I rode a 150 in Kansas for 2 years without an M and never had an issue. In Kansas anything under 130cc is legal with a drivers license and anything under 50cc is a motorized bike and mopeds are legal for anyone over 14. When I got my People 250 I looked into the test centers and local junior colleges for classes. 200-300 bucks for a weekend in a parking lot. So I looked up the test online and its was a breeze. In kansas you can pass an M class test with an 80% on the written 25 question test and with a ride of no more than 30 feet 3 times without putting a foot down or crossing two lines. it took 30 minutes and was real easy with a scoot. Glad I took the test, kansas has a $1000 fine for riding without. Worth getting the Endorsement, I'm betting its easier on your scoot than on anything else. I have lent out my 150 to a few friends to use for their tests.
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Update:
I was using my 50cc Agility as a commuter scooter, but finding that it couldn't climb hills well, or keep up with traffic on 40mph roads. My commute is 12 mi one-way. I didn't feel safe.
Last week I:
- found a good deal on a Super 8 150 with 2000 miles on it;
- got my learner permit
The learner permit is good for 6 months, so I'll probably try for my M license this fall. Now I'm on the lookout for a good deal on a riding jacket. Haven't taken it on the commute yet, but am getting comfortable with it just around my little suburb.