Yes we have tiered licensing for moto licenses in Ontario. For other parts of Canada I believe it may be different. I know in B.C. (British Columbia) you can ride a motorcycle with your driver’s license. In Ontario (where I live) they instituted the tiered licensing for both drivers and riders. You start by getting your M1 (knowledge test) and then you can do your first level road test. You have to stay in your first level for 60 days before applying for your M2 (next level). Your M2 expires in 5 years so you must do your M2 road test before the expiry date to get your full M license. While in M2, you must be there for 22 months (18 months if you do a ride safety course) before you can ride your road test for the full M license. You also have to give written proof of your riding experience before taking the road test for the full M. Ahhh… to be living in B.C. and riding. However, we can ride any type of bike regardless of the cc, which is not necessarily a good thing because you have some beginners out there who are “over-biked”.
Any other Canucks out there who would like to chime in on this topic, please do. i would be interested to find out if Ontario is the only one with the tiered licensing for motorcycle licenses.