[fnovax]

I really want to get a motorcycle..but I absolutely have no idea where to start.

None of my friends and family members own a motorcycle.

How do you get a permit or a license if you don’t have a motorcycle to practice with?

Do people generally buy new bikes after they get their license?

[megaspaz]

In cali, to get a permit, you just go to the DMV and take the motorcycle written test. Then you can legally ride a motorcycle in daylight without a passenger and not on the highways. To get that converted to a license, you take the dmv practical riding test. There’s a way to bypass the DMV practical and that’s to pass the MSF BRC course.

Without a permit, you can pass the MSF BRC and get an orange slip. Then you can go to the DMV and take the written test to get your M1.

I bought new. All my bikes were bought new. I’d say it’s more likely that most people probably buy used though.

[eternal05]

The very first thing you do is take a sanctioned Motorcycle Safety Foundation (usually referred to as “MSF”) course. The rest of your questions will be answered by:

https://bestbeginnermotorcycles.com/beginner-motorcycle-guide

[Jay T]

Take the course before you do anything. You will have a better idea of what motorcycle and equipment you want after the course. One thing that gives me the willies on a weekend that I teach is to hear, “I have a $45k Harlondazuki Custom Shiner waiting for me at the dealership”. Then to have that same person show up in $1200 of ill fitting fashion motorcycle gear Sat. morning for riding. OUCH!!! What if they don’t pass?? Worse yet, What if they get through the class and decide motorcycling is not for them? In Co. the course cost $195-$350 for a weekend of hard work and discovery. I have also seen people get all the way through a class, ride well, pass the ridden evaluation with a great score and decide not to ride. You don’t need any fancy equipment or a motorcycle to take the MSF class. As a side note, In Co. the DMV also takes our written test for the state part. So all the student has to do is take their certificate to the DMV, pay them $16 and get their picture taken.

Jay T.
http://www.ridesafe.today.com

[japac1]

Agree. I had NO motorcycle experience prior to the BRC. Obviously, I didn’t own a bike. But I took the course, which waives your having to actually take a riding test at the DMV (still no need to own a bike), then after I got the endorsement, I searched for a cheap, good used bike to practice with. Found a good deal and started riding. Went to the local dealers to look for gear before touching the bike….Good luck

[WeaponZero]

In PA, getting your Class-M restricted license (motorcycle learner’s permit) HAS to be the very first step you take. You can’t even sign up for the MSF course if you don’t have it.

After that, you have to sign up for the MSF course which in PA usually has a 2-4 month waiting period. It’s free though .

Completing the MSF Beginner’s Rider Course will upgrade your learner’s permit to a full license without having to take any tests at the DMV. It will also make you eligible for an insurance discount on your motorcycle insurance, though it isn’t much. In my case the discount was a whopping $1.75 a month, of course considering my insurance payment (full coverage) was only $29.00, can’t complain.

The hard part in PA is what do you do during the 2-4 months in between when you got your permit and when you take your MSF course? Do you let the bike gather dust or do you take it to a parking lot and practice basic maneuvers, or more? That is entirely up to you. Personally I feel that you should get comfortable with the clutch/shift technique to get it rolling from a dead start, but that’s it. There were numerous people in my MSF riding course who were asked not to return for day 2 because by the end of day 1 they still had not grasped how to shift properly and how to get it rolling from a dead stop. You don’t want to be one of them.

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