Sweeeet...

[Slide Panda]

Good for them - too bad this is generally an exception, not the SOP.

[LowThudd]

But, it's not necessary to have that endorsement to purchase, or register a bike... so there's a pretty high number of folks on bikes with no legal endorsements... Yeah. 

Actually, here is CA you are not allowed to register a Bike without endorsment. However, they didn't ask me for mine(only had a permit) recently, or my insurance for that matter, which is also required. WTF??

[ellingly]

Clarification on the Australian laws:
in the Eastern states, we have something called the 'learner approved motorcycle scheme' or LAMS. This is pretty much anything 250cc with the exception of four race-rep 2 stroke 250s, and a fair heap of other bikes with a specific power to weight (150kW/tonne; there are some fudge factors for riders weights; most states also limit LAMS bikes to less than 660 cc). There are lists out there saying what is approved.

There are some interesting anomalies, i.e. bikes legal in some places and not others. But, in general, the lists are the same and plenty of tasty bikes on the list. There was a restricted version of the M620 on the lists; the M600 is LAMS approved too (without restrictions, if I remember correctly). There are also some new bike; Suzuki do restricted versions of the Gladius and the SV650, plus a GSXF650 learner model. Some motards on there, even a Honda RVF400 (not the VFR400 - smaller carbs on the RVF = less lower = learner legal, just).

All in all it's a pretty good system and seems to work ok. It doesn't limit people to tiny bikes that they might not fit on, plus, the market is actually held up so the second-hand prices are good. Sure, you pay a bit buying a bike, but it's very hard to lose money on a learner-legal bike...

That said, I did my licence many years ago and was limited to < 250cc. It was probably a good thing: at 16 I did my best to kill myself on the bike I had then... I might have succeeded with something more powerful.

[Two dogs]

We have a reasonably good system here in Australia ,
 my son and my wife are doing there Learner license course next week.

It is a two day course with both classroom and practical ,bikes are provided on a closed circuit track finishing with a group road ride with instructor.

They will have there learner permit for a year then there are three years on provisional license ,
 the rider must display the L or P plate at all times and must me only ride a motorcycle designated as a LAMS bike or learner approved motorcycle which is on a list and has more to do with power to weight ratio.
So some 600 cc bikes can be used but some 125/250 cc are off the list due to this ratio.
They cannot carry a pillion.
After they obtain their L's I am paying for them to do a riders skill course .

A dealer/finance company cannot sell you a bike that does not comply with your license .

But the major problem here is not the rider but the brainless unobservant aggressive car drivers here
that do not look for bikes don't care about them and cause the majority of incidents ( I wont call them accidents as most of the time it is negligent )

Allowing a novice rider on a powerfull machine is madness , but that said you can get into trouble on
a 250cc at least the skills learnt early may save you once you jump on a serious weapon.

[Betty]

In addition to what Ellingly and Dez have said:

To graduate from your 'L' to 'P' plates requires passing another day of roadcraft practice culminating in a practical exam.

Ooooh I see you'll capitalize the "a" in Australia but not in America.

...but yeah that is a good system.

Agreed, it is a good system ... lower-case for america, upper-case for Australia










Oh, c'mon it was set up beautifully  

[ellingly]

In addition to what Ellingly and Dez have said:

To graduate from your 'L' to 'P' plates requires passing another day of roadcraft practice culminating in a practical exam.

One thing I think is backwards here on the mainland compared to Tassie is back in Tassie I also had to do the course, then 1 hour observed riding on the road before doing the skills test; here it's just rock up to a course(1) then do the skills test(2).

(1) In the ACT you can just do the test, fail it, and get the ACT govt to pay for you to do the course. If you pass, well, no need for the course for you...

(2) Skills test: from a standing start, accelerate to a slowish speed (~20km/h), do a 90 degree turn through a certain sized box, then another turn (no limits) then stop with your front wheel inside a 1m wide, 90cm long box. Take off from that, turn around, stop. Do a cone weave around 5 cones (spacing/offset differs state to state), turn around slowly, do a U-turn in a certain sized box (size depends on state and bike capacity), then stop. Set up for an emergency brake test - accelerate up to between 20 and 30 km/h, then stop in a specified distance. Take off from that, go back to a start point, start and do a swerve (with or without getting back into the 'lane' you would have been in had you not swerved) to a certain side. Points are lost for certain things you do wrong(3).

(3) I passed the skills test perfectly back in the day so I can't remember what the bloody points are!

[Howley]

In WA, for a person with a car license, you could, in theory, show up to the licensing center, sit a test to get your L's, pass, take the practical test and walk out with your restricted (<250cc) license in a matter of hours. Obviously since it's a government run thing that would never happen and you'd need to wait months for your practical test.

The practical is just a ride around with the instructor following, a few right hand turns inside a small area, and a few emergency stops. Nothing to it really.

The procedure is exactly the same to go from restricted to unlimited, although when I did it I didn't need to take the Learner test because I'd already taken it twice before (car license and restricted motorbike).

[monsta]

congrats on the engagement Luke...   

you should bring the monster on this Italian ride...   http://www.perthstreetbikes.com/forum/f32/inaugural-psbmi-meet-up-venue-date-confirmed-93363/

[Howley]

Thanks Geoff! Yeah that ride sound good, I might be able to make it.