[Edawg636]

I was watching Two Wheel Tuesday last night and they had a segment on licensing in Europe. Over there, you can't just hop on any bike and tool around town. At 16, you can ride anything up to 50cc. At 18, you can ride anything under 36 horsepower (how they determine that I don't know). Then after riding that for two years, you are free to ride a real bike. The guy said there is legislation pending that would make it even more restrictive. I believe if you are over 21 you are exempt from these rules, but I'm not sure.

I'm thinking it would be a good idea here in the US just to shut up everyone on here that is always preaching damnation to anyone who starts out on more than a 250 :neener

If anyone else saw the show, did you see that guy going cross country on his R1?!?! They showed him taking that through mud I wouldn't drive a Jeep through and he still had his street tires on. There was one video of him after he walked it through 3 foot deep water and as he cranked it, water was pumping out the exhaust. It finally fired up though! Crazy stuff. They gave a link to a website about it, http://www.r1goesextreme.com/

 

[bumblebee]

When I first started riding on the street, at 16 I got a license good for 175cc and below. At 18, you could get >175cc. Of course, the Horsepower/displacement were no where near what they are today. I believe a tiered system based on experience/horsepower would be workable. I too, have a problem with a first time rider jumping on a 100HP + bike that weighs 400 lbs or a 100HP bike that weighs 700lbs (for those HD types). When I got my pilot's license, I was very restricted on what/when/where I could fly until I demonstrated proficiency and was allowed to move to the next level.

 

[clearwaterms]

progressive licenses will never happen in the United states. other then the Ninja 250, what sport bike makes less then 36 horsepower? and other then a few sub 600cc cruisers what cruisers make less then 36 horsepower?

 

[dennisred69]

Concider the US's way of doing it as population control. Weed out the bad.

 

[Houston_Rider]

The Bike Manufacturers will never allow this to happen.... who would they sell 40% or more of their bikes to?.. unless they come up with a 175cc superbike....

 

[ExtraJ]

it'l never happen here.

 

[ZeuSeason]

I think it would be great. Monday night, someone close to the family lost their life. They bought a 1000RR for their first bike and did not even make their first payment before they totaled it in a fireball and died at the scene. They lost control of their machine so it was 100% the rider's inexperience at fault. Had they had less of a bike, they would have gotton in less trouble and may still be alive today. I believe they were 20yrs old. Their whole premise on motorcycling was 'get the biggest and the baddest'. Once again, the government/state should regulate people's ignorance.

 

[bomma]

progressive licenses will never happen in the United states. other then the Ninja 250, what sport bike makes less then 36 horsepower? and other then a few sub 600cc cruisers what cruisers make less then 36 horsepower?

The tiered system that the thread starter referred to sounds like the one we have in the UK.
Our bike schools use Suzuki gs500's and Honda cb500's for training if you're over 21 I think, under 21 you're limited to smaller bikes.
Also it's quite simple to restrict a bike (and therefore to de-restrict it) to 36bhp, so you can get stuff like cbr6's that are restricted.

And the bike manafacturers don't have a say in it, they produce bikes which will sell, that's why we have tasty small bore bikes that you don't get, like vfr400's, cbr400's etc.

 

[2000NinjaZX6R]

I say do it since I already have my 600 and it won't matter to me anyway. Keep those teenagers off the literbikes and 600's too!

 

[PuffyG]

I think it may be a good idea.

 

[bomma]

I think it would be great. Monday night, someone close to the family lost their life. They bought a 1000RR for their first bike and did not even make their first payment before they totaled it in a fireball and died at the scene. They lost control of their machine so it was 100% the rider's inexperience at fault. Had they had less of a bike, they would have gotton in less trouble and may still be alive today. I believe they were 20yrs old. Their whole premise on motorcycling was 'get the biggest and the baddest'. Once again, the government/state should regulate people's ignorance.

RIP for your family friend.

This is the sort of stuff I read too often on here, either seriously injured or luckily just wrecking their bike.

When I started biking (in England) the rules were different and I bought a Yam rd250 stroker, hadn't a clue how to ride but I was 17 so therefore full of it, knew it all, nobody could give me advice etc etc.....nearly killed myself in 6 weeks, a full face lid saved my life but I ended up in hospital with both arms badly broken.
I'd had no training, and I had to ask my neighbour how to change gear. To my Dads horror I got back on it when my arms healed.

So yeah, I think you should have compulsory training, and restrictions until you've got a clue what these bikes can do. It will save lives.

 

[Edawg636]

I think its a fine line between freedom and safety. I am 99.9% of the time against any government intervention on any level. However, I know that at 28 years old, I can lose my brain at times on my 636. I can only imagine an 18 year old on a 1000. Maybe there should at least be a required safety class before you can roll out of the show room. Something like they have for ATV's.

 

[highkav]

I could agree with a tiered licensing system. It all depends on the way it is implemented. Here in arkansas I think you have to be 18 to get anything over 500cc which is a step in the right direction at least.

 

[mikem317]

I think it would be great. Monday night, someone close to the family lost their life. They bought a 1000RR for their first bike and did not even make their first payment before they totaled it in a fireball and died at the scene. They lost control of their machine so it was 100% the rider's inexperience at fault. Had they had less of a bike, they would have gotton in less trouble and may still be alive today. I believe they were 20yrs old. Their whole premise on motorcycling was 'get the biggest and the baddest'. Once again, the government/state should regulate people's ignorance.

RIP. I don't think a tired system would ever really take off though. I do agree with the logic. Especially brand new riders to liter machines like the R1 which ONLY for experienced riders. I'm scared to death of liter bikes.

I think the premise for "progressive licensing" is good in that is regulates people who are obviously inexperienced in general from operating machinery they are not qualified to operate. I don't think the European laws have any clauses for exceptions, which could be another problem.

 

[eye speed]

Tiered licences? Im all for it. But.... it'll never happen here in the home of the "free" and the land of the terminally stupid.

 

[Jiggly]

I hate it when the goverment tries to protect me from myself (i.e. seatbelts, I wear mine relegiously but I dont feel I should be told to as an adult) On the other hand Progressive licensing would protect other drivers, which in essence is a good thing I guess. I have seen people start out 600 cc SS and up and do just fine. Usually they dont turn out to be as nimble of a rider but as long as they have respect for what they are on it works out.

 

[4real]

i would think its a good start and hope fully lower insurance rates for all

 

[SicR6]

I think its a fine line between freedom and safety. I am 99.9% of the time against any government intervention on any level. However, I know that at 28 years old, I can lose my brain at times on my 636. I can only imagine an 18 year old on a 1000. Maybe there should at least be a required safety class before you can roll out of the show room. Something like they have for ATV's.

+1 to this quote. Let our government tell us what we can ride and when we can ride it and then what? Let them ban sportbikes entirely on public roads? :nuts

The hell with that ..... this is America! Live free or die!!! :cheers

 

[RACER X]

don't forget the added cost. to go up a step in bikes it's around $1000us.......

i wish it were implemented here, but it won't be, anytime soon.

but insurance co's do a pretty good job of keeping new riders off the latest and greatest. there are some who still get thru the cracks........then darwin will take it's toll.

 

[nig]

I'm for it, but I don't think age should be the determining factor. No experience, no big bike. Old, responsible, "I ain't no young punk" types are knocking themselves out in record numbers because they have no clue how to ride.