Driver license in LA / Newbie FAQ

 

Driver license in LA?

Hi ladies and gents,

Iam a totally newbie regarding bikes and driver license so please be
very gentle.
I currently living in Copenhagen, Denmark. Iam working with freight WW
services. I am being transferred from our Copenhagen office to our LAX
office. Looks like iam moving in beginning of april 2006. I have
always wanted to get a motorcycle driverlicense but never took the
time to get it. The price for a license is also quite
expensive(approx: 1400 us$)

I hope that I can get the license in Los Angeles and enjoy riding for
some years before I will go back to Denmark again.

But I have some questions about the license process:

How are the process for taking the license?? Here in Denmark we have
to pass the theoretically test and the a practically test. This
process have often a duration of 2-3 months.

One other issue; I belive that you have different forms of driver
licenses?? Beginner/intermediate/advannced?? Whats about that?

In order to get my american driverlicense transferred back to a danish
driverlicense when I am in a couple years it needs to be a
"completed" driverlicense. The Danish authorities called it a
"definitive" driverlicense.

Could someone please help me with some guidelines so I can get my
motorcycle license fast and easy when I will arrive in april.
  
If you recall having some fine links or mail addresses / contacts I
ould appreciate thet you share them.

Best regards,

Kristian

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On 17 Nov 2005 00:39:54 -0500, Kris


If you move to California from another state in the USA and want to
drive a car,, there is a written test and an on-street driving test.
I imagine it's the same if you come from abroad. Details are on the
Web site below including downloadable guides that contain all the
information on the test :

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/

The motorcycle license involves an additional wirtten test and a
driving skills test.  Most of the skills test is easy, but there is a
portion that involves a fairly tight slalom and driving multiple times
around a 25-foot (roughly 8-meter) diameter circle.  That part
involves some finesse with a slipping clutch and a dragging rear
brake.  It is apparently done to show that you can ride in parades
with other motorcyclists safely.

You can skip the skills test by taking an approved course over a
couple of weekends.  The course involves more low-speed precision
driving and a great deal of useful safety information.  There are
links on the site above that provide information on enroling in the
course. (Click through to a Web site, get a phone number, call the
number, push a lot of buttons and get some more phone numbers, call
those numbers and listen to recordings.  Eventually you may talk to a
live person.)  The courses cost around $200.  The motor-vehicle
department fees can be found on the site I gave above.  They are much
lower.  The big expense in California is not the license fees, but the
fees for registering your vehicle, which are primarily based on
initial purchase price and diminish with the age of the vehicle.

Don

 

_d1e00a04e12f99b0825f96524da1fc9f@motorcycleforumz.com:


Kris, try http://www.ca-msp.org/

It is the California Motorcyclist Safety Program (CMSP) web site.  Their
FAQ's seem to answer most of your questions:

/* begin quote */

Why should I take the course?
Upon successful completion, you will have learned how to become a safe and
responsible motorcyclist, will receive a DMV licensing skills test waiver,
and possible insurance discount.

What is the cost of the course?
The cost of the CMSP Basic Course will be no more than $198.00 for riders
who are 21 years old and older and $150 for under 21 years old. Please be
aware that tuition for the Basic Rider Course does not include DMV fees
associated with obtaining your motorcycle license.

Do I need to get a learner’s permit before I take the course?
http://www.ca-msp.org/Library/Licensing%20How%20To%20Fact%20Sheet.pdf

Age 21 and Older
Step 1: You are encouraged, but not required to complete the CHP-approved
Basic Rider Course offered by the California Motorcyclist Safety Program.
Before you enroll in the Basic RiderCourse, check to make sure you have
done one of the following: 1) successfully completed a classroom driver’s
education program; 2) obtained a motorcycle or motor vehicle instruction
permit; 3) hold a valid Class C automotive driver’s license. To enroll in
the Basic RiderCourse call toll-free, 877.RIDE.411. Upon successful
completion of the Basic RiderCourse, you will be given a Certification of
Completion of Motorcycle Training (DL 389).

/* end quote */

If you obtain a California automotive driver license first, you will have
met the prerequisite to take CHP's Basic Rider Course.

Good luck,

--
HPT

 

Another big cost many overlook is the cost of insurance.  You may want to
find out which type of bike you want and then call and check out the
insurance prices.  It's not uncommon for insurance on a used bike to cost
more than what you paid for it (damhik!).  Most of the crotch-rockets will
cost you dearly so your $1400 where you currently are will seem a pitance.
If you're leaning towards one of those, you may be better off buying a used
bike and not covering the bike with insurance, just cover the other guy, in
case you total it in a crash.  The sport-touring and crusiers generally cost
less to insure.  LA will have some of the highest insurance rates too.

Oh, hope your job has a medical insurance policy that will cover you in the
event of a crash because medical insurance on a bike will make you wonder
why you ever left your country.

B~

 

On 17 Nov 2005 00:39:54 -0500, Kris


I live 7 miles from LAX.  A driver's license should be no big deal.
Get a car and drive for a few months getting used to our traffic.
Meanwhile sign up for the Motorcycle course mentioned by others, which
has the big advantage of waiving the riding test at the DMV.  Not to
mention it is designed to take someone who has never touched a
motorcycle and get them to the point where they will not surely kill
themselves.  Sign up immediately, with the waiting list this will give
you your few months practice in the car.