Here in NYS if you have an accident without a license your insurance will cover nothing. The same if you are drinking or aren't wearing a helmet. A couple weeks ago, when the guy wrecked in front of my house and died on his new Sporty he left 2 kids and a pregnant wife. Word is, because no helmet was found, his life insurance company is trying to get out of paying.

It may be a lot of fun being really cool and flaunting laws, but the price could be far more than you think. I know guys who have lost their driver's licenses, had to pay mega bucks in fines, towing charges and impound fees, and if you have an accident with no license your insurance contract is the value of toilet paper.

 

The subject of this post was rhetorical right?

 

Truthfully I think having my motorcycle license has gotten me out of a few well deserved tickets. I check my attitude and produce all requested paperwork and roll off with a warning more often than a citation.

I think the little "M1" on my license has helped.

 

+1.................Amen!

 

Not necessarily, My dad used to ride an 89 tour glide. Now my dad's about 5'6-5'7''. When he finally went to take his test he couldn't do a figure 8 on that big bike.

The guy passed him anyway, said he would have got it on anything smaller than that big cruiser.



I personally took the MSF doing a figure 8 on 250 is by far easier than doing it on 550+lb harley. Plus I didn't know how to ride back than. I went from never operation a motorcycle/dirt bike or manual transmission to being able to ride in a day's time. The instructor said I improved the most after the second day.

Well I damn well better have I only stalled that freaking 250 50 times the first day.

 

I took my MC endorsement test when I got my drivers license back in 1972 in Minnesota. It consisted of about 25 yes or no questions. No drivers test or anything else. In the 6 states I have been licensed in since then, its just been a couple dollars more to add it. But no, I never rode without a legal endorsement.

 

Are you serious? Nobody has ever ridden without a motorcycle endorsement. That would be against the law! Who's going to admit they're a law breakin' criminal, just waitin' to be arrested? Not me!

 

No,,, but I had my endorsement several yrs without a bike though.

 

Back in the day when I started riding, Idaho didn't require an endorsement. Moved across the border to mama Washington and had to do all kinds of things to get legally licensed.

Today in the state of WA, getting your endorsement is actually a bit of a joke. You can take your rider's test on a friggin' moped (49cc), pass the test and then legally ride any size bike you want. That doesn't make much sense to me. WA used to require that whatever bike you took the rider's test with, that was the classification of bike you could legally ride (i.e., take the test on an 1100, that qualified you for bikes 650cc or higher).

 

Just to clarify about being held responsible regardless, this is untrue. Not having a license does not hold you automatically at fault in an accident, just like not having insurance does not make you instantly responsible. That being said, your insurance does 100% have the right not to cover you, and will likely exercise this right. I knew a guy who was being a moron and totaled his 2003 Mach 1, had a suspended license. The insurance denied his claim.

Here in Tennessee, a lack of endorsement can mean impound and some hefty fines. Don't know if you can be arrested like you could if you were caught with no license at all, but I can easily see this being a possibility. A friend of mine recently got snagged with no class M, and got a ticket for around $600. That is about 50% more expensive than taking the RSC, which you get your license at the end of, so riding without one is not anymore cost affective. If you pass on the course and just get your endorsement, the cost is dirt cheap. Either way, get the endorsement.