New Spyder Owner in IL - couple of questions.

Hello everyone,

I've been browsing this board for a while now, and last week I finally became the owner of a 2014 RTL. I've learned a lot about Spyders from all of you already, and I'm looking forward to learning a great deal more. I definitely hope to see you all out on the road in the very near future.

I do have a couple of questions that I'm hoping you all can help me with. I still need to get my motorcycle license here in Illinois. I'm going to take the written exam today, which will provide me with a permit. My first question is, what am I allowed to do with that permit. The Secretary of State website says that you need to be under the supervision of another person with a motorcycle license, but I'm not sure what that means. Does that person have to ride with me, along side me, or what?

Also, has anyone take the skills (riding) portion of the test on their Spyder? If so, what was that experience like, and would you recommend doing that?

Thanks everyone.

Mello

I took the Motorcycle Rider Program offered by the University of Illinois, http://www.mrp.uiuc.edu. The one I took was for two wheels but it has a lot of valuable info for riding any type of motorcycle. You can also take a course just for trikes but I believe it may be less widely offered. Upon successful completion of the course you will get a card that you take to the DMV and receive your Class M license because the written and skills tests are part of the course. Plus, many insurance companies will give you a discount for the course.

The supervising licensed rider has to be present nearby but NOT on the same machine.

How long after you get your permit can you go for the license...? guess it varies with the state. What is the states requirements as to autos, do you have to have a licensed driver in the car with you at all times..? If I remember correcty my daughter could only drive daylight hours with no passenger or licenced passengers only. This was CT a long time ago. State DMV site should have all that information....

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Originally Posted by MelloMe

Hello everyone,

I've been browsing this board for a while now, and last week I finally became the owner of a 2014 RTL. I've learned a lot about Spyders from all of you already, and I'm looking forward to learning a great deal more. I definitely hope to see you all out on the road in the very near future.

I do have a couple of questions that I'm hoping you all can help me with. I still need to get my motorcycle license here in Illinois. I'm going to take the written exam today, which will provide me with a permit. My first question is, what am I allowed to do with that permit. The Secretary of State website says that you need to be under the supervision of another person with a motorcycle license, but I'm not sure what that means. Does that person have to ride with me, along side me, or what?

Also, has anyone take the skills (riding) portion of the test on their Spyder? If so, what was that experience like, and would you recommend doing that?

Thanks everyone.

Mello

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Hi, Welcome to Spyder Lovers :)
I am from IL as well, far north suburbs just a few miles from beautiful Wisconsin with roads begging to go riding every day :)

With a drivers permit you can ride with someone who already has a driver's license for Motorcycles. I mean that person needs to be somewhere close on their own bike/spyder. Are you planning to do full license soon? I would recommend to go to state classes organised by colleges, i am not sure where you live exactly so i don't know what to recommend. I took a class at College of DuPage years ago but i know there is a lot of them all over IL. This is link to Harper College for example: http://goforward.harpercollege.edu/ce/mse/ . Here is a general link to those classes : http://www.startseeingmotorcycles.or...e_courses.aspx

Basically you pay $20 to register but you can get it back, plus if you complete this course and pass you get your M license and discount of Motorcycle Insurance :)
Also if you see that there are no empty spots - just go to the first meeting they have - usually they take a few walk-ins

Have fun riding your Spyder - I know i love mine :)
Let me know if you have any more questions :)

I cannot help with the DL information for IL. Just a :congrats:and a :welcome:

Thank you everyone for the great advice. I took the written test this afternoon and passed, so now I just have to pass the skills test. I'm going to get some practice in first, so I'll probably take it next week. None of my friends that ride motorcycles live near me, so its going to be hard to have a licensed rider with me when I practice. I'm going to just stay in the neighborhood and practice at some near by lots, and hope that I don't get stopped by any police. The last thing I need is a ticket.

Thanks again, and I appreciate the welcome.

Mello

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Originally Posted by MelloMe

None of my friends that ride motorcycles live near me, so its going to be hard to have a licensed rider with me when I practice.

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BEFORE you go down to take the skills test........call the DMV and ask them about getting your ride to the testing station LEGALLY.
They used to be real strict about that. A long time ago one of my friends was threatened with a ticket for riding to the office with only a permit.

:welcome::congrats:on the new ryde!

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Originally Posted by MelloMe

None of my friends that ride motorcycles live near me, so its going to be hard to have a licensed rider with me when I practice. I'm going to just stay in the neighborhood and practice at some near by lots, and hope that I don't get stopped by any police. The last thing I need is a ticket.

Thanks again, and I appreciate the welcome.

Mello

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:welcome:, and :congrats: on getting the process started! :thumbup:
You do NOT want to get stopped without having a licensed motorcyclist nearby!
I know that the chances are slim... is it worth the problems that it WILL cause?
How far away are you riding buddies? If necessary: leave the bike at one of their houses, and meet over there for your instructional riding!

My dad just took his retest on his spyder and passed/ You don't get your drivers license right away. They have to do a background check before they give you a permanent license.

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Originally Posted by trikermutha

My dad just took his retest on his spyder and passed/ You don't get your drivers license right away. They have to do a background check before they give you a permanent license.

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trikermutha - This is in Illinois? I've never heard about having to do a background check to get a motorcycle license, or even a driver's license for that matter. Is this something new?

I've been driving bikes since I was approx 12 years old , licensed at 16 . I took a Spyder course at Georgian college in Barrie ( Canada) mostly for the insurance discount involved, and found there was a LOT I did not know about these unique machines . Some of the people that took the course had never driven any Spyders before and many had never driven a motorcycle at all ( a few were quite obvious) . But by the end of the 2 day course all had a good basic knowledge of the Spyders and the most intimidated Ryder's had much more confidence . Not sure about the U.S. but in Canada you can get licensed by passing the courses as well .
Good luck and happy :riding:

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Originally Posted by MelloMe

trikermutha - This is in Illinois? I've never heard about having to do a background check to get a motorcycle license, or even a driver's license for that matter. Is this something new?

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yep in Chicago area too. They just started the background check last year I believe. Yes it is new. when you renew your license they do a extensive background check now..

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Originally Posted by MelloMe

Hello everyone,

I've been browsing this board for a while now, and last week I finally became the owner of a 2014 RTL. I've learned a lot about Spyders from all of you already, and I'm looking forward to learning a great deal more. I definitely hope to see you all out on the road in the very near future.

I do have a couple of questions that I'm hoping you all can help me with. I still need to get my motorcycle license here in Illinois. I'm going to take the written exam today, which will provide me with a permit. My first question is, what am I allowed to do with that permit. The Secretary of State website says that you need to be under the supervision of another person with a motorcycle license, but I'm not sure what that means. Does that person have to ride with me, along side me, or what?

Also, has anyone take the skills (riding) portion of the test on their Spyder? If so, what was that experience like, and would you recommend doing that?

Thanks everyone.

Mello

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That sounds pretty ludicrous to me. I seem to recall way back, Washington state law said the same thing. Now in order to obtain a permit you just need to be over 18 and have a valid Washington state drivers license. I mean really, how are you expected to find someone with a valid motorcycle license to be available to go out on a ride with you when ever you want to go out on a practice riding? According to one Illinois web site I looked at, it said you had to be accompanied by a license rider. That's crazy.

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Originally Posted by trikermutha

yep in Chicago area too. They just started the background check last year I believe. Yes it is new. when you renew your license they do a extensive background check now..

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They do a background check on you just to get a drivers license? That's insane. I wonder what exactly they are looking for. Criminal convictions, showing up on a No Fly list, cheating on free popcorn refills at the movies? Illinois is pretty strange state.

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Originally Posted by gkamer

They do a background check on you just to get a drivers license? That's insane. I wonder what exactly they are looking for. Criminal convictions, showing up on a No Fly list, cheating on free popcorn refills at the movies? Illinois is pretty strange state.

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Pretty much everything.. Don't forget they want to know your shoe size too :roflblack:

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Originally Posted by MelloMe

Thank you everyone for the great advice. I took the written test this afternoon and passed, so now I just have to pass the skills test. I'm going to get some practice in first, so I'll probably take it next week. None of my friends that ride motorcycles live near me, so its going to be hard to have a licensed rider with me when I practice. I'm going to just stay in the neighborhood and practice at some near by lots, and hope that I don't get stopped by any police. The last thing I need is a ticket.

Thanks again, and I appreciate the welcome.

Mello

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Mello, don't know where you are but I am in the far West suburbs and am always looking for someone to ride with (not on your bike) if, let me know if I can help you practice.

:welcome::congrats::nopic:

I'm going to have to find one of those classes around where we live. My wife would love to get more experience on her bike.

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Originally Posted by Easy Rider

BEFORE you go down to take the skills test........call the DMV and ask them about getting your ride to the testing station LEGALLY.
They used to be real strict about that. A long time ago one of my friends was threatened with a ticket for riding to the office with only a permit.

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When I was in the Army (way back in 1971) a buddy needed to get his Motorcycle License. We got permission to use one of the Army's trucks to transport the bike to the San Francisco DMV and when it was time to take the test, we unloaded the bike form the back of the truck. The tester said that we were the first people he had seen unloading a bike for the test, and it had never occurred to him to wonder how the other riders had gotten their bikes there. He thought it was funny. But it's a different world now and they are probably far more anal about things like that today.

:welcome: and :congrats: & :nopic:

I can not help you with your IL permit/ or License.

Deanna

I wonder if the background check, to get a drivers license, has anything to do with the enhanced ID, so you can use the license to board a plane.

you could be correct :thumbup:

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Originally Posted by dpetrick

I wonder if the background check, to get a drivers license, has anything to do with the enhanced ID, so you can use the license to board a plane.

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Yes absolutely.

The "enhanced ID" has been phased in over the past few years; I think it had to be finished nation-wide sometime last year.