3-wheel motorcycle endorsement driving me nuts!

[SequiMike]

Hi All,
Today I failed the 3-wheel written for the second time. Tomorrow I will go and have another shot at it. I know it sounds like sour grapes, but the questions are misleading and irrelevant. Am I the only one having trouble with this test? Is Washington the only state that requires a 3-wheel endorsement? I normally ride an old Goldwing, but decided it was time to get a 3-wheeler right after I laid the Wing on its side at a stop (again!). Bought a 2008 GS SM-5 on ebay recently and expect it to be delivered in the next two weeks. In an effort to make sure I could drive it when it arrived, I started the MC endorsement process and have been appalled by the strangeness of the written test. AND, I will have to take a road test some time within the next 180 days, and it's only given on one Saturday a month (August is full) and is 2 1/2 hours from here. My Can-Am experience is certainly getting off to a rough start!

[spyryder]

Are you sure you need a 3 wheel endorsement? Must jurisdictions automatically allow you to ride a trike if you already have your 2 wheel motorcycle license.

[d.o.spyder-rts]

I feel your frustration. According to the WA state web site, another way to obtain your endorsement is to take and pass a state approved trike/sidecar class. Then take your completetion card into the DMV and both the written and driving portions are waived. The only other suggestion I can offer is to review the operators manual. If you have a computer you can check out the web site, they had practice questions. As far as taking the exam, try not to read to much into the question. You can generally elimiate two of the choices and choose your answer from the remaining ones. Since you've taken the test, you all ready have an idea what the questions are like. I wish you the best of luck when you retake the test. Dale

[SpyderAnn01]

Don't give up! I think you'll find that the Spyder is worth the frusration. Good luck.

[donnellpj]

In MD they require an endorsement, whether it be "3-wheel" or full "M".

I opted for the full three day class with "M" endorsement for a couple reasons;

1.> Exactly what you are going through. Its almost like there is some disonnect between the state and the riders where, even though its offered, some feel like your trying to cheat the system, so its oddly difficult to obtain it. The windows of opportunity are narrow, and few and far between. I have never been through this process, so I can't use any first hand experiences, only what I hear from others.

2.> I wanted to travel and have the ability to rent where ever I go, and to be able to ride a 2-wheeler if the opportunity presented itself.

Understanding some people ride the Spyder as thier only means to get thier knees in the breeze, and from that perspective, I can understand your frustration.

[SpyderSue]

In MD they require an endorsement, whether it be "3-wheel" or full "M".

I opted for the full three day class with "M" endorsement for a couple reasons;

1.> Exactly what you are going through. Its almost like there is some disonnect between the state and the riders where, even though its offered, some feel like your trying to cheat the system, so its oddly difficult to obtain it. The windows of opportunity are narrow, and few and far between. I have never been through this process, so I can't use any first hand experiences, only what I hear from others.

2.> I wanted to travel and have the ability to rent where ever I go, and to be able to ride a 2-wheeler if the opportunity presented itself.

Understanding some people ride the Spyder as thier only means to get thier knees in the breeze, and from that perspective, I can understand your frustration.

I strongly recommend taking the class, either 2 wheel or 3. I was new at this, so had everything to learn, but guys who had ridden for years commented on how much better of a rider they felt they were after taking the class. They go through the book with you, making the written test much easier.

[StorminNorman]

I strongly recommend taking the class, either 2 wheel or 3. I was new at this, so had everything to learn, but guys who had ridden for years commented on how much better of a rider they felt they were after taking the class. They go through the book with you, making the written test much easier.

I rode for 28 years and after 25 took an experienced rider course and it was well worth the time and effort. Learned things I didn't know and found a few that I should NOT have learned over the years.

[daveinva]

VA gives a single M endorsement, but you can take a 3-wheel-specific written and riding test to get the M license (which leads to the unintentional hilarity of learn on a Spyder, legal on a Gixxer-- for that reason folks here believe Virginia will go to separate 2- and 3-wheel endorsements at some point).

I know that my 3-wheel written test was odd insofar as about a quarter of the 3-wheel-specific questions were focused on sidecars/hacks. Even though we didn't drive those in my MSF 3-wheel class, our instructors knew those questions would be on the test so they covered the subjects just the same so we knew what we were getting into. Unsure if those are the kind of questions tripping you up?

[tuck]

I highly recomend that you take the three wheel MSF course. Its a great course and then all you have to do is take the card to the DOL and pay the lady. I'm planning to take the course again next year just as a refresher.

[bluestratos]

I had to take the 3 wheel test to get my 3 wheel endorsement in Washington, and I agree the test was written badly. That being said the road test was very easy with a spyder. I took my test in Bellingham Wa. but since that time a year ago they no long test here and riders have to travel over 150 miles to find an agency that does the test. That is just plain wrong and I feel for the riders in northwest that need to take the test.

Randy

[ARtraveler]

RE: test taking. Study the manual and learn everything "their way". This will prime you to look for the magic words in the questions. Pre-conceived notions may be cropping up in your answers and that will lead you to the wrong answer choice.

This happens a lot in the accounting exams I give. I always tell the students to read the "whole" question before jumping to the answers. One word can make the correct answer seem different than what you are thinking. See what the question is really asking before jumping at the "red herring" answer--which always seems to be lurking amongst the choices.

RE: 3 wheel endorsement: I also am thinking that if you have the two-wheel endorsement, you may not need the 3-wheel. Here, if you have the two-wheel, you don't need the three-wheel endorsement.

[SequiMike]

I finally passed the written this morning!! Now I need to take care of the road test. The closest place that gives the test is 2 1/2 hours away, and when I called to see if I could schedule a test for August, she said that they could get me in THIS SATURDAY. Only problem is, the bike hasn't arrived yet and might not be here for another 10 days. I briefly thought about just showing up and hoping that one of the other testees (?) might let me borrow their trike for the test, but decided this was a bad idea on several levels. After Aug 1 the state is no longer performing road tests, and all future tests will be done by Contractors. I found one in Silverdale (about 45 min from here) who said he is trying to get everything together to give the test in mid-August, so that will probably be my time. Otherwise, the advice to take the safety course is a good one (it's been about 20 years since my last one) and will probably make me more comfortable on the Spyder. Meanwhile, I'm getting quotes for insurance. My '93 Goldwing and '77 Honda 750A are insured through Geico and I do have a quote from them. Can anyone recommend a Washington state insurance company that they are happy with?

I should mention here that the bike I bought is a 2008 GS with about 4500 miles on it. I bought it off ebay, have never seen it in person, and have never even sat on a Spyder before, much less driven one. Wish me luck.

[Tru-Blue]

The driving test is a snap...only advice I can give is to ride a lot on your temp license and get comfortable on your new In various situations. You have 90 days on your temp.

&

[Motorcycledave]

What fool government non rider thought it a good idea to require a 3 wheel drivers lic.
I hope all the meter maids have one.
In California a regular drivers lic. is all that is required to ride a CanAm or any other 3 wheel
vehicle. A motorcycle is quite another thing..
Dave

[n7wol]

Good Luck on the test the written was made for the side car people keeping that in mind when you answer should help.
What irks me is that they only have 5 places in the state where you can go to get the driving test for trikes ( unless you find a safety class with 16 hours of class time that isn't filled through September )
The choices are on the West Side Centrailia 50 miles South part of the State or Vancouver bordering Oregon, the other choices are Wenatchee in the middle of the state East of the Cascades and only one that tests on
Saturdays , or there is in the SE part of the State Kennewick ( Close to Hanford Nucler Site) the last is Spokane.
I live in Bellingham 25 miles from the Canadian Border by I-5 and I get to go to Wenatchee for the test. I find this ridulous when the tester in Bellingham is still here but the State feels they are saving them selves money.
With that said the best part is the road trip to Wenatchee Highway 2 and Stevens Pas is always Gorgeous

Hope to see you on the road soon and dont forget the Oyster run in Sept to Anacortes

[Seattle]

Congratulations on your new acquisition Mike!

I have a 2008 GS SM5 insured through State Farm here in western WA. When I was shopping for insurance quotes in 2008, I've seen a large variance in annual premiums just between the companies; some nearly double what I pay. I've inquired as to what items are considered for formulating the premiums and the following were given: coverage limits, deductibles, your age, how long you've been endorsed and/or ridden, driving record/accidents, where you reside, work and distance driven between the two, etc.

Some insurers will sometimes discount your annual premiums if you take the safety foundation course - apparently State Farm doesn't, disappointedly - so it may be a benefit to you in that regard depending on who you decide to have as your insurer, but be sure to inquire about this when shopping for rates if you can get a discount. There are some who choose to not have insurance coverage since it's not required in WA State, however it is required when riding to neighbouring States. You can read more about it by clicking HERE along with other common FAQ's.

WA State is the only state out of the 50 that requires a trike/sidecar endorsement. The skills exam is in the trike manual (pages 67-72) which will help you to know what to expect and practice before you take it. I'd strongly encourage plenty of practice, practice and practice before taking the skills exam so that you're comfortable with the Spyder's handling dynamics in order to pass.

Best of luck and we hope to see you in our local group rydes!

~Cindy

I finally passed the written this morning!! Now I need to take care of the road test. The closest place that gives the test is 2 1/2 hours away, and when I called to see if I could schedule a test for August, she said that they could get me in THIS SATURDAY. Only problem is, the bike hasn't arrived yet and might not be here for another 10 days. I briefly thought about just showing up and hoping that one of the other testees (?) might let me borrow their trike for the test, but decided this was a bad idea on several levels. After Aug 1 the state is no longer performing road tests, and all future tests will be done by Contractors. I found one in Silverdale (about 45 min from here) who said he is trying to get everything together to give the test in mid-August, so that will probably be my time. Otherwise, the advice to take the safety course is a good one (it's been about 20 years since my last one) and will probably make me more comfortable on the Spyder. Meanwhile, I'm getting quotes for insurance. My '93 Goldwing and '77 Honda 750A are insured through Geico and I do have a quote from them. Can anyone recommend a Washington state insurance company that they are happy with?

I should mention here that the bike I bought is a 2008 GS with about 4500 miles on it. I bought it off ebay, have never seen it in person, and have never even sat on a Spyder before, much less driven one. Wish me luck.

[Radthorne]

I can highly recommend the safety course; we took ours in Auburn last August. The best part of it is that you have time to practice the exact riding tests you need to pass, with the instructors there to help you do it; and then they are the same ones giving you the test, which the DOL accepts in lieu of doing a test with them. That point alone was worth the time and expense to take the class, never mind the other benefits.

I finally passed the written this morning!! Now I need to take care of the road test. The closest place that gives the test is 2 1/2 hours away, and when I called to see if I could schedule a test for August, she said that they could get me in THIS SATURDAY. Only problem is, the bike hasn't arrived yet and might not be here for another 10 days. I briefly thought about just showing up and hoping that one of the other testees (?) might let me borrow their trike for the test, but decided this was a bad idea on several levels. After Aug 1 the state is no longer performing road tests, and all future tests will be done by Contractors. I found one in Silverdale (about 45 min from here) who said he is trying to get everything together to give the test in mid-August, so that will probably be my time. Otherwise, the advice to take the safety course is a good one (it's been about 20 years since my last one) and will probably make me more comfortable on the Spyder. Meanwhile, I'm getting quotes for insurance. My '93 Goldwing and '77 Honda 750A are insured through Geico and I do have a quote from them. Can anyone recommend a Washington state insurance company that they are happy with?

I should mention here that the bike I bought is a 2008 GS with about 4500 miles on it. I bought it off ebay, have never seen it in person, and have never even sat on a Spyder before, much less driven one. Wish me luck.

[d.o.spyder-rts]

Congrats on passing your written exam. Like its all ready been suggested look into taking the safety course and if you decide not to; get plenty of practice before attempting to take the riding exam. Good Luck. Dale

[guinness]

Took the trike/sidecar class years ago and got a chance to make new friends as well as ride different types of trikes and sidecars. The class was a snap and the instructors were great! Know matter what your cycle experience has been in the past, we all know that the more you practice the better you will become.

Your going to enjoy your ryde and congrats for passing the written!!!

[SequiMike]

Thanks for the info, Cindy. I did finally make arrangements with Geico, as I had to get something going before the bike arrives. I can always switch over to another company if I find a better deal. They are charging me $219/yr for 30/100 bodily injury, 20K property damage, and $500 deductible on comp and collision. Does that compare favorably with your State Farm policy?

Congratulations on your new acquisition Mike!

I have a 2008 GS SM5 insured through State Farm here in western WA. When I was shopping for insurance quotes in 2008, I've seen a large variance in annual premiums just between the companies; some nearly double what I pay. I've inquired as to what items are considered for formulating the premiums and the following were given: coverage limits, deductibles, your age, how long you've been endorsed and/or ridden, driving record/accidents, where you reside, work and distance driven between the two, etc.

Some insurers will sometimes discount your annual premiums if you take the safety foundation course - apparently State Farm doesn't, disappointedly - so it may be a benefit to you in that regard depending on who you decide to have as your insurer, but be sure to inquire about this when shopping for rates if you can get a discount. There are some who choose to not have insurance coverage since it's not required in WA State, however it is required when riding to neighbouring States. You can read more about it by clicking HERE along with other common FAQ's.

WA State is the only state out of the 50 that requires a trike/sidecar endorsement. The skills exam is in the trike manual (pages 67-72) which will help you to know what to expect and practice before you take it. I'd strongly encourage plenty of practice, practice and practice before taking the skills exam so that you're comfortable with the Spyder's handling dynamics in order to pass.

Best of luck and we hope to see you in our local group rydes!

~Cindy

[SequiMike]

Thanks for the heads-up on the Oyster run in September - I was not even aware of it! After researching it a bit, I can see it will be a fun time for the bikes of W. Washington to gather in one place! It's on my calendar and, weather permitting, I will definitely be there! Getting to Anacortes from Sequim is a very pleasant ride - into Port Townsend, over to Whidbey Island on the ferry, and then a gorgeous ride up the length of Whidbey. Do the CanAm's hang out in any particular area?

You're right about highway 2 - it's possibly the best bike ride in Washington.

It looks like I will probably take the trike road test in Silverdale, once the state has completed their arrangements with some of the state motorcycle safety organizations. Based upon recommendations from others in this group, I tried to sign up for the 2-day safety course, but they are booked into October around here. So..... once the group in Silverdale has authority to provide road tests, I'll get on their schedule and get it done.

Good Luck on the test the written was made for the side car people keeping that in mind when you answer should help.
What irks me is that they only have 5 places in the state where you can go to get the driving test for trikes ( unless you find a safety class with 16 hours of class time that isn't filled through September )
The choices are on the West Side Centrailia 50 miles South part of the State or Vancouver bordering Oregon, the other choices are Wenatchee in the middle of the state East of the Cascades and only one that tests on
Saturdays , or there is in the SE part of the State Kennewick ( Close to Hanford Nucler Site) the last is Spokane.
I live in Bellingham 25 miles from the Canadian Border by I-5 and I get to go to Wenatchee for the test. I find this ridulous when the tester in Bellingham is still here but the State feels they are saving them selves money.
With that said the best part is the road trip to Wenatchee Highway 2 and Stevens Pas is always Gorgeous

Hope to see you on the road soon and dont forget the Oyster run in Sept to Anacortes

[Seattle]

Hi Mike,

Your coverage limits are different than what I opted to have thus your premium is much lower. If I had chose the bare minimum coverage, my annual premium would've been sub $300 (sub $200 I lived in Sequim according to my State Farm rep - nearly a $100 difference from living in Seattle! Maybe I need to move ). Anyhow, I raised my coverage limits to be quite high since everyone these days tend to be somewhat sue-happy for cost for property damage to other vehicles and/or medical care which is through the ceiling. My coverage limits for a $425 annual premium are:
Bodily Injury/Property Damage - 100K/300K/100K
Comp/collision deductible - $100K
Uninsured & Underinsured (Bodily Injury & Property Damage) 100K. - this is most important so I have medical coverage for myself should anyone injure me if they're not insured.

Thanks for the info, Cindy. I did finally make arrangements with Geico, as I had to get something going before the bike arrives. I can always switch over to another company if I find a better deal. They are charging me $219/yr for 30/100 bodily injury, 20K property damage, and $500 deductible on comp and collision. Does that compare favorably with your State Farm policy?

[Cruzr Joe]

FYI in the State of Arkansas any State Trooper can give you the driving test, it does not have to be done at any Govt. facility, the Trooper can give it to you in front of your own house.

Joe


Sent from my iPad 3 using Tapatalk HD

[jerpinoy]

Good Luck on the test the written was made for the side car people keeping that in mind when you answer should help.
What irks me is that they only have 5 places in the state where you can go to get the driving test for trikes ( unless you find a safety class with 16 hours of class time that isn't filled through September )
The choices are on the West Side Centrailia 50 miles South part of the State or Vancouver bordering Oregon, the other choices are Wenatchee in the middle of the state East of the Cascades and only one that tests on
Saturdays , or there is in the SE part of the State Kennewick ( Close to Hanford Nucler Site) the last is Spokane.
I live in Bellingham 25 miles from the Canadian Border by I-5 and I get to go to Wenatchee for the test. I find this ridulous when the tester in Bellingham is still here but the State feels they are saving them selves money.
With that said the best part is the road trip to Wenatchee Highway 2 and Stevens Pas is always Gorgeous

Hope to see you on the road soon and dont forget the Oyster run in Sept to Anacortes

I was told they are painting the coarse in bellingham, but can;t tell me when it will be ready

[SequiMike]

Hi Mike,

Your coverage limits are different than what I opted to have thus your premium is much lower. If I had chose the bare minimum coverage, my annual premium would've been sub $300 (sub $200 I lived in Sequim according to my State Farm rep - nearly a $100 difference from living in Seattle! Maybe I need to move ). Anyhow, I raised my coverage limits to be quite high since everyone these days tend to be somewhat sue-happy for cost for property damage to other vehicles and/or medical care which is through the ceiling. My coverage limits for a $425 annual premium are:
Bodily Injury/Property Damage - 100K/300K/100K
Comp/collision deductible - $100K
Uninsured & Underinsured (Bodily Injury & Property Damage) 100K. - this is most important so I have medical coverage for myself should anyone injure me if they're not insured.

$100K deductible on comp/collision? I know, I know- the "K" was a typo. Just couldn't resist......

You're right - with today's lawsuit-happy population, riding can be risky. My biggest fear is that someone will step in front of me as I'm driving through town. Otherwise, it shouldn't be a problem. Also, I usually put the bikes up for the winter and it's not uncommon for me to not ride for several months at a time. I'm considering dropping/altering my insurance during those periods to help keep the cost down. Between motorcycle insurance, car insurance, homeowner's insurance, RV insurance, health insurance, AAA insurance, and others I've probably forgotten, I'm starting to feel insurance-poor.

Still waiting for my CanAm. Shipper plans to pick it up today or tomorrow, so I should have it in less than a week. I titled it, and got new tags, the other day for pennies under ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS ($1,000), which included the "use tax". What a rip!