Getting a motorcycle license

[Mr.Stinky]

Due to a childhood illness my right arm is completely paralyzed. I have always wanted to ride a motorcycle but hadn't really worked out how until I found the Spyder. Seeing as almost all of the controls are already on the left side it seemed like a great option for me, all I have to mess with is the throttle. The issue I'm facing now is how to get a license. According to Connecticut law you need to be able to ride a two wheeled bike to pass the licensing class. How did those of you who had your physical limitations before you got your motorcycle license take your test?

Lenny

[Chupaca]

but you could get in touch with the dmv and find out about handicap modified vehicles. Many cars are hand controlled. There must be exceptions...

[Pennyrick]

Due to a childhood illness my right arm is completely paralyzed. I have always wanted to ride a motorcycle but hadn't really worked out how until I found the Spyder. Seeing as almost all of the controls are already on the left side it seemed like a great option for me, all I have to mess with is the throttle. The issue I'm facing now is how to get a license. According to Connecticut law you need to be able to ride a two wheeled bike to pass the licensing class. How did those of you who had your physical limitations before you got your motorcycle license take your test?

Lenny

Lenny:

Back in '79 a truck came over a hill on our side of the road and took both of our bikes out. I escaped with minor damage but my wife had severe injuries and the nerves connecting into her spinal column at C5 and C6 were avulsed. As a result she lost the use of her right arm (paralyzed) but still had the hand. After a couple of years of therapy we moved to another state and she took her motorcycle license test on a 250cc scooter. It wasn't that heavy to keep up and once her arm was on the grip she was fine. She got her cycle endorsement and didn't even tell the tester she had a handicap.

She moved on to a Burgman 650 and then we had it triked but it was still tough for her to handle. When the RT came out w/power assisted steering it was the answer to her prayers.

If you have the use of the hand, I would suggest you borrow or rent a scooter for your test.

[Mr.Stinky]

I don't have any use of my right hand but maybe I could find someone with a scooter set up for left hand use. I will try getting in touch with the DMV and see what they have to say. Thanks guys.

[jerpinoy]

Wish you luck and make sure you able to ride safe.

[SpyderAnn01]

Due to a childhood illness my right arm is completely paralyzed. I have always wanted to ride a motorcycle but hadn't really worked out how until I found the Spyder. Seeing as almost all of the controls are already on the left side it seemed like a great option for me, all I have to mess with is the throttle. The issue I'm facing now is how to get a license. According to Connecticut law you need to be able to ride a two wheeled bike to pass the licensing class. How did those of you who had your physical limitations before you got your motorcycle license take your test?

Lenny

Welcome Lenny. Good luck with the licensing, I wish the states would get it together and allow tests on 3 wheels for a 3 wheel license. Have you considered what to do about the throttle? I have a friend who is also without the use of her right arm and she has installed a left footed gas pedal on her Spyder RS. She had the work done by a company that specializes in modifying autos/vans for drivers with disabilities. She just got home from a 9,000 miles cross country trip.

[Star Cruiser]

Due to a childhood illness my right arm is completely paralyzed. I have always wanted to ride a motorcycle but hadn't really worked out how until I found the Spyder. Seeing as almost all of the controls are already on the left side it seemed like a great option for me, all I have to mess with is the throttle. The issue I'm facing now is how to get a license. According to Connecticut law you need to be able to ride a two wheeled bike to pass the licensing class. How did those of you who had your physical limitations before you got your motorcycle license take your test?

Lenny

I don't know about CT, but here in Ontario there is a "Restricted" Motorcycle licence. You can take the Licence Test on a Trike (Spyder included) and have the restriction that you are only allowed to ride three wheel motorcycles. Perhaps there is something similar in CT

[Doktor]

but you could get in touch with the dmv and find out about handicap modified vehicles. Many cars are hand controlled. There must be exceptions...

This looks like an ADA question. The Americans with Disabilities Act, www.ada.gov forbids requirements that will restrict someone that is otherwise capable of operating a vehicle from obtaining a license, I've heard of others that, for example, has the ability to operate a car, but had Spina Bifida, and didn't have any functional legs. The state was required to permit him to have an all hand operated vehicle. There an aquaintance I know that has a prosthetic early generation right arm, he built a throttle control that he could grasp with his prosthesis, his left hand had only limited grasp he could pull back with his whole hand, but had no grasp. He would pull his clutch back by moving his whole arm. The only mods he had on his Goldwing was that throttle piece. We were going to my wife's oncology appointment and saw a left arm amputee above the elbow riding a sport bike, I've got to think with the will, there's a way. I just read about a vet that his American Legion post purchased and modified a Can Am because he was severely injured in Afghanistan, both legs, and an arm that was seriously injured. They got a hand brake, and he's out on Patriot Guard missions, when ever he can. You may have some initial problems, but, don't let them discourage you.
My first trip to Denver, when I was stationed there, there were a lot of amputees there from Viet Nam, one guy I remember well was a double leg amputee that wanted to learn to ski, he had to learn from scratch as he had never skied in his life. But he wanted it, he entered his first para-olympic game competing with all manner of competitors, and won his downhill race, not just against leg amputees, but all downhill racers.
If you want to ride, RIDE, all you will need is a left hand throttle, that should not be all that difficult.
I'm not sure what Connecticut is thinking requiring every rider to ride a 2 wheel motorcycle. I've ridden both even switching between them, the skill sets are vastly different, from the very beginning you have to learn counter-steering on a 2 wheel bike, a task that is, for the very vast majority, an impossibility. (There are some sidecar rigs that have 'tilt' capability), Sidecars and trikes handle in all together different ways. There some states that require an additional endorsement for a 3 wheeled motorcycle.
Good luck with your getting your motorcycle license.


Doc

[SNOOPY]

I don't know about CT, but here in Ontario there is a "Restricted" Motorcycle licence. You can take the Licence Test on a Trike (Spyder included) and have the restriction that you are only allowed to ride three wheel motorcycles. Perhaps there is something similar in CT

Sounds similar to Virginia.

They have a "M", "M2" and a "M3" designation on your drivers license.


You can test for "only" a 3 wheeled motorcycle license, which is "M3"

You can test for "only" a 2 wheeled motorcycle license, which is "M2"

Or you can test to ride "any" motorcycle which is a "M" license.

[Fat Crip]

Here in the UK you need a car license for a Spyder (weird I know), but I have both a car and bike license obtained before my C3-C5 spinal injury and incomplete tetraplegia. You have to self-report impairment to drive here and simply state what restrictions you need on your licence. To help in this I attended a driving assessment whilst I was still an inpatient in a spinal rehab hospital. They wrote their report, which I forwarded to the DVLA, who reissued my licence with an endorsement to say I could only drive automatic cars, but still left my full motorcycle entitlement intact. Still can't actually ride a two wheeler, but at least I still have the licence :-)


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[belowme29]

Sounds similar to Virginia.

They have a "M", "M2" and a "M3" designation on your drivers license.


You can test for "only" a 3 wheeled motorcycle license, which is "M3"

You can test for "only" a 2 wheeled motorcycle license, which is "M2"

Or you can test to ride "any" motorcycle which is a "M" license.

Here in Ohio they have a M3 license for trike only, which is what I have. The lady that gave me the driving test did not know why they tested people with Spyders, as they never failed. Well I was almost #1 to fail. Mine is manual, and I stalled it once - 3 more stalls and I would have failed the test. Good thing that I passed, my buddy that rides a Harley would NEVER had let me live it down.

BTW - it's great that there are people out there that can mod the Spyders to make it accessible to many that would otherwise never ride again. Hope that everyone has many smiles with many miles.

[Flash Gordon]

Due to a childhood illness my right arm is completely paralyzed. I have always wanted to ride a motorcycle but hadn't really worked out how until I found the Spyder. Seeing as almost all of the controls are already on the left side it seemed like a great option for me, all I have to mess with is the throttle. The issue I'm facing now is how to get a license. According to Connecticut law you need to be able to ride a two wheeled bike to pass the licensing class. How did those of you who had your physical limitations before you got your motorcycle license take your test?

Lenny

Don't be discouraged, as this web site has a lot of members all over the world. I guarantee that someone will be able to direct you for any help you may need in getting what ever is necessary to get you riding a spyder. There are a lot of great and willing people on here regularly

[SNOOPY]

Here in Ohio they have a M3 license for trike only, which is what I have. The lady that gave me the driving test did not know why they tested people with Spyders, as they never failed. Well I was almost #1 to fail. Mine is manual, and I stalled it once - 3 more stalls and I would have failed the test. Good thing that I passed, my buddy that rides a Harley would NEVER had let me live it down.

BTW - it's great that there are people out there that can mod the Spyders to make it accessible to many that would otherwise never ride again. Hope that everyone has many smiles with many miles.

Good to hear that you know someone that rides.

I've seen one other Spyder pass me in 6 months.

I know nobody else that rides.

Kinda lonely, but kinda cool being one of the only ones in the area w/ a Spyder....people look like "what is that!"