Comments on: Delaware Law Requires 3 Wheeler Motorcycle License

By: Joe Test

Joe Test — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 06:28:05 +0000

Let us say that A is a California resident, has a Class C (car) drivers license, and lawfully registers and insures a new Harley Tri Glide. He drives it in California absent a motorcycle license, because the state doesn’t require one.

Then he drives the cycle across the country, and he drives into State X, where trikes are motorcycles and require a motorcycle license, can he legally drive his trike there since he is legally licensed in his home state, or would he need the California motorcycle license to be legal in states that classify a trike as a motorcycle when he is away from California on the trike??

Joe

By: CaptJohn

CaptJohn — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 15:07:13 +0000

In California if it has 3 wheels, you don’t need an M1 to operate it. A posting earlier was correct–that exemption was written especially for law enforcement. Of course, that law went on the books when the police were still riding Harley 45ci “ServiCars”, and law enforcement wanted to utilize all their personnel, as needed, on those machines without the vicarious liability of their officers riding “out of classification” and having a traffic accident. Hence, in California, the 3 wheel exemption remains in force.

With the demise of the “ServiCar” and the advent of Can-Am’s higher performance trike, the Piaggio MP3, etc; it’s just a matter of time before big brother changes the Vehicle Code in California.

By: Jim

Jim — Wed, 30 May 2007 11:07:50 +0000

Some of these three wheelers are definately motorcycles, but a growing number use three wheels as a way of circumventing automobile safety requirements.

Chris is right if it leans it’s a MC. To answer Matthew’s concern, a sidecar is an outrigger added to a MC, remove the car and you have a bike again. Granted other modifications would make it a lousy one.

Whether a three wheeler is a bike or a car shouldn’t be determined at the time of registration but by the manufacturers filings with the US DOT.

By: Diesel

Diesel — Wed, 30 May 2007 06:51:17 +0000

In Pennsylvania, a 3 wheeler is considered a motorcycle and requires a cycle endorsement (license).

By: Matthew

Matthew — Wed, 30 May 2007 04:05:18 +0000

>if it leans, it’s a motorcycle. if it doesn’t it’s a car.

What about a sidecar then? It’s neither and Washington State (correctly) requires a special endorsement to operate one. Trikes and especially sidecar rigs behave very differently than both motorcycles and cars. With a sidecar a right turn is a dramatically different experience from a left turn. Not knowing how to operate one can get you killed very easily and thus requires special training. You can know how to operate a bike but that gives you now clue how to ride a side hack. (hint: you don’t counter-steer)

One thing that I’ve been wondering is will you be required to wear a helmet in something like the Carver? it’s fully enclosed and therefore a helmet could do more harm than good in a crash.