Advertisement

🠈  Utah Motorcycle Training  🠊

Utah Motor Cycle Training

The other day I realized that I've never ridden a motorcycle in Utah. I've ridden off road motorcycles in other states and have put tens of thousands of miles on a bicycle, but I haven't scooted about on a powered scooter in Utah.

Well, it turns out that there is a good reason for this. It is both time consuming and expensive to get a motorcycle license. Without a license, one risks serious legal problems.

The Utah DMV lists requirements for the license The written test is based on the Utah Motorcycle handbook. This link goes to the 2019 version. The test is not about motorcycle knowledge. The test is to prove that one has read and can regurgitate information from the manual.

One also needs to pass a skills test or take an approved motorcycle safety class. I think the safety class is the best route.

Utah Motor Cycle Training is one of the approved classes. This is a program by Salt Lake Community College. They have training courses throughout the state.

When I reviewed the site in October 2019, the price of the beginning class was $230. One still has to pay about twenty five bucks for the written test and license endorsement.

Hmmm, I guess I've never been on a motorcycle in Utah because it is a luxury I can't afford.

Here is My Biking in Utah Story

I once got a ticket for riding a bicycle in Utah. Here is the story:

I was in the left turn lane turning left. A car coming in the other direction turned on his blinker and moved into the oncoming left turn lane. Since the guy was in the left hand turn lane with his blinker on, I assumed the intersection was clear and I started making my turn.

The guy decided not to turn left. He popped out of the turn lane and into the intersection. The driver hit his his accelerator and aimed straight at me!

The driver made an illegal lane change in an intersection!

I was paying attention and managed to dart out of the way. I yelled and waved my hands hoping the guy would see that he almost hit someone.

A police officer saw me waving my hands. The officer did not see the incident. He could not see the incident from where he was. The officer stopped me and gave me a ticket for unsafe bicycling. Yes, I got a ticket for riding a bicycle and avoiding a collision. The officer automatically assumed that the cyclist was at fault.

Utah drivers do not see cyclists! Cars will move into a cyclist's lane without warning. The only way to avoid accidents is for the cyclist to be attentive and get out of the lane when this happens.

Sadly, Utah has low quality law enforcement. When a car hits a motorcycle or a bicycle, the police will assume the cyclist was at fault. One has to be extremely careful in this state. I really don't think I would enjoy riding a motorcycle on Utah's roads.

If I were to get a motorcycle; I definitely would take a class in defensive cycling.

Directory Listings:

Prev ~ ~ Index ~ ~ Next