Motorcycle Licensing

[EvilSteve]

Here's the email I sent to the AMA a little earlier:

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Hi,

I, like many motorcyclists, am becoming increasingly concerned with the pressure being put on the motorcycling community. It seems to me that if we don't change soon, then change will be forced on us. I'm wondering what the AMA is doing to improve licensing procedures?

I'm still shocked at how easy it is to get a license to ride a motorcycle when short of a helicopter it's one of the most difficult machines to master. I'd like to see some graduated system introduced that would put more emphasis on skills rather than knowing road rules. Any person wanting to buy a motorcycle with a power to weight ratio over X should require extra training. I think experts can come up with X. Of course anyone can get injured on any kind of bike (or car for that matter) but forcing people to take their bike seriously and actually learn how to use it as part of the licensing procedure seems like a no brainer to me. No one can tell me that the 6 questions I did on the "motorcycle" permit test really prepared me to go ride anything let alone my friend's modern 600cc sport bike I practiced on. Nor can anyone convince me that a person with a learner's permit should be able to buy a Hayabusa and legally ride with his or her buddies.

I don't think the draconian system they have in the UK is a good option, let alone the craziness going on in France. But Australia (where I'm from) seems to have a better balanced system.

I'd like to see a responsible licensing system introduced at the federal level in the US that forces riders to learn how to ride before they go out on the street. Even mandating the MSF course would be a great first step. I haven't seen anything mentioned about this path by the AMA. It's not enough to point the finger at unjust laws and inequitable practices towards motorcyclists. We need to take ourselves seriously before anyone else will. We need to fix what's broken in our own back yard.

I look forward to your reply.

Regards,
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I suggest everyone send something similar to the AMA, feel free to copy my email and use it.