Motorcycle endorsement?

[CP]

How hard is it to get a motorcycle license in Washington?  From what I've Gloogled, it looks like a series of tests are involved.  Do you just go down to the DOL and take the tests or is there some private riding school required?

[JKEEN33]

You can go either route, private school or go down and take a written and then a driving. The driving is basically a route through cones in a lot without putting your foot down.

[Boss .300 winmag]

The process.

https://gowmst.com/motorcycle-endorsement-riding-skills-test/

If you have never had an endorsement I recommend the school process.

[Special T]

How hard is it to get a motorcycle license in Washington?  From what I've Gloogled, it looks like a series of tests are involved.  Do you just go down to the DOL and take the tests or is there some private riding school required?

I think there is a written and then a hands on course. I dont have an endorsement but my brother and I both grew up riding dirt bikes and after many years of... Avoiding it he finally went and got it. The course in Skagit county was taught by a motor bike cop by a private school on the weekend. My brother didnt have any expectations of learning anything because he had... plenty of unauthorized experience. He was pleasantly surprised and actually learned something.

[CP]

The process.

https://gowmst.com/motorcycle-endorsement-riding-skills-test/

If you have never had an endorsement I recommend the school process.

So you have to get a permit first before taking the endorsement test, 4 tests total:  permit knowledge, permit riding, endorsement knowledge, endorsement riding? 

 

[BD1]

If you are an accomplished/experienced dirt bike rider Study and take the written and do the riding portion whatever weekend they are offering it. I took my on a dual sport (which I was going to be riding anyway) but part of our test if I remember correctly (20+ years ago) was to lay your bike down and then pick it back up...not fun with some bikes. I don't recall learning anything that useful in the test other than to not show up will little to no experience on a bike or the one you are riding to the test. It was comical and scary to watch some people. I don't have a bike anymore but still keep my endorsement just In case I get the opportunity or the wife changes her mind. Enjoy and be safe  ...glad I quit before the whole cell phone distracted driver thing was as bad as it is now. I had some close calls for sure

[CP]

I haven’t had a motorcycle license in a long time but I have had one in four different states and in Japan; none of them had a licensing process this onerous.  The process in Japan sucked but it was mostly paperwork and a lot of extra Yen being a Gaijin.

I’ll call the DOL on Monday and see if it’s possible to skip some of these steps.

[BD1]

Like I said...it must be new because there was no permit process years ago...must be a money grab of some sort. The fact that you have had them previously might help too 

[Magnum_Willys]

Borrow a small bike.  You don't want to try to go around those cones on a gravel lot in that Goldwing with saddle bags.

[HntnFsh]

Arent they CC dependant anymore. Mine is good for anything but I thought you had to qualify by size.

[HillHound]

Arent they CC dependant anymore. Mine is good for anything but I thought you had to qualify by size.

I’ve never heard that. I think they’re all good for any size.Only thing I’ve heard regarding ccs is if it’s 50 or less you don’t need a motorcycle endorsement. Are used to have mine made the mistake of letting the lapse cause I wasn’t using it. Now there are lots more hoops to jump through. You can just take the written and get a six month permit and if I remember right the restrictions were just not riding at night or with a passenger

[MADMAX]

Borrow a small bike.  You don't want to try to go around those cones on a gravel lot in that Goldwing with saddle bags.

I took it on my bagger
I have an unlimited cc endorsement
And the motorcycle safety foundation course that you needed a few years back to ride on base ( no longer required )
If you can’t do it on what you normally ride
You need a smaller bike

[Nwgunner]

I completed the school.  It was a couple days.  A few hours in the classroom then training on the course the rest of the day.  You get assigned a bike at the beginning and that's the one you stay on for the duration.  They were all small bikes.  The test was at the conclusion of the schooling.  From what i experienced the instructors are watching the entire time and can pretty much tell who can safely ride and who cannot. I only saw one person told they were not ready, and that is because they weren't.  If you are competent on the bike, even a brand new rider, you will pass.  This is opposed to the testing at the DOL where there are no exceptions.  If you screw up you will fail the test.

[storyteller]

the motorcycle safety institute school at skagit was good, you sit in class for some teaching, go on their course with 125cc bikes, when you are done, if you ride successfully and don't do any blunders, they have paperwork to take to dol, no more riding.   I got my endorsement at the Everett Motor movie way back, but I did the school with wife so she did not have to take it alone.   and yes, you might learn at least one thing

[Boss .300 winmag]

Borrow a small bike.  You don't want to try to go around those cones on a gravel lot in that Goldwing with saddle bags.

I took it on my bagger
I have an unlimited cc endorsement
And the motorcycle safety foundation course that you needed a few years back to ride on base ( no longer required )
If you can’t do it on what you normally ride
You need a smaller bike

Navy and Marine still in uniform are required take a course every three years.

[MADMAX]

 
thanks wasnt aware 
i was a pretty good course, the u turn box was tough for me on mine

but this helped

[CP]

Here's what I've learned on this in case others are interested;

The process changed Jan. 1, 2020 - thanks to Gov. Jay Inslee’s "Target Zero goal".  All testing is now done through approved 3rd party motorcycle training schools.  You can schedule the tests with them without taking their classes but the fees are rather high and there are 4 tests in total, each with its own fee.  It isn't much more $ to take their classes which include the tests.  Looks like about $400 and two 8-hour classes is the usual path to an endorsement.   

[Stein]

Holy smokes, $400?  I think I paid $30 or something like that and messed around in a parking lot course for about 5 minutes.  The old course was funny, mostly weaving through cones while feathering the clutch.  I doubt I got to 10 mph.

[Boss .300 winmag]

Motorcycle safety courses have really come along way in teaching beginners, and everyone else good riding habits, skills, and riding defensively.

But the courses are just the minimums. Lots of situations that can’t be taught that happen in real life riding.

The Navy and Marine Corps after loosing lots of people created their own courses, beginner, sport bike, and advanced. I took all three while still serving, they require a refresher course every three years, the death toll has really dropped for them.

[CP]

I got my 1st motorcycle license in 1977.  I rode my new motorcycle to the Dept of Public Safety outside of Wharton Texas.  Took a 5-minute written test then the officer followed me as I rode around a block or 2.  He told me I passed and he wasn’t going to ask how I got that motorcycle there without a license. 

Yeah, things have changed, somethings maybe for the better.

[Blacklab]

Got mine in 2005. Just the written and the physical ride test. Pretty simple. Don’t ride anymore. Got tired of playing dodge car. For all you bike riders keep it upright😉🥃🇺🇸

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

Borrow a small bike.  You don't want to try to go around those cones on a gravel lot in that Goldwing with saddle bags.

.
When I got my endorsement (in the 80's)
Several of my Harley Friends would use my Honda Magna (there were size classes, M1, M2, M3..)
MY 750 gave them the M3, and much easier to handle in the cones, and low speeds...

[KFhunter]

I pulled the 350cc emblems off my bike, they assumed it was an m3 bike, I didn't correct it.

Glad they did away with that.

[HntnFsh]

When I got mine back in the 70s you could qualify on anything and ride anything. Probably havent been on a bike in close to 40 years and still have the endorsement! Why?

Kind of like when I got my first CDL in 79 or so. No tests but the written. Could drive anything.
Not so much anymore. Cant wait until I dont need a CDL anymore. Will drop it with all the crap that goes along with it like a hot potato.

[Ghost Hunter]

   Same here.  Don't ever plan on getting rid of it.  Same with donor sticker. 

[Stein]

Just looked at mine, L endorsement for motorcycles with J restrictions for two wheel only.  So, there is apparently something separate for trikes?

[Caseyd]

Just looked at mine, L endorsement for motorcycles with J restrictions for two wheel only.  So, there is apparently something separate for trikes?

Correct. Separate 3 wheel endorsement.

When they came out with that law , all of us that had previous endorsements only received a 2 wheel.

[Stein]

Bummer, always been a bucket list item to drive a bike with a sidecar around for fun someday.

[KFhunter]

Bummer, always been a bucket list item to drive a bike with a sidecar around for fun someday.

and have hound dog with goggles on in the sidecar, giant ears flapping in the wind

[storyteller]

I was lucky, when the 3 wheel and sidecar endorsement came out, there was a very limited window to go to the DOL and have them add it to the license, I got it, no testing needed.   

[MikeWalking]

When I took mine in 2011 (after letting my DL expire for too long) I had to take a 3 day course and chose WMST.  The word then was the State was getting out of testing and using contract vendors.  The course is some class room and 2 days of riding the test course.   

[MikeWalking]

Arent they CC dependant anymore. Mine is good for anything but I thought you had to qualify by size.
[/quote


You did have to for a bit in but it did not last long.

[CP]

I'm halfway there.
$199 for the class and testing
$25 to the state for a new license with the endorsement.

I'm good for 180 days restricted to daylight riding only and no passengers.

For a full up endorsement, I need to pass another "knowledge" test and pass:
   A quick stop performed at approximately 20-25 mph.
   A timed figure 8 element that will assess left and right cornering skills.

And I assume another $224.00