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State Age Limits

D

DaveM

Guest
My wife and I are going to ride from Texas to the rally on our BMWs. Our 15 year old son is also planning to come with us, riding his Kawasaki Ninja 250cc. (Texas allows 15 year olds to ride 250cc motorcylces).

We were considering riding home via Canada to Niagara Falls and were researching any possible restrictions for Canada, when we found an age restriction for NY state. Apparently you have to be 16 to ride a motorcycle in NY state, even if you have a valid motorcycle permit from another state.

Does anyone know if this is true? Are there any other states on our route (TX, AR, TN, VA, WV, MD, PA, NY, VT) that have similar restrictions? Or does someone know where I can find out? I spent a few hours googling for information this evening but didn't get very far. If we minimize our distance in NY State we would then have to ride through CT and MA. Are there restrictions there?

Information on Canada would also be appreciated.
 
i'm pretty sure you have to be 16 in MA, it is the youngest age at which you are allowed a motorcycle permit for any size bike. this is way cool though, all the way from texas! i'll run "interference" :p for your son if he needs it going through massachusetts hahah...................
 
Im 16 years old and driving a R1100S, according to Kansas law i can drive anywhere in the US or Canadia. But i have to have someone over the age of 21 with a valid motorcycle license on another bike, with-in the vicinity of me. What ever vicinity mean 10 ft or 10 miles?

Kevin
 
Riding Young

Congratulations on your sonÔÇÖs achievements.
You must be very proud parents.
I think that the law only applies to the residents of the state were the law is created unless the signs are clearly posted.
For example:
Florida law does not require motorcycle insurance, does this mean that I can not drive through the states were insurance is required?
Another instance is Virginia state does not allow the usage of the radar detectors, therefore, the signs are clearly posted on the highways.
Good luck on your trip. Your son will be the youngest rider at the rally.

:wave :wave :wave :wave :wave :wave :wave
 
104554 said:
Congratulations on your sonÔÇÖs achievements.
You must be very proud parents.

Good luck on your trip. Your son will be the youngest rider at the rally.

:wave :wave :wave :wave :wave :wave :wave

Ahhh, gotta watch those kids from the West and Far West, I thought Wyoming was 14 years for permit? Relying on my (worsening) memory.
I"d contact the DMV in any state you planned to cross, and be EXTRA careful researching Canadian provinces.
 
Request

LET THE KID RIDE!!! :bikes :bikes :bikes :bikes :bikes
He is not applying for the permit in the age restricted states. :blah :blah :blah
He will be just passing through with the legal driver license.

I am rooting for you KID!!!
:clap :clap :clap :clap :clap :clap :clap :clap :clap
 
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There should be reciprocity with the license. However if it is a learner's permit not all states honor those.
 
Brad is right on the money. The is it a permit or license? Check with your DMV they should be able to tell you if there is resiprocity for whatever your son has.
 
Kevin it is the reasonable man test. Would a reasonable man think that you and another bike 10 miles away were together. You may think it is but like the last post said...Kevin it ain't ten miles.
 
From the Texas Department of Public Safety

http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/administration/driver_licensing_control/graduateddriver.htm This is the Texas Department of Public Safety that deals with your graduated license program in Texas. As I read it if your son has a phase two license he would be able to operate his 250 after 5 am and before midnight. It is a license and looks as if it should be covered under reciprocity.

http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/administration/driver_licensing_control/faq/answers_dl_id.htm#q27
This is the FAQ page for Texas DPS. Do some reading here, check to make certain which license he has and give them a call.

Here is the contact info for the department listed on the home page.
Texas Department of Public Safety 5805 North Lamar Blvd. Austin, Texas 78752-4422
P O Box 4087 Austin, Texas 78773-0001
(512) 424-2000
?® 2000Texas Department of Public Safety.
 
Thanks for the replies.

My son has an "instruction permit". He had to complete a Drivers Ed class for the class "C" endorsement, then took an MSF course to get the "M" endorsement. He's had the instruction permit since March, but only completed the courses during May.

I'll try calling our DMV office and see if they can help. I read the web pages that were linked, but they don't help with out of state riding. Last month we spent a week riding in Arkansas, and then another week in New Mexico - in total oblivion of any possible license infractions. I only started to look at this because I thought of coming back through Canada to Niagara Falls.

Hopefully we'll still make it.
 
Dave
If your son is 15 and has only a limited amount of riding experiance, I would suggest that you avoid riding through the bigger cities on your route. Or ride during less busy times.
Here, in Toronto, traffic is very busy and can be most intimidating even to experianced riders. Just use caution on your route.

Roger Botting
 
We live in Altlantic Canada. The kids can get a scooter licenceat 14 and drive anything under 50cc on the roads. At 16 they can rewrite and retest for over 50cc. I cannot imagine the police in this area having a problem with a young man or lady who are licenced in their own home area and are travelling with their parents. Around the ATV violations keep them busy enough!
Safe travels to you all.
 
Interesting discussion. I have a friend here in TexSux whose 15-year-old son rides a 250 Ninja, which is probably faster and more powerful than his dad's R100RT.
 
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