Trikes, License Endorsements & the Freedom of the Ride

As Seen in Thunder Road Magazine

Authored by Jason, The Motorcycle Lawyer

 

In my October 2013 article, What is Michigan’s Motorcycle Endorsement, I explained what a motorcycle endorsement is, how you get it, why you need it, and what happens without it. I’ve been contributing to Thunder Roads for several years now, and our articles have always been accurate and well received, so I was disappointed to find out that my October 2013 article may have caused some confusion as to how motorcycle endorsements work for three-wheel motorcycles (trikes).

 

One trike-riding reader, Bill “The Fuzz” Eplett, called me to get some clarification about the CY endorsement for trikes. Bill, a retired cop, has been a biker since he was 16, and has been riding a trike since the mid-1970s. He wanted to clarify whether his regular CY endorsement covered him while he was out on his trike.

 

When you read it by itself, the motorcycle endorsement law [MCL 257.312b(3)] is a little confusing when it talks about trikes. It states: “A motorcycle endorsement issued to a person who operates a 3-wheeled motorcycle or an autocycle shall be restricted to operation of that type of motorcycle and does not permit operation of a 2-wheeled motorcycle.”

 

What that means is, if you already have your CY endorsement and you did your skills test or your training course on a two-wheeled bike, you are legally allowed to ride either a two- or a three-wheeled bike. The regular CY endorsement covers both. However, if you did your skills test or training course on a trike, you will have a CY endorsement with the restriction “Code 20 – NOT VALID FOR A 2-WHEEL CYCLE”, and it is only legal for you to ride a trike. If you decide you want to start riding a two-wheel bike, and you have a restricted CY endorsement, you would have to re-apply to the DMV to get your regular (unrestricted) CY endorsement.

 

Since I don’t ride trikes, I talked to Bill about some of the differences between two- and three-wheeled bikes. My guess was that there is a bit of a learning curve when you first switch to a trike from a motorcycle, and Bill agreed. Steering, cornering, and braking are all slightly different with a trike. Trikes use a push-pull steering system, so when cornering the rider points his wheel in the direction he wants to go. The rider doesn’t need to lean as much, if at all, on a trike.

 

Bill mentioned slowing down significantly before corners and curves, and this is also recommended in the Michigan Motorcycle Operator’s Manual. Slowing down helps the rider keep all three wheels on the road; hitting a turn too fast or at too sharp an angle can cause tipping. The Manual also mentions that riders may lose traction while driving up a hill, as the trike’s weight shifts to the back. Riding downhill, gravity can increase how much braking force the rider needs to apply in order to stop or turn, so the manual recommends slowing down early to maintain control.

 

Bill also told me you have to get used to having rear wheels that stick out past your handlebars. “You learn that one quick, usually because you hit a gas pump or your rear end rides up on a curb,” he said with a laugh. Bill currently rides a Harley Street Glide. “It’s a beautiful bike,” he says. “I love it.”

 

When I asked Bill what the most important thing people should know about three-wheeled bikes is, he didn’t hesitate. “Trikes can give older riders their freedom back,” he says, adding, “A lot of people ride motorcycles their whole lives, but it can get to be too hard as they get older. Switching to a trike lets them continue to do what they love.”

 

Here is the bottom line regarding Michigan motorcycle endorsements and trikes: If you have a regular CY endorsement for a two-wheeled motorcycle, you’re legal to operate two-wheeled motorcycles and trikes. But, if you have a restricted CY endorsement because you did your skills test on a trike, you are limited to just riding trikes. I hope this clears up any confusion. No matter how many wheels on your bike, I hope you get some great fall riding in while the weather is still cooperating.