Can-Am Spyder-Roadster

[RolnCode3]

Originally Posted by JeffeVerde

If someone at the DMV is telling you that you must have an M1 to ride the Spyder (and they're wrong, btw), you should show up on the Spyder for your driving test. Then let them try to explain why you can't use the Spyder to take the test to get the license they they claim you need to ride the Spyder . Even better - have a friend video tape the conversation and post it up in the humor section -- I'd love to hear that explanation

They won't have to explain anything. They will simply tell you you cannot. And they're correct. Here's why:
(It's a long section - if anyone needs it broken down further, let me know and I'll make it clearer - the important section is highlighted about halfway down)

12804.9. (a) (1) The examination shall include all of the
following:
(A) A test of the applicant's knowledge and understanding of the
provisions of this code governing the operation of vehicles upon the
highways.
(B) A test of the applicant's ability to read and understand
simple English used in highway traffic and directional signs.
(C) A test of the applicant's understanding of traffic signs and
signals, including the bikeway signs, markers, and traffic control
devices established by the Department of Transportation.
(D) An actual demonstration of the applicant's ability to exercise
ordinary and reasonable control in operating a motor vehicle by
driving it under the supervision of an examining officer. The
applicant shall submit to an examination appropriate to the type of
motor vehicle or combination of vehicles he or she desires a license
to drive, except that the department may waive the driving test part
of the examination for any applicant who submits a license issued by
another state, territory, or possession of the United States, the
District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico if the
department verifies through any acknowledged national driver record
data source that there are no stops, holds, or other impediments to
its issuance. The examining officer may request to see evidence of
financial responsibility for the vehicle prior to supervising the
demonstration of the applicant's ability to operate the vehicle. The
examining officer may refuse to examine an applicant who is unable to
provide proof of financial responsibility for the vehicle, unless
proof of financial responsibility is not required by this code.
(E) A test of the hearing and eyesight of the applicant, and of
other matters that may be necessary to determine the applicant's
mental and physical fitness to operate a motor vehicle upon the
highways, and whether any grounds exist for refusal of a license
under this code.
(2) The examination for a class A or class B driver's license
under subdivision (b) shall also include a report of a medical
examination of the applicant given not more than two years prior to
the date of the application by a health care professional. As used in
this paragraph, "health care professional" means a person who is
licensed, certified, or registered in accordance with applicable
state laws and regulations to practice medicine and perform physical
examinations in the United States. Health care professionals are
doctors of medicine, doctors of osteopathy, physician assistants, and
registered advanced practice nurses, or doctors of chiropractic who
are clinically competent to perform the medical examination presently
required of motor carrier drivers by the federal Department of
Transportation. The report shall be on a form approved by the
department, the federal Department of Transportation, or the Federal
Aviation Administration. In establishing the requirements,
consideration may be given to the standards presently required of
motor carrier drivers by the Federal Highway Administration.
(3) A physical defect of the applicant that, in the opinion of the
department, is compensated for to ensure safe driving ability, shall
not prevent the issuance of a license to the applicant.
(b) In accordance with the following classifications, an applicant
for a driver's license shall be required to submit to an examination
appropriate to the type of motor vehicle or combination of vehicles
the applicant desires a license to drive:
(1) Class A includes the following:
(A) A combination of vehicles, if a vehicle being towed has a
gross vehicle weight rating of more than 10,000 pounds.
(B) A vehicle towing more than one vehicle.
(C) A trailer bus.
(D) The operation of all vehicles under class B and class C.
(2) Class B includes the following:
(A) A single vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating of more
than 26,000 pounds.
(B) A single vehicle with three or more axles, except any
three-axle vehicle weighing less than 6,000 pounds.
(C) A bus except a trailer bus.
(D) A farm labor vehicle.
(E) A single vehicle with three or more axles or a gross vehicle
weight rating of more than 26,000 pounds towing another vehicle with
a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,000 pounds or less.
(F) A house car over 40 feet in length, excluding safety devices
and safety bumpers.
(G) The operation of all vehicles covered under class C.
(3) Class C includes the following:
(A) A two-axle vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating of
26,000 pounds or less, including when the vehicle is towing a trailer
or semitrailer with a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,000 pounds
or less.
(B) Notwithstanding subparagraph (A), a two-axle vehicle weighing
4,000 pounds or more unladen when towing a trailer coach not
exceeding 9,000 pounds gross.
(C) A house car of 40 feet in length or less.
(D) A three-axle vehicle weighing 6,000 pounds gross or less.
(E) A house car of 40 feet in length or less or vehicle towing
another vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,000 pounds
or less, including when a tow dolly is used. A person driving a
vehicle may not tow another vehicle in violation of Section 21715.
(F) (i) A two-axle vehicle weighing 4,000 pounds or more unladen
when towing either a trailer coach or a fifth-wheel travel trailer
not exceeding 10,000 pounds gross vehicle weight rating, when the
towing of the trailer is not for compensation.
(ii) A two-axle vehicle weighing 4,000 pounds or more unladen when
towing a fifth-wheel travel trailer exceeding 10,000 pounds, but not
exceeding 15,000 pounds, gross vehicle weight rating, when the
towing of the trailer is not for compensation, and if the person has
passed a specialized written examination provided by the department
relating to the knowledge of this code and other safety aspects
governing the towing of recreational vehicles upon the highway.
The authority to operate combinations of vehicles under this
subparagraph may be granted by endorsement on a class C license upon
completion of that written examination.
(G) A vehicle or combination of vehicles with a gross combination
weight rating or a gross vehicle weight rating, as those terms are
defined in subdivisions (j) and (k), respectively, of Section 15210,
of 26,000 pounds or less, if all of the following conditions are met:

(i) Is operated by a farmer, an employee of a farmer, or an
instructor credentialed in agriculture as part of an instructional
program in agriculture at the high school, community college, or
university level.
(ii) Is used exclusively in the conduct of agricultural
operations.
(iii) Is not used in the capacity of a for-hire carrier or for
compensation.
(H) A motorized scooter.
(I) Class C does not include a two-wheel motorcycle or a
two-wheel motor-driven cycle.
(4) Class M1. A two-wheel motorcycle or a motor-driven cycle.
Authority to operate a vehicle included in a class M1 license may be
granted by endorsement on a class A, B, or C license upon completion
of an appropriate examination.
(5) (A) Class M2 includes the following:
(i) A motorized bicycle or moped, or a bicycle with an attached
motor, except a motorized bicycle described in subdivision (b) of
Section 406.
(ii) A motorized scooter.
(B) Authority to operate vehicles included in class M2 may be
granted by endorsement on a class A, B, or C license upon completion
of an appropriate examination, except that no endorsement is required
for a motorized scooter. Persons holding a class M1 license or
endorsement may operate vehicles included in class M2 without further
examination.
(c) A driver's license or driver certificate is not valid for
operating a commercial motor vehicle, as defined in subdivision (b)
of Section 15210, any other motor vehicle defined in paragraph (1) or
(2) of subdivision (b), or any other vehicle requiring a driver to
hold any driver certificate or any driver's license endorsement under
Section 15275, unless a medical certificate approved by the
department, the federal Department of Transportation, or the Federal
Aviation Administration, that has been issued within two years of the
date of the operation of that vehicle, is within the licensee's
immediate possession, and a copy of the medical examination report
from which the certificate was issued is on file with the department.
Otherwise, the license is valid only for operating class C vehicles
that are not commercial vehicles, as defined in subdivision (b) of
Section 15210, and for operating class M1 or M2 vehicles, if so
endorsed, that are not commercial vehicles, as defined in subdivision
(b) of Section 15210.
(d) A license or driver certificate issued prior to the enactment
of Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 15200) is valid to operate the
class or type of vehicles specified under the law in existence prior
to that enactment until the license or certificate expires or is
otherwise suspended, revoked, or canceled.
(e) The department may accept a certificate of driving skill that
is issued by an employer, authorized by the department to issue a
certificate under Section 15250, of the applicant, in lieu of a
driving test, on class A or B applications, if the applicant has
first qualified for a class C license and has met the other
examination requirements for the license for which he or she is
applying. The certificate may be submitted as evidence of the
applicant's skill in the operation of the types of equipment covered
by the license for which he or she is applying.
(f) The department may accept a certificate of competence in lieu
of a driving test on class M1 or M2 applications, when the
certificate is issued by a law enforcement agency for its officers
who operate class M1 or M2 vehicles in their duties, if the applicant
has met the other examination requirements for the license for which
he or she is applying.
(g) The department may accept a certificate of satisfactory
completion of a novice motorcyclist training program approved by the
commissioner pursuant to Section 2932 in lieu of a driving test on
class M1 or M2 applications, if the applicant has met the other
examination requirements for the license for which he or she is
applying. The department shall review and approve the written and
driving test used by a program to determine whether the program may
issue a certificate of completion.
(h) Notwithstanding subdivision (b), a person holding a valid
California driver's license of any class may operate a short-term
rental motorized bicycle without taking any special examination for
the operation of a motorized bicycle, and without having a class M2
endorsement on that license. As used in this subdivision, "short-term"
means 48 hours or less.
(i) A person under the age of 21 years may not be issued a class
M1 or M2 license or endorsement unless he or she provides evidence
satisfactory to the department of completion of a motorcycle safety
training program that is operated pursuant to Article 2 (commencing
with Section 2930) of Chapter 5 of Division 2.
(j) A driver of a vanpool vehicle may operate with a class C
license but shall possess evidence of a medical examination required
for a class B license when operating vanpool vehicles. In order to be
eligible to drive the vanpool vehicle, the driver shall keep in the
vanpool vehicle a statement, signed under penalty of perjury, that he
or she has not been convicted of reckless driving, drunk driving, or
a hit-and-run offense in the last five years.
(k) A class M license issued between January 1, 1989, and December
31, 1992, shall permit the holder to operate any motorcycle,
motor-driven cycle, or motorized bicycle until the expiration of the
license.

[JeffeVerde]

Originally Posted by RolnCode3

They won't have to explain anything. They will simply tell you you cannot. And they're correct. Here's why:
(It's a long section - if anyone needs it broken down further, let me know and I'll make it clearer - the important section is highlighted about halfway down) . . .

You must not have read the whole thread, Bill. He was told by someone at the DMV that an M1 is required to operate the Spyder. So show up for the riding test on the Spyder and let them figure it out for themselves. The amusement factor alone would make it would be worth the trip to the DMV -- I can picture a group of DMV workers scratching their heads and looking back and forth from the Spyder to the test course And who knows - he might even get an M1 out of it without having to ride the lollipop on a "real" bike.

[RolnCode3]

Originally Posted by JeffeVerde

You must not have read the whole thread, Bill. He was told by someone at the DMV that an M1 is required to operate the Spyder. So show up for the riding test on the Spyder and let them figure it out for themselves. The amusement factor alone would make it would be worth the trip to the DMV -- I can picture a group of DMV workers scratching their heads and looking back and forth from the Spyder to the test course And who knows - he might even get an M1 out of it without having to ride the lollipop on a "real" bike.

Ahh. Well, the DMV employee was wrong - as you guys have shown. It happens. If you somehow got them to allow you to ride the Spyder, and then later someone figured it out, your M1 license would probably get suspended and you'd have to take/retake the test.

It appeared the question was whether or not you could ride the Spyder for the M1 test. I didn't know it was a challenge to a specific employee.

[trigger]

Spyder is in the shop for the routine after-storage checkup. The brakes still squeal at the lightest pressure on the brake lever. There's something gumming the discs or the brake shoes. The dealer will let me know.

[Tomcat101147]

Texas is rather non-specific on the M endorsement as applied by the LEO on the street. If it looks motorcyclish it is a motorcycle. The old 3 wheel Cushman Trucksters are motorcycles here too.

The Spyder reminds me of something the driver of a gorgeous Sting Ray Corvette convertible told me once. He was selling it because it was so low that even sedans kept trying to run over him because they couldn't see it over the passenger window sill of their cars. Trucks were even worse.

Motorcycles are all but invisible anyway. The Can-Am has to be worse than that. Loud pipes maybe?

[trigger]

Hey Matt, looks like the Spyder Group will prerun the route you posted for north cal. We'll be up there to prerun the route and take trip data back to the website for the main group to look at. The lakes look great, but not sure about all the left and right turns. I think some of the Spyders will get lost, thus we do the prerun to iron out the kinks.

[trigger]

Ft Irwin Rd by Barstow, CA

[trigger]

Glendora Ridge Rd at Mt Baldy,CA

Caution for riders-this road has alot of blind turns. I had near-hits with oncoming traffic (Truck and SUV) that turned a little too wide at the blind corner and into my lane. Slow and Cruise would be the safest recommended speeds.

[Catenaccio]

My son and I checked out a pair of Can-Ams yesterday. Electric shift in black and silver and yellow with the foot shifter. He liked the electric shift. I liked the foot shifter. I kept grabbing for a non-existent front brake. He kept grabbing for non-existent brake and clutch. Kind of funny.

They are a blast to ride! Definitely feel different from a bike, but not a bad ride. Lots bigger than the bikes I ride. Tends to handle well when up to speed. A bit ponderous starting out, but reverse is cool. I would have a hard time dropping $15K-$16K on a Can-Am without being tempted by other machines.

[yamaha]

I've seen a few Spyders during my rides, they looked really nice.


This one I saw while I was riding through Olema on Sir Francis Drake Blvd. It's blurred, I just barely got the camera on to take the shot.

These two on a Can Am Spyder heading up on Rim of the World Hwy 18

Here I caught up w/them at Lake Arrowhead

This young lady is getting ready to load a box of pizza on her Spyder to deliver. Ojai, CA. I'll bet she loves her job

james