Some people are choosing to ride motorcycles to save gas, easy maneuvering through town, easy parking, thrills, and let’s admit it – motorcycles are cool! In a world where traffic jams are crazy, motorcycles seem to find an easy way to break free from it. It will save you a ton of gas money and lessen the possibility of time being wasted. It’s undeniable that motorcycles are more convenient and will give you a shot of happiness seeing nature and city gems better, the warm and cold breeze embracing you, and getting to your destination faster.
It is most likely that some adults use them as their means of transportation going to work or just enjoying some long rides. What if you’re a minor and want to drive a motorcycle? Are you allowed? How old do you have to be to ride one?
How Old do You Have to be to Ride a Motorcycle in New York
The short answer is 16. And this give you a class MJ license. But there are certain steps and licenses you need from the DMV. But then at age 18 you can get a class M license. You can check out the exact requirements on their DMV application site so you can get your permit.
The NYS Department of Motor Vehicles recommends a minimum of 30 hours of practice time. When practicing, there should be someone, a driver with a valid motorcycle license supervising the learner. It is also recommended to take a rider course, after passing the basic course, the learner/participant will receive a waiver for the road test to see if you’re comfortable enough on your handlebars and if you’re ready enough to take the road. Once you’ve passed all the required assessments then you’re good to go!
Now, for sure you’d ask- Are there any age restrictions? Can you ride with a/your child? There is no minimum age for a motorcycle passenger in New York, but the passenger must at least understand the danger and some safety precautions while being a passenger of the motorcycle. Cool right?
Obviously, we, older people wouldn’t really risk it. Children, of course, tend to misbehave at some points and we will tend to focus our eyes on the road. If you really need to back-ride a child then at least gear them with safety pads, helmets and make sure that he/she is comfortable enough, one leg on each side of the motorcycle, and make sure to check them if they’re still comfortable in their position. Even if we see this as an opportunity to take a child with us while driving a motorcycle, we must first ensure their safety.
Age Limit In Japan
You must be 15 and 10 months old/2 months before your 16th birthday to obtain a motorcycle license ( medium/small-sized motorcycle ) and 17 and 10 months old/2 months before your 18th birthday for a large-sized motorcycle. You must also pass the driving school’s aptitude tests such as eyesight, hearing, and color recognition and pass the preliminary tests the school is requiring.
You can choose between a manual license or the limited automatic-only license, if you choose to obtain the limited automatic-only license, you cannot drive manual-transmission vehicles. Once you pass, you’ll receive a certification/diploma that you will bring to get your license. In Japan, back-ride has different rules here, you must be 20 years old and above as the driver and has experience riding at least a year for ordinary road and 3 years for highways. Tandem riding is prohibited on the expressways, so you really have to be careful.
How Old Do You Have To Be To Ride On The Back Of a Motorcyle
Since the person on the back doesn’t actually need to have any knowledge on the laws of riding a bike, many countries and states in the US don’t have any age limit. As long as the person in the back is safe. Common sense will tell you, you can’t balance a newborn on the back of a motorcycle!
However, many places do have height requirements. For example, in California, a kid has to be at least four feet and eight inches tall to legally ride on the back… of course, with an adult driving the bike.
Can you Carry a Child on a Motorcycle?
For some people, their motorcycle is their only form of transportation. So asking if you can carry a child or even an infant on a bike isn’t that ridiculous of a question. In the US, there is the age restriction… but there are height restrictions. And it varies by state. So it’s pretty safe to assume that a baby just isn’t going to make the cut. Plus, they can’t wear a helmet and be safe. So the safest answer is… please don’t put a baby or an infant on your motorcycle.
What is the Youngest Age to Ride a Motorcycle?
Each country is different. But when you think of crazy motorcycle whizzing through and in between cars, a lot of people think Thailand. Plus, many people can’t afford cars there, so having a motorcycle makes a lot of sense. Of course, it needs to be registered. The age limit there is 15 years old. And as we discussed above, New York is 16
Why Would You Want to Ride a Bike So Early In Life?
Motorcycles are not just for going to work and going home purposes, some take them as a passion. Going for some long rides appreciating the beauty of each places offering, discovering your new favorite spot, a small coffee shop serving the nicest coffee and pastry in the corner of the metro, each stopover where you will capture the true beauty of nature and just live in a moment, finding your peace away from the noisy polluted vibe of the city; breathing.
You might even discover new friends, riders sharing their passion and love exploring using their motorcycles. Isn’t it amazing that one particular thing you both have an interest in, binds you all together and forms you all into a family? A family, a new discovery of places, sharing problems about your motorcycle, asking advice from the experienced ones, and learning lots of things, it’s like sometimes when you’re in search of freedom, you will finally know where you truly belong. It does also make you feel better, having a bad day at work? Give yourself time to breathe and release the heaviness of what you feel- ride it away!
It doesn’t only emotionally soothing but it’s physically healthy. You might be surprised to know, but yes, it affects your body positively. People riding for at least 7-8 hours have improved insulin sensitivity which could promote weight loss. Other physical benefits of it are improved muscle strength and enhanced posture.
Motorcyclists have stronger thigh muscles by balancing and correcting posture- it’s literally a core, low-impact exercise! This is mentally healthy too as concentration, making decisions and balancing is mental and physical coordination which has a huge positive impact on brain functions and activities. The trees and the nature breeze promotes relaxation which helps the rider to stay happy and focused. Doesn’t really matter which age group you are, older or younger generation, we can all agree that driving or even riding a motorcycle is fun! There will be consequences, of course, if we didn’t take care and take safety precautions for ourselves.
We Shall be Responsible
This is why proper knowledge about the procedures, laws, and regulations or even the basic rules of the street is really important to every learner that will soon take their vehicles on the road. Go to a driving school if you must to fortify the things you know about it, get yourself educated not just for yourself but for your fellow drivers. Know the rules of a certain state or place you wish to visit to avoid unnecessary conflicts- early research.
Patience, now this is really important. As early as possible, you must know that not all people are cool on the road. I mean, at the end of the day we’re just human beings, we have emotions and we have this tendency to just explode and react violently when things get worse. It’s better if we have this in mind to not be surprised by the possibility of encountering one. Road rage mostly is happening because of misunderstanding, bashing, and disrespecting each other escalating the tiny problem. Again, this is something really common but as much as possible, try to widen your patience and understanding.
Respecting
Aside from abiding by the rules of each and every place, we must know how to respect our fellow riders/drivers. You must say… ” what if he/she provokes me first? ” Yes, that is for sure annoying and blood-boiling but trust me, if this thing ever happened to you ( hopefully not, knock-on-wood ) just call the authorities.
You don’t want to be involved in a more tense situation or if you could, just let it slide! There’s nothing more amazing than forgiving someone who has done you wrong. Be proud of yourself that you have the skill to refrain yourself from nonsense arguments. Give way if you must, this is also one of the reasons why some are getting irritated.
You see, even if we have all the nicest road skills, took the assessment in a well-known driving school or you have an expensive car, it doesn’t matter! Respecting people and applying what you learn to be an effective driver makes you more respectful. There is this universal saying: Do not do unto to others what you don’t want others to do unto to. A simple universal life saying/rule with a huge, deep, and beautiful meaning. If we can only apply this all in our daily lives I would bet, we will live and drive harmoniously. Respect is always everything!
Now knowing that we all have different rules being set in our respective countries, which country do you think have more strict rules? Do you think some of them might be a little too much to be followed?
Bottom line
Each country and some states have different vehicle laws, different processes, rules, age limits, and restrictions. Depending on how much a certain rule needed to be implemented, some may differ. One thing is, these laws are here to protect us. Imagine living in a world where no rules are being followed, it will be a total mess!
People will just test everything they wanted despite not knowing how and what to do with it and that will cause mass chaos and for sure we wouldn’t want that to happen, right? We must keep in mind that it is mainly for us, riders and passengers; our safety. Especially when you tandem riding with a child, it needs attention, more security when it comes to the safety gears you will be using and the expertise in handling your motorcycle. Remember, safety’s first.
