3
Colorado Motorcycle Operator’s Handbook
1. MOTORCYCLE OPERATOR LICENSING
It is illegal for you to operate a motorcycle on a public street
or highway in Colorado unless you have a valid license that
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a 2- or 3-wheel motorcycle. Colorado also issues a separate
endorsement “3” that authorizes the operation of 3-wheel
motorcycles, only. Low-power scooters (engine size of 50cc
or less or 4476 watts or less, if electric. 40 mph max.) do not
qualify as motorcycles but Colorado law requires that you
have at least a basic driver’s license to operate a low-power
scooter on public streets.
The State of Colorado no longer issues new “Motorcycle
Only” licenses. The motorcycle endorsement will be part
of a regular or CDL license, only. The “M” will no longer be
issued as a separate class of
license
.
To add a general or 3-wheel motorcycle endorsement to your
existing Colorado driver’s license you must be at least 16
years of age and pass all required examinations:
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requirements if you do not have a valid driver’s license).
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2/3-wheel motorcycles. If you pass a skills test on a three-
wheel motorcycle, the endorsement “3” will appear on
your license.
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If you are under 18 years of age, your parent or guardian must
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issued your instruction permit. You must hold your motor-
cycle instruction permit for 12 months and be 16 years of age
before you can add the endorsement to your driver’s license.
If you are between 15 and 16 years of age, you must have
completed a Motorcycle Operator Skills Training (MOST)
program, and show proof of completion, prior to receiving
your instruction permit.
A motorcycle instruction permit allows you to oper-
ate a motorcycle while under the immediate, proximate
supervision of an adult who is at least 21 years of age
and holds a valid COLORADO license endorsed for
motorcycles. If you are under the age of 18, per Colorado Re-
vised Statute 42-2-106, if you are not riding with your MOST
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of Liability, you must have your parent or guardian’s permis-
sion to
ride with another adult who meets the requirements
of having a valid driver’s license endorsed for motorcycles.
The driving test is the most important part of the
examination because it provides you with the opportunity to
demonstrate your ability to drive safely. You must provide a
properly registered and insured motorcycle to be used in the
test. Make certain you are familiar with it and all the controls.
For drivers under 18 years of age, the DR 2324, Drive Time
Log Sheet, required for a regular license, is not necessary for
the addition of the M or 3 endorsement.
2. PREPARING TO RIDE
As a rider, what you do before you start a trip goes a long
way toward determining whether or not you’ll get where
you want to go safely. Before taking a trip, a safe rider makes
a point to:
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2.1 WEAR THE RIGHT GEAR:
When you ride, your gear
is right if it protects you. In any crash, you have a far better
chance of avoiding serious injury if you wear:
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HELMET: Crashes are not rare events-particularly among
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reported results in head or neck injuries. Head injuries
are just as severe as neck injuries, and far more common.
Research shows that wearing a helmet reduces your risk of
neck or head injury. Colorado Revised Statute 42-2-1502 (4.5)
states that a person shall not operate or ride as a passenger on
a motorcycle or low-power scooter unless each person under
18 years of age is wearing an approved motorcycle helmet.
An approved helmet lets you see as far to the sides as neces-
sary. A study of more than 900 motorcycle crashes, where 40
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case in which a helmet kept a rider from spotting danger.
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just a few minutes after starting out.
Even low-speed crashes can be fatal. Most riders are going
slower than 30 M.P.H. when they get hurt. At these speeds,
helmets can cut both the number and the severity of head
injuries by half.
No matter what the speed, unhelmeted riders are three
times more likely to die of head injuries than are riders
who are wearing helmets at the time of the crash.
