Colorado law allows trike license without bike license

November 30, 3:02 PMMotorcycle ExaminerKen Bingenheimer

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  Motorcycle trike

A bill passed in this last legislative session has put Colorado in the forefront in regard to three-wheeled motorcycles.

Used to be to ride a trike, such as the one pictured at right, you had to have a motorcycle validation on your driver's license. The trouble was, some people who can do just fine on a trike cannot ride a two-wheeled motorcycle. You know, like if you've lost a leg or something.

Well, thanks largely to the efforts of ABATE of Colorado, that situation was remedied. Section 1. 42-2-103, of the Colorado Revised Statutes, now says, in part:

The department shall also require an applicant for a limited three-wheel motorcycle endorsement to demonstrate the applicant’s ability to exercise ordinary and reasonable care and control in the operation of a three-wheel motorcycle. . . . A person with only a limited three-wheel motorcycle endorsement may operate a three-wheel motorcycle but shall not operate a two-wheel motorcycle on a roadway.

The provision also applies to riding a bike with a sidecar attached. The point is, a trike is not going to fall over when you come to a stop if you don't put your foot down. Now, I'm not sure if this would also include the Piaggio MP3 scooter, which has two wheels very close together in front, but I'm guessing it would.

In concert with the new legislation, ABATE now offers rider training for three-wheeled bikes. If you're interested in this particular mode of transportation, I'd recommend you check out the course.