Yamaha Tricity - Can take Thai motorcycle test with it?

[Alan2015]

The practical part of the motorcycle drivers license has you cross a narrow "bridge" slowly to show your mastery of balance with a motorcycle.

With the Tricity . . 1.its two front wheels appear to be wider than the narrow "bridge". and 2. you can nearly sit on it stationary without falling over, so it really doesn't take the same balancing skill.

So, if I show up for the motorcycle practical test, what do you think their reaction will be? (I'm afraid they'll say "No" and "come back with a 2-wheeler".)

Edited April 2, 2015 by Alan2015

[mesquite]

they'll say "No" and "come back with a 2-wheeler"

Edited April 2, 2015 by mesquite

[CharlieH]

MOVED to motrbike forum

[eisfeld]

If they say "no" you can rent a normal scooter from them. At least in Phuket that's possible. I say try and take a picture of their faces when they see the Tricity

[hansgruber]

It's a road legal wheel chair. I tested one and I felt like a handicapped person.

[guzzi850m2]

Just offer one of the other testers 50-100 baht and they will borrow you their bike for the test.

Technically it should be possible to take the test on the tricity since it's road legal.

Can the tricity cross the "bridge" on 1 front wheel only?

[mesquite]

Just offer one of the other testers 50-100 baht and they will borrow you their bike for the test.

Technically it should be possible to take the test on the tricity since it's road legal.

Can the tricity cross the "bridge" on 1 front wheel only?

They automatically give you a ten-year license if you can do that.

[papa al]

You mock, but papa saw a vid of some athletic stunter riding heck out of one including leaned over on two & riding wherever he pleased.

Hire him to wheelie the length of the plank for you...20-y.r license.

Ya.

Have no clue as to his sexual O.

[guzzi850m2]

Just offer one of the other testers 50-100 baht and they will borrow you their bike for the test.

Technically it should be possible to take the test on the tricity since it's road legal.

Can the tricity cross the "bridge" on 1 front wheel only?

They automatically give you a ten-year license if you can do that.

So I can assume you tried one and know for sure.

I never tried one myself, hence the question.

[seedy]

One Troll / Flaming post removed

[Alan2015]

Just offer one of the other testers 50-100 baht and they will borrow you their bike for the test.

Technically it should be possible to take the test on the tricity since it's road legal.

Can the tricity cross the "bridge" on 1 front wheel only?

Some states in the U.S. have motorcycle categories that include 2-wheel or 3-wheel. I assume that if you test on a 3-wheel, you are restricted to a 3-wheel.

Thailand will have to see a whole lot more Tricity or other 3-wheel motorbikes, I guess, before they go that route.

I would guess at this point there isn't even a policy on how to handle a customer who shows up for the motorcycle practical test with a Tricity. That suggest the folks on the ground doing the testing would make the call, and like so much in Thailand the call could be one way here, another there; one way this day, another the next.

Edited April 2, 2015 by Alan2015

[andrewrooney]

Just offer one of the other testers 50-100 baht and they will borrow you their bike for the test.

Technically it should be possible to take the test on the tricity since it's road legal.

Can the tricity cross the "bridge" on 1 front wheel only?

Some states in the U.S. have motorcycle categories that include 2-wheel or 3-wheel. I assume that if you test on a 3-wheel, you are restricted to a 3-wheel.

Thailand will have to see a whole lot more Tricity or other 3-wheel motorbikes, I guess, before they go that route.

I would guess at this point there isn't even a policy on how to handle a customer who shows up for the motorcycle practical test with a Tricity. That suggest the folks on the ground doing the testing would make the call, and like so much in Thailand the call could be one way here, another there; one way this day, another the next.

Thailand has a three wheel license- for tuk-tuks! Maybe if you show up with a Tri-City you can ask to take the tuk-tuk test!

In all seriousness though I don't think you'd be able to do the test on it, simply because of the "balance beam" part of the practical test... they'd probably require you to do the test on one of the bikes they have there.

Worth a try though, might be worth it just to see the looks on their faces.

[Pinot]

It's a road legal wheel chair. I tested one and I felt like a handicapped person.

I thought it was more stable and cornered better than a two wheel bike. I choose a PCX, but it was only because it's a brand new model and there are often problems to be worked out. I think your comment is hardly anything like I found this bike to be. Trying to be funny? Okay. A fun and very safe bike. Really fun to drive.

[wow64]

just hit the bridge fast enough and you should jump it.

[hansgruber]

It's a road legal wheel chair. I tested one and I felt like a handicapped person.

I thought it was more stable and cornered better than a two wheel bike. I choose a PCX, but it was only because it's a brand new model and there are often problems to be worked out. I think your comment is hardly anything like I found this bike to be. Trying to be funny? Okay. A fun and very safe bike. Really fun to drive.

I never said it wasn't fun. It cornered great and the brakes were great but it doesn't give me the true bike sensation. Also it's extremely underpowered. I felt like I was on training wheels or in a wheel chair.

In saying that,I'd take a Piaggio MP3 500 though.

It's at least able to engage a stop brake so you don't need to put your feet down at the lights and power to boot.

[papa al]

Just offer one of the other testers 50-100 baht and they will borrow you their bike for the test.

Technically it should be possible to take the test on the tricity since it's road legal.

Can the tricity cross the "bridge" on 1 front wheel only?

My guess is that even the best stunt driver couldn't.

1 rear wheel only, can.

[papa al]

Wouldn't it be simpler & better to just not require adults to have a license to ride.

Think about it.

I really can see no downside.

Duohh.

Lost revenue to officials, &c.

My bad.

[malt25]

OP, you know the answer to this without asking. I must admit, a comical question though.

The balance plank, is just that, to show you are capable of riding " slowly" along the plank, "balancing."

On my first attempt, I gave it full throttle at the start of the plank & shot across no problem. When I completed the circuit & returned to start point, the testing officer, with a BIG grin, said, Ha ha, now again please, but very slow this time. Again, no problem.

I had no bike when sitting the test. My test was in Sakon Nakhon, not a big city, so I guess most or all test centers have bikes to use. No charge for the use of the bike. But I am a very hansum man, so that might have had something to do with the freebie.

Cheers..... Mal.

[Alan2015]

OP, you know the answer to this without asking. I must admit, a comical question though.

The balance plank, is just that, to show you are capable of riding " slowly" along the plank, "balancing."

On my first attempt, I gave it full throttle at the start of the plank & shot across no problem. When I completed the circuit & returned to start point, the testing officer, with a BIG grin, said, Ha ha, now again please, but very slow this time. Again, no problem.

I had no bike when sitting the test. My test was in Sakon Nakhon, not a big city, so I guess most or all test centers have bikes to use. No charge for the use of the bike. But I am a very hansum man, so that might have had something to do with the freebie.

Cheers..... Mal.

Well, actually . .

Just out of curiosity, I had the Yamaha dealer who sold me the Tricity call the local "DMV" and ask about this. Apparently he has a relative working over there. He was on the phone with them for over 15 minutes as they together pondered the issue. The long and short of it was that they agreed it was a legal motorcycle and they didn't have an appropriate test set up for it, let alone licensing category.

They hinted that if I had just shown up with it, they probably would have just waived that part of the test or maybe had me keep the one rear wheel on the plank. But, with the advanced warning that I could show up with it, they asked the dealer to persuade not to but rather just come with "a regular motorcycle" (I guess so as to not put them on the spot), which I'll do out of courtesy.

I really didn't intend to go there with my Tricity. I was just "What if - ing" to highlight the impact the introduction of the Tricity could have on the motorcycle testing / licensing regimen in Thailand. I'll be going next week with my trusty old Click (which I rode for two year always with the intention of someday getting a license to do so legally; recent local checkpoints have behooved me to finally get it done .)

The dealer said the "DMV' folks are having have some kind of meeting coming up and the local DMV test director is going to bring this up. So, who knows, maybe we'll see a 3-wheel motorcycle license someday, . . or not.

Edited April 8, 2015 by Alan2015

[macknife]

The DLT at Onnut, Bangkok doesn't have the plank test so I guess the Tricity would be fine there.

[wow64]

Wouldn't it be easier to plank on a 3 wheel bike?

[pianoman]

12+ years ago when I first tried for my Thai Bike Lic., here in Kalasin, I showed up on my New Honda Phantom and when I saw all the Thai's waiting for the drive test with their small bikes, I got a little nervous about making it around the extremely small course... My Thai GF said "Just watch the Thai Men and do the same as they do",,, When it came time to ride the course, I was the first one called up, so did not get the chance to watch anyone eles drive it, and just went for it... They had an official walk / run ahead of me to show me where to go so made it simple until the Balance Beam... I stopped and he told me to either drive the beam without stopping end finish the test, or I could continue to drive around the Track again without riding the beam and that would be "O.K.... I just went for and made it across and came off with all the waiting Thai's cheering as I came off...

Pianoman

[Alan2015]

Hey Wow64, . . I was thinking of something like that . . if only I could actually do something like that!

Pianoman, . . that the tester would offer to let you skip the plank shows that they can (or could in the day) make their own call sometimes. I think things are getting tighter these days, though. I was told by a Thai staffer at my school that I could go out to the DLT course and practice during the lunch hour, so yesterday I thought I'd give the beam a try just to save any surprise once I go out for the actual test. But, there was no practice allowed any longer. The course was gated and a sign said "Test Entry Only. No Practice." The staffer had done her motorcycle license just four months before and she said at the lunch hour of the theory classes, the very same DLT staff encouraged the applicants to go practice. Now, "no practice" is their policy.