Riding a motorcycle in Los Angeles

Honda PCX150. Yes, it’s considered a motorcycle in CA. You need a license.

Public transport in Los Angeles has been decent, but I got a bit tired of constantly looking up bus schedules and adjusting my life around timetables. I tried an electric scooter last year, but it lacked both the speed and the range to make it of much practical value. So I decided that the next most convenient and least expensive option for getting around was a motorbike. I’m now riding a Honda PCX150 around town and it’s a blast. Here’s a quick rundown of what it took to make it happen. (tl;dr;: Around 3 weeks and $2200)

Achievement unlocked: babe on back. Hi mom!

California Motorcyclist Safety Program #

I took the CMSP from Westside Motorcycle Academy. Cost was $258. It’s 2 x 2 hours in a classroom going over the Motorcycling Training Course Student Handbook and another 2 x 3 hours riding around an empty parking lot practicing turns, braking and shifting gears. No previous riding experience necessary. You take a written and a riding test at the end of the class, and if you pass you’re exempt from taking the motorcycle skills test at the DMV.

Getting the license from the DMV #

The CMSP completion form is mailed to you, so you’ll need to wait for it before taking it to the DMV. There you will take two written tests (Motorcycle Permit/Traffic Laws and Signs) on a computer and you have 3 attempts to score at least 80% on each one. I failed the Motorcycle Permit test on the first attempt. The fee to get the motorcycle endorsement is $36. The DMV clips your current license and sends a new one in the mail.

Buying a bike #

Note: Buy a helmet first. It’s illegal to ride without a DOT approved helmet in California.

There are a lot of used bikes for sale in LA. I browsed Facebook Marketplace and the Honda PCX150 caught my eye. It’s an automatic so you can dedicate more mental energy to watching the road. It’s also fuel efficient, rated at 100mpg. Make sure the VIN on the bike matches the one on the title and the title owner’s name and address match the one on their driver’s license. Cost was $1700.

Transfer title at DMV #

Both the current owner and you need to fill out information and sign the current title and then you can take it to the DMV to get a new title in your name. I’m not sure how the transfer fee is calculated, but it is partly based off the value of the bike. For me it was $177. Kinda expensive.

Insurance #

Now that the title is in your name, you can apply for motorcycle insurance. I chose GEICO. The basic policy is around $20/month and I completed the application and had my insurance card emailed to me within 15 minutes.

Obligatory first bike photo shoot