as typical in the yew-ess-of-ay, anyone can walk in and get a learner permit and then all you hafta do is take a test within six months. no required course, no clear newb identifier. it's kinda stupid, which is why we have so many fatalities and gruesome accidents when dipshit 20-somethings go straight from dirt bike to gixxer/hayabusa and wind up a giant smear on hwy 2.
what we DO have is the motorcycle safety foundation courses, which are $80 to $125 depending on your region, and which offer awesome training from pro riders. if you successfully pass their test, you automatically get the license -- and it's not a cakewalk. (i barely passed with a 91 out of 100 after i botched the u-turn. i will always hate the yamaha virago because of this.) it's 24 hours of pretty grueling time on the bike, and they criticize the living heck out of you. (they also kick the jerkoffs out of class if they drop the bike or get too stupid, which is awesome. fuck, they kick you out if you don't show up for any of the three days without proper helmet/gloves/jacket/boots.) they do this because most american riders are mentally distinguished mentally-challenged and they want the roads safe, you safe, and the hobby safe from the state/fed regulations that follow in the wake of too many dead idiots.
they put you on a 125 or 250cc bike like an oldish rebel or virago, which have bears of clutches, and you spend 16 of the 24 hours riding while they watch and point out all the unsafe shit you're doing. it should really be mandatory.
edit: some states allow lane splitting. not wa or ca, for sure. in wa, lane splitting is a guaranteed $185 fine. american commuters aren't good at respecting riders in heavy traffic -- too many dead riders from sudden lurches or inattentive lane straddles.
