How's it goin everyone? I've been on this site for a few months now, after I bought a 96' CBR F3 back in August. It's my first street legal bike, and I love to ride.
I have some questions though, and I hope somebody can help answer them. I apologize in advance if this is not the correct place for this.

For starters, I'm a 19 year old college student, studying air traffic control at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach. I became interested in bikes before graduating high school, and bike week during my freshman year in college got me even more excited to get my own. So like I said earlier, I finally got my F3 back in August. Got her registered and plated.
My dilemma involves my license. I am from Maryland, and I have my Maryland motorcycle learner's permit. I don't have my license for reasons that are hard to explain.
I was born with a deformity of my left hand which left me with essentially no fingers. After falling in love with motorcycles, I figured out that I could flip the clutch lever around and push it in with my palm, instead of pull it with my fingers, and it works fine for me.
The bike is registered in Florida. If I'm correct, since I am under 21, if I wanted to get my motorcycle license in Florida, I would have to take the riders course. However, the only way I can ride is to flip the clutch lever around. I emailed someone regarding the course, and they said I can only use the course supplied bikesbikes. I explained my problem, but they said I can't modify their bikes. So I'm pretty much trapped until I turn 21, when I can use my own bike for the skills test. I think the law is similar in Maryland.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how I could go about getting my license in a different way? Or any comments on what a police officer might say/do if I were pulled over?
Thanks!

 

If they are that sticky about using their bikes, I feel you have a right to complain........
You are being discriminated against on the basis of your disability - that's against the law in every state in the US, as far as I know. You can and should force the issue.
I have a friend who lost his right arm at age 8 - what he has done is to link his brakes through his brake footpedal (front and rear brakes) and he does the clutch and throttle with his left hand.
The clutch lever stays where it is, the hand brake lever is left connected but isn't used, and the throttle is swung over to the left side.Cables are no problem.
I've ridden with him for hundreds of miles, and it works very well.
There are a number of systems which cater for one-handed riding - another friend lost the use of his arm, and has all his controls on one side - he does one handed wheelies.......
Best of luck. Hope this helps.

 

I'm not sure about how it works in other states such as florida, but here in Pa as long as your bike is registered, licensed,and inspected there isn't much they can do about you choosing to use your own bike for the course. I would look into it more, they won't modify one of their bikes,but I think you can find ways that would allow you to use your bike.

 

fbpsb82 - alright this whole thing sucks and i'm very sorry....i really admire you going after something you enjoy despite the hurdles you are encountering....

that being said...seems to me that you have an extremely valid complaint against the state of Florida...as Shadow stated...it is very apparent you are being discriminated against due to your disability...now...there are a few things to realize...obtaining a drivers license is a privilege and not a right....i say this not to be a jerk, but to get you in the mindset that you can't argue that you have a RIGHT to obtain a license and they are preventing it....

rather your argument can be that they are discriminating against you based solely on your disability....if you have a bike that is registered with the state and titled meaning it is completely street legal by Florida's standards, the DMV should NOT be preventing you from using a legal modified bike solely because they want you to use their issued bikes which are impossible for you to use....

i would research how the florida DMV deals with disabled drivers and how they take a driving test....do they use modified cars provided by the state, are they allowed to bring their own cars...use that information to your advantage...

unfortunately, i do not practice disability or civil rights law, but just on the surface, it seems to me that you have a very valid argument against them....i would first try to find out all the info you can about how disabled auto DRIVERS get their license and compare the process to see if there is any discrepancy...then i would argue to the DMV that you have a registered titled bike that is modified so that you can ride it and to prevent you from doing so is blatant discrimination.....

let me know how things go and if you need some more help...PM me...i might have a friend or two that may be able to give you more insight...

best of luck!