I got my "M" today !

[Larry D]

Since I started riding again this spring, all I had was my permit...no riding after dark, no riders and you have to wear a helmet. No helmet law in Indiana...

So, this morning I got up and went to take my riders test. It also happened to be the coldest night we've has so far this year. I didn't look to see how cold it was when I left at about 8:45 this morning. I'm guessing around 35 degrees F. I bundled up and stayed surprisingly warm on my 30 mile ride to the testing site. Oddly enough, I was the only person that showed up.

I did the drills perfectly except for the swerving drill. I got off line and missed the last two cones..... He passed me anyway and I went straight to the BMV and got my license changed. I think alot of the test is the instructor observing you as you have to reposition your bike from drill to drill, which I did well.
Here's the exercises I had to perform.

http://www.abateofindiana.org/images/MCTestDiagram_SharpSmooth.gif

http://www.abateofindiana.org/images/MCTestDiagram_WeaveUturn.gif

http://www.abateofindiana.org/images/MCTestDiagram_Stop.gif

http://www.abateofindiana.org/images/MCTestDiagram_Swerve.gif

 

[Tarbash 27]

Congratulations on the license. The DMV is open on saturdays?

 

[Smokinapankake]

Same test we have here in Utah, but surprisingly, your state shows the distances, whereas mine does not.

First time I took the road test I failed miserably; the swerve portion is what got me. In retrospect, I approached too slow and tried to steer around the cones rather than lean/swerve. I felt so stupid I didn't take the road test for another year.

Congrats to you! Now go and really enjoy that bike!

 

[Larry D]

Yes, the BMV is open until noon on Saturdays...I realyy thought I'd blown it when I screwed up the swerving portion, but, he passed me anyway. I think he was more impressed that showed up on such a cold morning. And I did everything else flawlessly.

 

[lucabond]

Bravo well done give yourself a pat on the back.

 

[kerrfunk]

Congrats!

Different test than PA.

We had the "Consecutive U-Turns" (aka figure eight),
a measured stop (like your third item)
an accelerate through a turn and then stop
and i think there was an avoid the obstacle stop like yours.

anyhoo. Congrats!

 

[bonanzadave]

Nice job ! Go practice in an empty parking lot. I go to the Church and do circles in side 2 parking spaces and fig 8s inside 4 spaces. You can practice swerving through the marked parking spaces too.

 

[mighty13d]

I'm always amazed at tests like this. In Maine, you show up at a normal class C testing facility, you get on your motorcycle after the tester insures that everything works on the bike, and he follows you down the road in his car. I drove around town. Two beeps meant right turn, one beep was left, three beeps meant to pull over and back up at a 45 degree angle to the curb. one really LOOOONG beep meant to just stop where I was because I was about to die lol. It shows how you actually handle the bike out on the road. I did well, I didn't screw up despite how it was raining. Did a nice 45 degree angle and then almost got run over at an intersection where a moron in a cage decided to go from a left turn only lane to making a right turn without signaling or anything and was within a couple feet of taking me out. All the instructor said when we got back was about the guy who almost hit me! So nothing is done in parking lots here in Maine, its all road tests.

 

[jakeolsen]

It seems like your test was a lot like ours in IL. My friend and I took it on a 150cc scooter which was a breeze. One of the first tests is a slow sharp left turn. My friend was feeling confident, leaned into it, the side stand hit the concrete, and he dropped the bike. FAIL. Other than dropping the bike like that, we can get up to 3 points and still get the "M."

 

[rapidray]

you have to wear a helmet. No helmet law in Indiana...

PLEASE tell me you aren't one of those that THINK you will NEVER be in a wreck or that your head is HARDER than asphalt?!!! What kind of insurance do you have for your family to take care of you in vegatative state if something DOES happen to you? If I am ever in a REALLY bad one, I hope God takes me so my family can just go on unburdened.
I have a saying for people I see that ride without helmets: "No brain, no brain injury!" Ray.

 

[mighty13d]

PLEASE tell me you aren't one of those that THINK you will NEVER be in a wreck or that your head is HARDER than asphalt?!!! What kind of insurance do you have for your family to take care of you in vegatative state if something DOES happen to you? If I am ever in a REALLY bad one, I hope God takes me so my family can just go on unburdened.
I have a saying for people I see that ride without helmets: "No brain, no brain injury!" Ray.

I think he was just stating what the regulations are there, not his personal riding style.

 

[2BRacing]

Well done in getting your "M" !

Interesting that there are such different standards in different states! Also that some states still do not have wearing a helmet compulsory! Even here in South Africa, that became compulsory about 40 years ago!

"Think Bike" and Ride Safe

 

[Larry D]

Don't worry Ray....ATGATT !!!

 

[82Shafty]

Don't feel bad Larry, A few years ago I only had about 1000 miles under my belt on my 77 CB750SS and wound up hitting the last cone on the test, no big deal. I got to watch a guy on a Sporty 1200 fail miserably through the cones (twice), which was not confidence inspiring other than I wanted to show him up LOL.

Roadrash, in the mean time while waiting for me, had to lend his metric tool kit to another HD guy out in the parking lot so he could adjust his clutch cable; a bad day for HD riders at the DMV.

Anyways, I am happy to hear that you are official now and my hat is off to you for performing/passing the test on YOUR motorcycle.

Jerry the Motorman shows his 110 lb lady friend slamming a full dresser through the cones, and I'd hate to think that anyone on here would have to surrender to being less than a lady and cheating by using a smaller motorcycle.

I've often believed that if a person can't pass the test on their own bike, then they shouldn't be riding it; a hard reality for some to swallow.

 

[MelodicMetalGod]

Congrats! :clap:

Never stop learning! Move on to the more fun courses and learn for a lifetime of riding!

 

[kudagra]

I just took the basic rider course and they sign off on the DMV paperwork. Just had to wait 2 weeks for it to come in the mail. $17, a new picture and my license now says CM.

 

[Larry D]

I could've taken the BRC and got my license that way as well. It's a 3 day course and I've found it difficult to find the time (it's been a busy summer) Not to mention it costs $50 for the course. I DO plan to take a course next spring, but, this only cost $20 total, $10 for the test and $10 to get my license changed and it only took 15 minutes.

 

[bwringer]

Congrats, Larry!

Marge got stage fright and failed her first time through. The examiner was kind enough to ask us to wait until the surly crowd of squids and biker bros was gone (maybe a third of these swaggering goobers passed -- fun to watch them slink away) and retested her with no one watching.

Her result? Flawless. Not one missed point.

I missed a point on mine for entering the braking test too fast, of all things. I stopped in the correct place without skidding (on a GS400 with drum brakes, no less) but for some reason you were supposed to be traveling in a certain range of speeds when you hit the brakes, and I was going too fast. Whatever...

Marge and I both took the MSF Basic RiderCourse, and I highly recommend it, no matter how long you've been riding.

I took the Experienced RiderCourse later and it was a complete waste of time, unless you really enjoy watching Harleys die. (Granted, that's amusing, but only the first 20 times or so.)

 

[Larry D]

How rude of me.......Thanks everyone for the congrats !!! I was a little wary going into the test, but I felt much better when noone was there to watch. I guess it's kinda like standing on the first tee with two groups behind you waiting to tee off.

I'm a goal oriented kind of guy and have accomplished what I wanted to this summer. I didn't plan on swapping engines but, you gotta do what you gotta do.....The next thing to do is get the bike looking as good as I can without dropping a whole lot of money. Then....years of simple maintenence and alot of riding !!!

 

[Buffalo Bill]

Beware the clipboard!

Beware the clipboard!

Big relief for you, I'm Sure! Congrads!
It took me 6 months of practice to pass my test, and It still was tough! Mainly because I was riding a Kawi EX500, it has an oversquare, 2 cylinder engine with 4 valves per.
I had to take the test with the bike in 1st or 2nd, and it would chug chug chug, or jump at the slightest throttle movement.
After I got my GS1100G I tried the course again, and with the smooth, low end torque of the G, it was a piece of cake!
Bill