I'm no longer an outlaw...well, mostly.

[isaac]

Well I fixed a technicality today. I woke up at frickin 6:15am to go take the motorcycle riders test that I'd put off for 7 months. The test is at 7:30am Wednesday. That's the only time and day of the whole week that the test is offered.

It's a good thing I took the small bike, because damned if that test wasn't harder than they said it would be. I was in a group of eight riders who showed up to take the test. Three passed: me on my GZ 250, a guy on an ancient Vespa scooter, and a guy on a Yamaha V-star. The five who failed were on a Yamaha R6, a Yamaha R1, a custom Harley fat boy, a BMW 650 Dakar, and a Honda CB500.

It was a really odd group too. Five of the eight were foreigners. A couple Frenchmen, an Italian, and two Hispanics. I guess Euros tend to ride bikes.

The lady running the test was strict as hell. I in essence did nothing wrong (no feet down, no wobbling, no knocked over cones, stayed in all the lines, didn't kill the bike) and still got 8 points knocked off out of a maximum allowable 10. She also seemed like she'd never ridden a motorcycle before. I still made it out of there after U turning, slaloming, starting and stopping, and emergency swerving my way through it all.

I felt bad for the French guy on the R1 who seemed like a professional rider. The cones for the slalom were set up the same width for all bikes, and they were really damn tight. To quote the Frenchman: "I can do a hundred on the back wheel but I can't pass this? This is bu11sh1t."

So I'm now official, and it feels pretty good. I think I'll go for a ride.

[dpep]

Where did you take this test, what city? It doesn't sound like it is a biker friendly envirionment. 7:30 am one day a week?

Anyway, congratulations on getting out of there with your endorsement.

[vwbeatle1214]

i never have taken my test and i've ridden a street bike every year since i've got my liscence (11years) i probably should take it, anybody know what the test was like in tennessee? i was told they just watch you drive off after you take the written test and as long as you can ride it you pass, but i haven't met a rider here who has there bike liscense! they don't allow you to get temps for your motorcycle liscence here though.

[SqDancerLynn1]

The Ca test is fairly simple up one side twice around the circle back down thru the fig 8 cones Then back in the reverse direction. I took it on my 850 no problems at all. 12 years without a bike I had let my mc endorcement expire

[scotty]

I finally took a test about 5 years ago. I failed and was shocked. The same old gal was failing me the second time because she said i should make a U turn without putting my feet down. i almost chewed her head off when i told her that no sane human would make a u turn on a highway without stopping--looking around and proceeding safely. (I had that in mind when she said a u turn)I didn't expect o be doing tricks. The cones were space at a reasonable distance but were about 4 inches high so i hit a couple of those too LOL.
I angrily asked her what kind of bike she rode. Her reply was she had never ridden a bike. Well that really brought my dark side out and she shaking old gal passed me after a threat with legal action and some angry remarks about an incompetent tester.
i am now seriously thinking of signing up for one of those courses for experienced riders to try and eliminate any bad riding habits i have now.
Also a course on anger management with motor vehicle officials. 8O

[bradleymaynar]

That's great Scotty! Illinois' sounds about the same. They do make adjustments on bike sizes, though. I took it on a CB200T and had no problems. But I also think the tester was not a rider.

Brad tt

BTW this is what the TN DMV says about their M license.

CLASS M (MOTORCYCLE)
The operator of a motorcycle, motor-driven cycle, or motorized bicycle will need to apply for a Class M license (or TM certificate). These two and three-wheeled vehicles are categorized by cylinder capacity and other design features. Generally, if the vehicle is over 125 cubic centimeters, a Class M (TM) license is issued; under 125cc, a Class M limited license or certificate is issued. Class M licenses (or TM certificates) may be issued as a single license, or along with another primary class. For example, if a driver wishes to be able to operate both a motorcycle and a Class D vehicle, he or she should apply for a Class DM license or TDM Certificate for Driving. Applicants wishing to apply for a Class M license/T

http://www.tennessee.gov/safety/driver.html

[mcycle-nut]

At CFB Lahr back when I was there from '76-'79, you got a motorcycle licence for the bike you took your test on! Show up with a 200cc Twinstar, and that's what you were allowed to ride, nothing bigger! 8O

[Sandy]

Boy times have changed. When I got my license more years ago than I care to mention the tester stood in the parking lot and told you to go down the street a couple of blocks and make right turns until you got back to the parking lot. If you got out of site without doing something really stupid and made it back you got your license.

[sagent]

In quite a few states I think you can take the MSF and Waive the test. of course that is kind of an expensive route. I will probably do that but if i don't I have a freind with a nice little GT250 I can borrow. the 750 may be a little big for those parking lot road tests. But if the MSF can save me from having to deal with some DMV tester I will gladly spent the few extra bucks (plus it gives an insurance discount!)

[Flatline_Racing]

I took the safety course here in alberta and just to prove that it could be done, one of the instructors rode his bike through all the different skills test. His bike was a full dress gold wing with a passenger. At the time i thought that it was hard to do on the little 250 marauder i was riding.

[skip]

Back when I took the test you had to do a chicane through the cones, then pivot around a set of cones, then accelerate till the instructor gave you a hand signal to stop at which time you had to "panic" stop and not cross a white line they had painted.
The first three bikes were harleys, and surprisingly they did the cones ok but when they had to accelerate up to speed for the panic test they all went way to slow. Time after time the instructer would say " faster this time " and time after time the would crawl up to the instrutor with him franticlly waving them on to go faster. Finaly he had enough and failed the last harley after cutting the other two a bunch of slack.
When it was my turn he looked at me an said " If I have to tell you more than once to speed up, you are all done!". I was on a suzuki TS 250 enduro and flew threw the cone with out any trouble when I rounded the pivot part off the test and was looking at the strait were I would be tested for my panic stop I was nervous as hell. He waived his arms for me to speed up and I thought "Oh $hit" he is mad already! I then proceeded to crack the throttle wide open in first ( lifting the front wheel about six inches) second and third and when he gave me the signal to stop. I grabbed a handful of front brake, nose dived the suzi and my back tire locked up! I skidded with the back tire for about the last ten feet and stopped with my front ire 6 inches behind the line.
I was sure after looking at the skid mark that I had failed . He just said "Boy from one exteme to the other, I guess I asked for that" then he signed me off and I went inside and got my license. The relief was intense

[crag antler]

Back when I took the test you had to do a chicane through the cones, then pivot around a set of cones, then accelerate till the instructor gave you a hand signal to stop at which time you had to "panic" stop and not cross a white line they had painted.
The first three bikes were harleys, and surprisingly they did the cones ok but when they had to accelerate up to speed for the panic test they all went way to slow. Time after time the instructer would say " faster this time " and time after time the would crawl up to the instrutor with him franticlly waving them on to go faster. Finaly he had enough and failed the last harley after cutting the other two a bunch of slack.
When it was my turn he looked at me an said " If I have to tell you more than once to speed up, you are all done!". I was on a suzuki TS 250 enduro and flew threw the cone with out any trouble when I rounded the pivot part off the test and was looking at the strait were I would be tested for my panic stop I was nervous as hell. He waived his arms for me to speed up and I thought "Oh $hit" he is mad already! I then proceeded to crack the throttle wide open in first ( lifting the front wheel about six inches) second and third and when he gave me the signal to stop. I grabbed a handful of front brake, nose dived the suzi and my back tire locked up! I skidded with the back tire for about the last ten feet and stopped with my front ire 6 inches behind the line.
I was sure after looking at the skid mark that I had failed . He just said "Boy from one exteme to the other, I guess I asked for that" then he signed me off and I went inside and got my license. The relief was intense

I was surprised you didn't pull a stoppie 8O 8O 8O :P :P :P

[Jethro]

I took my test in the pouring rain in a parking lot with pavement that was almost more patching compound that asphalt. That stuff is slick! He made me do the tightest figure 8 I could- I could lock the bars and do it no problem- then told me to ride to a stop sign at the end of the parking lot and take a left to loop back to where we were standing. That was it, no cones or panic stop. When I was waiting to get the license, the cop and I were shooting the $hit. I noted that the test seemed really easy and he said that the only thing he looks for is if you keep your right foot on the foot brake when you get to the stop sign and only put your left foot down. Both feet down on the ground and he fails you and doesn't tell you why.

[Philly_Chris]

That's a bogus reason to fail someone. I typically put both feet down at stops and hold my front brake. I don't see why making yourself unstable at intersections should be a required part of the licensing test.

Skip's story made me laugh at myself because I had the same problem as the Harley riders- I was told to circle around and approach again since I was going too slow. It was very nervewracking to be put on the spot like that. I was thinking too much instead of just doing.

Of course that MSF course was the first time I had ever ridden a motorcycle

[skip]

I was surprised you didn't pull a stoppie 8O 8O

enduro tires and drum brakes, no stoppies here