Took my motorcycle riding test...

[Juggler]

First and foremost, motorcycle people are damn nice people. I was taking the test with another rider, and forgot my checkbook. He paid for my DMV fees ($18). Very nice of the guy, and I sent him a check the very next day.

The riding test was <insert expletive here> LAME! They give me maybe fifty feet of runway, and on one test, I'm supposed to "upshift a third of the way, downshift two-thirds of the way, then signal a right-hand turn with your hand."

And to top if off, the person who administered the test knew absolutely nothing about bikes.

So, in short, a test written by a non-rider, and administered by a non-rider. Typical government BS.

 

[MidnightBusainSD]

Hmm thats cool beans on the other riders part as for our riding test around here they clip a radio to ya and follow you around town tell you wich way to turn and at some point they turn there lights on and your suppose let them know this by a designated hand signal i'd much rather do that again then that test you took

 

[sageronin]

I've taken the road test in 3 different states and Maryland has been the most difficult so far ... slow ride, u-turn, 90 degree turns, cone weave, upshift and down shift, quick stop ... fun test but not easy to score 100%.

 

[mcoyote]

I've taken the road test in 3 different states and Maryland has been the most difficult so far ... slow ride, u-turn, 90 degree turns, cone weave, upshift and down shift, quick stop ... fun test but not easy to score 100%.

The Maryland test blows -- that 90 degree turn is very tight for a big bike and the slow ride is annoying. The skills are kind of useful, however.

 

[mzrsq]

Ohio's test is along the smaes lines, 2 90's, a slolom through cones, and upshift, downshift in a designated short straight, a timed slow ride along a line to see how slow you can travel between the start and end cone, then finish with a quick 1,2,3,2,1 with your front tire stopped dead on the line. Took the test on my first bike, a kaw ex500 ninja. I'm not so sure I could get the busa, or even my 95 gsxr750, through the 90's or slolom like the little 500 did without dropping a foot. The course was pretty tight.

 

[BLU88]

finally took my test after 20 yrs of riding ... same tes as ohio. i did it on my bandit 1200 .. would have be much more dificult on the busa

guy giving the test was cool .. he said long as u look like u can ride , he wont fail anybody...

 

[Gpirelli]

I just took the MSF course instead. You won't have to take the DMV skill test, and you get to use their little 125's which make things much easier. Plus those guys are cool...one guy couldn't pass the first time so they kept helping him out right on the spot so he could pass. also taking that course dropped my insurance a little.

 

[busabrother]

I concur on the Ohipo test. Took me three times to past that bitch. and i was on a katana 600. My boy passed it the first time on his 94 gsxr 1100. Now gtranted this was 10 years ago. But i failed the first time becuase throughout the entire test. You can never put your feet down. The second time i failed it was because on the emergency stopping portion. My front wheel went past the line. The third time i took it. I nailed it. The third times the charm right?!!!

 

[Nastypenguin]

When I did the test here in washington, they had a little course spray painted on a parking lot. No up-shifting or down-shifting, just a cone weave, sharp left-hand turn, U-turn, slow stop, fast stop, and obstacle avoidance. All of it was slow maneuvering (12-20 mph) which the busa hated. I ended up getting 84 out of 100 because it was physically impossible to fit my bike between the lines for the left-hand turn and still be moving and I annihilated two cones in the cone weave.
Here's a tip for anyone taking the washington test on a busa: the only way to make the U-turn (unless you have ninja-like balance) is to rev the engine up to 3000 rpms, ride the clutch, and use the rear brake to slow you down to a crawl-takes practice, but once you've got it down you can almost stop and not put your foot down.

 

[mcoyote]

I just took the MSF course instead...

I've done both. The MSF course is a whole lot more fun and actually useful. I've also done the ERC with my BMW and last year with my 'Busa. That was even more fun -- the 'Busa was the star of the show.

 

[the bigpunn]

just did the msf last week, very fun and informational. highly recommend. there were actually people in the class that had never rode before and by the end of day two they looked like pros!

 

[BigDawg_03Busa]

Good for you Jug, but bad for someone who may need a little more experience. That's not cool, but glad everything worked out for you. I took the MSF course so I kinda ducked the DMV.

 

[Juggler]

BigDawg,
Yeah, I guess you dodged that bullet. Not that it was a hard test, just not as practical as I would have expected.

I may do the MSF thing just to learn some stuff...

 

[Sane_man]

You think your test was hard, I had to win Moto GP against Rossi to get mine.

 

[Bronto]

CA DMV most unque test is the Keyhole. Double parallel lines, painted in the parking lot. The circle portion twenty foot diameter, with two thirty foot paths. Forms the shape of a Keyhole 0== Keeping one wheel within the path between parallel lines of 15 inchs seperation. Follow the path leading to the circle. Make two complete revolutions then return on other path leading away from circle.
A second pass slamon around painted dots or cones with in the two paths leading to the circle. Manuver through the cones connect up to the circle and two complete revolutions. Exit the circle into the slamon cones and exit, the key hole.
Oh crap, Many sport bike can't turn sharp enough to make the circle. I think the Busa would be one of them. DMV testors suggest renting a smaller bike to take test or take a MSF course.
I took the test on a Standard Bike, was easy enough. It turned sharp enough, practiced for 3 weeks nearly every weekday afternoon.