Motorcycle Test Hell

[Anonymous]

I took my test back in '84. I'd left my license at home and had to bust a** to get back home and to the test site in time. On the way back I was in such a hurry that I almost missed the left turn into the test facility and did a little tire squeeling as I stopped to make the turn -- good first impression.

I failed the first time. There was a lot to remember and at one point I forgot to shift up -- so when time came to shift down, I was unable to do that as well. I don't remember how score was kept, and I may have missed a point somewhere else too, but the shifting gaffe screwed me.

Now that I think about it, I may have done the quick stop when I retook the test.

I remember one guy on a 650 or something that lost control and crashed. He wasn't going that fast but he hit some gravel and the front wheel shot out from under him. I felt bad for him.

A couple of Harley guys were there with a small scooter. They'd taken the test on their Harley's at least once each, but couldn't manuever through the cones. The decided to come back with something smaller.

[lartross]

The first time I got my M/C endorsement, in Kansas, 1963, I just had to do the written exam. In Seattle, in '73 I had to do cones and slow stuff. I've been very conscientious about maintaining a M/C endorsement since then. I'm not fond of pressure...

[Anonymous]

I think that I am going to take the class at Hal's next year. I think that around Milwaukee, all of the HD dealerships offer the classes. I am going to check with them. I don't want to deal with tester Squarenutz and all of that crap. My Speedometer doesn't even work at the moment. Nice to see all of the WI riders.

[wharrah]

Thanks for the story!

Guys and Gals,

When I was barely out of high school (in college, 1980, before entering the service) I got my license by driving around a parking lot listening to an examiner woman yell commands to us... the toughest one was turning a near-180-degree turn inside four cones 10 feet apart... many people went DEEP into the 'box' and tried to make a perfect horseshoe, and they failed because they either put their feet down (either one would fail ya) or their bikes simply could not turn in a 10-foot turning radius!

Finally it dawned on me; the key was to come into 'the box' at a 45 degree angle, going slowly but steadily, and simply turn left and go out again, having both wheels entered 'the box' and exited again ... shallow turn, slow, no feet, EASY! But, luckily I thought of it after watching two guys in a row fail for the above-listed problems....

since then, I DO NOT FAIL to keep all of my driving authorizations valid and unexpired!!! NEVER NEVER NEVER til I'm dead, will I let my bike license lapse!

I REALLY enjoyed reading the original story and the subsequent posts... That is why I love this forum.. .it never goes 'out of style'!

Regards,

Wayne

[Inside Line]

The test in Illinois is somewhat of a waste of time. This is the brake..this is the clutch...this is the gas...now, can you drive at 10mph? I would really like to see some testing involving a more proficient use of the front brake. Cars do pull out in front of bikes ;though all too often there seems to be a rear wheel skid mark from the bike. My favorite test was in Denver. I did'nt have a bike yet, so I borrowed the girlfiend's KZ1000 with fairing to take the test (talk about love at first sight). I was killing time in the parking lot;waiting on the tester guy. Tight course. It took a few attempts, but I made it around the 180 turn .Bars at full stop;1500 rpm and dragging the rear brake. The tester walked out, "I was watching..you pass".

[Anonymous]

When my friend took the test in hicksville AZ two years ago this little old white haired lady was doing the motorcycle testing. She admitted she was new at it. We watched others ahead of us for a while. One of the requirements was to get the bike up to 25mph, in the parking lot and come to a complete stop, at a line that was drawn about 300ft away.
It wasn't difficult for most...but this poor old guy on something that sounded like a moped couldn't get it to go 25mph in that distance at all. The little old lady admitted this was her first time testing people and would have to go inside the building to ask someone else questions. When she returned she told the old man on the scooter to just get it up to 15mph...

What a scene. the poor old guy tried several times...and she kept telling him "What if that was a brick wall?" He really could have gotten hurt in that small parking lot. What a circus act !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

pmint 8)

[robben]

My course and subsequent snag of license at the end of the weekend was unfunny. Smooth, and easy to attain. :twisted:

... But, at the beginning of the weekend, the instructors went around the 'circle' asking us why we wanted to attain our motorcycle license... One young girl there said it was just to p1ss off her father. She had fun that weekend, did really lousy at just about everything, even dropped her bike, which was handy as we all could see how easy it was to lift a downed bike by ourselves (she did manage to accomplish that feat with a little instruction). She failed the course, of course, and didn't pass the exam at the end. But hey, she had fun!! So did we.

Rob