Topic: Funny story from the DMV

[Nidhoggr]

So I went to take my motorcycle road test today.  The guy walks over to where my bike is parked and basically implied he rarely sees CB750 bikes and that they are hard to maneuver or some such, basically implying that he didn't think I'd pass I would imagine.  Well I only got 1 negative point out of 10 allowed and that's because someone let some gravel get into one of the turning areas and my bike slid some so I put a foot down.  Needless to say I passed.  I will say though:  My bike does not like low speed cone weaving.  Everything else went swimmingly. 

So ladies and gents: I am now officially licensed.  Not that I didn't already ride at night, on expressways, or in rain...  But now I can LEGALLY do it lol.

[harisuluv]

Nice work.

A cb750 in a DMV parking lot always attracts attention.

[Nidhoggr]

Nice work.

A cb750 in a DMV parking lot always attracts attention.

Especially when it has a 4-to-1 racing exhaust and 12" ape hangers and you "accidentally" accelerate to 20 something on the emergency stop portion and still manage to stop by the second white line.  I had a few people watching me take the road test.  Was very strange.

[Holubs]

I passed my test on the CB750F1 that I had bought totaled and repaired in 1980.  Most people borrowed a Honda Trail 70 to take the test.

I failed the keyhole turn test the first time I took the test, but 1 point off failed you in Iowa back then.  I came back (rode my bike in to take the test!) the next week and failed the second time going through the weaving cones.  The deputy said "you are going to keep coming back until you pass, aren't you?".  When I answered yes, he changed my test to a pass.  Nice guy.

Still riding the F1 to this day.  :-)

[Nidhoggr]

Well with our test it's a left turn and stop.  Cone weave and right turn and stop.  Right turn from a stop and stop.  Then accelerate to 12-18 and estop withing like 15 feet lol.

[Geeto67]

Me and at least three of my friends have all gotten our licenses in NYC on my 1975 cb750K. Not that long ago either - except for me all within the last 10 years. My brother took the test on the bike as well but failed because someone pulled out of a driveway in front of him and almost caused an accident (road tests in Queens are performed on real streets, not in parking lots) .   None of us ever had a problem with the cones, maybe it's your ape hangers.

[Powderman]

Me and at least three of my friends have all gotten our licenses in NYC on my 1975 cb750K. Not that long ago either - except for me all within the last 10 years. My brother took the test on the bike as well but failed because someone pulled out of a driveway in front of him and almost caused an accident (road tests in Queens are performed on real streets, not in parking lots) .   None of us ever had a problem with the cones, maybe it's your ape hangers.

Why would he fail if the almost accident was someone else's fault?

[Geeto67]

Me and at least three of my friends have all gotten our licenses in NYC on my 1975 cb750K. Not that long ago either - except for me all within the last 10 years. My brother took the test on the bike as well but failed because someone pulled out of a driveway in front of him and almost caused an accident (road tests in Queens are performed on real streets, not in parking lots) .   None of us ever had a problem with the cones, maybe it's your ape hangers.

Why would he fail if the almost accident was someone else's fault?

In NY If the vehicle stalls it is an automatic fail. When the guy pulled out of his driveway without looking, my brother was nearly on top of him (I was behind him in a car with the tester as per NY's testing requirements) and dove for both brakes and the clutch. Well if you remember one of the quirks about carbs is if you slam on the brakes all the fuel in the bowls usually dumps right into the engine and the engine coughs and stalls. which is what happened here. I commended him on his reflexes, and threatened to kick the DMV tester out of the car when he said failed and make him walk back to the site but cooler heads prevailed. He took it a month later and passed but my K5 wasn't available so he borrowed a cb125 from a friend.

I won't even get into NY's terrible licensing laws where you need to bring a bike, a person with a valid MC license (the tester won't have one), and a car. Oh and you can't ride your bike to the test.

[Bailgang]

Me and my youngest son went to get our license but after about a mile down the road his vf500 interceptor he had at the time dropped a valve. Once we got it back home I let him take my 550 so he could take his test while I waited for another day. He ended up with only 2 neg points which I thought was pretty good considering he had only ridden my 550 once or twice before.

[70CB750]

First time DMV test, I realized my horn wire got pinched and it would not honk.  The only way it would honk was handlebars hard right, all the way to the end.  I was sitting on running motorcycle, she was looking at the brake light - really short chinese woman - OK, honey, honk, so I hit it hard to the right, honk, honk.   

I passed the  technical review, but failed weaving, passed the second time, no problem.

[Retro Rocket]

When i got my license in Sydney, I got there 5 minutes late with my "L" plate wedged over one of the numbers on the number plate, Mr Grumpy testing officer read me the riot act before sending me out for my test. The officer doing the test stands on the street corner and you have to do most of the test in his view, including going onto Forrest road {8 lanes of traffic} and turning right at the traffic lights, the figure eight and full stop without putting your feet down, I did the test on a RZ350 Yamaha, when I road back into the car park i kicked my kick stand out and let the bike lean on the stand with my feet still on the pegs, the officer said "I suppose you think you are pretty good", I said, while flicking the clutch lever,  " considering my clutch cable broke as i was leaving the car park and I had to do the whole test without the clutch, the answer would be yes"     He didn't say another word and wrote out my license without question...

[Nidhoggr]

" considering my clutch cable broke as i was leaving the car park and I had to do the whole test without the clutch, the answer would be yes"     He didn't say another word and wrote out my license without question...

Holy hell, man lol.  Very nice.  Very nice indeed.

And it sounds like NY has some really STUPID motorcycle testing laws.  It seems like more and more places are trying to all but force the ABATE courses at places like s&s and what not and things of that nature.  Truthfully having watched how a lot of the people who teach it and have learned from it ride... It scares me.  It almost teaches you "you should be afraid of your motorcycle and be terrified of your surroundings" and not "respect it, and it will show you respect".   I all but vowed I'd never do the ABATE course to get my license as I feel for the most part they are a money sink.   Nothing against those who DO take it, but I've known a feel people who think themselves to be kings on motorcycles who have taken it who drag feet when they take off for at least 100 feet it seems.

[Don R]

I tested on my brand new 72cb500. I started it up, backed out of the parking space and rode it around back while the tester standing inside watched, he asked my brother, Isn't he going to start it? He never heard a bike that quiet before.

[70CB750]

I heard of people who tested on a scooter.

I put on many, many km on motorcycle in Europe, but I was not ready for the weave test. So I marked abandoned parking lot with a spray paint and spent the week before the second attempt practicing it.  It paid off, I passed, but it was another example where passing the test is a skill by itself that has to be practiced.   

[dhall57]

Started riding my 1971 SL175 on the street in 1973 when I got my DL at 16. Back than you didn't have to have a motorcycle lic. just a drivers lic. I didn't ride motorcycles for about 20 years so when I started back in the late 90's I had to get my endorsement. Got my lic on my 97 Harley Wide Glide with no problem

[jheck10]

In Texas you don't have to take a road test if you pass the MSF course.  the course is conducted on a honda 250 in a large parking lot.  I thought it was strange that I got my license never having ridden on a street and going faster than 25 mph.

[bjatwood]

I got my endorsement after riding for 30+ years last summer. The wife convinced me after buying the Goldwing and talking to her girlfriend about insurance companies not covering a rider without an endorsement. So I took the Advanced Riders Course HD offered at the dealership in Omaha. Used the 750 instead of the Wing. And absolutley had NO problem with the course, written or riding part. Acutally came in 1st in the class that won me a 24 hour HD rental....have yet to use that! 

[Xnavylfr]

When my son took his riding exam, he took it on my 00 Roadstar 1600cc, weighs about 750# EMPTY. The examiner came out and saw how big the bike was and asked , are you going to ride THAT" as if it can't be done. At the time my son weighed 375# so trying to balance was tricky. I just told him to keep the rpms up a little on the tight turns and he'd be fine... Passed with flying colors. The examiner even asked if he had been through a riding course because of how well he worked that big bike around the corners.
When I took my FIRST test in 65 ,I was told to follow a certain course and my Mom was to follow in a car with the examiner. Well I jumped on the bike and off I went, followed his course right back to the DMV, Mom and the Examiner was still there PARKED, she flooded the car.. The examiner just said "I guess if he can ride around town and get back here without an accident, he knows how to ride" I got my license.


Xnavylfr(CHUCK)

[Duanob]

I remember my test on my 550. the battery drained and the electric start wouldn't work. I thought I was done for but I didn't miss a beat kicking it. You have to shut the bike off in between each test modual. I think having to kick start in between each test must have impressed the tester because I got the highest marks on the day. Three people flunked out before I got my turn.

[Powderman]

Around here lately if you get pulled over and don't have the M/C endorsement on your license your bike gets impounded and you go to jail.

[mono]

I took the Ohio Rider's Safety class - twice.  1st time was 2 years ago.  I passed with an average score and got a voucher to go get my endorsement from the DMV without testing through them, but then got too busy at work and it expired (60 days).  So I jest kept my temps renewed.  Took the course again in May and got a perfect score on the test!  Went the 1st thing Monday morning and got the endorsement added hahaha.

During the "learning" part of the course, they had us on little 250s, and during the turns and cone-weave exercises I was just whipping through them so quickly that one of the instructors started calling me "Batman" and would just wave me on instead of critiquing me. 

I was really flattered when they told me that after I've had my endorsement for a few years that I should consider being an instructor!!

[Vinhead1957]

I think the bigger bikes are much easier than 550 and down.   I have driven all sizes but feel most comfortable at the 1500cc range and yes even on small courses.  Ride like a Pro videos show how easy

[MoMo]

Around here lately if you get pulled over and don't have the M/C endorsement on your license your bike gets impounded and you go to jail.

Soooooooo, what part of Russia do you live in?   Jail time?....Larry

[70CB750]

Around here lately if you get pulled over and don't have the M/C endorsement on your license your bike gets impounded and you go to jail.

Soooooooo, what part of Russia do you live in?   Jail time?....Larry

In russia it is pulja v lob  - they just shoot you in the back of the head by the road ditch 

[MoMo]

Around here lately if you get pulled over and don't have the M/C endorsement on your license your bike gets impounded and you go to jail.

Soooooooo, what part of Russia do you live in?   Jail time?....Larry

In russia it is pulja v lob  - they just shoot you in the back of the head by the road ditch 

That seems fair,  no mc endorsement=no life....Larry