[Ryan]

Well I woke up early today to go stand in line for 4 hours at the DMV, take the written test, no problem there but then came the driving test... I guess I haven't had enough practice wobbling around a parking lot at 10 mph, put my foot down and missed one cone on the weaving between the cones part and put my foot down on the u-turn, that was it got too many points off. Here's the part that really pissed me off: While I was waiting by the test course to take my test there was some guy on a full dress Harley that was screwing up left and right. He only went around 2 of the cones and put his foot down when going around both of them, locked up his rear brake numerous times, and every time he took off from a stop he would almost kill the bike. He passed! So I'm figuring it's going to be no problem, but when it's my turn to go they switched instructors. Now I gotta go back there when they're closed to practice so I can go back and waste next Saturday morning too. :mad

-Ryan

 

[Odysseys]

hook up with me one of these days , ill get you into parking lot stand still's, pure balance

 

[maks]

Sorry to hear that, bro. That test really is killer on a sportbike. I took it pretty recently and I know what you mean. I think it's probably better to just go a bit outside the lines instead of putting your foot down though.

 

[Meulen]

Ryan,
hook up with Ken the stuff he teaches will pass you for sure. It wasn't the DMV in Midlothian you went to was it? I don't think anyone passes there.

 

[Ryan]

Michael, thanks for letting me know I'm not the only one that sucks at low speed stuff . Ken, whenever's good for you it would be great if we could hook up, I'm sure all I need is a few pointers, the only problem is I need to get my liscese within the next 2 weeks otherwise my insurance will get cancelled. Brian, yes it was the DMV in Midlothian. I know one other member from here failed at that one, I know I didn't deserve to pass but the thing that pissed me off was that Harley guy REALLY didn't deserve to pass but he did. I understand that it's gotta be really hard to do all the weaving stuff on a full dresser but he couldn't even control the clutch right without making the bike sputter and almost die, that's the stuff they should be looking at more than if you can weave a bike around at low speeds. I'm signed up for the MSF but not until August or September and I've been riding around for over a year now with no liscense, I'm about due for my luck to run out. Oh well, at least now I know what's involved in the test and I get 2 more tries so I'll get some practice and hopefully attend The Odysseys School of Low Speed Motorcycling and pass it next time. :twofinger

-Ryan

 

[Meulen]

actually Ryan,

IMO a full dresser harley is much more manuverable at low speed. The Midlothian DMV doesn't pass many sportbikes. When I got my license I failed over there on my first try. I did everything perfect except for missing one cone. My dad was with me and couldn't believe the guy failed me for missing one cone. I thought he was going to beat the guy down. I did the same thing when I took the test in Bridgeview and they passed me with flying colors although I wish Ken was around then. If I had him teach me what he did early in the year I would of been able to do everything at the license test.:thumbsup

 

[Ernie]

bummer Ryan...

why didn't you just get in line and take it again today instead of waiting until next week?

 

[Odysseys]

fizzer and michael...i made a thread for a little lessons

 

[tripod]

2 points to make, obvious, and one suggestion.
1) if you have been riding for a year, and did not spend any time on practicing slow speed manouvers, you deserve to fail. You knew going in what the test consisted of!
2) beg, borrow or steal a small standard bike for the test. The wider bars, erect seating position, and central pegs make slow sped a cinch!

 

[Odysseys]

tripod cut some slack dude. i know ALOT of guys that cant drive in a parking lot to save there lives. EVEN after riding for YEARS.

 

[cherrypicker]

Actually I'm really good at low speed stuff. Passed on the first try after only riding a motorcyle for 3 days.:twofinger

Get a bicycle and work on your balance and how to use forward thrust (pedals or engine) along wiht steering inputs to balance the bike at low speeds. At low speeds bicycles and motorcycles are very similar.

Yamaha clutches don't have that great of feel either, which makes low speed stuff tricky.

You could also try practicing lowspeed manuvers wiht you girl on the back. If you can do get used to doing a U-turn with the extra weight, it will be easy solo.

 

[12RPilot]

Are these test courses standard across the state? I have been told that one guy got off his bike, turned the bars all the way and pushed the bike. It still couldn't make the u-turn. Just too sharp !!! I'm going down to my DMV this week and see if my ZX-12 will make the turn. If it's impossible, that's B.S.

 

[Ryan]

Are these test courses standard across the state? I have been told that one guy got off his bike, turned the bars all the way and pushed the bike. It still couldn't make the u-turn. Just too sharp !!! I'm going down to my DMV this week and see if my ZX-12 will make the turn. If it's impossible, that's B.S.

Yep as far as I know they're all the same. If you're going down there and want to see exactly what you're supposed to do the motorcycle rules of the road book is available for download at http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/publications/pdf_publications/dsdx140.pdf . The pictures and instructions for the driving test are all the way at the end. They do allow you to screw up a certain number of times. Tripod, yes I did deserve to fail, I didn't do what I had to do to pass the test, in fact I stated that I didn't deserve to pass earlier in this thread. I got cocky and figured "ha, swerve around some cones, I can do that" and it was harder than I thought.

-Ryan

 

[Y2KR1]

hook up with me one of these days , ill get you into parking lot stand still's, pure balance

I'll take you up on that if you will....low speed straight ballence I'm fine, It's U-turns I have trouble with......I usually just hold the rev's up a bit to pick up the centrifical force, and let the clutch slip a bit when doing U-turns

 

[Pugsly]

hey fizzer.......the key to passing is use a small bike....the DMV don't care what you use as long as its over 50cc!!!!!!!!

i got a 84 yamaha180 scooter that you should be able to pass with your eyes closed!!!!!!!!!

i took the MSF course to at SIU in 94 and bypassed all that useless slow speed 2 mph crap.........

 

[Y2KR1]

hey fizzer.......the key to passing is use a small bike....the DMV don't care what you use as long as its over 50cc!!!!!!!!

You need a 150cc, or larger bike to take the "M" class test..

Class L is any motor driven cycle with less than 150 cc displacement
Class M is any motorcycle with 150 cc or greater displacement
Testing

:twofinger

 

[tripod]

97fizzer600, dont feel too bad, it takes a sharp rider with significant skills to do some of these manuvers on a sport bike.
You have to remember, a sport bike's geometry is to provide stability on relatively high speed turns. I have a tough time backing my Buell into the garage relative to my old Sportster. Sport bikes basically don't have enought rake at full turn to allow sharp turns, sport bikes depend mostly on lean angles where standard bikes have more rake and allows the bike to turn sharply with he bars being turned.
I tested many years ago on a KZ900. It was pretty easy, but then you could stand on the pegs and do a u turn easily on a small 2 lane street, without having to lean very far.
I don't understand trying to pass the test on a large Harely with a springer front end and forward contrills. Great posing bike, but you cant get the weight distribution where you need it for tight corners. Pretty much the same with a sports bike, but for opposite reasons.
Probably the ideal bike for a test is a 350cc dirt bike, easy to balance and turn at low speeds, or maybe a Buell Blast.
Frankly, you need the skills anyway, you just shouldnt make it tougher to passt the test.
A kid going for his car license would be better off going in a small Honda rather than his Dad's Vette. Even ifhe drove them both with the same ability, he would have a better chance of passing in the Honda. Some testers are always trying to make a point.
Good luck on the next round, but see if there is an easier bike to take it on.

 

[Pugsly]

You need a 150cc, or larger bike to take the "M" class test..

Class L is any motor driven cycle with less than 150 cc displacement
Class M is any motorcycle with 150 cc or greater displacement
Testing

:twofinger

I guess I was typing too fast and skipped right over the 1!!!!!!!! but that's what I ment thanx for correcting it.........hope noone tryied to show up on a riva 50!!!!!!!!

 

[Odysseys]

it depends on which harley model...or ape hangers...ive seen most guys on the verge of falling over trying to keep it up in traffic 3mpr rolling

 

[BusaDave]

The VMax was able to get through the course.

No way in hell I'd try it on the Busa.:confused