lol failed my motorcycle road test

[Pigeonroost]

I failed my MC driver's course the first time too on the panic stop.  I was on a new GL1800 Gold Wing.  The SOB officer said; "Accellerate hard out of the box, get into second holding your speed; when I signal to you stop, stop as short as you safely can".  Up to that point I had it all perfect and the emergency stop was my last station.  When I blasted out of the box the rear tire spun-up pretty good and I was boogie'n when I hit second.  I still remember his face -  like a 'poosum in the headlamps.  He signaled and I got 'er stopped about two feet in front of the line where penalty starts.  "You won't pass my course today!  That was totally uncalled for and unsafe!."  WTF?  I did exactly as he said.  Not my fault he soiled his britches!

I took the MSF Beginner's class with my son when he was 16 and my daughter last year when she decided to ride (thus the GS500F is "hers", she thinks .  With her, I was assigned a brand spank'n new Suzuki dual purpose bike.  It was a sweet ride, but had realy compliant suspension and great brakes.  I kept doing stoppies on the emergency braking exercises -- the first stoppies I have ever done.  Cool.  The advanced classes are very hard to get into around here.

prs

[kml.krk]

here in NY MSF will ONLY get you moto license if you already have an auto license, if you don't then you have to take DMV road test
(but the DMV road test seems to be easier here than where you guys live - I just had to make 3 circles to the left, 3 to the right, 3 figures eight and then ride in front of the dmv officer for 2-5 minutes on local streets, no panic stops or anything like that - thankfully cause when I took the test it was raining like crazy...)

cheers

[jdw03n]

+whatever, the MSF foundation course should be mandatory.  Had my SV, no training, got in a crash (wasn't my fault).  Couldn't afford the MSF course at the time..used part of the settlement from the crash to do the MSF course.  Learned a TON.  There were guys that had been riding for years, but still got in the training and learned more about the bike.  Day 1, had a hard time with the offset cones, but by day 2 I had figured out the whole push-lean-turn thing and was zipping through the cones.  Can't recommend the course enough. 

Here, the beginning course is on the school's bike, the advanced course is on your bike, so I'm looking forward to taking my GS though the advanced course.

[Canonball]

since like june/july of last year here in Fl it actually IS mandatory to take the MSF course before you get your moto endorsement. i took my in january after previous dirt bike experience and riding the GS around the neighborhood for about a month before the class and learned a lot from it. i'm glad its manadory here and think it should be elsewhere as well!

[XealotX]

.... i'm glad its manadory here and think it should be elsewhere as well!

If everyone in America pooled together and managed to pass every law they thought should be "manadory" then we would live under the most tyrannical system of government in history. I'm not saying that the MSF isn't a good idea (I refused to ride before taking it) but sometimes people get too wrapped up in deciding what everyone else should/should not do.

PS...just paid taxes yesterday, might be a little biased right now...

[bill14224]

I agree with XealotX.  The MSF course is a good idea, but our society seems to believe if you tax and regulate everything, then everything will turn-out OK, and I think it's quite the opposite.  Liberty, anyone?

[HPI_Freak]

well, only reason i didnt do the MSF is because (im being really honoest here) i already know everything they teach. im a very safe motorcycle driver. i pretend that i am invisible, i never weave traffic, i drive my motorcycle like a car, ect...

and when it comes to motorcycle opperation, ive been racing motocross since i was like 12 years old.


did anyone do the motorcycle road test with their GS500? i wasnt sure if the GS would be able to make the test where you have to weave the cones because i heard croch rockets cant do it because you have to lean to turn them. i know the GS isnt a croch rocket, but i had a little troube with it. i made it through, but the farther i got through it, the harder it got and i ended up stalling at the very end because i was trying to go so slow. so i only got 1 point, which put me up to 11, 1 point over passing lmao.


the cone section im talking about looks like this:



                         start
                            l
                           \/
                                  .
                                  .
                                         
                                        .
                                        .

                                  .
                                  .
                                         
                                        .
                                        .

[DoD#i]

well, only reason i didnt do the MSF is because (im being really honoest here) i already know everything they teach. im a very safe motorcycle driver. i pretend that i am invisible, i never weave traffic, i drive my motorcycle like a car, ect...

and when it comes to motorcycle opperation, ive been racing motocross since i was like 12 years old.


did anyone do the motorcycle road test with their GS500? i wasnt sure if the GS would be able to make the test where you have to weave the cones because i heard croch rockets cant do it because you have to lean to turn them. i know the GS isnt a croch rocket, but i had a little troube with it. i made it through, but the farther i got through it, the harder it got and i ended up stalling at the very end because i was trying to go so slow. so i only got 1 point, which put me up to 11, 1 point over passing lmao.


the cone section im talking about looks like this:



                         start
                            l
                           \/
                                  .
                                  .
                                         
                                        .
                                        .

                                  .
                                  .
                                         
                                        .
                                        .

You have just demonstrated that you DON'T know everything the MSF teaches. Bzzzt! Take the class and learn how to turn and stop properly, rather than thinking you know it all. Years of experience still leaves you with misconceptions about turning, at the very least. You're not alone, by any means - most folks don't know how turning actually works, even if they have done it for years - the problem is that when they get into a panic situation, they sometimes go the wrong way because they do what they *think* is right rather than what actually is right.

[The Buddha]

Guess I should have finished the story LOL! When we started the course our instructor asked us what we were going to ride or plan on riding. Well, of course we all know what is said my boy Flick, a few Harleys, a gixxer, then we get to her. Now, I consider a busa too big physcially for me and I'm 5'8" and 171 lbs. Now, picture her 4'11" with her spiked heel riding "boot", maybe a hundred lbs soaking wet, and Puerto Rican (nothing agains ricans just giving the pic). Well, 'mam what do you wanna ride? I want a Hayabusa as my first bike my husband has already picked it out for me it will match my boots and my nails! I 'bout fainted when she said that so did "paco" our instructor.

Mary

As we all know ... you cannot get any other boots or paint your nails to any other color ... say the horror of horrors ... you buy a GS500 ... and gasp ... its lets say purple and pink ... or red and white ... You know its impossible to get nail color and boots in those colors ya know ...

And better yet, anywhere you go ... anywhere ... you'd be dragging this hayabusa with you ... just so people can see that you match ... that is the most important ... I went to a nice restaurant last week (OK fine its was crappyo chineese buffet ... but still) there was this chick sitting there with a busa next to her ... and it all matched ... was so super cool ... I mean ... it was super super super duper cool ...

And y'all wonder why I never get laid ...

I'll bet her husband can get her to put out any time ... just the line of reasoning ... its just so romantic ... he wants to buy her a $15,000 hayabusa ... in that exact color and pay whatever it takes ... just so it will match her boots and nail color ... woweee ... how can anythign top that. Me, I'm trying to get my wife and son to sit on this rusty sheite savage to get them used to a bike ... Guess what ... its blue ... nothign matches that ... I could dye my hair blue ... that is it.

Cool.
Buddha.

[Guetschow]

The NIU safety course is  the best thing one can do for bike riding.  I hadn't ridden a bike since the mid 70's.  Tried the DMV test and failed that.  50/50 on the blame thing for failing.  Did a walk on  at Elgin Community College and spent a great three days in training.  Instructors were firm about  how things should be done but very understanding and between the two of them nailed everything done right and wrong and corrected it.  Passed the  Sunday road course/written test with no problem and full confidence. Went to DMV, passed over the cert and got the license.  Personally, I think everyone should have to take this course before they get a license.  And it is really a lot of fun because they ride no what the weather.  Bring the gear for everything condition.

[Toogoofy317]

"well, only reason i didnt do the MSF is because (im being really honoest here) i already know everything they teach. im a very safe motorcycle driver. i pretend that i am invisible, i never weave traffic, i drive my motorcycle like a car, ect..."

Well,

Obviously, ya don't! Not trying to be harsh but that is one of the things they concentrate on. Also, according to drive and stay alive 90% of drivers believe they are good drivers. Yet, 90% of accident's are due to driver error. I know this is related to driving but I'd say to guess these percentages probably (pluse or minus a few percentage points) transfer!

"so i only got 1 point, which put me up to 11, 1 point over passing lmao."
Apparently there was ten points of other things that you did not know as well. What were they? I'd have to say that the GS is more of a standard bike than a crotch rocket. I have an "F" and it rides almost exactly like the Rebels we trained on just a lot faster and the "friction zone" is different as in all bikes. Our instructor moved the cones to half of what we had to do it in and did it in his GOLDWING! He could even do a U-turn in the yellow lines which all of us could barely do on the rebel!

You never ever know everything! If you do you may as well not live cause there is nothing to learn! I have practiced in the lot where we did the test and could do the cones just as easily as the rebel. I admit even though I have taken the course I don't think I know "everything" that was presented to me those few days. Why, because we can't possibly retain all of the information that was given to us during those two days. You gotta practice, practice, and do more advanced training. One can never learn too much!

Buddha, I want pics of that combo in the chineese restaraunt! I have a blue bike are you insinuating something? Oh, darn my jacket, pants, and helmet do match. My arm sling does too KRAP! And no I aint' puttin out!

Mary

[Jared]

"I already know everything they teach..."

I can't wait to read the new Darwin Awards this year.


MSF..shouldn't have to be a law but it really should be mandatory . I also think we should have compulsory power/cc limitations like other countries.  I mean a Gs500 will get you  too 110 mph...and run with a lot of cars in the quarter...more than enough to get a new rider in trouble quickly (not as quickly as a liter bike but quick enough..).

Riding and driving is a privilege not a right. You're riding/driving something that can kill you and or others if it's mishandled (either by ignorance or planned stupidity ). 

Busa for a new midget rider....great...

[The Buddha]

And no I aint' puttin out!

Mary

I rest my case ... 
Cool.
Buddha.

[joshr08]

i also think there should be limits on the size of bike a person should be able to ride.  A new rider doesnt need a 600 gixer or a r1 i think they should have to start on a 250 or smaller street bike.  they should have a graduated lic. on bikes as they do in cars.  I also think in order for kids to get a car drivers licence they should have to ride on a motorcycle and in a semi before getting there lic. to see what happens when you pull out in front of someone on a bike or in a semi just once i would like to see them crap there pants while having to not hit a stupid person messing with there radio or talking to there 5 other friends in the car.

[The Buddha]

Yea I agree, but can you imagine how many clueless soccer moms are going to start "Mothers against Riding bikes" MARB ...
And if they were to ever get hurt ... god forbid the lawsuits ...
The clueless amongst us, use their vehicle's safety features to protect themsleves.
The drunk driver has the right of way - By Ethan Cohen - read that one and you'd know ...
I'd add ... the drunkest driver, with the biggest car has the right of way ...
Cool.
Buddha.

[tripleb]

there is no graduated license as you are describing it for cars, josh.  sure, kids may not be able to drive at night, with no more than 1 other kid without an adult, etc, but they can drive a veyron if they have the cash to own one.

I agree with you that some noobs are biting off more than they can chew with the bigger bikes, to their detriment and other peoples as well, but you can't tell people they can buy a bike and than dictate what kind they can buy.

[joshr08]

Im michigan there are i think 3 levels of graduated lic before they get a full lic. to drive a car.
i actually think the us is one of the only places kids can go buy a liter bike if they can afford it.  Ive heard alot about places restricting the motors output capabilitys. I do think one reason for this is that other then kaw. no body makes a good looking little bike.

[HPI_Freak]

so i just got home from retaking the test today. i am now motorcycle endorsed! it was actually pretty easy, especially since i already knew what to do and what to expect. i guess my nervs just got the best of me the first time.

however i did get 10 points (max amount of points allowed lol). i had a different instructor and he was a prick. for the safty stop you have to stop with your front tire IN a small box, and i stopped with my front tire on the line of the box  and that was 5 points

and the last test was obsticle swerve. there are two lines, you accelerate to the first one, and start swerving at the second line. well i accelerated to the first line and grabbed the clutch. the second line is only like 10ft away and when i got there i swerved perfectly. then he tells me i was suppose to maintain my speed after the first line.

i think he just wanted to give me points because at the very beginning of the test he told the class NO BODY get a perfect score, and i pretty much should have lol.

[joshr08]

good job congrats

[Porkchop]

Good job!

Now practice, practice, practice.