Motorcycle driving test

[Greyd]

I've heard that the motorcycle driving test is redicuously hard. So hard that many of my friends took the test using a scooter that was 150 ccs instead of using a motorcycle. How hard is it really? Is it THAT hard? I live in Illinois btw.

 

[Whisper]

Well, I know that the Georgia test isn't really all that bad. Took it on my 500 and did fine.

Then again, I've heard that GA is a pansy compared to some other states, such as Florida.

 

[Fausto]

Originally posted by: Whisper
Well, I know that the Georgia test isn't really all that bad. Took it on my 500 and did fine.

Then again, I've heard that GA is a pansy compared to some other states, such as Florida.

Yeah, the GA one is really easy. Turn here, swerve whichever way we tell you, panic stop, and a written test. No problem.

 

[blackdogdeek]

the ny one consisted of driving through traffic with the tester in a car(that you or your instructor supply) riding behind you for about 5 minutes.

that was followed by 2 circles in both clockwise and counter-clockwise and 2 figure eights. putting foot down during any of the drills disqualifies you.

i didn't have a bike so i had to use my instructor's. he set the idle a little higher than usual so i wouldn't have to concentrate so much on the throttle while performing the drills.

all in all, pretty easy if you practice. actually, i only had about 4 hours of lessons under my belt and i still passed easily.

good luck!

 

[cycleman77]

I live in Southern New York and it was really easy. Basically al I had to do was two left circles, two right cirlces, and 2 firgure 8's in the road while watching at for traffic. This was on a back road so I didn't really have to worry about the traffic too much.
I took my test on a 1977 Suzuki GS 750. I didn't have any problems.
I have heard that supersports (crotch rockets) are hard to take tests on. But naked bikes, sport, 2-sport....they ahould all be fine. Definatley don't take your test on a cruiser or anything big and bulk.
I don't think that would would have to use a scooter to do it.
Personally I would be embarrassed to be taking a motorcycle test with a scooter.

 

[JetsFanatic]

I am taking a motorcycle course instead of the test.

It is a 3 day course.
Fri. nite 6p-10p
Sat 730am-5pm
Sun 730am-5pm
and we will be using small bikes

My buddy took the test on a 125

Smaller is better for the test is what I am told

I have a 1992 HD Sportster 883Hugger and I have been practicing on that with my permit
So a smaller bike should be really easy for me to use

I am in NJ by the way

 

[Greyd]

Originally posted by: JetsFanatic
I am taking a motorcycle course instead of the test.

It is a 3 day course.
Fri. nite 6p-10p
Sat 730am-5pm
Sun 730am-5pm
and we will be using small bikes

My buddy took the test on a 125

Smaller is better for the test is what I am told

I have a 1992 HD Sportster 883Hugger and I have been practicing on that with my permit
So a smaller bike should be really easy for me to use

I am in NJ by the way

Yeah, I was going to take the course, but its booked around here untill November :frown: How do you get a permit?

 

[Fausto]

Originally posted by: JetsFanatic
I am taking a motorcycle course instead of the test.

It is a 3 day course.
Fri. nite 6p-10p
Sat 730am-5pm
Sun 730am-5pm
and we will be using small bikes

My buddy took the test on a 125

Smaller is better for the test is what I am told

I have a 1992 HD Sportster 883Hugger and I have been practicing on that with my permit
So a smaller bike should be really easy for me to use

I am in NJ by the way

That sounds like the MSF course. Here in GA, passing that course will get you a permit for anything over 500cc but you still have to pass the driving course on a bike over 500cc to get your full "Class M" license.

 

[TheNinja]

I got mine in Iowa and I'll I had to do was take a written test and then do a stupid little obsticle course outside in the parking lot. LIke show that you can handle the bike at slow speeds, weave around cones, u-turns both right and left, and show that you can shift through gears. I like we used a 100cc or smaller with an autoclutch so it was way easy. But I did see a guy whip through it on a decent size bike. Oh and they don't like it if you do wheelies when showing that you can shift through the gears. Although I think they have changed the law since then and you have to take a much tougher course now.

 

[Greyd]

Here's a link to the Illinois motorcycle test. The driving tests are near the end of the manual. Let me know what you guys think in terms of toughness.

Text

 

[Bulk Beef]

My neighbor did the Maryland test on his FZR1000. He failed miserably (I told you so). Some of the MD test is very low speed, and very tight turning radius, and a big sportbike is not ideal for that kind of thing. Take the test on something reasonably small, and check regs on the legality/logistics of getting to the testing site.

 

[JeffreyLebowski]

i took it a few years ago. Passed the written and road course with a perfect score.
It was easy.

 

[JetsFanatic]

Originally posted by: Greyd

Originally posted by: JetsFanatic
I am taking a motorcycle course instead of the test.

It is a 3 day course.
Fri. nite 6p-10p
Sat 730am-5pm
Sun 730am-5pm
and we will be using small bikes

My buddy took the test on a 125

Smaller is better for the test is what I am told

I have a 1992 HD Sportster 883Hugger and I have been practicing on that with my permit
So a smaller bike should be really easy for me to use

I am in NJ by the way

Yeah, I was going to take the course, but its booked around here untill November :frown: How do you get a permit?

passing the written test in NJ gets you a permit

 

[JetsFanatic]

Originally posted by: Fausto1

Originally posted by: JetsFanatic
I am taking a motorcycle course instead of the test.

It is a 3 day course.
Fri. nite 6p-10p
Sat 730am-5pm
Sun 730am-5pm
and we will be using small bikes

My buddy took the test on a 125

Smaller is better for the test is what I am told

I have a 1992 HD Sportster 883Hugger and I have been practicing on that with my permit
So a smaller bike should be really easy for me to use

I am in NJ by the way

That sounds like the MSF course. Here in GA, passing that course will get you a permit for anything over 500cc but you still have to pass the driving course on a bike over 500cc to get your full "Class M" license.

Yes it is that course

 

[Whisper]

Fausto...I remember hearing all sorts of weird things about what the MSF course in GA does as far as permits go. I know that it essentially gives you your permit if you pass (just take a waiver to the DMV, or something like that). But does it also give you an all-out license on anything 500cc and under?

If so, good thing I didn't take the course as a way of obtaining my permit. Otherwise (seeing as how I own a 500), I'd have had to take the test on a Ducati 900SS to get the unrestricted license. That would've sucked...yeah, and you thought crotch rockets were hard to turn at low speeds. It's a wonder a Duc can even do a u-turn on anything less than a four lane highway, heh.

 

[gururu]

i took the course. i have heard the test givers can be tough.

 

[Fausto]

Originally posted by: Whisper
Fausto...I remember hearing all sorts of weird things about what the MSF course in GA does as far as permits go. I know that it essentially gives you your permit if you pass (just take a waiver to the DMV, or something like that). But does it also give you an all-out license on anything 500cc and under?

Yep. If you pass the MSF you get a full license for 500 and below and a permit for 500+. Permit means no night riding and no pillions. You have to pass the driving test on something over 500 in order to get the full Class M.

If so, good thing I didn't take the course as a way of obtaining my permit. Otherwise (seeing as how I own a 500), I'd have had to take the test on a Ducati 900SS to get the unrestricted license. That would've sucked...yeah, and you thought crotch rockets were hard to turn at low speeds. It's a wonder a Duc can even do a u-turn on anything less than a four lane highway, heh.

I took it on my Daytona (500lbs and not exactly "nimble"). I think you'll be fine unless the bike has low-speed carburation issues that would make maneuvering difficult.