License test and rider course questions

[DeathSandwich]

what exactly do you have to do when you go to take your motorcycle license test at the dmv.. i heard something about a figure 8, stopping using both brakes, and downshifting while slowing... but i'd like to know exactly what is involved. i'd rather just take the test there early than wait for the rider course (which i'm signed up for, but it's not until late august and I want my license before that)

[street pilot]

There is a description of the test in your permit package.

[lemosley01]

Are you going to be riding the new R6 when you get it? Have you ever ridden before? If not, I would highly recommend just getting your permit and waiting until the MSF course. If you have no experience on bike, trying to pilot one through that test will be difficult to say the least. It was hard enough on the 125 I rode during the MSF training course. On a sportbike, whose natural position is on it's side at low speeds, it would be extremely difficult.

 

Basically you have to do two u-turns in a box. You enter the box (rectangle really) on the right side, and make a u-turn to the left, and head back to where you entered and make a u-turn to the right. Once you have completed the final u-turn, you accelerate out of the box and do a swerve to the right. Next, is the braking portion, where you make a run at some cones (come up to 12-18 mph), and brake. The shorter the distance you stop the better.

 

Finally, you will make a run at some more cones, execute a sweeping turn to the right, go straight for a short distance and upshift into second gear, and execute another sweeping turn to the right. You must stay between the lines marked on the course for this.

 

If you drop the bike, you are done. If you do something unsafe (wheelies, trying to run over the evaluator, etc), you are done.

 

If you put your foot down during the U-turn portion or cross out of the box, you lose points for each time you put your foot down and each time you cross outside the box.

 

For the swerve, you lose points if you hit the cones or you don't enter the swerve fast enough (they time you so they know how fast you are going).

 

For the braking portion, they time you to get your speed and use a chart to determine in how much distance you should have stopped. You lose 1 point for each foot over the 'ideal' stopping distance (I think it's 1 point) to a maximum of, I believe 5 points. And also you can lose points if you go too slow or brake to early.

 

For the sweeping turns, you have to be at a certain speed or higher. They time you entering the last set of cones and points are deducted if you do not complete it in a certain amount of time or if you cross outside of the lines. This was the easy part for me - I accidentally downshifted and had to upshift back into second and was still .3 seconds faster than I had to be.

[Akula]

Taking the course > Taking the test...

 

You get the test during the course. If you don't know how to counterweight a turn you won't pass the test. Go to a parking lot and do 2 uturns in a single parking space.

[Awfulcanawful]

You mean spin a Cirle in one parking spot?

[lemosley01]

A u-turn to the left and and a u-turn to the right.

[thorne]

you must also Accel quick and brake with in a spot I found the hardest part was the TIGHT left turn. I took the test and passed but if you rode less then 1 season ( I was lazy with my temps kept renewing) I would suggest the corse because it really helped my dad learn his bike better.