California experiences
I read the MSF book, the DMV driver's handbook, and the DMV motorcycle handbook, and passed the DMV written exams before the MSF classroom session. I had to take an abbreviated general driver exam (half as many questions) along with the motorcycle exam, because it had been more than one year since I got my car driver's license.
Upon completion of the DMV written exam, I got an instructional permit. That gave me the right to drive a motorcycle on the public roads with a few restrictions: no passengers, no freeways, and daylight only.
I passed both DMV written exams and the MSF written exam with perfect scores. I test well in this sort of stuff because I have lots of practice in both knowing what to study and knowing how to take the tests. I also passed the FAA's exams for Private, Instrument, and Commercial pilots with none less than 98% scores.
In California, MSF administers a riding test at the end of the Basic Rider Course. If you pass, the school mails you a certificate, which the DMV accepts in lieu of the DMV's riding test. I don't know what the DMV's riding test is like. The MSF riding test consists of:
-slow figure-8 in a tight box
-obstacle swerve
-sudden stop
-accelerate thru a curve
-brake then accelerate thru a curve
For the test you got one shot at each task.
I dabbed once (first time ever) during the figure-8, and lost a point. Also, I had been challenging myself by riding briskly through the curves in all the practice sessions. But during the test I slowed down for accuracy and lost a point for going too slow. Sigh...
So now I'm eminently qualified to ride a 20-year-old clapped-out 250cc standard bike on a parking lot, and I can also legally kill myself and a passenger, any time, on any public roadway I choose.
I read the MSF book, the DMV driver's handbook, and the DMV motorcycle handbook, and passed the DMV written exams before the MSF classroom session. I had to take an abbreviated general driver exam (half as many questions) along with the motorcycle exam, because it had been more than one year since I got my car driver's license.
Upon completion of the DMV written exam, I got an instructional permit. That gave me the right to drive a motorcycle on the public roads with a few restrictions: no passengers, no freeways, and daylight only.
I passed both DMV written exams and the MSF written exam with perfect scores. I test well in this sort of stuff because I have lots of practice in both knowing what to study and knowing how to take the tests. I also passed the FAA's exams for Private, Instrument, and Commercial pilots with none less than 98% scores.
In California, MSF administers a riding test at the end of the Basic Rider Course. If you pass, the school mails you a certificate, which the DMV accepts in lieu of the DMV's riding test. I don't know what the DMV's riding test is like. The MSF riding test consists of:
-slow figure-8 in a tight box
-obstacle swerve
-sudden stop
-accelerate thru a curve
-brake then accelerate thru a curve
For the test you got one shot at each task.
I dabbed once (first time ever) during the figure-8, and lost a point. Also, I had been challenging myself by riding briskly through the curves in all the practice sessions. But during the test I slowed down for accuracy and lost a point for going too slow. Sigh...
So now I'm eminently qualified to ride a 20-year-old clapped-out 250cc standard bike on a parking lot, and I can also legally kill myself and a passenger, any time, on any public roadway I choose.
Comment