Going for my motorcycle license

[eljefino]

Maine only has a few motorcycle driver's ed schools.

Going for a 15 hour course that follows a national ciriculum. 5 hours in the classroom and 10 hours hands-on, on honda 250cc bikes in a parking lot.

If I pass the class, I get a MC endorsement and don't have to take a state test.

They keep class sizes down to 12 students so I wanted to get my reservation in. They're booked through late August now, but with work time off I can't go until the first weekend in October.

Going to be worth it though. I bet this will be a REAL popular summer for motorcycling... there may just be a shortage of classroom spots.

Good thing though is there won't be a glut of new licensees when I go bike shopping at the end of the season.

 

[Cheesehead]

I'm going to get mine in the next few weeks. They offer it at the Vo-Tech here. I am purty excited as well. Still stuck between getting a 250cc scooter or motorcycle. Back and forth in my head about that.

 

[JHZR2]

motorcycles scare me, at least for my drive, because of the heavy truck traffic and a major bridge.

If I could, I would - nothing over 50 MPH, and in reality nothing over 40-45 most of the time.

Alas, a smart car would be the best I could do, it wouldnt be the safest, but Id be a bit more comfortable getting hit by a truck in that...

Good luck and all the best!

JMH

 

[Cutehumor]

I was thinking about the same thing, getting a motorcycle license myself. honda rebel or the new 08 ninja is getting all the raves from what I have read. 60 mpg and up is very appealing.

 

[Cheesehead]

Rebel is one of the most bulletproof cycle engines there is. The Rebel gets a consistent 70-80 mpg (per users on the Rebel boards). The Ninja is a bit overpriced right now because of the dealer markup on it (almost up to 4000 right now).

Check out you tube videos of Rebel owners running on busy highways. The bike is capable of 80-85 mph as it is on video.

 

[eljefino]

Pictures of my commute

All 2 lane country roads. Speed limits 35-50.

When it snows, it's old. But when it's nice, it's nice.

 

[Cheesehead]

eljefino,

That is beautiful. You need to hurry up and get that cycle license because that road looks tailor made for cruising and enjoying the wind in your hair. What's the hold up!

 

[mrsilv04]

Taking a class is a great idea.

However, keep in mind that when you complete the course and pass, that all it means is that you are competent to operate a motorcycle in a parking lot...

I have around 120,000 miles on two wheels. It is by far the best way to travel.

 

[Audi Junkie]

Wow, ironic. I'm taking my road test tomorrow. Did well on the computerized written part for the permit. I just want to be legal on it. I even got an inspection.

 

[tom slick]

Taking the class is one of the best things you can do and it is alot of fun. I know guys that have ridden for 20 years that take the class and walk (ride?) away saying how much they enjoyed the class.

 

[eljefino]

My Dad says he had this AM pocket radio with earphone he had to jam in his helmet (this was the 1960s in massachusetts, probably among the first helmet law places) and the cop, in a cruiser, followed him around barking orders through the one-way radio. Sounds like not much fun.

 

[dwendt44]

The little radio for instructions was/is use around here too.
I've riden for 45 years, with gaps in between, and still enjoy the courses. I took the advance course three times and will do so again.
Classes fill fast around here; rarely any notice to the public; the vo-tec students hear about them first and fill most of the slots. About half women.

 

[Win]

A contrarian view: I had a motorcycle in High School, and took a pretty good shot on it from a Cadillac, hard enough to fracture my helmet, among other injuries. The helmet undoubtedly saved my life. Thirty some odd years later, the lingering effects of that afternoon are still with me.

I got another bike in college, but through college, law school, and a few years after that, I only put about 3K miles on it because I just didn't want to get beaten up by another car.

After airplanes, bikes are the best fun there is from a man/machinery point of view, but someone's carelessness can change your life, forever, in an instant, and it can just be totally random. I have a friend that has ridden bikes all over the northern hemisphere for decades, and never picked up a scratch in the process.

Of course the same random violence thing can happen in a car, bicycle, airplane, crosswalk, blah, but in a world of cars, all of them, even a Smart, huge compared to a bike, when / if it happens, you are probably going to have some serious pain for a while, maybe permanently.

Enjoy it, have fun, be careful out there. If you are doing it just to save gas, weigh the costs carefully.

 

[blackcherry06]

Definitely go look at a Ninja when you're ready to buy, although get ready for sticker shock on the '08 The only 08 in my area (Lime Green) has an out-the-door price of $4300 and some change. That's a heavy markup from the $3499 MSRP. They're cashing in on it's insane popularity.

If you look hard enough, you might get lucky and find a leftover 07...a steal in comparison.

Kudos to you for taking the class. You will learn a lot. I think the most important lesson for a new rider is that bike tires can only be made to do one job at a time. Stop or turn. Attemtpting to make them 'multi-task' can be a hard lesson when you give your brand new bike a nice case of road rash...and yourself too. There were plenty of people in my class that fouled up the emergency braking exercise. Straight ahead when heavy braking...no exceptions.

One thing that I wasn't aware of is that if you lock the rear wheel in a panic stop, keep it locked until you're stopped. When locked, it technically has no traction...if you unlock it and it's veered off your intended path, it re-gains traction and can really mess you up. It was a good lesson for anyone who might elect to unlock it.

I'm proud to say that I was the only one in my class of 12 to get 100 on the written and riding exams. Listen to them, control the bike the way they tell you to and you'll be fine.

 

[02zx9r]

Originally Posted By: tom slick
Taking the class is one of the best things you can do and it is alot of fun. I know guys that have ridden for 20 years that take the class and walk (ride?) away saying how much they enjoyed the class.


agree 100%. I have been riding for years and had to take the class for a license in RI, i took the expert class and still learned some things about emergency braking in a corner etc...

very highly recommended even for veteran riders who "think" they know it all!

 

[1sttruck]

New motorcycle riders are basically engaged in attrition warfare, and it seems that the older you are when starting out the worse the statistics. The statistics are really bad for older riders. You end up relying upon being very aware of traffic around you and never trusting other vehicles, and in a more situations than you'd like upon fast reflexes. Another key item is having enough body strength / low bike weight to literally muscle it thru situations like hitting gear oil on a freeway off ramp, dodging a toilet in the road on a corner at night, braking in a turn to avoid the yahoos that can't stay in ther lane on corners and manging it when you hit the gravel on the side of the road, being run off the road into a plowed field, etc., all things (lots more too) that I experienced.

The classic motorcyle accident is someone not seeing you while making a turn and pulling in fromt of the rider, the rider stomps on the rear brake, locks up the rear wheel, slides out and hits the car. You need to practice shutting down from speed so that relying upon the front brake is instinctive.

You need a good helmet, gloves, boots, a real leather jacket, and to ride enough so that you keep that 'sixth sense' in good shape.

 

[eljefino]

I had a paper route all through middle/high school and was always doing off road mountain bike stunts. I couldn't afford a car in college so I rode my bicycle in some crazy traffic. Am thankful for gasoline, every morning I slam my door and turn the key. Have always had respect for those on bikes, powered and unpowered, horses, snowmobiles, etc.

Am one of those nuts who knows every crack and pothole between my house and work. Even if I only ride commuting it will put a huge grin on my face.

They just swept the sand from last winter. Noticed that.

Saw video of a sport bike fishtailing and wiping out. Makes sense re the rear tire lockup scenario.

I was "drifting" my pedal bike in snow, delivering papers. Looking forward to this class.

 

[meep]

I was a diehard (pedal) biker. Commuted, road, raced, whatever. Loved it. After knees went south, I took the motorcycle course.

The course is GREAT and the camaraderie much fun. Got the license, got the bike and rode for a year. Cycling instincts (watching driver's eye's, faces; anticipation, etc, all paid in spades.

But it scared me more than the pedal bike. Fewer "ditch" options as it's a heavier, faster machine. Thrilling to ride, but I lost my taste for it in traffic. Then I witnessed the death of a riding partner. I tried to stabilize him until the ambulance arrived (had CPR/First response training). He died of internal bleeding in the ambulance. My bike had been up for sale - I was going to upgrade. It sold that day, but I didn't buy another.

Now my friend was a statistic. rode fast, rode hard, didn't take the course. Just went nuts out there on way too much bike. He was scared of the front brake and tended to ignore it. Training might have helped, but some "riders sense" would have saved his life.

Take the course, work on the skills and practice better judgment than ever before and the odds are more towards your favor.

M

 

[Win]

Originally Posted By: 1sttruck


The classic motorcyle accident is someone not seeing you while making a turn and pulling in fromt of the rider, the rider stomps on the rear brake, locks up the rear wheel, slides out and hits the car. You need to practice shutting down from speed so that relying upon the front brake is instinctive.

You need a good helmet, gloves, boots, a real leather jacket, and to ride enough so that you keep that 'sixth sense' in good shape.


That was mine - I had a great reaction time, applied the brakes perfectly, probably wasn't going over 30 mph, but bad luck left me no distance to brake in. The upside was that the trunk and bumper of that Cadillac stopped me and the bike easily, and with surprisingly little damage to the Cadillac.

I see people riding bikes without helmets, in shorts, flip flops, shirtless, and I just hope their luck continues to hold out, and if it doesn't, that they have good insurance so the rest of us do not have to pick up their tab.

I still have my MC endorsement, but I doubt I'll ever use it again.

 

[Chris142]

I got my permit about 9 mths ago. I got it because the only legal way to ride a "Dirt bike" here is to have a Dual sport bike,license and insurance.

The county passed laws forbidding riding an off road bike even on your own property. Having a plated bike is the loophole. I do ocasionally ride it to work but I take trails as much as possible.

I went to the DMV on a sunday to check out the area where they test riders. It's pretty tight even for my little 250cc Dual Sport. I don't know if I can pass the test or not.

I have a hard time turning right. I can turn left like a pro but turning right makes me all wobbly.