License or bike first?

[jerdman89]

I got my learners permit then borrowed my dads honda rebel until I took the MSF course. Then still rode it until I found and bought the fz I think by that time my licence papers came in the mail

 

[chunkygoat]

My friend and I lived together where I payed the bills and he just stayed with me. In return he shared everything with me - including his ninja 650. He taught me to ride in my neighborhood before I did anything.

I began riding his bike religiously when i realized i needed my own bike. I took the pa motorcycle safety course, got my license - then bought my fiz.

So I sort of did something different, but I got my license before I bought my bike.

 

[buccs40oz]

i had rode bikes before but never had a license. then i bought my own bike and then decided to get my license. i think i might have had my permit before i bought the bike though

 

[jlsmith411]

I wanted a bike my whole life but my Mom would never let me get one. After I turned 18 it took me a year to convince my Mom that I could buy a bike, but she finally agreed. I was thrilled and couldn't wait, but I took the MSF course first. I got my license the next day and the FZ followed 2 days after that.

 

[CHEMIKER]

I was on my 3rd bike before I got my license. I rode on permits the whole time, though. Problem with permits is that you have to renew them every year, it became a PITA, so I got my license.

 

[mtakacs]

In Hungary the licence is a long process. (it was 3 mount)
I had my bike in the middle time. Than I had the test and a rutin exam, and there was the traffic exam left.

 

[steveindenmark]

When I took the MSF there was a chick in the class that had never ridden a bike before in her life. A couple days before the class she went out and bought a brand new HD and all the accouterments that go along ($$$). It was sitting in her garage waiting for her to finish the class and get her permit. On the first exercise of the class, where you straddle the bike and walk it across the parking lot slipping the clutch, she dropped the bike (MSF bike, not the harley). And that was all it took....she burst into tears, declared she was never going to ride again and walked off. That story is why I recommend the MSF class to everyone who tells me they are thinking about getting a bike.

So I take it you bought a really cheap HD and if you didn`t I suggest you move your podst to the "Another missed opportunity" thread. :thumbup:

Steve

 

[staticghost]

Yeah get the bike first then license.
I bought mine first, had a MSF course scheduled within 3 weeks of purchase, and in two weeks got tired of looking at it, called up my riding buddy with license and thought myself how to ride. Rode around my block for two hrs then decided to take it out on the street. After that waited couple more days until the class, got that finished then got the license and went riding like crazy afterwards.

 

[sjryser]

I got my permit, rode my friends bike alot and then bought my own. Still have to take the riders safety test or the 3 day saftey class to get my full fledged liscence.

 

[SueMc]

I had my MSF course booked, and made an offer on an EX500 with an option to cancel the sale if I changed my mind after I took the course. The sales guy, knowing how unlikely that was, agreed.

I took the course and loved it (of course), but our test was cancelled due to snow (early April in Calgary!!). All the students were willing to ride, but the examiner wouldn't get out of his car!

So I actually did end up picking up the bike about a week before I took my test and got my licence. I had my permit, and was riding in the company of another licenced rider, so I was legal.

 

[KensFz6]

A friend taught me the basics of riding a dirtbike out in the country. A couple months later, I signed up for the DOT basic rider course/waiver. I waited until the following spring to buy my first bike and after 3 months of riding that, traded it for the FZ.

 

[dako81]

Dirtbikes, then obtained learners permit and GS 500, then FZ6 and endorsement test, then took MSF course with friend and girlfriend.

 

[Gilo-FZ6]

i got my bike first..kinda like putting the cart in front of the horse i know..but suzuki had a 0% offer on a bandit 650.which would of expired by the day of my test

 

[robertdroberts]

Took the MSF Course, got the license and then selected the bike

 

[keira]

I rode the ninja 250 around the "parking lot" (really a series of private roads) when it was Rob's before I had my license, then "bought" the bike (from Rob, so it wasn't really like I bought it) over the winter when he upgraded to his YZF. Then, in March/April, I took the MSF. I didn't ride it until I had my license, but I owned it, so I guess that counts...

 

[D-Mac]

(1) Wanted a bike for YEARS, but didn't know much about them.
(2) Visited my dad who had a new Yamaha 250 dual-sport and rode it around a field for an hour. Got hooked instantly. Since my dad had a motorcycle (and he's responsible) my wife was more easily convinced that it wasn't a big deal.
(3) Got the MSF and State manuals and wrote the permit exam two days later.
(4) Took the MSF course a week later (drove a couple of hours away and took a more expensive course because others were booked for months).
(5) Got my license two days after the MSF course (MSF counts for the road test in Michigan - since I had my permit the course completed the requirements).
(6) Got my first bike two weeks later off e-bay. Rode 4000 miles in my first month. Got the FZ6 a couple of years after that.

Between steps 5 and 6 my wife took out a massive life insurance policy on me.

 

[agmom98]

I took the MSF course and passed, but it took me nearly 2 months to choose a bike and make the purchase. It took me a while to recover from the stress of taking the class (I was an old lady, remember, and had never ridden a bike in my life until then).

 

[damnpoor]

I think the opposite of most posters here. I didn't see the point in buying a bike if I can't even ride it. At the time the military was reimbursing the cost of the MSF course so I just took the course for the hell of it. It's also mandatory that you show an MSF completion card before you can get your bike on base. For me it would have been idiotic to buy a bike if I couldn't get it on base and couldn't legally ride it on the street.

 

[dean2287]

Here's one for you. My older brother got his license first. But, he never rode a bike to get it. He went to get his driver's license renewed one year and they asked him "do you also have a motorcycle permit?". He said yes (though he never had one) and so they marked it on his license !! He's had a motorcycle license ever since. About 20 years later, he decided to start riding, so he went and bought an 1100cc Yamaha and started riding. Now he rides a Honda Valkyrie and tours all over NAm with his wife.

 

[madmanmaigret]

Permit --> Bike --> License

I got the bike and didn't know how to even ride a bike.. taught myself on it.

This is exactly what I did except it went more like this:
permit-->bike-->permit renewal-->renewal-->renewal-->renewal-->renewal-->renewal-->license.