What's the road test like in your city?

[nixter]

Another thread got me thinking about this. What's the road test for licensing like in your city?

I live in Vancouver Canada and it's pretty tough. Only 18% of people pass the first time I'm told. Took mine yesterday and passed. Test was about an hour long and they follow you in a van. You have a speaker attached to your shoulder so you can hear instructions. The test involved city, residential, and highway riding. They take you through school zones and all kinds of other signed areas. They check for correct head movement at every launch, intersection, and turn. I managed to pass with only 2 minor head movement deductions. I owe that to the excellent school I attended, Pacific Riding School. My friend in Seattle told me about his road test (which he failed 3 times) and it sounded like the basic learners' license test here! All he had to do was ride around some cones and do a U-turn! I think nerves got to him

 

[GTPAddict]

I can't begin to tell you how good an idea this is. The test here involves navigating painted lines and cones in a parking lot. The entire test took me about 10 minutes. That's how long it takes to determine whether or not a person is competent enough to operate a motorcycle on the public roadways.

I am all for a longer, more involved test. More more than that, I'd like to see something like the MSF beginners course as a requirement for a motorcycle license. I think it would be a good idea for drivers licenses for cars as well.

Anyway, that's about it here in Georgia - 10 minutes in a parking lot and you're good to go!

 

[CavDoc]

Same in PA - only the thing is, most people never even take it! You can renew your permit every year ($10) and all you have to pass to get that is a written test. My buddy just got his license after having just renewed his permit for the past 10 years!

 

[PosterFZ6]

Same in PA - only the thing is, most people never even take it! You can renew your permit every year ($10) and all you have to pass to get that is a written test. My buddy just got his license after having just renewed his permit for the past 10 years!

Yeah but the permit is not the same thing as a licence, now is it?

In New York State the permit allows you to ride a motorcycle accompanied by another motorcyclist who holds a motorcycle licence. You have to be withing 0.25 of a mile of each other though.

You can't ride by yourself.

I really don't understand why people keep riding on their permits.

1. The road test here in NYS is really not that hard and it literally takes you 15 minutes tops.

Hell you can even skip it if you take and pass the Motorcycle Safety Test/course/class instead.

Do I think our American road tests are adequate for operating a motorcycle on our roads?

Yes. You are not a GP racer and if you ride like you should within the laws and use some common sense like trying to be visible to other motorists on the road, not lane split or speeding/zipping through the traffic you are good to go.

A lot of accidents happen because motorcyclists don't obey laws and are ****ing SQUIDS/ wanna be racers.

I think everybody for their first motorcycle should be obligated to ride a small displacement cruiser like a Honda rebel. It's pretty much a Vespa/scooter for the city.

 

[fmf]

Here you crank your bike, put it in gear, make a half circle along the outside edge of a small parking lot, park it, walk inside and get your license. Kind of sad.

 

[nixter]

Wow! lol. I forgot to add the whole process in BC. First you write the written test and that thing is tricky! Some of the questions have 2 right answers :/. Anyhow then you get you have to pass an MSA (Motorcycle skills assessment). This is the parking lot cones test. At this point you can ride on the road but not with passengers and not after dark. Then you have to wait a minimum of 30 days (presumable while you practice) before you can take your road test. If you don't already have your driver's license then process is a full year before you can get a full bike license.

 

[fb40dash5]

I am all for a longer, more involved test. More more than that, I'd like to see something like the MSF beginners course as a requirement for a motorcycle license. I think it would be a good idea for drivers licenses for cars as well.

Some states do just that. Oregon was phasing in a tiered system (every year the age to not have to take the course goes up 10 years) a couple years ago. Other than being expensive, and sometimes hard to find a convenient time/location, I'm all for it, though it's still not real world road experience. But, rather than A) go to the DMV, take the written test, pay for permit B) ride around for whatever amount of time to be eligible for a license C) bring my bike to the DMV, take the road test, pay more money for my license... I just took the course over the weekend, went to the DMV on Monday, and walked out with a motorcycle endorsement. Don't even have to own (or have any access to) a bike.

The logistics of buying a motorcycle, getting the learner's, getting experience legally, then legally hauling said bike to the DMV to road test discouraged me from buying a bike years ago. If there'd been an "easy" way like this then, I probably would've started riding most of a decade ago.

Yeah but the permit is not the same thing as a licence, now is it?

In New York State the permit allows you to ride a motorcycle accompanied by another motorcyclist who holds a motorcycle licence. You have to be withing 0.25 of a mile of each other though.

You can't ride by yourself.

I really don't understand why people keep riding on their permits.

Well, that depends on the state, now doesn't it? :BLAA:

Some states have next to no restrictions on cycle permits. Looks like PA restricts you to daytime, and no passengers, but you don't need a shadow unless you don't have a regular DL.

Just like MD's old graduated license system that required you to have 18 months (from being able to get your DL at 16 years, 3 months) without accidents/tickets... but the only real restriction at the time was that you couldn't drive in the middle of the night, and that was waived when you turned 18. And even with 18 perfect months, you couldn't get a full DL until 3 months before you turn 18... so the difference between "perfect driver" and "more tickets than a stadium" was a whopping 3 months of not being able to (legally) drive in the middle of the night... unless you claimed you were coming from work, or a volunteer activity. Not much of an incentive, obviously!

 

[SweaterDude]

In Tennessee, if you fail the test they should take you out back and put a bullet through your head. my test took 45sec. ride to the end of the street (maybe 200-250 feet) turn into a parking lot, turn around and come back. they check for signals, whether you can start the bike without stalling (the road is uphill) and head movement for merging back onto the street. pointless test, they should hand out a box of CrackerJacks with a license inside.

 

[Cloggy]

Most western european countries have similar riding tests due to EU guidelines (I took my bike test in Holland, but it's almost identical to the UK).

You start with a theory test on road rules/signs, right of way etc (you are exempt this if you took the theory test for your car license).

You then have to do module 1 of the practical test, this is off road (a purpose built circuit) and tests specific skills, if you pass this you can go onto the road for module 2.

Here's an explaination of the module 1&2 of the practical test on the UK website

If you're under 24 you're restricted to a lower power machine until either you're over 24 or you have 2 years riding experience.

As of january 2013 the EU will be bringing in new rules adding a new 125cc catagory (the UK has always had seperate rules for the 125 but now they are introducing it across europe).

In short it takes a relatively long time and costs a reasonable amount of money (in lessons and fees) to get your full bike license across here, as you can imagine this can be a big deterrant to anyone wanting to start biking

 

[Rebuilt]

it is as above here ...
pain in ass but now im rideing on a full bike licence i have come across so many of the things that you train for and are tested for soooo many times already in a few months ...
The tests are as said theory ... thats multiple choice followed by a so unrealistic in my opinion like playing a preset video game ...
but then mod 1 on a pad with cones n speed traps etc ... fast slow riding skills ....
then mod 2 ... on the road . then the examiner follows you on a bike n says where to go . if you do it all well enough you pass .

i also think its what mood the examiner is in :spank:

As for the van following thing... in the past i used to try do a A2 test ... like half the DAS ... and was followed in a car !!!!... this is wrong because in a car you see things differently to what you do on a bike . so not right :spank:

 

[Darth Fazer]

Here you crank your bike, put it in gear, make a half circle along the outside edge of a small parking lot, park it, walk inside and get your license. Kind of sad.

I can vouch for "fmf" on this, in MS it's a joke. They check to make sure you didn't ride your bike down without a shadow (if you did, they issue you a ticket & make you haul your bike away), check for current insurance & inspection sticker, and make you ride to the end of their parking lot & back. Most of the time after you turn around you'll see that they've already gone back inside. I asked one officer I know about this and he said, "Well, we figure if you can make it back without wrecking, and are willing to take the risk of riding in the first place, you deserve a license."
I honestly feel that you should not be issued a m/c license unless you pass a MSF safety course and your first bike should be less than 75 hp & 450 lbs. You should be required to wear a full-face helmet & full safety gear for at least the 1st year, should not be allowed to carry a passenger for the same amount of time & within the 1st year your speeding tickets would be doubled. I know this sounds harsh, but it would force people to take the time to get aquainted with their bikes & learn the basic skills of everyday riding before excercising their freedom to ride with flip-flops & shorts and putting a passenger at risk with a beginning rider.

 

[Jmnielsen]

Here you crank your bike, put it in gear, make a half circle along the outside edge of a small parking lot, park it, walk inside and get your license. Kind of sad.

Same goes around here. You know what is sad? You should see the amount of people that fail miserably.

 

[FinalImpact]

Only thing I can add is that here if you hold a cage license you take a pop test on PC which rolls through 30 questions. If scored equal or better than 70% your golden, you circle the cones and go. I took the MSF course to drop insurance rates and THEY score you for the "hands on" part and take that to the DMV and walla - you have mc endorsement.

but likewise - the cone test the average user takes is lame! OP that's the first I ever heard of a "do as I say" voice command system and being tailed! Sounds more practical than our stuff! I guess they value your life! :thumbup:

 

[elus1ve]

Montreal, Quebec, Canada is mostly the same as Vancouver except for a small detail. Here are the steps:-

1) Take a course from a recognized school. Compulsary.
2) Do a written test.
3) Wait one month, then do a test on a closed circuit. Lots of people were failing it while I was waiting for my turn.
4) Once you pass the above, you can go on the road on the following conditions :

a) you are accompanied by another motorcycle with a rider that has a valid license for at least 2 years.
b) Not carry a passanger.
c) Not ride at night (they are fairly lenient on that one), not the others.​

5) You have to wait 1 year before you can do the road test. 2 years if you do not already hold a valid car's driver's license.
6) Then you can do the road test. 30-45 mins on the road, small roads, highway, school zone. Everything. You are followed by a car giving instructions through a wireless device.
7) If you haven't given up by then, you get your license.

If that wasn't bad enough, the registration plate fee are $700 per year or $1400 for super sports. And riding season is pretty short here.

I am still at 5 and I was caught once riding un-accompanied. Got a nasty ticket.

 

[PosterFZ6]

Montreal, Quebec, Canada is mostly the same as Vancouver except for a small detail. Here are the steps:-

1) Take a course from a recognized school. Compulsary.
2) Do a written test.
3) Wait one month, then do a test on a closed circuit. Lots of people were failing it while I was waiting for my turn.
4) Once you pass the above, you can go on the road on the following conditions :

a) you are accompanied by another motorcycle with a rider that has a valid license for at least 2 years.
b) Not carry a passanger.
c) Not ride at night (they are fairly lenient on that one), not the others.​

5) You have to wait 1 year before you can do the road test. 2 years if you do not already hold a valid car's driver's license.
6) Then you can do the road test. 30-45 mins on the road, small roads, highway, school zone. Everything. You are followed by a car giving instructions through a wireless device.
7) If you haven't given up by then, you get your license.

If that wasn't bad enough, the registration plate fee are $700 per year or $1400 for super sports. And riding season is pretty short here.

I am still at 5 and I was caught once riding un-accompanied. Got a nasty ticket.

Yeah but within that registration you have some insurance, yes?

 

[elus1ve]

Yeah but within that registration you have some insurance, yes?

No. Vehicle Insurance fee is separate. Driver license fee is also separate, and it doubles when you get your motorcycle's license. Actually there's an insurance included in the registration plate if I am not mistaken, but you don't get anything out of it. It isn't for your vehicle and you cannot use your vehicle if you don't get your own insurance.

 

[PurpleZJ]

I'm not sure how hard ours is, but when I was trading my DE-99 for my M endorsed license I saw some cones set up in the parking lot taking up maybe 8 parking spaces. I took the MSF class so I didn't have to take the DMV riding test. My buddy didn't even have to take the riding test, the tester saw him ride in on his bike and told him I saw you ride in well enough so I won't make you take the riding test. Gotta love KC

 

[RJ2112]

Same goes around here. You know what is sad? You should see the amount of people that fail miserably.

The lower you set the standard, the more you pollute the gene pool.... the riding gene pool, that is. Physics will apply the chlorine.