XR650L... only one to pass

[AaronBrown]

I had my ride test for my motorcycle endorsement this morning. It was harder than I thought it was going to be.

It took a long time to get an appointment, I wanted to take the test in August when I bought my bike but I guess everybody else did too. I had to make do with a learners permit and bugging my buddies to ride with me until today. They only give the tests at two DMV locations close to me, one is in Portland and the other is in Sherwood. I borrowed a trailer so I wouldn't get a ticket and had my friend go with me because I didn't know where the DMV in Sherwood was. He had me go to the old location not knowing that they had moved over four years ago. We finally found the place at about 8:15 and my appointment was at 8:00, they let me take the test anyway but I had three people in front of me. It rained this morning and the test area was covered in wet pine needles. Did not look like ideal riding conditions. First bike was a Ducati Monster, he ran over some cones and then some lines then some more cones so they sent him on his way to practice some more. Second bike was and old Suzuki cruiser, missed some of the cones but dropped his bike on the emergency stop. He went home with no endorsement either. Third bike was a Harley fat boy he screwed up the cone swerve then stopped and put his feet down so he was out before he really got started. Next up.....me. Boy was I ever nervous, I just watched three people fail, I drank to much coffee so my hands were shaking from the nerves and caffeine and I had to pee real bad. I ran over one cone in the cone swerve. That's it I did the rest of the course just fine and passed with a 97. The bike after me was a bid old Gold Wing. He didn't even have a chance, I felt bad for him. So of the five bikes I saw run the test only the lowly dual sport passed it. Now that the weather is crappy I can ride all I want without supervision.

[trippinwilly]

Thats what Im talking about!

James

[Bibleman]

Good for you pal:ride:

[Manchu]

Big congrats, brudda!! Feels good don't it?!

[axarob44]

I was so nervous when I took the test. I was so overwhelmed by all the cones and lines on the course. I kind of blanked out when the officer told me what to do. My hands were shaking and I could not work the clutch lever and this was all in front of about 15 other riders there to take the test. I failed miserably and was embarrassed as hell. I took it again in another county which was more laid back and less pressure. I passed with flying colors:ride: It feels so good to be legal !!

[goblin127]

I remember when I did mine it was 1977 and I was 17. One circle to the left one to the right one figure eight to the left go down the street take a right and come back to the parking lot. It was raining that day,but every thing went well. 1975 CB500T.

[jetfuel]

congrats .. ride safe..

[martinfan30]

congrats aaron brown! by the way it is not a lowly dual sport!LOL! good job bro! you guys had it rough, i was the only one at my MC lic. test in 95 in reno.

all i had to do was work the lights, horn then ride in a fig. 8, weave in and out of cones 40 ft apart and then a quick stopping test. they must be making the tests harder these days.

[Denn10]

Thats why i just took the MSF course so i didnt have to take the crappy dmv test heard it was easier AND my work paid for the MSF course so nothing out of my pocket except the headache of DMV GL be safe

[martinfan30]

Thats why i just took the MSF course so i didnt have to take the crappy dmv test heard it was easier AND my work paid for the MSF course so nothing out of my pocket except the headache of DMV GL be safe

MSF class? is that like the college course my wife took that got her the license and an insurance discount?

[BeeDub]

MSF class? is that like the college course my wife took that got her the license and an insurance discount?

Dat be da one! I just got home from my last class. Passed, pretty much flying colors...doing a kung fu kick at the instructors as I did the figure 8 helped me out a bit, haha. Anyway, yeah, I'd say it's the way to go. You do learn quite a bit about obstacle avoidance and such, for the street, and then you get the insurance discount and don't have to take the DMV test. Crappy little bikes you have to ride though...

[Denn10]

well your not quaranteed an insurance drop AAA doesnt i was pretty shocked.

[AaronBrown]

Thanks guys.

The cones were pretty close and the big cruisers were having a hell of a time with them. I think somebody could make a lot of money renting out and delivering small nimble bikes for the Oregon DMV test. I don't think the Gold Wing guy is ever going to pass on that huge bike. It was sad, he told me it had been his fathers bike and that he had just inherited it. He said he was only wanting to ride it as a way to remember the good times he had with his Dad.

[Motosprtman]

I had my ride test for my motorcycle endorsement this morning. It was harder than I thought it was going to be.

It took a long time to get an appointment, I wanted to take the test in August when I bought my bike but I guess everybody else did too. I had to make do with a learners permit and bugging my buddies to ride with me until today. They only give the tests at two DMV locations close to me, one is in Portland and the other is in Sherwood. I borrowed a trailer so I wouldn't get a ticket and had my friend go with me because I didn't know where the DMV in Sherwood was. He had me go to the old location not knowing that they had moved over four years ago. We finally found the place at about 8:15 and my appointment was at 8:00, they let me take the test anyway but I had three people in front of me. It rained this morning and the test area was covered in wet pine needles. Did not look like ideal riding conditions. First bike was a Ducati Monster, he ran over some cones and then some lines then some more cones so they sent him on his way to practice some more. Second bike was and old Suzuki cruiser, missed some of the cones but dropped his bike on the emergency stop. He went home with no endorsement either. Third bike was a Harley fat boy he screwed up the cone swerve then stopped and put his feet down so he was out before he really got started. Next up.....me. Boy was I ever nervous, I just watched three people fail, I drank to much coffee so my hands were shaking from the nerves and caffeine and I had to pee real bad. I ran over one cone in the cone swerve. That's it I did the rest of the course just fine and passed with a 97. The bike after me was a bid old Gold Wing. He didn't even have a chance, I felt bad for him. So of the five bikes I saw run the test only the lowly dual sport passed it. Now that the weather is crappy I can ride all I want without supervision.

AWESOME! congratulations on doing such a great job in taking your test! super write up too!

[Motosprtman]

Make me think back to the day when I took my test here in Washington in 1972. I took test on a TS-125 Suzuki and of course it was very ez. Makes me wonder how I would do nowdays on a BIG bike. Also makes me think of the way most of us learned to ride, on small bikes and worked our way up. Seems today that alot of people start BIG and they are setting themselves up for failure when testing for an endorsement to thier license.

Back in the day latter 60's early 70's most folks rode the jap bikes of some such type, weather it be a Suzuki X6 Hustler, or a Honda 305 scramber considered then, pretty big bikes and fast as hell too. No one even looked much the way of a Harley Davidson "full dresser" or "bagger" as they are called nowadays. Mainly due to the poor performance from being extremely heavy, I remember them being called pigs. But nowadays they very popular. I bet alot of folks tested on anything from an S-90 Honda to a 250-300cc range if your around 50 or so years of age. But then again like I said back in the day a 250 was a misized bike and a 450 or 500 was a BIG bike, now they are beginers bikes?

[nukinfutz]

I feel lucky on the test......Here in WV its a lot like the Oregon test from the stories I hear from other folks.....I got my endorsement in Killeen, TX summer 92...the officer rode in the car with my wife as I rode ahead of them around the block of the police station.....I have never heard of that on any other state MC endorsement test....I don't know if the MC endors. is good in ALL states....but it X-fered here to WV when I moved back......I rode an 87 Kawi Vulcan for the test.....seems like a good bike for the harder tests like I hear about now....low to the ground and all....

anywho, stay safe .....

[xr650l bum]

Thanks guys.

The cones were pretty close and the big cruisers were having a hell of a time with them. I think somebody could make a lot of money renting out and delivering small nimble bikes for the Oregon DMV test. I don't think the Gold Wing guy is ever going to pass on that huge bike.

That is done alot here in so cal. They will bring a 250 for you to pass on. I would ride up and practice the course on my L when the DMV was closed. I was discouraged when I could not keep both wheels in between the lines of the circles. Was given some misinformation. Only had to keep the front in between the lines. Passed with flying colors. Instructor even said that I was pretty smart bringing a bike that was so easy to handle. Nice to be legal. Congrats!

[martinfan30]

thats why i did mine on a honda rebel 250! very small and manueverable. my wife did hers on a tt225.

[BeeDub]

thats why i did mine on a honda rebel 250! very small and manueverable. my wife did hers on a tt225.

Honda Rebel 250, haha, yeah, that's the crappy little bike I was talking about for the rider course, but you're right, they are easy to handle.

Also, I've heard that Harley shops carrying Buell bikes will rent you a Blast for $100 to $200 to take your test...

[heavyhitter]

Nice write up.

I got my license in 2004. Even though I been riding on the street since 1988.

I got my licence on a 2004 Hayabusa! The part where you have to speed up to 25-30 and then stop as fast as you can once you reach the cone.....the brakes where so good on that bike I stoped so close after the cone I never made it to any of the line markers to measure how fast you stop. The lady said in 15 years at the DMV she never seen a bike stop that fast. I passed the test to in the very high 90's.