MSF Test

[jboothe]

It's been a while since I had to take the Motorcycle test for an endorsement. First time was in Florida in about 1989 and then again in the mid 90s in southern CA. Then it dropped off my license when I moved to NC for a while and I have been putting it off since moving to Indiana. So I went today.

But my question is: Do that many people really fail it? I watched 4 groups of 5 go before mine and 2-3 people out of every 5 failed. Granted this is the land of Harley's and no helmets and 8 out of 10 bikes you see are big cruisers, but good grief. It was seriously sad. I even watched one older guy on a big ultra glide something or the other drop his bike on the first test trying to do the cones. I think out of the 20 guys I watched only one actually negotiated the entire line of cones and a dozen of the had to put a foot down while doing the U turn.

I don't know if I could have passed on any of those monstrous bikes either but there is a reason I don't ride them. I also saw guys on a Buell Blast, a 600 Ninja and a new CBR600RR that couldn't pass either. And BTW me and the Hyper did just fine.

[Rwethereyetman]

I have no idea what you need to do there to pass, but here the test is so easy to pass, I would be stunned if anyone could fail it.

I am actually sad that they do not make our testing here in BC Canada much harder than it is.
If a rider has the very basics of how to ride, they can pass, no real skill required.

[Frustration]

I can tell you that the AZ test would be tough to pass depending on the bike you ride... Here you can take the safety course on little 125's and it's a breeze. passing the agility stuff on a large bike wouldnt be easy.

[jbernard]

Here in Cali they make you do the cone weave and ride within 2 circles that are 1' or 2' wide (diameter of about 15' - I think) with your front wheel not falling outside the lines (you can't put your feet down).

You couldn't ask for a better bike to take the test on - it's cake on the Hyper!

[Rwethereyetman]

Originally Posted by jbernard

Here in Cali they make you do the cone weave and ride within 2 circles that are 1' or 2' wide (diameter of about 15' - I think) with your front wheel not falling outside the lines (you can't put your feet down).

You couldn't ask for a better bike to take the test on - it's cake on the Hyper!

Did that here, and the figure 8, panic stop, and then a road test, follow by an examiner in a car to.

Did it riding my hayabusa, and to me it was too easy to pass.

[ament001]

The one I took had two tests, one was the state test and the other a specialized MSF test. Had to pass both but they provided the bikes (a bunch of CB125s and CB250s). Neither test was hard, but there were those who barely passed. There was also one woman who completely dropped out, couldn't fathom how to shift and ride at the same time.....

[jboothe]

Here in Indiana it's a 4 part ALT MOST test. http://www.webbikeworld.com/motorcyc...torcycle-test/

1. Start out and turn the bike thru a small L shaped box and then a controlled stop with the front tire in a small 3x5 box without skidding
2. The cone weave and come around to do a U turn in a 20-24 (depends on bike size) foot area
3. Start and stabilize speed (12-20mph) in a line and a emergency stop at a pre-determined spot.
4. Start and stabilize speed (12-20mph) in a line and swerve around a 7 foot obstacle.

I really didn't think it was all that hard either. But I was very surprised at how hard a time people were having and it didn't appear to be all about the larger bikes.

[Rwethereyetman]

I originally got my bike license a long time ago.
The original test I did at age 16 was no more than a mere formality to pass.
After a medical trauma some 20 years later, the governemnt insisted I retake the tests, and so I did.
It was a little harder this time, but not much.
The only street bike I had insured at the time was my Hayabusa, so I used it, and got a WTF look from the examiner for bringing that as the bike to do my test on.

[Rwethereyetman]

Originally Posted by jboothe

Here in Indiana it's a 4 part ALT MOST test. http://www.webbikeworld.com/motorcyc...torcycle-test/

1. Start out and turn the bike thru a small L shaped box and then a controlled stop with the front tire in a small 3x5 box without skidding
2. The cone weave and come around to do a U turn in a 20-24 (depends on bike size) foot area
3. Start and stabilize speed (12-20mph) in a line and a emergency stop at a pre-determined spot.
4. Start and stabilize speed (12-20mph) in a line and swerve around a 7 foot obstacle.

I really didn't think it was all that hard either. But I was very surprised at how hard a time people were having and it didn't appear to be all about the larger bikes.

The link you posted has much the same content as the test i did a few years ago, but I also had to do a slow and sharp figure 8, once in each direction.
And then a road test on a desrcribed route, thru town, while followed by a car with a driver, and examinor.

[Dana]

Back in Jersey in the mid-90's, they laughed at you if you used anything bigger than 250cc and of sportbike or cruiser style. As you pull up they suggest just borrowing/renting a cheap little bike with lots of rooms between the steering stops.

I was curious, so I asked if I could at least push it through the cones to see if it were me or the bike. It wouldn't even make it through with the perfect line and pegged to the stops!

I ended up taken a MSF course and got my license that way; and that's how I think every state should offer licensing!

Congrats on the reendorsement!

Dana