Licened to ride?

[zman]

I was curious how many actual riders have their endorsement. When I stared riding mid 70`s the driving permit covered motorcycles and I just kept renewing the permit till I finally took the test and passed and they added a little round sticker to my license, then years later I moved out of state, had to surrender my license to the new state, moved back to Ca. a year later, filed for a duplicate and the endorsement was gone and they had nothing to say but take the test over.
I never did and rode for years partly out of spite partly because the test on any of my bigger heavy bikes wouldn't be a slam dunk, also going to the DMV really sucked back then..Still does.
It was 2001 before I got my endorsement again, went and took the class at the local college that gave my endorsement without taking those tiny laps at the DMV.
Nothing against those who do not have it, I have been there and you don't need an endorsement to be a good rider, If I recall the state I had moved to the regular license covered motorcycles so I didn't need one there.

 

[brianinpa]

Got mine in 1985 in Virginia. The "on road" test was two laps around the "parking lot". The parking lot was big enought to hold about 15 cars. I always wondered why the DMV folks looked at me funny when I rode up to get my motorcycle permit on my motorcycle... :moped:

 

[mcgovern61]

When first got my wing back on the road in 2008, I had to get my License again so I got my permit, rode around with my buddy that has a '06 GL1800 and went for the road test. (On the Wing of course). Showed up at DMV and was told to go around back. Behind the building is a small course with traffic cones set up????? :shock:

The Officer looks at me....looks at the bike and says, "Go ahead slick". Well, I don't have to tell you that I couldn't even make it halfway through the course! The wheelbase on the bike was longer than the distance between the cones!

I stopped and the Officer came over shaking her head. She said, "Ya know........this course isn't really set up for big road bikes." (Like I couldn't tell :Awe: )

I asked her why?? She said, "To be honest with ya slick, most people don't get get monster bikes for their first bike and they surely don't try to pass their road test on them. This course is set up for 125cc or less." Just then, the other applicants arrived on their rental "road test" bikes....it was a little bigger than a mini bike! :smilie_happy:


Here is a pic of the type of bike (Honda Ruckus Scooter) that the test area was built for and the other applicants rented:

Compared to taking the test on this!

:smilie_happy:


I borrowed a friends 250 and came back...NO PROBLEM!! :clapping: :Egyptian: :clapping: :Egyptian:

 

[Joep]

Got an AZ license for motorcycle and had CA license for my car.. was in the military and CA was good until I got out.. didn't want to do there set up to get certified... moved to TX when I got out and took road test with chase vehicle supplied by me also.. so have had M endorsement as long as I have had my TX license... now TX does the take a safety course and you get the endorsement...

 

[Mysteryrider]

I have had my motorcycle endorsement since 1980 got it about 3 months after I got my regular license.... much to my moms displeasure

 

[AApple]

Iirc, back long ago, when I first started riding('70s), Texas dint require an MC endorsement....or maybe it dint for anything under 250cc or something. I never had one, anyways.
When I got the Goldwing in '08, I took the MSB class, which provided the riding portion of the test on the same course we had been riding all week.....on a TINY widdle Buell!! It's FUN doing figure 8s in the space of ONE parking space. I'da never been able to do that on the 'Wing. :nea:
All I had to do after that was go to the DMV and take a computerized test, and got my MC endorsement. Since I got mine, tho, the law changed, and you cannot get an MC license/endorsement without taking the MSB course. :moped:


Texas also has a helmet law, but according to the instructors at the MSB course, with the MSB credentials, the rider has a choice to wear headgear or not as long as you have insurance.

 

[Joep]

Yeah.. you have to have 50k in coverage or funds to ride without one.. but police can't stop you just for riding without helmet.. if over 21... but under age must wear helmet.. passenger also needs the safety course if not wearing helmet.. but they are add on tickets not cause for stops

 

[Steve83]

I'm afraid I don't. I had a permit in Texas in the early '90's, after I restored my first Wing - a '75. The very first time I rode it, other than around the block to test it out, an off-duty cop pulled out in front of me, and I laid it down to avoid t-boning him. I have a steel plate and 6 screws in my right tibia to remind me of that one. I repaired the Wing and, sadly, sold it, and never got the full endorsement.

My main issue is my vision. I need telescopic lenses to pass the vision test for my Texas driver's license, but CA won't let me use them, so I just keep the Texas license. I can see the important stuff fine - vehicles, pedestrians, etc., but things like the lettering on road signs, addresses, the finer details, are impossible. I drive and ride very carefully, and LOVE my GPS!!

I really prefer wrenching over riding, although I'm getting more comfortable and confident with every ride. I'm still sticking to the general area, and do most riding on Sunday mornings. Altadena and Pasadena are pretty quiet then. Now that the '83 is naked, it's MUCH easier on city streets!

 

[backlander]

Sometime back in the late 60's i think it was, Ar passed the motorcycle endorsement license, I think I was around 15 years old. You had to drive your bike to the Police Dept., the officer checked your lights, you rode it fifty yards downhill, made a u-turn in the street, rode it back uphill, parked it. The officer gave you a piece of paper, carried it to revenue office. I remember having my motorcycle license before I got a regular driver's license. I've had it ever since.

 

[dan filipi]

1978 I paid for my own driver training at 16 years old.
That is when I got both my car license and the MC endorsement.

My brother and I were riding illegally on the streets loooong before that.

 

[wbishop]

I haven't done much riding in town, but grew up riding motorcycles around the farm and on back roads on Honda 90's and some 125's out in the country. I've never ridden my GL1000, and it's my first bike, so I'm a bit nervous, but extremely cautious with anything I drive or ride. Idaho requires the "test course" and the written test. The safety course is optional, but strongly encouraged. If you take the safety course and pass, you don't have to do the riding test at the DMV. You take your course completion card to the DMV and do your written test ($3), and they give you your M(another $12). I haven't done the written test yet, but I have no concerns. I've read the manual cover to cover several times, and it was all pretty well covered in the class. They're pretty forgiving in the safety course... we had about 20 riders in a middle school parking lot.. only 1 person didn't pass, and he really wasn't that coordinated. There was a girl in the class who popped the clutch the very first morning, ran the bike halfway across the parking lot, then laid it down when we were doing the whole "rock back and forth". It was chaos. The second day we did a simulated 4 way stop intersection and she popped the clutch again and ran into the bike in front of her. Did a few hundred dollars in damage I found out later, but they still passed her. Yikes.

 

[Steve83]

She was probably cute. They can get away with anything!

 

[detdrbuzzard]

I've had my endorsement since the mid 70's

 

[slabghost]

Got my endorsement in the mid 70's. Change to chauffeurs license later to drive truck. The the cdl came out and I went back to a regular license. Had to retest and get my endorsement again I think in 2011.

 

[Omega Man]

Got mine about 15 years ago. I'll never forget how pissed the lady that gave me the test was at who ever scheduled a motorcycle test in the late afternoon in August, it was only about 120 that afternoon. :hihihi: I did the course on my Yamaha XS850. I really didn't like the part where I had to skid to a complete stop without losing control because I just put new tires on her, so I asked if we could skip that part...she told me if I ask her a question like that again she'd fail me on the spot. :roll: Wasn't my fault it was so hot out, sometimes I think someone did that to her on purpose. :rant:

~O~

 

[sledge]

I got mine about 1980 .
i have took the ( Car ) driving test 3 times , got them , first try no problem , . . and really had no problem loosing them twice either ... :smilie_happy: BUT , on the motor cycle license was another thing , i Failed it first time , missed like 10 questions , BUT I had never even saw a motor cycle hand book. soooo I took a book home after the first try , went back in a week or two and Failed it AGAIN ! but that time the lady giving the test felt sorry for me i think , and asked me the questions i had missed and i knew the answers . and so she save me from driving the rest of my life without a license , because i was already sure that was my last try , i drove for many years without ANY License , and i could have done it for sure. But it is a lot less stressful IF you have the License. :builder:

 

[Dusterdude]

Got mine around 1982


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[Winger 82]

Got mine back in 72 or 73, you was a cool dude riding your dirt / roadbike to school back then (125 HD) :moped:

 

[PeterDas]

I got mine in 87, took a safety course in CT. Have kept it in all states lived in, CT,FL,VT, and TX.