Motorcycle license

I am REALLY getting it this time. I have mentioned a few times in the past my interest in getting one but never had a bike of my own. But the time has finally come. With my plans this fall I was planning on getting one next summer but my step mom has just bought a newer bike so I am getting her old one to use all summer and driving courses for my birthday! Now I will save even more money not having to drive my car with $3.75 a gallon...

now all I need is that american flag helmet with an eagle on it :angel:

ride safe... its a crazy world out there on two wheels. but fun as heck!!! what kinda bike did ya get?

Remember to take the stabilisers off :p

I am not sure on the exact model but it's an '81 Yamaha 750. She only bought the new bike because it was a REALLY good deal from some rich guy she remodeled a house for but she just bought some BMW bike.

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Originally Posted by WannaBe_80z

I am not sure on the exact model but it's an '81 Yamaha 750. She only bought the new bike because it was a REALLY good deal from some rich guy she modeled naked in a house for but she just recieved some BMW bike.

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*cough*

My first bike was a Yamaha 750 Special.
I don't remember the exact year but I'm sure it was close to your '81.
It was a fun and dependable ride... all the way up until I slid it into the side of a bridge.
I still have a metal rod from my knee to my hip as a reminder.
Good thing I was wearing a helmet or else I probably wouldn't be here now.

I see you said you're taking driving courses?
Is that the MSF course?
If it is, good for you!
Over 75% of motorcyclists involved in accidents never took the MSF course.
I took it after my accident and learned a lot of good info I wish I had known beforehand.
Just the emergency stopping techniques alone make the course worth taking.

Good luck, and have fun.

Yea the moms want me to complete the course before I get the keys. The driving license test is part of the class so when I am done with the classes I get my license so it is a pretty sweet deal. Pretty nervous about a 750 being my first bike i was looking at a 500 tops for my first bike but I won't say no to free :)

Licences come in two classes (atleast here in Canada anyway) Big bike and small bike. 550cc is the dividing line, so getting your licence with a 700 is a good plan. Course is pretty easy, especially if you've had practice before hand.

Down here there's only one "license" for motorcycles, and it's not actually a license.
It's a "Motorcycle endorsement" added to your regular driver's license and it covers any size motorcycle.

In the Motorcycle Safety Foundation course they provide a 250cc motorcycle to train and test you on.

In one respect it's good because even the best rider would have a hard time passing the turning, weaving, and navigating around their required cone placement on a larger bike.
On the otherhand it's bad because it tends to give you a false sense of security when you actually get on a bigger bike afterwards and expect it to respond the same as the one you used in the course.

This is pretty much what it looks like except the handle bars aren't as high/long.

http://w1.bikepics.com/pics/2005%5C1...75678-full.jpg

Here's my current license and... what!? Proof of residency? I'll be back!
http://msnbcmedia4.msn.com/j/msnbc/C...p.standard.jpg

just do it. it's alot of fun to ride. I don't know what the rules are in your country, but i got my license for the heavy motorcycles. for >23kw.

and when you do get your bike. Excercise some of the braking and swerving techniques. it'll be a life saver.

and... never ride without good gear. Don't ride with a t-shirt shorts and slippers, it might just be the last thing you'll do.

last note on this. don't look at the cc's nowadays, you can't tell anything about a bike based on the amount of cc's You have motogp bikes with 250cc or 600 cc which have more power then alot of the bmw or harley bikes which boasts a healthy 1000+cc

for example, the r6 is a 600 cc motor which can deliver up to 140 breakhorse power, a triumph rocket 3 with the largest production engine of 2300cc also gives you 140 breakhorsepower but weights a heck of a lot more. You can imagine that the latter will be alot slower then the first.

in the US.. you can just got take get your 'temps/permit' just by going to the DMV.... its good for (not sure) 6 months? but you can renew it several times.. :) (I have) ;)

then you need to go an actual 'ride' where some employee instructs you from a mic in helmet where to go what to do and they follow.

heres a pic of my bike.. (last pic I have) isnt currently runnign (needs some wire harness work done) :(.. and I have added a small thin 'speed' stripe down the center on my tank/fenders:

http://dmstudios.net/images/color_test/myBike.jpg

NICE bike. If I was just buying a bike on my own I would prob milk the permit thing a bit but I am not riding my own bike and I am not allowed to touch it till I go through the course. I think the course will definitely help me and I really don't see why it isn't required...

I definately think they are good for everyone...

IMHO.. one the biggest 'errors' of riders is using the front right brake lever are the REAR tire.. its the front.. your right foot pedal is the rear brake..

they should be applied equally..but many use the front more..which is dangerous... (I think maybe out of habit from riding a bike? or something)

I also think many new riders are 'scared' of the bike.. dont let it handle you.. YOU handle the bike.. turn and steer.. think of it as a bigger pedal bike.. ocne you learn yoru bikes clutch you'll be fine. :)

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Originally Posted by whispers

I definately think they are good for everyone...

IMHO.. one the biggest 'errors' of riders is using the front right brake lever are the REAR tire.. its the front.. your right foot pedal is the rear brake..

they should be applied equally..but many use the front more..which is dangerous... (I think maybe out of habit from riding a bike? or something)

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I really hope you don't ride like that. the rear brake should NOT be used equally as the front. 80% of your stopping power comes from your front brakes. your rear breaks are as good as useless when braking, and will block your rear tire when applied equally. Causing you to skid. Your rear tires really have the tendency to block really soon. That's the main reason that emergency breaking is done with the front brake only. Because your rear brakes are just too dangerous to use in such a critical moment.

rear brakes are more usefull for precision movement. Taking turns, making sure your motorcycle does what you want and/or mediating (low) speeds

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I also think many new riders are 'scared' of the bike.. dont let it handle you.. YOU handle the bike.. turn and steer.. think of it as a bigger pedal bike.. ocne you learn yoru bikes clutch you'll be fine. :)

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true true. Think of it like a horse, you control it, or it will ride it's own way.

I know the books tell you that.. and in order to pass a test you need to know..

however in my REAL world riding.. I have seen and also felt myself that when riding and using your front brake 'more' (however you wanna define it) the back end started to lift.. doing an "ENDO" on a bike..

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Originally Posted by whispers

I know the books tell you that.. and in order to pass a test you need to know..

however in my REAL world riding.. I have seen and also felt myself that when riding and using your front brake 'more' (however you wanna define it) the back end started to lift.. doing an "ENDO" on a bike..

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Braking with your rear brake won't help you with that. If your front brake is already applied with such force that your back end lifts, your rear brake won't do you any good.

Having said that, doing a "ENDO" gives you the shortest brake distance. And if you are braking that hard that you are doing a "ENDO" you are already braking much harder then you can do with the rear + front brake together

Obviously this needs to be settled with a race.

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Originally Posted by justice strike

Braking with your rear brake won't help you with that. If your front brake is already applied with such force that your back end lifts, your rear brake won't do you any good.

Having said that, doing a "ENDO" gives you the shortest brake distance. And if you are braking that hard that you are doing a "ENDO" you are already braking much harder then you can do with the rear + front brake together

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my point is NOT that using the back will help you out of n "ENDO" (never even remotely suggested that).. Im saying using BOTH front & rear will help this NOT to happen..instead of using the FRONT ONLY or MAJORITY

most of the stopping power may COME from the front brake.. however apply them equally wont give any kind of "ENDO" scenario..


and I can 'foot' race him if he wants.. :) I have no brake lights at the moment.. :)

Well congrats on the license, but remember that whatever you do, the bike is just a machine and machines break down every once in a while.

So my free tips: Monthly maintenance & proper clothing while riding. You've got only 1 life. Protect yourself sufficiently. Enjoy the ride~

Id have to second that.. Ive been in 2 accidents.. and a leather jacket helped me SOOOOOO Much.. saved me from TONS of road rash ..

Also if you ever are to ride in a "PACK" there are certain rules you will need follow/learn as well..

I will be riding with my step mom probably once in a while- no packs.

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Originally Posted by whispers

my point is NOT that using the back will help you out of n "ENDO" (never even remotely suggested that).. Im saying using BOTH front & rear will help this NOT to happen..instead of using the FRONT ONLY or MAJORITY

most of the stopping power may COME from the front brake.. however apply them equally wont give any kind of "ENDO" scenario..


and I can 'foot' race him if he wants.. :) I have no brake lights at the moment.. :)

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your rear brake has absolutely no influence on doing a endo or not. You can use your rear brake and front break and still do an endo.

anyway, we fundamentally differ in opinion. My experience is different from yours, and in my experience, using the rear brake equally results in fishtailing of the bike. Perhaps it's just the difference in riding a Harley and riding a proper motorcycle.

as for gear. Always ride with proper gear. That doesn't mean the jacket only, it means jacket, gloves, pants, boots and helmet. Even for in the summer there are loads of options too choose from without resulting in a heat stroke. like kevlar jeans, meshed jackets, etc... don't go riding with your slippers, shorts and tshirt, it's just asking for injuries.

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Originally Posted by justice strike

the rear brake should NOT be used equally as the front. 80% of your stopping power comes from your front brakes. your rear breaks are as good as useless when braking, and will block your rear tire when applied equally. Causing you to skid. Your rear tires really have the tendency to block really soon. That's the main reason that emergency breaking is done with the front brake only. Because your rear brakes are just too dangerous to use in such a critical moment.

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Actually JS, what you said is a mix of good statistics and bad information.
I'm willing to bet you are an experienced rider who never took the MSF course.

If you had taken the course you would have practiced doing emergency stops using the rear brake only.
In a normal stop you use both brakes equally, and 80% of your stopping power comes from the front brake.
In an emergency (panic) stop the last thing you want to do is take a chance of locking the front brake which is an instant uncontrollable wipe-out that you cannot recover from.
On the otherhand, if you lock the rear brake and keep the front brake free to steer, you will create a straight and controlled skid which is basically just dragging the rear tire behind you in a straight line.
The only time you can't do that is when you are in a turn, in which case you are supposed to use both brakes equally without locking either.

Next time you are getting ready to replace your rear tire go to a parking lot, get going in a straight line about 20mph and practice some full rear wheel skid, panic stops.
You will be amazed at how much control you are able to keep over the bike as you skid to a stop.
That was the most fun part of the course for me, and it's something I've actually been forced to use on the road.

but he "CLEARLY" stated... it only applies to: "proper motorcycles" :rolleyes:

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Originally Posted by Loyal Rogue

Actually JS, what you said is a mix of good statistics and bad information.
I'm willing to bet you are an experienced rider who never took the MSF course.

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i'm Dutch. All motorcyclists in the Netherlands are required to be pro efficient at 8 exercises consisting of:

3 braking exercises:
precision stop
full stop
emergency stop

3 swerving exercises:
emergency swerve
high speed swerve
low speed swerve

2 bike control exercises:
riding an 8 in a 3 by 6 meter box
turning a street within a 2 meters box

I've seen the msf basic rider course exercises. I can't recall any of them right now, but I remember that the exercises weren't that hard as some of the exercises I had to do for my exam (the bike control exercises)

And then there is the difference in size. I did my exercises on a large bike (500+cc) because i needed to get my license for large bikes. Most MSF courses are done on a 250cc light bike. It really is a difference

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If you had taken the course you would have practiced doing emergency stops using the rear brake only.

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Why no rear brake?

It is very difficult not to slam the rear brake in an emergency situation, and especially to let the rear brake go in time. If your muscles get tense in such a situation, the tendency is to push the rear brake hard with your foot.

That will result in a locked rear wheel. If you are lucky, it will slide from left to right and back, and if you are less lucky, the rear wheel will move passed the front wheel.

In an emergency situation, you don't want that.

That's the reason for the advice not to touch the rear brake in an emergency stop.

As a bonus, the bike will stay upright, because the rear wheel will keep turning. A turning wheel has resistance to move sideways.

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emergency braking with rear brake only would have gotten me a big fat F for failed on my exam

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In an emergency (panic) stop the last thing you want to do is take a chance of locking the front brake which is an instant uncontrollable wipe-out that you cannot recover from.

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you really have to do a hell of a lot to lock your front brake AND have a uncontrolled situation

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Next time you are getting ready to replace your rear tire go to a parking lot, get going in a straight line about 20mph and practice some full rear wheel skid, panic stops.
You will be amazed at how much control you are able to keep over the bike as you skid to a stop.
That was the most fun part of the course for me, and it's something I've actually been forced to use on the road.

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I can control a rear wheel skid, it's just not useful. The moment you skid any of your tires you loose a hell of a lot of braking power and you loose the ability to swerve around a obstacle, or even have control to change direction. I'd rather use my front brake then skid my rear brake.

Actually, there are a lot of people who don't even use the rear brake for anything other then tight slow speed corners.

anyway as I said before it might just be a difference in opinion. Emergency braking is a hotly debated topic. However i can tell you that applying both front a rear brakes equally is a recipe for disaster, as is using the rear brake only for emergency braking.

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Originally Posted by whispers

but he "CLEARLY" stated... it only applies to: "proper motorcycles" :rolleyes:

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it's a well known fact that Harley riders spend more time on the side of the road then on the road because of the parts they are loosing ;) they don't need brakes on the side of the road, just a pile of rubble to hide behind in case of a crash ;)

Fine, JS, we can agree to disagree based on the different way that motorcycle proficiency is taught in our respective countries.
Our way would earn an F in your country, and your way would earn an F in ours.

I will add one thing from my own experience,... that the improper braking techniques I used before taking the course were largely responsible for my accident and me now having a metal rod from my knee to my hip along with several screws and 9 months of recovery.
Since taking the course I have been in several other emergency riding situations without another accident, and I mainly credit the techniques I learned from the class.

My advice to WannaBe is take the course, listen to the instructors, learn from the exercises, and then after passing and getting your motorcycle endorsement, take the advanced course.
Don't rely on the information you get from a bunch of faceless people on an internet forum for something as life or death as motorcycle riding techniques.

I await Wannabe's first "check out the photo's of my gravel-eroded flesh" thread :D

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Originally Posted by Loyal Rogue

Fine, JS, we can agree to disagree based on the different My advice to WannaBe is take the course, listen to the instructors, learn from the exercises, and then after passing and getting your motorcycle endorsement, take the advanced course.
Don't rely on the information you get from a bunch of faceless people on an internet forum for something as life or death as motorcycle riding techniques.

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Indeed, don't listen to us. And another good advice, when you get a new bike, always do the exercises as you learned them from your instructors (on a parking lot, not on the public road). Every bike feels different, and you do want to know what your bike is going to do and what it is capable of doing.

These are the kind of people who shouldn't be allowed on bikes in the first place.

http://www.videosift.com/video/Burnout-Deluxe