What bike did you ride to get your motorcycle license ??

[Peacekeeper6]

Many, MANY years ago, in my 20s, I decided to get a motorcycle. I figured I'm grown up enough and can ride a bike despite my parent's disapproval.

So when I moved to FL and researched what a good beginner street bike would be. I bought a brand new Kawasaki Ninja 250R (as though the "R" would add another 20 hp and make it faster) and practiced on it. I basically knew the principles of clutching/upshifting/downshifting/rev matching, etc. because I had a Honda XR200 dirt bike I tooled with in the woods. Anyway, it didn't take me long to get the hang of riding out in the street with vehicles ready to run me off the road, and not long after I bought it, I took the motorcycle riding test offered by the Florida DMV, which I passed with flying colors the first time.

I remember during one part of the test, we had to weave through a series of cones about 10(?) feet apart in an "S" pattern. With my small, nimble bike, I easily whipped though that test like Ingemar Stenmark on a slalom course. When I was waiting for others to try it, there was a guy on HUGE Harley bagger ready to try his luck. He made the first turn, then struggled to make a second turn, and by the third turn he hit a cone and dropped his bike, which resulted in an instant fail.

When I look back at my first bike, I didn't realize that I would easily "outgrow" it. I should've gotten something bigger in the 600cc range as my first street bike ....

 

[Lew L]

.

A CB 900F as I recall. 30+ years ago when I moved to Nevada. I didn't realize how hard the test made you stop. Almost a stoppie---------

Lew L

 

[bigbadbrucie]

My first ride, and what I got my M/C license on was a 1949 Royal Enfield 500cc thumper. The “test” for my license was to ride a figure 8 around 2 power poles in a grassy/gravely field without having to put my feet down, which of course I managed to accomplish. Prior to the actual “test” I had to demonstrate the proper hand signals. This was in 1959, prior to helmets and turn signals.

 

[ARtraveler]

1964 Yamaha 80 one lunger. Back in 1964. Minnesota made me retake the test when I moved back there in 1978. I used a Kawasaki 650 for that one. PS. That was a very nice bike in those days. The usual UJM configuration.

Have not had to take a test for the next three states I lived in...all mc endorsements transferred over.

 

[Pooch]

In 1981:
1981 Honda Silverwing Interstate GL500.
But was riding a 1972 Honda CB350 around before that and then went to 2-wheel training where they used Honda Nighthawk 250's.. fun little bike.

 

[budvoss]

A Honda 350 scrambler lol

 

[cruisinTX]

First time in 1968 on a '64 Honda 90 Street. That was at age 14 to get a hardship license so I could get to and from work on a local farm. Second time in 2000 after having let the first one lapse/expire in about 1980 was on a Honda Rebel 250 borrowed from a friend. Neither instance was much of a challenge as the first one was in our small town where I lived and the patrol officer followed me in his car and honked once to turn left at the next intersection and twice to turn right. We made about 6 or 7 turns then back to the office where he issued a temporary license until the permanent came in the mail. The second one was in Amarillo but pretty much the same routine except the officer rode in a car with my friend who loaned me the bike driving and using the same signals for left and right turns. The current Texas regulations say you must pass the MSF beginner course first then take the written test at the DPS office. Once you pass that one, the license is issued and printed as a permanent card on the spot.

 

[UtahPete]

MSF's Honda Rebel 250, I think.

 

[Partzman23]

The year was 1980, I took the motorcycle riding test on my 1975 Honda CB200 . This was a well balanced bike and made taking the riding test a piece of cake. Made a 100% on the ride test.

 

[3Tyme]

1977 Kawasaki 175 2-stroke

 

[woods]

1969, Wis, 1960 Vespa. Much to my chagrin my kids found a pic... :doorag: :joke:

 

[SkipH]

New 1965 Honda 305 scrambler.

 

[BajaRon]

1968 Kawasaki 350 A7SS Avenger Scrambler - Yellow & White

42 hp was unheard of in a 350. For example, the Honda 350 sported only 36 hp in the same year. Rotary Valve 2 Stroke was the key. It had oil injection so you didn't need to mix the fuel. Though you did need to keep an eye on the oil reservoir. If I remember correctly, it had a sight gauge. Drum front and rear brakes. No, it didn't stop. It wasn't designed to stop or handle. It was only designed to GO! And go it did!

Heavy steel wheels and rubber frame.

The only 350 that could come anywhere near keeping up with it was the low pipe, street version. Back in the day when it was all about HP. Handling? What was that? You had to get a European bike if you wanted handling. But they were way down on power. You just needed to pass them up by enough on the strait part of the road so they couldn't catch you in the corners.

This was also the first bike I crashed. But we won't talk about that part.

 

[oldguyinTX]

1966 Honda CB 160, bought new with my own (very hard earned) money. At age 15, $500 was a heck of a lot of money. Next was a 1966 BSA Lightning bought in 1972 for $650. It needed a fair amount of work to get it roadworthy. And of course, it had Lucas electrics, "The Prince Of Darkness", which kind of says it all. Then, a 1976 Honda CB750F SuperSport bought new for a whopping $1,900 cash. Great bike, and I rode the living he** out of it, most notably a road trip from Austin Texas to Stone Mountain Georgia for a family reunion. Now that was fun! Then, in 1978 I got married and was moving to NYC, so I sold it for $1,000. Bikeless until 2013 when the wife OK'd an RTL, which was a 5 year long headache. Now a 2017 RTS, which has been trouble free for almost 5 years, and we love it.

 

[gkamer]

In Washington (the state not the swamp) two and three wheeled motorcycles require separate license endorsements. Used to be a two wheeled endorsement would let you ride two or three wheeled motorcycles. Not anymore. The law changed in January 2000 I believe. I don’t believe there is any grandfather clause.

That being said, when I took my three wheeled course, I used a Spyder provided by the school, which I completed on April 14, 2016.

On a side note, while the procedures for obtaining a three-wheel endorsement are pretty straight forward, the same can't be said about getting a two wheeled endorsement now. So if you live in Washington (the state not the swamp) and you have a two-wheel endorsement, you want to make darn sure you don't let it lapse.

 

[Bob L]

1982 Yamaha 400S in 1986. The morning of my test it was pouring a$$ rain and the Registry of Motor Vehicles was about 30 miles. I called and asked if they still did test in foul weather. They said yes, but I could reschedule, although it would cost me another $15. So I put on rain gear and headed down.

The RMV Officer came out to the parking lot. He forgot his rain coat and he had me do a figure 8 in the parking lot, then told me to come inside. He said if I made it to the site in the bad weather that was test enough.

A related humorous story, when my buddy and I went to the registry to get our learner's permits it was right after lunch when we had our appointments. He was around 40 at the time and was the first one they called. First test was vision test when you look into the machine. He looked, looked again, and finally said, "I am sorry, I cannot see anything." The guy said, oops, just back from lunch, forgot to turn the machine on. My buddy was worried they were going to take his driver's license away if his eye sight was that bad!

 

[RangerRick]

Was 1973 on my new Honda CB 500. Took a written test and the instructor said do a figure 8 in the parking lot, and was issued my license. Now you have take the Team Oregon Training course before getting a License.

https://team-oregon.org

 

[BajaRon]

1966 Honda CB 160, bought new with my own (very hard earned) money. At age 15, $500 was a heck of a lot of money. Next was a 1966 BSA Lightning bought in 1972 for $650. It needed a fair amount of work to get it roadworthy. And of course, it had Lucas electrics, "The Prince Of Darkness", which kind of says it all. Then, a 1976 Honda CB750F SuperSport bought new for a whopping $1,900 cash. Great bike, and I rode the living he** out of it, most notably a road trip from Austin Texas to Stone Mountain Georgia for a family reunion. Now that was fun! Then, in 1978 I got married and was moving to NYC, so I sold it for $1,000. Bikeless until 2013 when the wife OK'd an RTL, which was a 5 year long headache. Now a 2017 RTS, which has been trouble free for almost 5 years, and we love it.

The 2013 RT was the worst Spyder BRP has built, in my opinion. Still, with some fixes, it can be a great ride.

 

[SLICE]

1978 KZ 1000, in the pouring rain. cop just signed off as he did not want to stand out in the monsoon, he figured i got there without getting killed so i was GTG

 

[BajaRon]

1978 KZ 1000, in the pouring rain. cop just signed off as he did not want to stand out in the monsoon, he figured i got there without getting killed so i was GTG

Now that's what I like to see! Law enforcement using their head!