Got My Motorcycle Endorsement!

[johnsandlin]

Well, I finally did it...this past week I got up the nerve to got take the road test for my motorcylce endorsement at the Georgia DVM. I wasn't sure what to expect. I tried to google online to find out what things they would make you do, but there wasn't much info. About the only thing I saw was where they tested for emergency stops and tight right hand turns. So before I went over to the DMV I practiced a bunch in a local mall parking lot.

So...for all you folks living in Georgia who want to know whats done in the road test...here you go.

First they make you accelerate from a dead stop down a path painted on the ground to about 20mph and then they hit a button to turn on a red stoplight on the ground. You have to slow the bike down and put the front wheel on a green line near the red light. Then they ask you to go back to the starting point again, but you have to make a sharp right hand turn at slow speed inside lines again on the ground. If you put your foot down at any time...the tests over.

So if you make it back to the starting point without getting disqualified, then you are asked to accelerate from a dead stop to around 20mph and then the DMV guy hits either a read light meaning you need to do a panic stop and they measure the stopping distance, or he will hit either a left or right yellow light meaning you swerve left or right to avoid a collision. For me he repeated this exercise about 6 times....lots of skidding, but I didn't loose control of the bike. The key of course is to use the front and back brakes as much as possible to minimize the distance.

Then the final test was a series of high speed turns left and right where you had to stop quickly after coming out of the turn. I'm sure this test would simulate going around a corner and then finding the traffic at a dead stop...happens alot here in Atlanta.

So there you go...the mystery is solved. I had debated whether to take the MSF classes, but they were always booked up and I though I could use the $250 elsewhere. I will most likely take the MSF Experienced Ride Course once I have more riding time under my seat, but for now it's official, I'm a licensed biker. :2tup: