Had to test on a MC to keep my license.
Thread Starter
|
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 13,402
Likes: 941
From: Illinois
Had to test on a MC to keep my license.
I started riding in March 1956. Illinois first required a M classification with a new law that started Jan. 1 1970. Until then a regular DL was okay.
In the first week of Jan. 1970 I went to the court house were there was a Secretary of State sub station. I rode my 69 Norton Commando Fastback.
They did not know what to do. No test or plan had been made yet so they just issued me a new DL with the M classification on it.
In Illinois I have never been retested even with the car which I got when I turned 16.
Now the law is at 75 a driver must do a test drive. Got the car out of the way yesterday and went with the MC today.
Originally I was going to take the trusty XL1200T Super Low which is a great bike to do low speed maneuvers. At the last minute I thought what the heck I will just take the trike.
A guy was ahead of me in line and was there for the same reason. He had a late model Heritage. Poor guy keep riding without his feet on the floorboards. The examiner would not let him finish and flunked him. He seemed to be going through the cones and doing everything right but his little legs were just hanging out.
They reset the course for a trike. The cones go on a white dot for the 2 wheels and red dots for the trikes with one less cone in the stretch.
It was super easy and in my opinion had nothing to do with skills that one needs to ride. One was accelerate from a standing position and go to between 12 and 18 mph then hit the brakes when you reach a red line.
The other was head toward a cone and swerve left then stop. It was supposed to represent that you were missing a squirrel. I never would swerve for a small animal. That is a good way to go down.
I passed but I don't consider it worthy. I should have taken the Sporty. Oh well when I'm 79 I have to retest so I'll take it then.
In the first week of Jan. 1970 I went to the court house were there was a Secretary of State sub station. I rode my 69 Norton Commando Fastback.
They did not know what to do. No test or plan had been made yet so they just issued me a new DL with the M classification on it.
In Illinois I have never been retested even with the car which I got when I turned 16.
Now the law is at 75 a driver must do a test drive. Got the car out of the way yesterday and went with the MC today.
Originally I was going to take the trusty XL1200T Super Low which is a great bike to do low speed maneuvers. At the last minute I thought what the heck I will just take the trike.
A guy was ahead of me in line and was there for the same reason. He had a late model Heritage. Poor guy keep riding without his feet on the floorboards. The examiner would not let him finish and flunked him. He seemed to be going through the cones and doing everything right but his little legs were just hanging out.
They reset the course for a trike. The cones go on a white dot for the 2 wheels and red dots for the trikes with one less cone in the stretch.
It was super easy and in my opinion had nothing to do with skills that one needs to ride. One was accelerate from a standing position and go to between 12 and 18 mph then hit the brakes when you reach a red line.
The other was head toward a cone and swerve left then stop. It was supposed to represent that you were missing a squirrel. I never would swerve for a small animal. That is a good way to go down.
I passed but I don't consider it worthy. I should have taken the Sporty. Oh well when I'm 79 I have to retest so I'll take it then.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 15,363
Likes: 24,227
From: NC, USA
When I got my motorcycle endorsement for the first time the Massachusetts DMV Officer caught me off guard by a mile. I rode my Sportster from my home in Cohasset Ma to the DMV in New Bedford Ma (about 60 miles) for the written and road test. After I took the written test, the uniformed Inspector took me outside for the test but I didn't see any cones or any place to do such a test. He stepped out onto a busy road and stopped traffic in both directions and told me to ride to the end of the block and back. I did it then he let traffic resume, I asked him where the course was and he said "did you have to slalom through some cones on the Interstate getting here"? I replied "no", then he said "if you can ride a bike that far you obviously know how to handle it". We went inside and I got my license. Probably the only thing I ever did in Massachusetts that wasn't a royal hassle.
When I got my motorcycle endorsement for the first time the Massachusetts DMV Officer caught me off guard by a mile. I rode my Sportster from my home in Cohasset Ma to the DMV in New Bedford Ma (about 60 miles) for the written and road test. After I took the written test, the uniformed Inspector took me outside for the test but I didn't see any cones or any place to do such a test. He stepped out onto a busy road and stopped traffic in both directions and told me to ride to the end of the block and back. I did it then he let traffic resume, I asked him where the course was and he said "did you have to slalom through some cones on the Interstate getting here"? I replied "no", then he said "if you can ride a bike that far you obviously know how to handle it". We went inside and I got my license. Probably the only thing I ever did in Massachusetts that wasn't a royal hassle.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 3,482
Likes: 631
From: NorCal Rocklin
Trending Topics
Road Warrior
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 1,832
Likes: 67
From: Phoenix
He's been riding for 60 years...
HD Forum Stories
The Best of Harley-Davidson for Lifelong Riders
8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In
Verdad Gallardo
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Verdad Gallardo
Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept
Verdad Gallardo
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Verdad Gallardo
10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy
Joe Kucinski
10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026
Verdad Gallardo
Southpaw Super Glide: A Left-Hand-Drive 1979 Harley FXE Built to Fit the Rider
Verdad Gallardo
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 2,726
Likes: 716
From: Pennsyleffinvania
Take any age/accident related study, and start asking why they don't re-test 20 yr olds every 6 months.
Advanced
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 61
Likes: 3
From: Surf&Sand
In Florida, the DMV wouldn't have the ***** to discriminate against senior citizens like that. Neither would any elected official. It would be their last term in office. If there is a "senior" lobby in Illinois, they are dropping the ball. If there isn't a senior lobby, there should be.
Take any age/accident related study, and start asking why they don't re-test 20 yr olds every 6 months.
Take any age/accident related study, and start asking why they don't re-test 20 yr olds every 6 months.
That left blinker that stays on really pisses me off.
