ca dmv written test
Thread Starter
|
Cruiser
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 234
Likes: 1
From: southern california
ca dmv written test
anyone take the ca dmv motorcycle written test lately? i just did and man there were some funky questions. some were vague enough that 2 of the answers could be correct. and one, IMHO, was just incorrect. i passed but with 4 wrong out of 25 (the limit). that's after taking the riders safety course, reading the manual, doing a bunch of practice tests and being an ex-rider (20 years ago).
Road Warrior
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,480
Likes: 25
From: Santa Fe NM
I know what you mean... It would help if the people writing the test used proper english... I mean to tell you, some of those questions are constructed by people whose first language is not english...
Former Sponsor
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 19,364
Likes: 40
From: Los Angeles, CA
When I got my license I took the written test and passed and then the riding test. I passed them both the first time. I was a complete novice on a bike with about 2 weeks of riding under my belt when I took the driving test. The questions that got me were the ones about where to put weight on the back of the bike. If I remember correctly it was as low and far back as possible.
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 5,615
Likes: 9
From: Escondido, CA
Some of the questions are written to see if you read the instruction manual. If you look at the test and study the manual you'll see the same wording (don'tknowifit'senglishornot) and see that they want the manual read. Kind of funky but it is a government trying their best.
Former Sponsor
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 19,364
Likes: 40
From: Los Angeles, CA
Some of the questions are written to see if you read the instruction manual. If you look at the test and study the manual you'll see the same wording (don'tknowifit'senglishornot) and see that they want the manual read. Kind of funky but it is a government trying their best.
Cruiser
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 104
Likes: 0
I have had hundreds of clients take and pass both the Cal. written and DMV skills tests. The state definately wants you to read the manual and use their answers. Anyone who has been riding would disagree with some of the so called "correct answers because on the road you could possibly react in a different way than what they suggest. The ride test course is not really that difficult if you spend time practicing the exercises. My hubs is a retired motors officer and says the test is a great way to find out if the rider REALLY has control of the bike and can really steer. Slow speed control of a motorcycle is difficult and shows you actually have balance which a lot of riders never achieve. We have had 20year riders come in from out of state and need to pas the ride test. Put them on a small bike geared especially to take the test on and they cannot do it right off the bat- it often takes us about 1 1/2 hours to get them to be able to pass the course. We do, however,. have a 99% client first time pass rate on the DMV course. Hubs demos the DMV test on his vintage Indian and I do it on my 1200 sporty.
Trending Topics
Road Warrior
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,352
Likes: 7
From: Keene, CA
I returned to riding in 2003 after being without a motorcycle endorsement for ~12 years. I was talking to an old friend who is sales manager at the local metric dealer (was willing to let me test-ride the 6 used HDs he had) and he warned me that the test had changed. Seems he'd been in Europe and his license expired, so he had to go test - and failed the written! I took his advice, read the booklet cover-to-cover, missed two. My wife studied the booklet quite diligently, missed four. We took them at the same time - she wasn't real happy missing twice as many as I did.....<grin>
We were also advised to take the riding test at a neighboring town's office. Their parking lot is too small for a course, so they just have you ride around the block - no, really, that is the test! They've only had one failure in memory - a guy on a brand-new Goldwing fell over in the lot when he returned, the examiner had to get all the ladies out of the office to get the bike off him....
We were also advised to take the riding test at a neighboring town's office. Their parking lot is too small for a course, so they just have you ride around the block - no, really, that is the test! They've only had one failure in memory - a guy on a brand-new Goldwing fell over in the lot when he returned, the examiner had to get all the ladies out of the office to get the bike off him....
Last edited by 2011 Road Glide Ultra; Feb 2, 2010 at 10:21 AM.
HD Forum Stories
The Best of Harley-Davidson for Lifelong Riders
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Verdad Gallardo
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
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 2,960
Likes: 26
From: Sonoma County, CA
I would have to agree about the test. I have a background in off road racing both bikes and quads and have been around bikes since a teen. My Harley is my first road bike and wanted to freshen up my skills...so I took the rider safety course and had a good time, picked up some techniques, and just refreshed myself on biking. Went and took the written test and failed it the first time. I thought I had studied well and was prepared. The funny thing is that after I failed, they gave me a few minutes to look at the ones I missed and then gave me the EXACT test again, which I passed with flying colors :-) duh... Some of the questions were very tricky and could have gone a couple of ways (or at least I thought so). I over analyzed them and ended up choosing the wrong ones. Anyway, all good now and enjoying the road...
Road Captain
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 503
Likes: 1
From: Seal Beach CA
I was able to read the booklet while I was waiting to take the written test ... missed two questions. After going back and checking the ones I missed, the questions looked like they were taken directly from the booklet. I missed one about which way to "push and/or pull" on the bars top make a right or left turn. Looks like I still need a little work on the whole left vs. right thing ... 
Read the book, you'll do fine.
Read the book, you'll do fine.