Skills test
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Intermediate
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 32
Likes: 0
From: Dayton, OH
Skills test
For all of you Ohio riders: I waited too long to register for the MC safety course and now I’m locked out until early fall. I’m going to take the course with my wife regardless but I want to get the endorsement on my license before then. I’m scheduled to take the road skills test a the state place next week.
Is it a bad idea to take the skills test on a 1200 sportster? I know it depends mostly on my skill level but I’m wondering if anyone has first-hand experience with the test. The bike is my first but I am very comfortable on it and have been doing quite a bit of slow speed maneuvering practice. Thoughts? Your advice is much appreciated.
Thanks,
Is it a bad idea to take the skills test on a 1200 sportster? I know it depends mostly on my skill level but I’m wondering if anyone has first-hand experience with the test. The bike is my first but I am very comfortable on it and have been doing quite a bit of slow speed maneuvering practice. Thoughts? Your advice is much appreciated.
Thanks,
Road Master
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,181
Likes: 12
From: Dayton, OH
RE: Skills test
Ohio motorcycle endorsement test was a snap back when I took it in the mid 70's. I don't have a clue what it's like now. I was in Xenia last week and the Green county parks and services offers a MSC for only $25.00.
Tourer
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 375
Likes: 1
From: Jackson NJ
RE: Skills test
Do you know what the skills test entails? If its anything like the NJ test its all low speed first and second gear stuff. Cone weaving and tight cornering so the smaller the bike the better as far as I am concerned. Apart from the actual size of the bike I've found the low speed control on the Sportster to be more difficult than any other bike that I have owned. Keeping the bike in the friction zone seems to lug the engine more that it should.
That said, its probably worth taking at shot at it on the Sportster. You could always try it again on a smaller bike if you fail.
That said, its probably worth taking at shot at it on the Sportster. You could always try it again on a smaller bike if you fail.
Tourer
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 380
Likes: 0
From: Huntsville, AL
RE: Skills test
Ohio's Motorcycle Endorsement test is an On-Cycle Test based on the Motorcycle Safety Foundation's Alternate Motorcycle Operator Skill Test (ALT-MOST), which consists of seven different skill exercises. These seven exercises evaluate your ability to perform basic vehicle control, rider judgment, and hazard response skills. These skills are evaluated by the applicants performing a sharp turn, normal stop, cone weave, U-turn, quick stop, and obstacle swerve.
The test may be terminated due to equipment failure, point accumulation, falling or dropping the motorcycle, disregard for instructions, committing an unsafe act or failure to understand or follow instructions. If at any time you feel an exercise is too difficult you my stop the test. However, you must complete the entire test to pass it.
The test may be terminated due to equipment failure, point accumulation, falling or dropping the motorcycle, disregard for instructions, committing an unsafe act or failure to understand or follow instructions. If at any time you feel an exercise is too difficult you my stop the test. However, you must complete the entire test to pass it.
Source:
http://www.motorcycle.ohio.gov/faq.htm
Tourer
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 380
Likes: 0
From: Huntsville, AL
RE: Skills test
and more:
The following are the four portions or components of the riding skill evaluation known as the On-Cycle Test:
Run Number One
Applicants will be asked to ride a straight line, make a sharp left hand turn, and stop with their front tire in the box.
Run Number Two
Applicants will go through a cone weave, make a sweeping right turn and then demonstrate a U-turn in a box.
Run Number Three
Applicants will accelerate, stabilize speed at 12 - 20 mph from a starting point, ride through a set of cones and make a quick stop. Testing is based on the applicant's ability to stop in a predetermined stopping distance relative to the speed traveled.
Run Number Four
Applicants will be asked to drive a straight line, from a starting point, through two cones and swerve to the right or left around an obstacle box.
Run Number One
Applicants will be asked to ride a straight line, make a sharp left hand turn, and stop with their front tire in the box.
Run Number Two
Applicants will go through a cone weave, make a sweeping right turn and then demonstrate a U-turn in a box.
Run Number Three
Applicants will accelerate, stabilize speed at 12 - 20 mph from a starting point, ride through a set of cones and make a quick stop. Testing is based on the applicant's ability to stop in a predetermined stopping distance relative to the speed traveled.
Run Number Four
Applicants will be asked to drive a straight line, from a starting point, through two cones and swerve to the right or left around an obstacle box.
Tourer
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 333
Likes: 1
From: Texas
RE: Skills test
I've heard the same. The Sportster is horrible on the test course. I haven't personally run down the DMV to run it since buying it but my friend back home tried it 3 times on his and kept failing the low speed and cornering portions, he ended up going with a different bike but I don't know what. I heard the same in my MSF course from a couple guys that tried it with a Sportster and failed pretty much every time.
Road Master
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 1,183
Likes: 1
From: Graham, NC
RE: Skills test
ORIGINAL: scottwilliamson
Ohio motorcycle endorsement test was a snap back when I took it in the mid 70's. I don't have a clue what it's like now. I was in Xenia last week and the Green county parks and services offers a MSC for only $25.00.
Ohio motorcycle endorsement test was a snap back when I took it in the mid 70's. I don't have a clue what it's like now. I was in Xenia last week and the Green county parks and services offers a MSC for only $25.00.
Funny thing... I live in NC, but I was in Xenia and Green Co. last week too! I stopped by Buckminn's HD for a few...
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Tourer
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 429
Likes: 0
From: Canal Fulton, Ohio
RE: Skills test
I took the Ohio test on my Fatboy and it took me 3 times to get it right - the smaller bikes and scooters did not seem to have as many problems. The hardest part is the cones. If memory servers they are either 10 or 12 feet apart with a 3 foot offset. You start from a dead stop about 3 feet in front of the first cone and have to weave in and out before making a sweeping turn and coming to a normal stop. If you search the web for the MSF course you should be able to get some diagrams on what the course looks like.
On tip I will give you - no matter how badly you think you did on the cone section - stay focused and continue on with the rest of the test (unless instructed to leave the course by the officer). Doing poorly in the cones does not necessarily flunk you as long as you can ace the rest of the course.
On tip I will give you - no matter how badly you think you did on the cone section - stay focused and continue on with the rest of the test (unless instructed to leave the course by the officer). Doing poorly in the cones does not necessarily flunk you as long as you can ace the rest of the course.
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