Advice needed

[shinyribs]

Here ya go! Killer '75 Cb360T RESTORED for $2500! NC aint that far!

http://www.racingjunk.com/CB350/2611919/1975-Honda-CB-360T.html

[Re-run]

I never dropped my cb.
I did all my dropping on a little 100cc yamaha enduro! All of it off road after some rut running or air time.

[Cabreco]

shinyribs wrote

Here ya go! Killer '75 Cb360T RESTORED for $2500! NC aint that far!

Real nice looking bike but this is more along the lines of what I
will be getting for him IF he passes the road test.

Yamaha 250

[shinyribs]

Ooh Ahh!  That's cool.I just ran across that and thought about this thread. i was gonna let you see it before I put it anywhere else.

[icerigger]

I'm obviously biased, but the Rebel (250) is a great bike, lots of fun to ride, looks cool,easy to work on and hard to break. The only thing it's not good at is long rides at interstate speeds. I love mine, it's my main ride.

[Cabreco]

icerigger wrote

I'm obviously biased, but the Rebel (250) is a great bike, lots of fun to ride, looks cool,easy to work on and hard to break. The only thing it's not good at is long rides at interstate speeds. I love mine, it's my main ride.

Icerigger, hell my 750 is not good at is long rides at interstate speeds. That's the main reason I got the touring bike. I'm not too worried about highway for the first year, that's what I want to keep this 1st bike cheap. Easy for him to resell later on.

I took the safety course on a shadow & I found it low & the forward controls annoying, but the Rebel they had there was very comfortable & more like a CB. A nighthawk also looks favorable.

[robs750]

I would not recomend a bike with forward controls for a first bike.I think they would present a problem for beginers.

[Jmc1131]

I would go with something in the 450 range, personally when I was 17 I would have felt kind of like a little kid having to ride a 250, 450 is big enough to be respectable yet it doesn't way enough to cause much trouble.

[shinyribs]

Good point! And very well said.

[Cabreco]

Well he went through the 2 day course (in 100 degree heat) & passed, so we now have a new rider in the world.
It was very informative for me as to what to get. Since he is not a big kid (5'7" 120Lbs) I put him on a nighthawk at the class to avoid him having forward controls. That bike proved to tall for him to move around so he was put on a Suzuki Maruader 250. He did well with it since it is lower in the seat. My take is right now a 450 -500 cc bike would be way too bike for him to master the proper riding skills at this time.

I will be looking at used 250cc bikes like the Suzuki Marauder, Kawasaki Eliminator or the Honda Rebel or Shadow. I am favoring the Rebel as crash bars are popular & plentiful. Let's see what comes up!

I'm sure he'll outgrow it within a year but by then he will have a few (supervised) miles under his belt. <lol>

[shinyribs]

I was thinking about this the other day when i saw a rebel in town. I was wondering if you had made a decision yet. Glad he passed the course.Lets see if i can pull it off as wellI really need my M endorsement.I'm going this weekend myself.

[Hellbilly429]

Those newer rebels look really cool too, and I heard one running around out back of my local bike shop the other day and it didn't sound half bad either

[Cabreco]

shinyribs wrote

I really need my M endorsement.I'm going this weekend myself.

Ribs,

There are 4 componentst to the final test & they are weight graded
1. The u-turn test: 2 opposing u-turns in a box (lowest weight score).
2. The swerve test: head for a target & swerve L or R at last moment.
3. Stopping test: Head towards target,shift to 2nd pass marker & stop within given points.
4. Turn test: Start off, shift 2 second. Slow at markers & take 130 degree turn within set time. (highest weight score).

Each test is not pass/fail but points taken off. If you bomb one, the inspector will immediately tell you to redo. You get 2 attempts.

They take points off for failure to shift. Failure to downshift. failure to use front brake. putting your foot down.
Dropping the bike or falling during the test is an IMMEDIATE fail!

Written test 50 question - need to get an 80% to pass.
Road test - they allow max 20 points taken off.

Bring a cooler with LOTS of fluids and a small "brow wipe" towel, as well as sun block. (a dew rag or head band is good to keep the sweat off yor brow)
They need you to wear riding gear like:
over ankle boots
eye protection (sunglasses ok)
jeans
gloves
& long sleves (Walmart sells these Starter shirts made of Dri something or other for $7. long sleve. Worth it to keep you from sweating yourself through.
I recommend a 3/4 helmet as it is HOT out there on the range. They do supply them if you don't bring yours but...YUK!

If you need the MSF course book (with the answers written in) send me yr email,  I have a PDF I can send you so you can prepare this week.

Don't sweat it it is not hard for anyone who rides but the 2 days in the blaring sun in a brain bucket is GRUELING!

Good luck, you'll do fine.

Andy

[LukeM]

I'm not sure if it's the same in Virginia, but here in Ohio, the bike you test on needs to be licensed.  Therefore, I used my wife's Honda Metropolitan scooter (all mighty 50cc of it). Granted, I'm 54 now, and took the test last year. Maybe they thought that's all I'd be riding. Anyhow, doing the test on a scooter is one large piece of birthday cake.  10 minutes, all done.

Nota bene:  I didn't write the rules, I just interpret them.
Luke M

[TOOLS1]

I'm glad I got my endorsement back before the the turn of the century before all this testing, and such. I just hate being judged. I also got my CDL back then to. Guess back then the states needed money. Think about it. $20.00 to $120.00 from every truck driver, and motorcycle rider in the country at that time. Damn the states were rolling in the money then.
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[shinyribs]

Andy,thanks for the info. It definitely couldn't hurt to take a look at that cheat sheet you gotThank you and PM sent.

The only reason I am even taking this course is that with the clubmans I had to weld up the steering stops to keep the bars off the tank,so I cant make the required 20 foot u-turn with my bike. I have had offers from people I know to use their bike or scooter,but I never feel comfortable driving someone else's vehicle.

In VA(or at least around the Bedford-Roanoke area) they have a set of cones at the DMV set up as a slalom. They are not inline,but offset about 1 foot side to side,and 8 feet apart. No way my bike is going thru there.When I DID go to the DMV for my test I tried to explain to the lady my bike was unablt to navigate the course,regardless of who was riding. I have talked to a few guys who work at the local dealerships around here and they hate the local DMV courses. They told me that bikes sales had gotten so bad,from people unable to pass the course and get their M endorsement,that they now give everyone who buys a new bike a scooter to take the test on.

I tried 3 different DMV's and my bike would not fit through any of them.Of course,they were all identical. One lady giving me my test was quite irritated that the wind that day was disturbing her hair-do and took it out on me. "Well,the guy who sets the course up has NO problems taking the scooter through it after he sets it up!"  I bit my tongue as long as I could but finally I was tired of her ragging me. I told her I just wanted to ride on the local streets,not join a Circus side attraction with my motorcycle riding prowess. " If I ever approach a street that rquires me to swerve between some sort of obstacle every 8 feet...I'll just find a safer street to travel. I'm not dumping my bike for ya'lls test" She informed that the test was for my safety,which I understand,but are there other roads I am supposed to be using for my bike? Little narrow avenues fraught with u-turns and slalom course? I never had to take any sort of road-racey type test to prove I could powerslide my passenger car when I went for that test.Nope,just drove it on everyday roads,no make believe intense, apocalyptic, zombie-swerving death course. Sorry for the rant,it's just stuck in my crawl that I have to fork out $130 and get up at 5 am Sat & Sun to go take this stupid course. I hate when the Government gets involved in...anything. Why do I have to pay them fees to be able to ride a bike I bought/built?!?! They should go get a job,bring in their own income, and leave mine alone. Better yet,you wanna put rules and regulations on everything? Fine.But it was your idea,not mine.YOU fund it! I dont ask the DMV to pay for my bike parts when I get an idea,or ask them to pay for my groceries. Screw them,i say.Sorry again guys. This just really pisses me off.

[Cabreco]

The MSF course is actually beneficial. Having been an experienced rider when I took it (although I had not ridden in years) I did learn some interesting technique like pushing on the bars to the opposite side to initiate a lean. The more you push the opposite way  the more lean to take...physics!
Comes in REAL handy when riding the 980Lbs Yamaha.

Another benefit is thes 250cc bike are a joke to maneuver compared to the 750s. They feel like bicycles & the best incentive is you will get a discount on your bike insurance since this IS a safety course.

In the end, yes it is an inconvenience (we all have better things to do), but you will learn stuff, (and also correct things you may be doing wrong when you ride now)

[shinyribs]

All very true! I learned about the push to lean thing one night when i didnt want to pull over to don gloves. I banged one bar a lil hard and was like "whoa! so thats how that works!". Not the best way to learn of course.

PDF received! many thanks!

[rrgunslinger]

You guys need to read more motorcycle mags (I currently subscribe to 5).  I am constantly reading articles about how to ride even if it is a repeat.  MSF course here in Vero Beach FL is $350.00 and you have to have it if you are not grandfathered in like I was. I will admit I have never taken the course and don't plan on it. Still things change all the time and I am constantly thinking about riding and what I would do under certain conditions.  In Europe it even worst.  There are different stages and the end could cost $3000.00. If you have not seen the Ride Like a Pro DVD yet you might want to get a copy.  It will open you eyes as to what is possible.  I would bet if you dragged your rear break while slipping the clutch you could do it. It's not a timed speed test, it's a how slow can you go test.  And remember, practice, practice, practice! All the time.

By the way, I am not trying to bust you chops here.  Just making an observation. I do understand your frustration with the system but it is what it is... I think tomorrow (if it don't rain) I will setup my cones at 8 ft and try it with my 2011 Road Glide Custom.  :)  Happy 4th!

On Mon, Jul 2, 2012 at 10:45 PM, shinyribs [via Honda CB750'S] <[hidden email]> wrote:

All very true! I learned about the push to lean thing one night when i didnt want to pull over to don gloves. I banged one bar a lil hard and was like "whoa! so thats how that works!". Not the best way to learn of course.

PDF received! many thanks!

Montvale,Virginia
 Piute said it best:  "wheres my 10mm?"
Hellbilly-"that is a great way to tell if you have come to your senses, when you start drilling random holes in things... "

LukeM-"Scooters rock, especially when they're in posse formation. "

Those who are too smart to engage in politics are punished by being governed by those who are dumber. ~Plato

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NAML

[TOOLS1]

Go to change.org and start a petition. I will sign it. Maybe, you will be able to change the testing procedure.
TOOLS