What happens? Been looking online and see nothing other than figure 8’s and hand signals, looking for someone who took their test recently or even better someone who took it in lockport
thanks
nothing?
Took mine over 10 years ago but I don’t think it’s changed much. You show up on your bike with someone with a motorcycle license in a car that can drive the DMV guy around following you. DMV guy gives you some basic directions to a side street and tells you to pull over there. He gets out, has you do your left circles, right circles and the famous figure 8. After that, assuming you haven’t already failed he gives you directions back to where you started that will take you through some more traffic, a traffic light, change lanes etc. He follows and assuming you don’t break the law or wreck you pass.
It really isn’t hard. Honestly if you can’t pass it you shouldn’t be on a bike because you’re going to get yourself killed. I took the whole thing with just rear brakes because my front brake cable snapped while I was sitting in line waiting for my turn on test day.
took mine in 05 I think. In batavia. left, left, left pull to the side. 2 circles each way, 2 figure 8s pull back over go back to where you started
^yup… keep your foot on the rear brake when you come up to a stop, always be in first gear before stopping… and always signal… they ding you on those things.
i took mine a month ago. 2 full left hand circles 2 full right circles and 2 full figure 8s. they follow you to the spot he tells you to go to and thats where they judge the signaling and stopping.
i STRONGLY recommend taking a weekend to do the defensive rider course…
It’s a 3 day program, friday = classroom, saturday = review and rest of day on bikes they provide (small older 250’s), and sunday written test, more review, more practice on their bikes and road test.
You may think you already know to ride, and if this is the case…good, it’ll just make it easier on you. The main reason i recommend taking the course, other than the fact that i’m amazed they were able to take me from having NO concept of how a clutch works, and having NEVER riding a bike in my life…and getting me to pass the course within this 3 day course, along with many other similar people…is:
1 - You’re giving them money…they’re not going to fail you unless you’re REALLY terrible…
2 - You get something like 10% off both bike AND car insurance…so for $250 (at least that’s about what it cost when i took it), this course is more of an investment than an expense.
edit:
and to answer your question, when i took the course…from what i remember, the actual test part involved doing a small circle, a fast accelerate followed by fast stop drill, and a drill where you go into a turn, and quickly have to straighten the bike up and stop fast again. They also have you do a few laps around the parking lot just like in a big oval if i remember correctly, to make sure you look comfortable on the bike…but, i took this course about 6 years ago, so i’m sure i’m forgetting some things…
I watched my friend just take is test in South Buffalo 3 days ago. The instructor didn’t want him to use hand signals. They basically want to see you can ride in control. He had to do the figure 8 both ways and 2 U-turns (one each way) and a small circle and large circle both ways. He only had to put his foot down once and still passed. Besides that, like everyone else said, keep foot on rear brake at stops and be in first gear before you stop. Good luck!
whoa, MSF gets you a car insurance reduction too? I need to get on that. I took it when I was 17 and have no idea where the certificate is now. how do I get another?
so never put both feet down at stops? always keep your right foot on the brake? never heard that before… good to know
Yeah keep your right foot down on the rear brake.
my contribution would be to take it on a street legal dirtbike, not a big heavy cruiser or sport bike.
that way you can just idle through the turns and not worry about stalling it or dropping it…
That’s pretty much how I remember mine…
I was always curious about this actually if a sportbike road test would actually work since you don’t have a very good turning radius, so to speak.
ORLY? I’ll have to give my car insurance company a call
it would work, but probably not for someone taking their road test for the first time…
I took it on a sport bike and it was fine. You have to show them you are in control of the motorcycle, not the motorcycle is in control of you.
As stated previously, if you can’t pass the road test you really shouldn’t be riding a bike in the first place. imo
Use your hand signals too. The tester may tell you to use them, for me she didn’t, but then commented that it was good that I did.
just heard too that if you flip up your visor it’s an auto fail… all good stuff
thanks
done, just need a new bike…
and done
sweeeet… be careful out there.