by OldmanFCSA on Tue May 06, 2014 9:56 am
After forgetting to renew my motorcycle license during 20+ years of riding, I took the exam and driving test in order to re-get my motorcycle validation on my drivers license. Still don't know why it wasn't updated each time I renewed my drivers license. Anyway I took the exam on Thursday and immediately signed up for riding exam on following Tuesday. I showed up on my street-legal KTM530EXC, the only off-road orientated bike there, and the first to pass the test after watching about 7-9 crash thru various portions of test. No wheelies allowed, but examiner did not like my stoppie (rear wheel off the ground under hard front wheel braking), made me re-do that portion of test. First time he had ever seen that he said, and the first time anyone showed up on a bike with street-legal knobbies for tires. It was very entertaining to watch people try to pass the test, most should not be on the road at all. The 510cc of my bike qualified me for "Large displacement", whatever that involves.
I don't like riding on-road that much, but do enjoy back country roads, gravel or dirt roads. I had a streetbike back in 1980's, put over 220,000 miles on it in 4 years, had a hit&run car driver run me into guard rail in Chicago which destroyed the bike as he held it against railing ( I jumped off bike before hitting guardrail hard, landing in grass safely, extremely sore. Yes I was wearing leathers, boots, gloves, & helmet.) Driver of car was never found.