Author Topic: When you went for your MC licence....  (Read 25389 times)

Offline Biggles

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Re: When you went for your MC licence....
« Reply #50 on: October 22, 2012, 01:29:43 PM »
You might as well have the originals, Gregory.  At worst you can sell them to someone else.
The key to tight turns is to keep the revs up and slip the clutch against rear brake.
Someone will probably pop in here soon and say that is BS, but it's what works for some of us and what I was taught at Q-Ride.
The fact is, the bike won't stall and you will have constant power without any unhelpful surging.
For the modern man who lives in the city, riding a bike might be one of the only ways to escape the humdrum monotony. To take off and ride. To be both at one with nature and one with the bike. To feel masculine. Adam Piggott

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Offline youngSTer

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Re: When you went for your MC licence....
« Reply #51 on: October 22, 2012, 01:42:49 PM »
You are spot on Biggles. That is the way I do it too!!!!
Sometimes I pretend to be NORMAL,
but it gets boring,So I go back to being Me!

Bikes I've had;
Suzuki K10 80cc.
B.S.A. Bantam.
Honda CB450.
Suzuki Savage.
Honda SL100.
Honda Postie Bike.
Honda ST1300A. Best of All. GONE & SOLD
Honda CB 500X. New to my Stable. GONE & SOLD.
NOW BMW R 1200 RT
 

terrydj

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Re: When you went for your MC licence....
« Reply #52 on: October 22, 2012, 01:44:29 PM »
The key to tight turns is to keep the revs up and slip the clutch against rear brake.
Someone will probably pop in here soon and say that is BS, but it's what works for some of us and what I was taught at Q-Ride.

Can't agree more :thumbsup
The GP riders all use their rear brake in corners, just a touch but they use it.
If they didn't need a rear brake it wouldn't be on the bike.
And yeah they will say its BS????
Just check out this Ozstoc link: http://ozstoc.com/index.php?topic=2472.0
 their telling me you lean the opposite way to the bikes lean??
« Last Edit: October 22, 2012, 01:48:19 PM by terrydj »
 

terrydj

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Re: When you went for your MC licence....
« Reply #53 on: October 22, 2012, 01:46:56 PM »
You are spot on Biggles. That is the way I do it too!!!!
:thumb :thumb :thumb :thumb :thumb :thumb
Ahhhhhhhhh but I've been told different???????
See post above
 

Offline horizontal

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Re: When you went for your MC licence....
« Reply #54 on: October 28, 2012, 08:10:10 AM »
I had been riding bikes in the bush around moorooka for about 6 years with a group of about six mates. Rode anything we could get our hands on old bsa,s triumphs and aj,s. Conned my dear old Dad into going guarantor for me and bought a brand new Honda XL100. After 3 months traded it on a Honda cb350 twin.  By now I was 17 and could go for my licence.  Back in 1974 in Qld if you went on a 350 you got a open licence if you went on a 250 you got a 250 licence. A few mates had cb250s so they just borrowed my side covers. The test it self was really if everything on the bike worked ride out of the Cooparoo testing centre making sure you stopped at the line before the footpath. follow the tester for a while.  He then waved you around followed you for a while then directed you to stop on a steep hill at Camp Hill. If you took off with out stalling it was straight back to the centre for your brand new paper licence.  It wasnt to long before I bought a CB7504. looked pretty odd with P plates on.  One day on my way to tech college I was pulled up by a pretty police woman she handed me back my P plate saying it had fallen off. I thanked her and she replied you realise you have lost your licence for  failing to display P plates.  With mum and dads help I avoided the police who turned up at home to get my licence. after about 3 months they caught me at home one day.  Handed over my licence and asked when I could get it back. They said the suspension was for 1 month but that was 3 months ago so come down in the morning a pick it up.
   Thats how this terrible addiction started. Where are my keys Im off for a ride.
                                                                                                     Cheers Greg
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Online ST2UP

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Re: When you went for your MC licence....
« Reply #55 on: October 29, 2012, 05:58:36 AM »
Got to love little country towns.....1987, had my car licence and lived and worked on a Dairy farm and been driving lots things for many years, first few bikes where AG bikes then a strip down TS185, PE250, XT500 then a Husky WR490....,when I traded it on a road bike got the bike shop owner said "better give you a good deal on your new one.....this one is only half worn out....only ever seen it on the back wheel ".

Took my mates ER185 to do the test at the Police Stn.....Local Sgt said about time you called in to make your riding about legal....(he had shaken his finger at me a few times). He stood on the steps, told me where to ride, park, figure8 up the Police Stn street. I concentrated so hard on my task that I didn't notice he had gone inside after I rode off....rode back, he asked "did I fall off" and here's your licence.

Cheers

Chris
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Offline West Aussie Glen

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Re: When you went for your MC licence....
« Reply #56 on: October 29, 2012, 08:17:44 AM »
My first licence was a riders licence as a 17 yo about 37 years ago in Ipswich, Qld.

Talking about learning to ride, having just bought a 2003 ST1300, I am still having trouble getting smooth on it, especially doing low speed turns, like u-turns and roundabouts. If I fail to concentrate fully for a half second I either get a deceleration surge from engine braking or an acceleration surge from the fuel injectors. In both cases the bike lurches and my throttle control is erratic.

I have a theory about the cause. Could it be the Two Brothers exhaust. They make a great note that I really like and Desty told me the bike has much more power because of them. However, my mechanical understanding tells me that the only way an exhaust system can increase power is by reducing the level of baffling. This means the exhaust system is more free-flowing and loud. Can this also cause the bike to be more abrupt than one fitted with standard but quieter (more baffled) exhausts.

The other day I was coming out of a basement car park when a trolley guy lost control of a trolley train that veered straight at me and caught me by surprise. I veered to one side and just missed him but slightly over throttled and surged and almost collected a parked car. I mentioned the distant ditch (far canal) and got away without damage but was pissed at my lack of control.

So does anybody else think that mufflers can cause increased surging? I don't think there is any problem with the accelerator cable - it is smooth with no slack at all. I'm thinking of asking Desty to send me the original mufflers to see if there is a noticeable change of smoothness.

Waste of time and money or not?


Greg,
I would be surprised if the mufflers are causing your problem. I fitted staintunes and didn't notice a change. But also have fitted one of these and I think it helped with fine throttle control.

http://www.g2ergo.com/g2-tamer-throttle-tubes-1.html

Glen
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Offline Jenko

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Re: When you went for your MC licence....
« Reply #57 on: November 09, 2012, 05:46:09 PM »
I'd been riding bikes on a car licence (and before...) for years and years (decades actually), and would just produce my car licence at the station the following day if I got pulled up or booked.  :nahnah
Then they added a column to the 'produced licences' book headed 'Licence Type'...  :eek

After about my fourth unlicensed charge a magistrate took the unusual step of ordering me to obtain a motorcycle licence once his cancellation had expired. Bit odd, I thought.
He then explained that my next unlicensed would include contempt of court and a gaol sentence... :fp

So, 12 months later, I fronted at the Pineapple Street, Zillmere testing centre on my Wideglide.

That caused serious conniptions for the poor buggers because it wasn't a 250... back then you needed 12 months of 250 before you could get an open endorsement.

I argued that I had a court order, this is my ride, test my ability on it. Testing me on a featherweight 250 would put my life at risk. Made quite a fuss and eventually some senior guy realised I wasn't going anywhere, and offered to do the test.

He told me where to ride, and we did Gympie Rd in peak hour, and a series of back streets for the walking pace stuff and the slow turns. 45 minutes later we were back at the testing centre, and he asked me how long I'd been riding.
"Since I was 14..."

He said, well, I could fail you because even though you stopped, you never put your foot down at 6 stop signs, but it's about making sure you can survive out there, and you'll be fine. Just remember to plant a foot at the stop signs.
He gave me my endorsement, and ever since, at EVERY stop sign... STOMP!  :thumbs

The Wideglide was taken by the family court, which probably saved me some vertebrae, but Brutus clears the way ahead better and it heaps more fun in the hills. :wht11
« Last Edit: November 09, 2012, 05:48:49 PM by Jenko »
 

Offline IanB

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Re: When you went for your MC licence....
« Reply #58 on: November 17, 2012, 12:20:48 PM »
Went down to police station for L permit. Got five wrong. Cop ripped it up, filled it in saying you can only get three wrong. Went back an month later, paid the money and got the full licence. Nice people come in unifforms somedays.
Car licene was similar, no L permit but walked in paid money and got paper.
Does that rank as way too easy.
Never under estimate the predictability of stupidity.
 

Offline bobSTer

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Re: When you went for your MC licence....
« Reply #59 on: November 17, 2012, 03:23:16 PM »
Ian,

It may have been "easy" to get the bit of paper (read Licence) in that era but by jimminy gosh - we learnt to ride properly - paddocks, streets, highways, street & highway drags with the men in uniform - and the list goes on but that proved to be the ideal "learning"

We are better riders for it - "too easy .....NO !!!"

Bob

I ride
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Regards
Robert

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Offline TheMechwarrior

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Re: When you went for your MC licence....
« Reply #60 on: November 17, 2012, 07:49:15 PM »
Well,

I thought my course was great at the time, I learnt a lot.
Pretty sure even way back then it was called "Stay up right".

On the 16th and 17th of December I'm doing 2 advanced riding courses.
Figured that with a 15 year break I could use a refresher.

What really got me interested in doing the courses again was the SMIDSY youtube link someone posted in here.
I bloody loved it and thought if I can get so much from such a short lesson imagine what other tips I could pick up.

Thanks to the admins and to all those who contribute to the content of the ozstoc forums, I've benefitted greatly from the words of wisdom I've found in these forums.

Cheers,

Mech.
« Last Edit: November 17, 2012, 07:51:13 PM by TheMechwarrior »
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Offline IanB

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Re: When you went for your MC licence....
« Reply #61 on: November 17, 2012, 08:34:40 PM »
week after I got that licence I was off the bike more than on. Getting taught by a motorcycle cop how to stop quickly by going down a very steep grass slope. Went from learning not to fall off under full lockup and stopping where told to the motocross track and then the highway. Bruised and battered over an eight week period. But still thankful for the input. Instilled a lot of automatic behaviour.
Traffic officer here is going to try and get his superiors interested in doing the same sort of thing. You guys  in SE Qld could be the first guinea pigs since he's riding a white ST.
Never under estimate the predictability of stupidity.
 

Offline Biggles

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Re: When you went for your MC licence....
« Reply #62 on: November 17, 2012, 10:50:29 PM »
week after I got that licence I was off the bike more than on. Getting taught by a motorcycle cop how to stop quickly by going down a very steep grass slope. Went from learning not to fall off under full lockup and stopping where told to the motocross track and then the highway. Bruised and battered over an eight week period. But still thankful for the input. Instilled a lot of automatic behaviour.
Traffic officer here is going to try and get his superiors interested in doing the same sort of thing. You guys  in SE Qld could be the first guinea pigs since he's riding a white ST.

I might take a rain-cheque on the "steep grassy slope" and the "bruised and battered".
But more training sounds good.
For the modern man who lives in the city, riding a bike might be one of the only ways to escape the humdrum monotony. To take off and ride. To be both at one with nature and one with the bike. To feel masculine. Adam Piggott

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Offline Flip

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Re: When you went for your MC licence....
« Reply #63 on: January 19, 2013, 03:09:15 PM »
 : :think1  Now that's going back a fair way ! Been riding bikes since 15 years old on my uncle's sheep station in South Australia.
Christmas leave from the army 1966. Six months suspension (riding without bike license) finished the day before getting back to Perth from Pucka.
Jumped on the old BSA A10 and off to Subiaco Police Station at 7:30am - bit keen  :wink1 with driver's license (car only) in pocket. 
Doors opened at 8:00am - first in and up to front counter (in army uniform) every little bit of 'niceness' counted.   :thumb

 :cop Sarge - " What do you want ?"  Me - "Motorbike license please. "  Hands over car license bit of paper.    :cop Sarge - " Yeah - OK - Got a bike here ? "  Me - "Yes - it's parked out the front now."   :cop Sarge - "how did you get it here without a license ? "  Me - "My mate rode it over - I drove my Mom's car. "   :cop Sarge - " OK then - go out and get your bike started - I'll be out in a minute. "
Goes out and sits on bike.
 :cop Sarge comes out and points up the road - " Go up there, first corner turn left. Go up that road next corner turn left again, go along that road to the first corner you come to, turn left again. Go down that street, first corner you come to, turn left again. Then come up the road and park here again - Got that ? "  Me - "Yes - anything else ? "   :cop Sarge - " Naw - get going. "

A few minutes later parked bike in front of him again (He's still standing where I left him having a smoke)   
 :cop Sarge - " Well, you didn't fall off - here's your license." 
Hands back license paper now with 'D' (?) written on it. His signature / regimental number and the date.   EASY !    :hatwave :runyay :thumbsup

Had another look at my license and saw he'd also written across the middle of it - ' TEMPORARY AUSTRALIAN '  :eek   :fp

Who said they didn't have a sense of humor back then ???   :rofl :rofl :rofl



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Offline RexJ

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Re: When you went for your MC licence....
« Reply #64 on: March 09, 2013, 08:03:19 PM »
Love it Flip! I knew Subi copshop well. Wonder if it was the same Sarge that used kick our arses in ''62- '63. :clap

I was Armying in Singapore in the early '70's @ had bought a new CB 500. A few of us decided we'd ride to Penang (Top of Malaysia) thus we thought a licence may be a good idea. So 4 of us trundled into a Police Post and tried to climb over the language barrier. One of them, who'd worked with the pommie MP's saw the bikes, asked for our Army ID's & issued all of us with every licence on the books. :thumbsup

When I came back to Aus I was posted to Bne after a short stint in Sth Aus. Not long after our unit (transport) went to Central Qld to help wipe out a locust plague.
We were stationed at the new Faibairne dam and Anzac Day arrived, so they split us into 3 groups and we marched in the Emerald, Springsure & Clermont parades, followed by lunch, local two up and few tinnies.

I ended up sitting on the floor of one of the copshops slightly inebriated with the Sarge, typewriter in lap,  next to me typing X's over the licence classes I couldn't have.
I was miffed I could'nt  have a licence for an Air Cushioned Vehicle - Hovercraft, and Steam Traction Vehicle - Steam (train) Engine. (He was 'sham door' I could'nt!!) But I got every other one on the books.
(I guess he hadn't had as much Vat 69 as I thought he'd had.)
« Last Edit: March 13, 2013, 05:52:31 PM by RexJ »
 

Offline Shane

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Re: When you went for your MC licence....
« Reply #65 on: March 09, 2013, 08:30:28 PM »
Mum followed me to the cop shop as she had a motorbike license the police came out to the footpath and said right son see that corner up there go through that and 100 mtrs do a U turn and come back to me.This was in Gympie And because he knew Dad he gave me a open license, that was in the paper license days and also it was in the good old Joe days.   :law :wht11
Shane Ingram.
 

Offline Shaun

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Re: When you went for your MC licence....
« Reply #66 on: March 10, 2013, 12:29:16 AM »
Similar to a number of people here, particularly the more recent ones in NSW, I did a fairly comprehensive test, full day prac examination.

8 of us were on to be tested that day, most borrowed bikes for the test, little honda somethings. One bloke had one of those scooters with 2 wheels on the front, and i had my GV250 cruiser, about a foot longer than everyone elses bike. Fun for the u turns and cone zigzags

5 failed the test at points during the day. One did a U turn out on the road ride over double lines in front of the instructor. and the other 4 failed at the final assessment (combination slow manoeuvres, emergency braking, and other stuff). Two others squeaked through with no points left to drop (they were brothers who rode dirt bikes if I recall correctly). I got through without dropping a point, something I put down to the massive amount of riding I did while on the L's. To and from work, up and down the coast, all over the place.
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Offline Lionel

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Re: When you went for your MC licence....
« Reply #67 on: March 10, 2013, 04:40:08 PM »
When I was growing up in Qld you had to be 17 to get a learner’s permit.

To get out on the road to learn to ride, apart from displaying L Plates, you needed to have either a licensed (for at least 2 years) rider with you as a pillion or a licensed (for at least 1 year) rider travelling behind you in a car.

There was no such thing as a provisional licence in those days. Nor did you have to worry about the capacity of the bike.

Here is a photo of my first bike, a 1952 500cc Gold Star BSA (with a Bantam seat). I bought this bike from East Brisbane in 1965 for 35 pounds about three months before my 17th birthday. A friend took me over on his AJS to collect the bike after dark. I’d never been on a bike before that so he had to show me the basics about using the clutch, gears and brakes. I rode it from East Brisbane, through the ‘Gabba five ways and along Ipswich Road to Inala; making many kangaroo style starts along the way. I got it home without being detected by Mr Plod.



I created a track around the house and a small mound to practise hill starts. I had very little opportunity to get on the road under the appropriate supervision.

7 days after my 17th birthday, in my school uniform, I rode (unsupervised) into the Motor Registry to be tested for a licence. Having passed the written test I was handed over to a police motorcyclist who told me where he wanted me to ride and he followed behind. In those days trams were running in Brisbane and he was checking that I stopped behind a stopping tram. Then onto a hill start near Spring Street and back to the registry where I got my licence. The test went for about 30 mins and I rate it as difficult.

Thereafter I rode a succession of bikes (500cc Triumph T100, 700 cc Royal Enfield and even a 50cc Honda step-through) every day to school in years 11 and 12.

In December 1968, in Katherine NT, I drove my brother’s car (under his supervision) around to the Police Station to do a test for a car licence. “Did you drive the car here?”, asked the policeman. “Yes”, I replied. So he typed up my new car licence and added my existing motorcycle licence. That was easy. At least I had the experience of riding a motorcycle in Brisbane city traffic when I got the car licence. Again there was no provisional licence system, no breathalysers, no radar guns, no speed cameras, no speed limit on open NSW roads, etc, etc.
 

Offline Biggles

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Re: When you went for your MC licence....
« Reply #68 on: March 11, 2013, 08:56:21 AM »
A great story, Lionel.  And I recognise the NSW Housing Commission boxes behind you!  Was brought up in a working class family myself.  Still do the "working".  Lost the "class".
I pulled a similar stunt on my first bike, a Suzuki 80.  In Newcastle, Plod pinged me for something (turning left without a signal or something equally life-threatening).  I needed the bike to go to Uni, so went to Court to try for a limited licence.  Rode into the city, as you would.  Fronted the Beak and was handed a 3 month suspension, despite my articulate bush-lawyer skills.  Asked him if I could have a dispensation to ride home and he commented on my optimism and said "No."
So I pushed the bike up King Street (which had a substantial hill in those days- I believe it's still there) and rode home once over the crest.  I did manage to stay off the bike for the 3 months, but the experience didn't develop any warm and fuzzy feelings for the Fuzz (as they were once called, among other things).
For the modern man who lives in the city, riding a bike might be one of the only ways to escape the humdrum monotony. To take off and ride. To be both at one with nature and one with the bike. To feel masculine. Adam Piggott

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Offline D-Lec

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Re: When you went for your MC licence....
« Reply #69 on: April 13, 2013, 01:23:05 AM »
That first pic of the Bol D'or brought back happy memories. I bought one in 85, and rode around for months on the 250 licence, as I was working in the bush and couldn't get to the Karratha cop shop to do the big bike test. After 6 months I got a chance to do it on a Monday. Pulled up finally on the Friday night before it, they let me go once they found I did actually have the test booked. Rode to the station, no one asked how I got there alone.
Anyway, this bike had a warped rear disc. I normally didn't use it. During the emergency stop I did use it and realised I shouldn't have when it locked up, but then it gave a few chirps as I released it a bit. I should add that those CB900f had air forks and I had let all of the air out of them for the test. My goodness, the tester nearly wet himself with how that was the best stop he'd ever seen- massive front end dive from proper braking weight transfer and beautifully controlled rear wheel threshold of lockup braking. Didn't have to do the rest of the test to pass, said I didn't need it, he'd seen enough. Was still talking about it to the others in the station when we got back. Way too easy...

Cheers,
Deano
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Offline Lionel

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Re: When you went for your MC licence....
« Reply #70 on: April 13, 2013, 09:54:24 PM »
Biggles,
The term "Fuzz" reminds me of the old joke.
Him: "Ever been picked up by the Fuzz?"
Her: "No, but I bet it hurts."
 

Offline Bluey

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Re: When you went for your MC licence....
« Reply #71 on: April 13, 2013, 10:18:59 PM »
When I went for my licence, at 18 years and 2 days, I had had a learner's permit for three months and two days. I did the ride around Carlton on a borrowed Honda XL250. The original rear blinkers on that model were, strictly speaking, too close together. I took them off and replaced them with a pair off another bike which spaced them to the regulation 24 inches (or whatever). A friend had a couple of weeks before been failed because his blinkers were not regulation and I didn't want to fail. I didn't. It annoyed me at the time that they issued a learner's for three months and you had to have held one for three months before you could go for your licence, which usually meant you had to pay another fee to renew your permit before you could be licenced. SCAM!

My car licence was a different matter. I did a perfect test, except when we got back to the West Brunswick testing station, the tester got a tape measure out of his pocket and measured the distance my rear tyre was from the curb and decided I was a half an inch too far away at the rear and failed me on that basis. The second attempt was with a different examiner, thankfully. I was later told that they went through a phase of failing all teanage males the first time to "knock 'em down a peg or two". I reckon this was just another SCAM! I wasn't happy, I can tell you!

I have managed to retain both licences unblemished since then. I've had two parking tickets only in more than 40 years of driving.
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Offline bloodbikes

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Re: When you went for your MC licence....
« Reply #72 on: May 18, 2013, 11:36:31 PM »
As I've mentioned before driving in Australia is a farce, learners are taught to pass a test and not to drive, I don't know whether its the same for motorcyclists, but in the UK, 32 years ago when I got on my first bike, we were taught to dress accordingly, I'm no prude or about to p**s on your parade but I have seen a few motorcyclists in accidents and it seemed that the ones that wore the correct gear usually came off better than the lesser clad crowds, that think its cool to ride in shorts, vest and thongs.

I recently spoke to a guy who was talking about "common sense" he said people aged over 40 usually had a lot of common sense, people aged 20 - 40 had some common sense and people aged 20 and under had what was called the "dickhead" factor, A great synopsis i thought.

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Offline Neale

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Re: When you went for your MC licence....
« Reply #73 on: May 19, 2013, 03:49:01 PM »
I started off by doing the NSW Police bike course in about 1980. From what I was told, I came second in the class overall, but was promptly failed because I did not have a bike license.  So I went out and did the Learner bit and was tested at the old Rosebery Registry, in the car park. Had no probs with that and then went back and completed the Police course, successfully this time. The bloke that failed me was Warwick Schuberg, the bloke that started the Stay Upright business.

Went on to ride bikes for a living for about 8 years.  A good life.

Neale


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Offline Diesel

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Re: When you went for your MC licence....
« Reply #74 on: January 08, 2015, 08:40:21 PM »
Just BUMPING this topic, as we have some great newer members who I KNOW will have great tales to tell us of their experiences.
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