A year and a half ago when I changed jobs the length of my commute doubled. Given that I also have to drive through some of the busier areas of town, my love of riding my scooter to work was endangered by my puttering along at the top speed of my old scooter (around 40 m.p.h.) in traffic that should have been going around that speed but in reality was going much faster. So I upgraded my scooter to something with a bit more pep (a Buddy 125).My Buddy is powerful enough to be classified as a motorcycle under Minnesota law. For the past year I've ridden my Buddy with a permit that I got by just taking a written test. Today I went in to take the road test to earn my motorcycle license. Going in I had been told the road test was not easy. A couple of people I talked with failed the test the first time around.
I was fifth in line when I arrived at the DMV. The first guy to take the test did so on a big old Harley. He struggled through the portion of the test where you have to zig zag between some cones that were not placed very far apart. You weren't allowed to put your foot down when slaloming through the course and this guy did so several times and ended up failing. The next guy in line took the test on a sporty Honda. He also failed to survive the obstacle course.
So the rest of us in line were talking nervously amongst ourselves. Next up was a motorcyclist who passed. The next guy who had a scooter also passed. On my test I put my foot down once during the zig zag course. On my quick stop I hit my brakes too soon and was marked down for that. And then on my quick swerve I clipped the last cone on the course. I thought for sure with that I had failed the test. But the instructor told me I had passed ("just barely.") So now I have my motorcycle license. And I'm officially a bad ass.
Of course I looked kind of silly with my dainty lil scooter in line with these big guys on big old motorcycles. I'll look even sillier if I ever find a side car I can put the the boyz in, goggle them up and take them for a ride. But that would be well worth it...
9 comments:
Wowser! Congratulations on passing the test, getting your moto license & the brand new nice scooter! Sweet! Kudos also to you for commuting to work on that! Very eco-friendly!
Congratulations on getting your motorcycle license. I love the idea of a side-car for cats.
Congratualtions! Scooters are a great way to commute and save gas.
Mom says way back in the day... she and Mr X use to ride Hondas, a 350 & a 450, even in the snow!! Mom & Mr X didn't have much money back then, and Mr X really loved motorcycles. She's glad the licence tests are hard, because if the riders can't manage a closed course, they certainly shouldn't be allowed on the roads.
Woohoo! Congratulations! That is a good accomplishment. And I think a sidecar is just the ticket for the boyz.
ps: I have received your message through my aluminum-foil hat. I will think about this carefully.
Once the month, the sports bar which is on 47th Terrace, not far from my house, holds bike night with a free concert. It's very well attended and for the most part is far enough away that it doesn't bother anything, as long as we don't go near the area when bike night is being held. (It really messes with the traffic because the streets are closed.)
But all the motorcycle scare me, when they roar up and down our streets because I think they are growling at me.
As for Toby, we have no idea what he's doing out there. He did make a goalie save once to stop a ball that was headed for the outfield. That was pretty sweet!
Congratulations you bad ass! Oh, my Mum just said I shouldn't call people bad asses, but I thought that was a good thing - I'm confused.
Oh yes! I like the idea of the side car and goggles for the boyz!
Congratulations! You had us worried there for a sec. Riding is so fun. We love to break out the harley in the summer a cruz along highway 1 (in California that mostly oceanside...)
:)
Oooo ... You're officially a "biker" ... (chills up an' down my spine) ... Just be furry careful 'cuz those doods in the "small willy" Hummers will treat you like a speedbump. I can just imagine what a sidecar filled with cats might sound like ...
DMM
WooHoo, congrats!!!! Love the post. My SS is going for her learner's permit after she submits her thesis, which should be soon. Hey, let us know if you do decide to get the side car and having the boyz with goggles in it. Must take pics, OK?
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