Modern Vespa

I'm taking the Basic Rider Course of Motorcycle Training Saturday and Sunday this weekend. It will be hot but fun. They do not have a scooter to take it on, but it won't hurt me to beef up my gear changing skills.

Good luck, have fun and stay hydrated.

Let us know how you fared when it's over.

Good Luck, have fun and hope the weather is not too hot. Here in IL, the bikes are all 250 cc size and a variety that have seen use, abuse and been dropped.

Good luck! Hope it all goes well. Let us know how everything turns out.

Did it last month in Virginia. It was hilarious!

The most beat up fleet of 125 and 250cc bikes I've ever seen.

Nice bunch of people riding though, made for a really fun 2 days.

Enjoy!

Took one this spring and dug it...made me Jones for shifting, tho!

Curious what you find, up here the recess conversation was limited to which Harley.

Have fun!

Did mine last summer with my daughter. It was a blast.

Hah! At NOVA community college?

Yeah, took that one in March... I think two people had their bikes die beyond repair during the course... It was fun though!

Good luck and have fun...

Break a leg and stay hydrated!!

I can't remember, but, I think it was in the intermediate course.
They had us sweeping between cones one handed. Wow, I
thought they were crazy. Many fine points learned for riding.

One thing I took away from the training was using the technique
of turning your head sharply and looking to were you want to
come out of a turn. The scoot seems to move itself through the
turn. This technique has saved my bacon when inadvertently
coming into a curve to fast - sharp head turn leaned into the
turn and came out upright where I focused past the curve.

Good luck on the course.

Bob Copeland
Minnesota

Good luck with that. Is it compulsory or just advisory in the states?

It depends on the state you call home, but in most, you must take a rider course before you can take the state motorcycle licence test. Many states don't require the course, though, if your scooter is 50cc or less...

Yup, that's the place! It was great, good fun actually and made some new friends too.

Erm, Gloria, bad choice of words..


Enjoy the class. Still remember mine fondly.

Thanks for that. Do you need to complete an examination before riding a 125cc for example? Are "L" plates used in the states? interesting stuff the way others do it.

In Texas, the Basic Course is now required for mopeds (scooters) and motorcycles: Interestingly, and this will piss of 99% of MV members, they classify scooters that obtain a maximal speed of less than 30mph with 50cc or less as "mopeds!" [TRC 541.201 ( 8 )]

http://www.dps.texas.gov/DriverLicense/motorcycleLicense.htm

http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/msb/documents/CurrentMopedList.pdf

http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/Docs/TN/htm/TN.541.htm

Wow. I refuse to argue the gun thing, but different democracies come up with way different results about freedom. I understand you can buy an AK47 set to semi automatic, an AR15 or a EAA MKA 1919 Match Shotgun over the counter but dare to ride a scoot without a competence test in Texas?
Amazing but I can`t say its wrong because I don`t know.

MattyG,

Our insurance laws are not Federal (National). There is a lot
of actual uniformity - but they vary. In Minnesota, the local
two wheel riders voted out the mandatory helmet law. I am
sure, from across the pond, you are aware of the US attitude
for "don't tell me what to do".

Your great country, which I have affection for, may probably
have contributed to the emotional appeal of the 2nd Amendment
to our constitution "Right to Bear Arms". If I am historically
correct, the King's army wanted to confiscate all arms from the
revolting colonialists. Yes, anyone can buy a semi-automatic
weapon. Hey, we did make machine guns illegal!

Bob Copeland

A comprehensive and intelligent response, for which I thank you.
"the local two wheel riders voted out the mandatory helmet law."
please oh please tell me how we can enjoy similar democracy?
Back in the late `90s our government decided to ban all handguns. The registered owners handed theirs in to police stations as law abiding citizens. The criminals kept their illegally held firearms. Gun crime increased. Duh. So no criticism from me to our friends across the pond.
P.S. Our democracy is about 600 years old and we still don`t have a constitution. How did you get yours?

Yes, as others mentioned, generally, if your motorcycle (or scoot) is 50cc or less you do not need a motorcycle endorsement on your licence... (Not sure if you need a regular drivers licence)

If you want to ride something larger than 50cc, you must possess a car drivers licence with a motorcycle endorsement... which you normally get by providing proof that you've taken a motorcycle course and passing a state-administered written motorcycle exam

For 49cc and below, you must be licensed to drive a vehicle, for 50-149cc there is M class motorcycle validation, either take the class, pass and take paperwork to local Driver's License office and get that endorsement on license, for anything 150cc and above, it is L class, again take the class or take the test and do the skills test on 150cc or larger 'ride'. In my small town, they don't have the space for the riding test to have the 'by the book' set up so they have 'tightened' it to fit the area they do have. Almost impossible to pass with a tiny scooter, you can never do it on something very big. So we all either take the class and get our license that way or get the permit and go somewhere with a bigger skills area to do the riding part. I took the class, $20 and some time, helped refresh skills and helped as I was in a bad car accident that made some changes in my riding abilities and had me doing some learning over.

I had great fun this weekend at the Basic Rider Course in San Antonio at Rolling Oaks Mall. I think I missed one question on the test, but we had seven students and only six made it through the written test! Unfortunately, if you fail to make an 80% you must come back, repay, and take the entire course again. Two out of the seven of us were interested primarily in scooters, one had a used Harley, one wanted an Indian and the other three had various other road bikes.

The practice on the bikes was great but of course, the weather was extremely hot. It was still great fun. I took the test on a 125cc motorcycle, and was glad for the shifting experience, but look forward to getting my Vespa. The double U-turn box was the most difficult exercise. The entire class "choked" during the "evaluation" until our instructor gave us all a "relax- you've done this" pep talk. The remaining six passed our ride evaluation.

The course is now required in Texas, but I recommend taking it in early Spring or late Fall. I will get my 'M" designation on my DL tomorrow morning, and begin test-riding Vespas.
Onward and upward!

Congratulations, happy Vespa hunting.

Congrats on passing!! Here's to years of fun riding!!


Great reminder!! I need to find the advanced course and take it!!

"One thing I took away from the training was using the technique
of turning your head sharply and looking to were you want to
come out of a turn. The scoot seems to move itself through the
turn. This technique has saved my bacon when inadvertently
coming into a curve to fast - sharp head turn leaned into the
turn and came out upright where I focused past the curve."



Gloria wrote:

Break a leg and stay hydrated!!
Erm, Gloria, bad choice of words.. Opps!! So true!

Gloria-

Glad you mentioned that. It was the most important thing I learned - or at least was taught. I wouldn't have predicted how true it is. "Where you look is where you'll go." It so helps with turns and one poor student looked down at the ground during the U-Turn box and guess where his motorcycle ended up? Dropped on the very spot at which he was looking! Luckily it was more of a true lay down, because he was going very slow. That lesson I WILL remember!

I believe you also have to be able to shoot a sidearm or rifle while riding to pass. Good luck!!

Wish you the best be safe😎😎

Not quite since many states including Texas do not require you to have a car licenses and what we have is not an "endorsement" but rather a "class M" license. A class "M1" is a moped license that restricts you to 49.9cc or less on the approved moped list. You cannot ride a "moped", aka sub 50cc without an actual M or M1 license. You do not have to take the MSF course to get a M1 (moped, sub 49.9cc scooter or motorcycle) license. That only requires you pass the written test and you cannot ride over 30mph. If you do you will be cited for riding without a valid license with appropriate fines.

California also requires a motorcycle license to ride a any cc unless it has three wheels and this includes the MP3 which can be ridden on a car license.

In Colorado, Florida and many other states you can ride a 49.9cc with a car license.

If you are curious you can see state by state at http://www.dmv.org/other-types.php

Yup, open container in one hand, sidearm in the other: highway sign at 65 mph.

Nah, open container will get you tossed in the pokey.

Guns are like shoes to most people in TX,AZ,NM. You can't go out without them. Cowboy hats and boots are required also.