australian licence training

[aussieidiot]

was going to post this elsewhere but it was off topic.
heres a quick rundown of our training.

from the age of 16 you can apply for a learners permit. once you pay for it, you do two half day course in which that teach you all the basics about maintenance and mechanical before you even sit on a bike. they teach about buffer zones and setting up before all intersection, looking for any dangers and list what kind of threats there are. where to sit in the lane, blind spots, tailgating, and hidden surface dangers.

then you get to push a bike around, lift it up from a fall, do an obstacle course while pushing it. once you get to start it, you don't get out of first and do the same course.

after the two day course, you pass and get to do a computer test to get your learners. then your limited to a power/weight ratio bike and speed limited.

six months on that licence and your back to do another course. then a test ride on which the instructor watches you and evaluates your capabilities. then a test involing all sorts of low speed manouvers. including a u-turn in a 3metre square box (about 9 feet) which is nigh on impossible on a sports bike.

once you pass that course, its back for another computer test before your eligble for a provisional licence, which has the same restrictions. 1 year on that before you get to go straight onto a full licence with blood/alcohol limits and pillion limits for one year.

[jeffcoslacker]

We just take a written test, go outside and perform the same practical manuvers like you mentioned, and get your license....outside of that, the rest you mentioned is part of the MSF course if you opt to take it...which most don't, unfortuneately (including myself).

There is no limit on engine size for learners here.

That's why you see kids like my brother's friend, 21 years old, goes and buys a GSXR750 for a first bike, and ends up dead three days later. He didn't have a MC license, BTW.

A good portion of the riders I know don't have a motorcycle endorsement on their license, just because of the hassle and it's a pretty minor infraction to be caught riding without it...most cops will let it go unless there was an accident involved or something...

So most people if they do bother to get the endorsement (as I finally did) have been riding for quite some time before ever going to the DMV to acquire it. So the testing is pretty intuitive by that time, you can handle the bike well enough, and the written portion is mostly common sense once you've been riding for some time...

At the MSF, you can do the practical testing (riding) right there at the MSF course, with their bikes (generally small 350cc standards) and get that portion signed off before going to the DMV to take the written portion.

It's funny to see guys show up at the DMV and try to do the practical with some hulking Cruiser or Tourer they just bought and can't yet handle...the course is a bitch with a big bike...I took mine on my old Kaw 440 LTD, which was perfect for it.

My friend when we were 19 decided to buy a bike, this was a guy who didn't even know how to drive a stickshift car....and he bought a Kaw 750 LTD for his first bike, and had me ride it home for him. We went over to the school where I tried to coach him, but he simply had no idea what he had gotten himself into. He gave up after a very short time of trying.

But then he took the MSF and learned things correctly, and turned out to be a fairly good rider...and after learning on their small bikes, was able to transfer that knowlege directly to the bigger bike, it was a smooth transition.

Me, I learn everything the hard way. I have made or nearly made every mistake you can think of, but have never wrecked in 20 years or so of riding.

I attribute that to never loosing my respect and awereness of just how dangerous a sport it is...complacency and over-confidence lead to mistakes you can't afford to make as a rider. I'll never consider myself an expert rider...I'm learning every time I go out there, and I still feel that combination of thrill and terror that I felt as a beginner...keeps you sharp...

[aussieidiot]

Originally Posted by jeffcoslacker

I attribute that to never loosing my respect and awereness of just how dangerous a sport it is...complacency and over-confidence lead to mistakes you can't afford to make as a rider. I'll never consider myself an expert rider...I'm learning every time I go out there, and I still feel that combination of thrill and terror that I felt as a beginner...keeps you sharp...

this comes with age and experience.
i find that my apprentices drive and ride without thinking things through fully.
they seem to think that once they get their licence, that makes them a perfect driver, better than anyone else. they seem to forget that i've been there and done that myself. now i know better.

taking big risks on the road are hardly worth it.

[richtazz]

Too bad more people don't have your approach and respect for both their machines and our sport. I have been riding for 20 years (GOD I'M OLD) and have witnessed every idiot thing imaginable on a bike. I have ridden some scary fast bikes in my day, but keep it within reason on the street (Save for a few interstate blasts past 100 MPH). My current 01 Fat Boy (inherited it when my father recently passed away) is the perfect bike for how I ride. All day comfortable, lots of torque, and I think it's gorgeous. I almost bought a Honda VFR800 last year (prettiest affordable sport bike out there IMO), but couldn't swing the insurance (sport bikes are $$$$ to insure in Michigan).

[Z_Fanatic]

what's the fastest freeway speediing limit in Australia? do you have any autobahns like Germans?

[aussieidiot]

Originally Posted by Z_Fanatic

what's the fastest freeway speediing limit in Australia? do you have any autobahns like Germans?

110km/hr is our fastest limit (70mph). we do have roads in the outback (middle of nowhere) with no speed limit. but unless your found of 300lb lumps of meat (full size kangaroos) bouncing across the road and road train semis (semi trailers with multiple trailers) running down the centre of the road at 100mph creating dust storms, you kinda stay clear of those roads.

[Z_Fanatic]

Originally Posted by aussieidiot

but unless your found of 300lb lumps of meat (full size kangaroos) bouncing across the road and road train semis (semi trailers with multiple trailers) running down the centre of the road at 100mph creating dust storms, you kinda stay clear of those roads.

ahh... so Mad Max WAS based on real events.

[aussieidiot]

Originally Posted by Z_Fanatic

ahh... so Mad Max WAS based on real events.

real roads. just like those. most of the locals out there have utes with massive bull bars. we call 'em B+S utes. they have parties called bachelor and spinster (B+S) balls where all the younger single (and swinging) locals get together. because of the remoteness of the towns, they travel for ages, get pissed, root in the back of the ute before chewing their arm off when they wake up next to their sister/cousin/mum/dog and drive back to their farms

[richtazz]

I'd use those push bars for other purposes, but the letters B&S would still apply. It would be used on Bluehairs (slow driving octagenarians) and Stupid drivers (self-explanitory). They'd need a chainsaw to cut the tree down they'd be stuck in.

[Z_Fanatic]

So utes are like long cars with cab on the back. Reminds me of El Camino.

Even for daily commuting, most people here driver around big trucks like f150, f350, dodge ram quad, toyota tundra, etc. Some people are into construction or haul stuff, but most people for show like Hummer.

I think a bigger truck with front grill would be better ramming 'roos.

[aussieidiot]

ok, now a lesson on "utes"

invented by the aussies back with the FJ holden back in the 60's (i think)

it was basically a two door family station wagon with the roof chopped off to make a tray.

been the most popular vehicle here ever since. the two example above are older versions of what you now have as your pontiac gto.

we have the ford F250 series, mazda bravo, toyota hilux, holden (izuzu) rodeo

as well as our family cars, commodore (four door pontiac gto) and ford falcon, both with ute versions