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About a month ago, I went to do my written (knowledge) test for my motorcycle licence. It was pretty easy. I then registered for a motorcycle learners program that has 3 components: 2 days of theory/classroom stuff, 2 days of riding in the parking lot, and then 2 days of riding in traffic.
Getting your motorcycle licence where I live is broken up in to 3 components.
1) Pass your written test.
2) Pass your Motorcycle Skills Test (MST). This is an exam where you ride through cones and have to do quick, controlled stops, U-turns, etc.
3) Pass your road test. For this final portion, you ride around in traffic with the instructor behind you in a car giving you instructions/directions over a remote headset.
When you pass the written test, you can ride only with a supervisor (on a bike next to you or following behind in a car), can only go up to 60km/h, no passenger, and can only ride during daylight.
When you pass the MST, it removes the 60km/h restriction and the supervisor restriction. At the end of the 2 days of riding in the parking lot through the program I'm going through, they are registered to be able to administer the MST on ICBC's behalf.
So I did my MST Sunday, got 100%, hurray. This saturday and sunday we will be riding in traffic which will prepare us for our road test which has to be done through ICBC.
Well... I went out an bought a bike yesterday after looking around and checking out a few bikes:
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/cnssTHN.jpg)
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/Vgu0NUU.jpg)
'99 Harley Davidson Sportster 1200 XLS. It's got a handful of mods including an upgraded fuel tank, ignition, forward controls, etc. I'm still pretty new to bikes so I don't have the specifics  .
I went and checked it out with my buddy who's more experienced than me and we both loved it at first sight.
He was asking $6000 CAD for it, got him down to $5500 CAD which I feel was a really nice deal for me, I almost feel bad for him lol. You can tell in the photos, but it's in really really nice condition. Always had regular maitenance, never been dropped etc.
Also came with the original, center-based foot controls, the oil he had been putting in it, owners manual, a spare air filter and some other things.
I'll be booking my road test in the next week or two. Took her out for a spin just now for the first time (aside from just up and down the street at the buyer's place) and I loveeeeee it. 
 
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Bike looks beautiful, have fun and stay safe on the roads.
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That is a goddamn pretty looking bike.
I rode my friends once and I'm way too much of a wimp to do it again. I wanted one for a while but I can still appreciate how nice that looks Congrats~!
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Nice bike, I ride dirtbikes... haven't been able to convince myself to get on the roads just yet.
Be safe hf
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At some point in the (not so near) future I'll hopefully be getting either a dual-sport or a dirtbike and a truck Ctone~
I'm not exactly worried about going into traffic on it, but I'm definitely going to be extra alert and safe when I do. Just been riding around the neighbourhood on side roads so far this afternoon.
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Yeah I have kicked around the idea of getting something to cruise around my neighborhood. I live in a big city (Houston) so yeah I'm definitely worried about that traffic ha!
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Im curious, when can you start riding and when does the season end in BC?
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As a fellow rider, congrats! Sounds like a really good deal for a sportster :D
Be safe man! Cagers simply don't see (or hear) anything... Personally, I'd never ride without a jacket, boots, gloves, jeans (or better) and of course a helmet! I recommend you get two sets of gear (for hot & cold).
Have fun!
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that bike looks super cool
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On March 25 2015 07:05 Kevin_Sorbo wrote:
Im curious, when can you start riding and when does the season end in BC?
I don't think there are any legal restrictions, but bikes started popping up the last couple weeks this month. Most people here will ride until mid-October I think.
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On March 25 2015 07:26 y0su wrote:
As a fellow rider, congrats! Sounds like a really good deal for a sportster :D
Be safe man! Cagers simply don't see (or hear) anything... Personally, I'd never ride without a jacket, boots, gloves, jeans (or better) and of course a helmet! I recommend you get two sets of gear (for hot & cold).
Have fun!
Yeah, I bought cordura jacket with modular padding, got my steel toe boots with ankle padding, gloves with knuckle armour and a helmut. Gonna buy a thick leather jacket for higher speed long distance travel and a full face helmut as well as some thicker amoured pants.
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Looks amazing man, I'm actually looking to buy a 70's Triumph bonneville from a buddy of mine in the near future. A little nervous about the cycle license test though, as it's been years since I've ridden one.
Enjoy and ride safe =]
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On March 25 2015 07:26 y0su wrote:
As a fellow rider, congrats! Sounds like a really good deal for a sportster :D
Be safe man! Cagers simply don't see (or hear) anything... Personally, I'd never ride without a jacket, boots, gloves, jeans (or better) and of course a helmet! I recommend you get two sets of gear (for hot & cold).
Have fun!
This can't be emphasized enough.
Not sure how much riding experience you had, or how traffic is around where you ride, but I would advise working your way up. If your in a more rural area you'll probably be fine regardless, but if you were in downtown Victoria that would be another issue.
Be safe, and nice ride.
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On March 25 2015 10:01 Grobyc wrote:Show nested quote +On March 25 2015 07:26 y0su wrote:
As a fellow rider, congrats! Sounds like a really good deal for a sportster :D
Be safe man! Cagers simply don't see (or hear) anything... Personally, I'd never ride without a jacket, boots, gloves, jeans (or better) and of course a helmet! I recommend you get two sets of gear (for hot & cold).
Have fun! Yeah, I bought cordura jacket with modular padding, got my steel toe boots with ankle padding, gloves with knuckle armour and a helmut. Gonna buy a thick leather jacket for higher speed long distance travel and a full face helmut as well as some thicker amoured pants.
good to hear. :D
Get that full face helmet!!!
If I sound old... it's cause I'm old. Also, my dad, brother and myself have all laid our bikes down.
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Sweet bike! I have a '72 Triumph that I really want to get around to fixing up and getting back on the road, but right not the funds do not allow me to do that  (
Have fun with it, but please be careful and don't ride it recklessly
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Be safe please. So many people in my family have died from motorcycle accidents.
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Be safe and please don't make pipes louder than necessary.
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I was all excited for a proper pedal machine.
Honestly motorcycles scare the shit out of me. Going around a curve at 30-40mph on a pedal bike is MORE than fast enough for me, and even that has a serious component of "I can get really hurt doing this". The thought of going faster than that without being surrounded by a nice metal cage is terrifying.
Not a criticism at all of choosing to ride motorcycles, just don't understand how you guys do it
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Nice bike. Where in BC you at?
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Thanks guys. I'm also planning on changing out the mirrors for something that provides a little more visibility as the sides of the mirrors are tapered. I gotta bring my elbows in to actually see anything behind me which is a little unnerving lol.
On March 26 2015 15:40 -Kaiser- wrote:
Nice bike. Where in BC you at?
Kelowna. You down in the lower mainland area?
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On March 26 2015 15:55 Grobyc wrote:Thanks guys. I'm also planning on changing out the mirrors for something that provides a little more visibility as the sides of the mirrors are tapered. I gotta bring my elbows in to actually see anything behind me which is a little unnerving lol. Kelowna. You down in the lower mainland area?
Yee, Vancouver.
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Sounds good. I'm a little surprised you got an 1100 for your first bike but don't see a problem as long as you ease into it. I'm riding a friends ninja 250 right now while I wait for my Ducati Scrambler Full Throttle to get here in May. Also keeping my eye open for a used little dual sport bike that I can use for adventure riding like an XT250.
Don't be nervous about riding in traffic. I'm not saying that there isn't more risk of riding in traffic but I don't think people ride as well when they are nervous. Ride confidently but respect that shit can happen at any time. I had someone blatantly cut me off yesterday for example but I saw that he might do it so I was ready for it to happen. Try to take some nice pictures of the bike or yourself with the bike in some awesome locations :D
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That's the plan . Lots of scenic places nearby where I live and I'm also going to be heading out on some longer trips to the states when I can get the time off and pass my road test. Just booked my road test now. The earliest date I can take it is May 5, I guess they're pretty booked up this season.
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EPT
