Ducati Monster Forum

I found myself at the DMV the other day taking care of a little paperwork.  I had taken off early from work to do it and had actually finished up at the DMV on the early side, too.  I was casually getting ready to leave the parking lot when I spotted the dreaded DMV circle that they use to test motorcyclists for their M1.  I've never had to ride this circle, since I went the MSF course route to get licensed.  Being in no rush I decided to give the circle a shot.  I've been riding for going on seven years now, and almost all of that has been on the Monster.  I feel very comfortable on this bike.  I'm competent at most things and I'd rate myself as "OK" at slow speed riding.  I was able to keep the bike in the circle until the last quarter of it.  The bike veered out by about a foot after hitting the steering lock.  I decided to slow down and give it another go--same thing.  Going slower only made things worse, as I had to keep the bike more upright and would hit the steering lock sooner than if I had a bit more speed.  I tried speeding up to get more lean, but I couldn't go fast enough to get the correct amount of lean in that tight radius.  I went the other direction thinking that perhaps I might be more comfortable riding left instead of right--nope.  I was admittedly disappointed.  I think that if I were to screw in the steering locks as far as they could go and put a little bit of padding on the tank that I could make it happen.  I'm curious to try it on another bike--I know that the R6 for instance, is much easier to turn tighter at slow speed.  I've heard of a few people trying the circle on their Monsters and wonder if anyone here has passed. 

Signed,
Stuck in a Rut
Oakland

You thinking about getting your moto license?   You should take the MSF and get some gear.  A used Ninja 250 is good starter bike.  You boyfriend can probably help you figure out what you'll need to start off.  Good luck!

 ;D

Counter lean the bike. This allows for a tighter lean-turn angle without the need for higher speed. Watch this video...

97 Second Special:  Counterbalancing (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czm2EyxQslM&feature=player_embedded#normal)

You.  Shaddup.


Yeah, yeah...did all that.  Still couldn't get through it--almost, but not quite.  I think with a little practice that I could get up the speed required to make the lean happen.  And I'm not talking tons of speed--just enough to keep it from tipping over and go smoothly. 

Ok first of all, there are CONES you have to weave in and out of going in AND coming out of the circle. Its way more ridiculous than just riding in a circle. You do it 3 times! Once in each direction, then once with some other cone trick I can't remember.

I took that test on my 900S monster. It was a BIATCH on the monster. I think it would be much easier on the 848.
I needed every trick in the book because of the jerky acceleration, big turning circle, and knuckle busting handlebar-tank situation.

Don't lean your body inside the turn, lean the bike hard, and put your body outside.
Keep on the gas and feather the clutch.
Forget you even have front brakes, but feather the rear brakes.

It's all about balancing the right lean with the super consistent speed. Too fast, you go outside. Too slow you go inside/put foot down.
When you get to the opening of the circle and have to put your front wheel on the opposite side of the cone and do the esses the opposite way you did on the way in. This is where balance is key so you can yank your bike upright and make that crazy tight turn coming out.  [coffee]

the cones section and the straight line section are cake ... the circle section is way too tight for the steering lock on a duc.  
and as for countersteer ... try simply walking a duc around the circle, keeping the wheels/tires inside the two lines ... can't be done while keeping both wheels on the ground.  

one "could" wheelie around the circle and keep the rear wheel/tire inside the two lines ... but the dmv wonks who monitor the riding test frown upon such activites.

I used to go and practice at the San Mateo DMV on weekends.  I could do it pretty easily on my GS500F after some practice.

Only tried it a couple of times on the Duc but I never could complete the circle. :P

I thought when doing the circle part you only have to keep your front tire in the lines.

It took my 1h of practice with the S2R to be able to pass it for the M1.
Doable.
Not easy especially with a monster, but doable.

In after-hours practice at the DMV, I found it way too close to call on the Duc. I tried it on my Yam and it was a cinch. So that's what I took my test on.

I actually rented another bike to do the exam, just for the figure 8 I had to do.

I think it's not only the steering lock, but the high gearing that makes finding the balance when trying to counter steer so difficult. I bet it gets easier with a 14T.


The idea is that you counter steer so much you actually shorten your wheel base. That's all just theory though. I've practiced enough, but never been able to do it on my Monster.

I did it on my Monster, and passed, but I did go outside the lines. The DMV examiner already knew that Ducs are turning-radius challenged, so he cut me a break.

Several peoples (including me  [bow_down] ) passed the DMV test with their monster. Stop saying it's impossible.
I also met a guy, while practicing, that did it with it's ZX-6R in front of me, with its 2 wheels on the ground... ;)

I never tried it on the Duc. I did the circle on my old VFR and it was pretty hard. After complaining that the bike didn't want to turn very well, the DMV lady said something about how the cops come and do it all day long on those full dress Harleys. After that I shut up and put my tail between my legs. She passed me though.

I might stop by the circle and check it out on the Duc sometime.




Oh and Warren has a good point about asking your boyfriend for some pointers. Good luck with all that.

_{signs out while watching for flying objects directed at head}

If you can make a U-turn within one lane, you are doing it right.
Steer, lean hard, counter balance outside, gas.

Its kind of opposite what you do when you are going fast. ..which is why its such a fekking circus trick and more relevant to parking than freeway traffic. 
 [popcorn]

I just moved here from outta state. I have a valid MC license (hawaii).
When I switch to a CA license, will I have to take the riding test?
I practiced really tight low speed turns extensively in a parking lot a while back. It is TOUGH on the M1100.

Just borrow an 250 enduro,or a ninjet.Youll pass it with flying colors.actually any light weight bike with wide handelbars should do the trick.

If you've got a moto endorsement from HI they should honor that.

Good news!
Thanks.

I took the DMV test on a CB175 way back in 1992. In those days, you couldn't get an MSF test waiver. And you had to push the bike to class...uphill, both ways. But I passed. I think the mullet I had at the time was a nice counterbalance that helped my turning radius.

Anne and I went there on her old Riva 80 scooter and practiced on the circle. It was definitely tough, even using ample rear brake. But I suspect the SF circle is a bit smaller than the circle I rode for my test. And I think my Monster could do it with counterlean. But not easy.

I had to take the written test again when I moved from Seattle in '06, but they didn't require the skills test because I had my endorsement from WA.

When I took the MSF test in WA, they had a larger diameter circle for those riding their own bikes >500cc's.  Does the DMV here require all bikes to complete the same circle?

It's interesting to take a few measurements.  The DMV circle here in Pleasanton is 20 feet at the inside diameter and 24 feet at the outside diameter.

My ST2 has a 20 foot turning diameter when upright and pushed around in a circle.  I can easily do a U-turn and stay inside the lines on the DMV circle, but going one and a half times around is too much to ask.  Once you hit the steering lock and start to fall to the inside, the only way to recover without putting a foot down is to give it more power, which as often as not takes you outside of the outer ring.

But the ST2 is way better than my 888, which has a 27 foot turning diameter.  That thing has problems making a U-turn on any two-lane road.

Just for fun, after I bought my XR650L I tried the DMV circle again.  Other than being a bit difficult to keep at low speeds because the clutch is kind of grabby, that one had no problem at all keeping within the lines at all times.  I haven't measured, but I think the turning diameter for that one is about 12 feet.  Much easier to do tight stuff on.

By the way, it's available for any MOB members who need to take the test, as long as you sign up for it at the Pleasanton DMV, which is less than a mile from my house.  I'll even go over there with you the night before for practice sessions.  Just be aware that at 6'1" I can barely get both feet flat on the ground on that bike.  It's "a little bit" higher than a Monster.

Yeah--this was my issue.  But I was awfully darned close and with a bit more countersteering practice (as was said earlier) I think I could do it without too much trouble.  I'm just too lazy to do that.  I could go practice doing tight u-turns on steep slopes just to master the skill, but honestly the number of times I need to do that doesn't really justify the work involved.  I have the same mentality about the DMV circle.  I really don't give a rip that I can't do it, but I was wondering if I just really suck or if I'm about par for the course.  Sounds like I'm "normal" in our group.  So either we all suck (quite possible) or Monsters aren't inherently easily to navigate around that little circle.   [coffee]

<raises hand and almost jumps out of his desk>

Oooh, ooh, I know this one, I know this one.  
Pick me, pick me!!  I know the answer. 

ESAD 

Yeah sure...  [roll]

 ;D


 [laugh]