Ducati Monster Forum

Through a couple quick reads of the DOT site..

Because I am over 18, do I need a permit or can I jump to the license test?
I plan on taking the Basic Riders Course from T.E.A.M Arizona (http://www.motorcycletraining.com/site/index.php/Basic-Rider-Course.html (http://www.motorcycletraining.com/site/index.php/Basic-Rider-Course.html))
They say I will not have to take the state administered tests once completed.

any ideas?

You're right. You take the test through TEAM Arizona at the end of the instruction period. You'll be happy with what they teach you and competent to start riding.

Good luck!  [thumbsup]

Have you already got a motorcycle?

They only do the road test as part of the class; you still have to go down to the DMV and take the written test to get your license.

And you don't need a permit to do either, unless you're riding a motorcycle on the road between now and then. In that case you definitely want a permit so you're not driving around illegally.

 [moto]

Unless they've changed the way they do things, you don't. If you complete the Team Arizona program and pass the test, the nothing else is necessary.

Yeah, I was advised by GOAZ to take that course and then the Advanced Riding Technique course when I feel ready.
I am looking for bikes right now and found one thats in Anthem and Im in Paradise Valley... So Im not sure how thats going to work out.
I contacted the seller but no reply today. Price range is under 5k, and Im hoping for an 800 or 900. The one in Anthem is an S2R800.

Only motorcycle I have rode is one of those mini dirt bikes that are about the height of your knees. But I was practicing counter-steering on my bike and found it tons of fun. Taking those 90º turns as fast as I could haha

Yea probably wont get a bike until after the course or lesson but IDK

how much do you guys think insurance would be on an S2R1000? Should probably take care of that before hitting the road with the bike huh?

It differs from person to person, company to company. Best bet is to call your insurance company and others and ask for a quote.

The federal DOT site won't have the info you want. you need to look at your state site - if you were looking at the Feds


You'll need to take care of that or you won't get plates unless you pay an uninsured driver fee. But asking that sort of question is way to vague. Age, gender, income, driving history, sort and level of coverage etc etc will all make a difference.

My full coverage at 33, with a clean history, combined vehicle and home ins rates, might be the same as coverage for someone younger with a ticket to get crap coverage.

If you have not talked to an insurer  - you should do so before pulling the trigger on any bike. You might find that your budget will blow out...

TR, I'd be cautious of your desire to get the largest hp bike as your first motorcycle. Jumping right onto the biggest hp bike right away may end up lending itself to a dangerous situation given your new rider level of experience.

Please don't take that the wrong way, it's just a word of caution.

You can get just as hurt going 15mph as you can going 90....and you can go that fast on nearly any bike on the road. What most experienced riders will tell you is that what makes a bike fast isn't only the bike, it's also the skill of he/she who rides it. It's easy to think that because you can ride on the streets that you can ride anywhere with the same amount of speed and expierence - such is not always the case.

You'll find with a bigger hp bike that you will be wanting to "keep up" with those who you ride with who may also be riding big CC bikes, who in all likely-hood (at least initially) will have more experience than you, and because of that you could very easily find yourself in a life or death situation. My sweetie who has been through motorcycle racing school and has loads of expierence has stories upon stories of people who she has witnessed over-ride their ability because they ride powerful bikes - a truly novice mistake in any regard.

If that that sounds at all plausible, take a step back before you commit to buying a 900 or a 1000.


Again, don't take that the wrong way, something in one of your posts just got me thinking this way and I thought a voice of caution might help.

I don't disagree with Dave on this issue, but I don't think there's much difference between a 600 Ducati and a 900 Ducati when it comes to a new rider. I mean, it's still a Ducati.

So, if you're not used to the extra power, then start with a nice Honda Nighthawk 450 or something.

Although, the fact that you're taking several instructor courses says to me that you're a responsible guy.

haha I dont give a flying F what the other riders think of me so I wont be trying to keep up. My initial plans are just early morning rides and low traffic times and/or areas. Like on the way to our country club there are a bunch of winding roads, Im sure you guys know the roads, there is a turn off that takes you to Bartlett lake? I just see myself getting tired of the smaller CC's and the hassle of getting a new bike when that happens is too much. Plus, I would rather have the power and not need it than need the power and not have it.

Many people thought a BMW was too much car for me when I started driving but a couple years later and no tickets, no accidents, nothing. Thats not to say I dont speed or anything, I am just cautious about it. We have a 335d that just sits in our garage that I now drive more often then my 530 and I tuned the 335d so it has 309whp and 500+lb tq-at the crank HELLA FUN, no accidents, no tickets, nothing. Again, I am very cautious and aware.

Thanks, I try to be haha. I just dont want to go through the hassle of selling the thing, new insurance, licensing, etc.
Who knows, I might just give up on this whole thing..

With all due respect, riding a motorcycle isn't equitable at all to driving a car - assuming that it is and taking a cocky attitude towards riding will only get you hurt. I agree with Michael that taking those courses will be a responsible thing to do when you do take them and you will learn a lot from them. If you look under the Riding Techniques section, you will find many reviews of the Total Control course which was really fantastic.

As an observation regarding your comment about "not giving a flying f about what other people think" - it appears to me that you're saying one thing and showing another. If you don't care what people think, then why point out (to everyone on a new forum) that the car that you acquired when you first started driving was a BMW?? Why list the other cars  in your garage? Why present their tuned up specs??

No offense, but it seems like you do care what others think.
 

 

Point is having a "powerful" car I am not pushing it to its limits, I am not showing it off. I am the one enjoying it, not the world seeing me in it. I gave details just like one would give details of getting an S2R1000, you couldn't generalize it and just say powerful motorcycle.

Not trying to derail this discussion too much as the initial post was regarding liscensing...the question of displacement comes up all the time with the Sport Classic line.  Many people have fallen in love with the Sport Classics and bought them as their first motorcycle ever, even though they only come in "1000 cc" models.  The new riders have been fine when going about it in a mature way.  The thing I've noticed about Ducati, especially air cooled Ducatis in general, is that they are very mild mannered and the power delivery is very predictable.  A new rider should be able to manage the power very easily with a little practice and respect.  Also, an 1000 or 1100 cc air cooled Ducati is barely equivalent to a 600cc water cooled inline 4 bike such as a GSXR600 or Yamaha R6, which are considered to be entry level bikes in the sport bike world, and indeed the lowest level of sport bike displacement available in america, at least with the big 4 brands.  Just another angle on the subject.  A stock Monster S2R1000 is an easy bike to ride safe.  They can be tuned to be much more high strung as the experience level increases.  Keeps 'em fun. 

I do think however that there are some people who shouldn't ride motorcycles at all because they have no self control when it comes to speed, etc.  So my advice is to just take a serious look at yourself as far as discipline and go about learning to ride with some respect for your own and others mortality. 

Very interesting, Dietrich. I did not know that about the air cooled vs liquid cooled.

Well, to be fair I guess there are a couple 250cc "sport" bikes available such as the Ninja 250.  Forgot about that one!  Look up the specs on bikes you're interested in and compare against what most would consider the competion to that.

Don't forget that a V-twin and an inline 4 are very different in regards to power delivery. The torque on a V-twin is much greater. Not to get into an argument about differences in types that Dietrich pointed out, but I'd submit that the power delivery does feel very different regardless of equivalencies in tech specs.

To back that up with some numbers - a GSXR 600 makes a little bit less torque than an SV-650 which peaks well into the RPM range while the SVs torque is higher than the GSXR through the whole band. The GSXR whomps the SV on the HP numbers at nearly double but like the torque there is a high RPM surge, while the SV is a lot more linear.

Those different profiles make for very different rides.

Yea I just dont care for Jap bikes no matter how fast they are.
Thankfully for my future, BMW entered the superbike market. Though, hopefully I'll be able to afford that Desmocedicci  [laugh]
okay maybe just 1198R. love the italian sex machines

It seems you may have misinterpreted my point. I was nodding to the fact that the twins lump on a lot more torque than equivalent or even larger displacement i4 engines, earlier on. That difference can make a twin more of a challenge for a new rider as an inadvertently large  twist of the throttle in the mid-low range of a twin gets a lot more reaction from the bike than something with low torque numbers. While that can be fun once you're used to it, it can catch newer riders unawares.

+1 to that.  [thumbsup]

no I just meant that in general, not specific to your reply

Your enthusiasm to become a new rider is totally understandable - we've all been there! But if you can, try and focus on learning to ride and set skill level goals to achieve before putting yourself the biggest and baddest motorcycles. You're totally new to riding, and your riding will reflect that for a good while.

Any asshat can go down the road in a strait line at full throttle - what's more impressive is the rider who really knows how to control and work with his bike. The rider who can put a knee down while performing a perfectly controlled figure 8 at 15mph while at the same time maintains perfect riding position is a good example of that.

If you put the wagon before the horse, as Panda said, you could really find yourself in trouble.

Give yourself a solid year of riding, before you take any other courses beyond the MSF class. This will give you time to master the basics and define your comfort zones as well as your deficiencies. Then if you can afford it, look at Total Control by Lee Parks to polish up and advance your skill set:

http://www.totalcontroltraining.net/index.html (http://www.totalcontroltraining.net/index.html)

I think that Dietrich will back me up that this was a really worthwhile course to take. After all the miles that both he and I have ridden, we learned a lot at that class.

You'd be better off to put your $$ into an education in riding than into a really expensive bike with no instruction.  

[thumbsup]