In short, earlier this week, I lost my license plate. I’ve been using industrial Velcro for the past four months to pull the plate easily whenever I parked. During that time the Velcro has lost its strength.

6 weeks or so since taking the MSS 3 day Basic Rider Course, and 2 and a half months or so since beginning the entire process, here I am street legal. Finally.

If I learned one thing through this entire process is that it took a lot longer than I imagined, but as my girlfriend pointed out over the weekend, perhaps this is one process that shouldn’t be rushed.

6 weeks to the day, my test waiver finally arrives. You’ll forgive me for blurring the details. True to the email update I got from MSS, it arrived the first week the DMV started issuing them for ‘09.

If you’ve been following our learning to ride section you’ll know that I took my Basic Rider Course with New York’s Motorcycle Safety School back at the end of March. You’ll also know that my expectation at the time was to get my test waiver immediately upon completing the three-day course.

Got all my insurance paperwork through today.

In short, I passed!

Today’s course was another range session for about 4 hours straight on the bikes to compliment our work on Saturday, followed by a written test and a DMV structured bike test.

Well folks, I finally made it to the MSS Basic Rider Course and I’m smiling from ear-to-ear.
The course started after work on Friday evening at 5.30pm which meant knocking off work a couple of hours early. The course has a strict lateness policy and I had no idea how long it would take to get there so I gave myself plenty of time to get up there.
Turns out, it’s a short ride from Manhattan, just one 6 train stop into the Bronx, and a short walk from there down to …

If there’s one useful thing I learned from the New York Scooter Club forums, it was how to tackle the DMV.
Their tips:
- Visit the downtown location on Greenwich Street for a reasonably painless wait.
- Arrive prepared with completed paperwork.
- Arrive early, as in 8.30am-door’s-opening-early.
Given I knew today was going to be a snow blizzard, what better day than to hit the downtown DMV? Surely no-one else would be there. I could be in-and-out.
Got down there super early, about a half hour before the doors opened, and no-one else I’m pleased …

It’s been a long time since I’ve taken a test for anything and I’m not sure what to expect from the DMV permit written test, so in addition to downloading the online NY State Motorcycle Manual, I also scoured Amazon.com for the most recommended Motorcycle riding book.
At the top of the list by a clear margin is David L. Hough’s Proficient Motorcycling.
I picked it up from the Barnes and Noble on 5th Avenue in Midtown near work and have spent the last few days reading through.
Given it’s all theory to …

With Spring fast approaching, I knew that MSS would be opening up for 2009 soon.
Their three day Basic Rider Course can be found and booked through their calendar system and they have a number of day configurations that allow you to take it at different points during the week.
I promptly signed up for the first available weekend course of 2009 starting on Friday March 27th. The cost of the course is $350, and they’re located in the south Bronx, but easily accessible from the 6 train.
To be eligible for the …