3-wheel motorcycle endorsement driving me nuts!

[jerpinoy]

Hi All,
Today I failed the 3-wheel written for the second time. Tomorrow I will go and have another shot at it. I know it sounds like sour grapes, but the questions are misleading and irrelevant. Am I the only one having trouble with this test? Is Washington the only state that requires a 3-wheel endorsement? I normally ride an old Goldwing, but decided it was time to get a 3-wheeler right after I laid the Wing on its side at a stop (again!). Bought a 2008 GS SM-5 on ebay recently and expect it to be delivered in the next two weeks. In an effort to make sure I could drive it when it arrived, I started the MC endorsement process and have been appalled by the strangeness of the written test. AND, I will have to take a road test some time within the next 180 days, and it's only given on one Saturday a month (August is full) and is 2 1/2 hours from here. My Can-Am experience is certainly getting off to a rough start!

Mike, Let me tell you my story. After I was done with the test in Mt Vernon, I was told skilled test in given in Belingham by appointment only.. I paid my test fee in Mt Vernon then called Belingham DMV to make appointment, found out that they are repainting the coarse and don't know when it's ready. The gent directed me to the nearest DMV which is Centrellia. Centrellia is 3.5 hrs away,,, held my cool and called Centrellia and after I was place on hold coz two people were ahead of me. I waited patiently then here the bumdmer last week was the last test will be given. Now what I asked She said call this 1 800 number in Olympia DMV office. Do you think I called? No Sir I need to cool off and wait a bit I might get mad to my phone. Anyone know where I can take the Skilled test?

[SequiMike]

Mike, Let me tell you my story. After I was done with the test in Mt Vernon, I was told skilled test in given in Belingham by appointment only.. I paid my test fee in Mt Vernon then called Belingham DMV to make appointment, found out that they are repainting the coarse and don't know when it's ready. The gent directed me to the nearest DMV which is Centrellia. Centrellia is 3.5 hrs away,,, held my cool and called Centrellia and after I was place on hold coz two people were ahead of me. I waited patiently then here the bumdmer last week was the last test will be given. Now what I asked She said call this 1 800 number in Olympia DMV office. Do you think I called? No Sir I need to cool off and wait a bit I might get mad to my phone. Anyone know where I can take the Skilled test?

I've been told that as of August 1st, the state will no longer be giving the road test. My guess is that many of the motorcycle safety organizations will be allowed to administer the test, but nobody knows for sure. When I spoke with the group in Silverdale, they were frustrated that the State was dumping it onto them so quickly, and they were scrambling to set things up. They told me that they couldn't post a testing schedule until August 1, so I plan to check back then and see what's available. This is the group I spoke with - http://pnwmotorcyclesafety.com/ Apparently they have a facility in Auburn too, so maybe that would be convenient to you.

[Shaku]

Hi All,
Today I failed the 3-wheel written for the second time. Tomorrow I will go and have another shot at it. !

Yes, WA is one of the states that requires a 3 wheel endorsement. I too flunked my written the first time as I have been riding for more than 40 years and thought it would be easy. After the flunk, I got the manual and memorized it. The reason for my first failure is that the idiots who designed the test have obviously never ridden. Not only was some of the info wrong, some was downright dangerous. So, I just regurgitated their wrong data back to them and passed easily. I gave them an earful regarding the glaring errors in the state material. The test is not for trikes only, the endorsement covers sidecars too. Silly and dangerous. The handling and control is different from a trike (esp. a front wheel) and a sidecar.

The driving part is easy. I got 100%, in the rain. Watching the bikers trying to pass was interesting. I hope some didn't pass. They needed work. When you pass, WA gives a class 7 endorsement which I assume means I can ride anything with wheels.

[SequiMike]

At last I'm about to wrap this saga up! Went to Silverdale today and completed the road test, so all that's left now is for me to bring the passing grade to Port Angeles next week and have them issue the endorsement. It's been quite an ordeal, but I'm thankful the weather was really nice today for the ride down and back. There were four of us there to take the 3-wheeler test - - 3 CanAm's and 1 Harley trike. The CanAm's did OK, but the poor fellow on the Harley is going to have to return and re-test one day. I thought the road test was pretty easy and straightforward - much better than the confusing and strange written exam. Was fun meeting a couple of local CanAm'ers - hope to see you guys at Oyster Run next month!

[Riot]

Right on! glad to see you passed. I also have a silver 08 GS. rode mine for little over a year with only a 2 wheel endorsement, untill finally a cop that actually knew somethin told me to go get my 3 wheel endorsment, that 1st year in this state was pretty funny, was pulled over many times ( mainly to see what the heck i was rididng) and never once got a ticket. got to be so bad when I was over in Eastern Wa I just rode straight to the cop shop.hadfriends there. handed them my key and said anyone that wants to check it out and ride it go ahead. they took me up on it, spent half aday there, noones bothered me since.
looking forward to meetin ya at the Oyster Run.
Troy