RTI M2X Course, Test without highway portion

[r3r3r3]

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You have up to 5 years with an M2. If you can’t figure out how to go 20km/h faster and deal with an extra lane then you really shouldn’t be on the road anymore. M2 is a learners/notice license - if you didn’t bother to learn how to ride on the highway then you should 100% have to restart the process. Every modern bike over 125cc is more than capable of highway riding.

As others have said you may be forced onto a highway at some point. I believe in northern Ontario there are stretches where the only option is a 100km/h highway. Based on the riding I see on my daily commute there is already enough terrible riders out there. Licensing system in general should be much more stringent especially for something as unforgiving as a motorcycle.

 

[Michael0124]

Or accidentally makes a wrong turn and ends up on the highway ...

lol, that's how I ended up getting on the highway my first time on a bike, thought it was the driveway to the mall but was actually the on ramp. At that point I said f*** it and just went for it. I survived, obviously.

If I was in your shoes, I wouldn't be trying to find a 250 or other little bike so she can do the non-highway M2 exit course, rather I'd be trying to help her get over her fears and be able to manage highway traffic. Be a wingman for her on some slow times. The help with skills and confidence there may save her bacon one day in the city.

I have tried to get her to go on the highway. We ride together often and she is a good rider, confident and can hold her own in traffic/backroads. I've seen her hit over 100 on backroads, so I'm not sure why she won't do highway. I've asked her and she says she just doesn't like it. I appreciate the advice and will continue to try to get her to try it out.

 

[taximan62]

If you are too afraid of going on the highway and doing 100kph you have no business riding a motorcycle or any vehicle actually. I don't get why people are afraid of highways. They are safer, no cross streets, no cars turning left trying to kill you. Everyone is going the same direction..... And the person that says I never ever will go on the highway is fooling themselves as there may come a time you have to and then you become a hazzard to you and everyone around you!

 

[FLSTC]

I have tried to get her to go on the highway. We ride together often and she is a good rider, confident and can hold her own in traffic/backroads. I've seen her hit over 100 on backroads, so I'm not sure why she won't do highway. I've asked her and she says she just doesn't like it. I appreciate the advice and will continue to try to get her to try it out.

Maybe phrase it to just do it for the course/test, not as a permanent go-forward change. Besides, I think the course has some instruction related to highway riding.

 

[ricplayer]

If you are too afraid of going on the highway and doing 100kph you have no business riding a motorcycle or any vehicle actually. I don't get why people are afraid of highways. They are safer, no cross streets, no cars turning left trying to kill you. Everyone is going the same direction..... And the person that says I never ever will go on the highway is fooling themselves as there may come a time you have to and then you become a hazzard to you and everyone around you!

You are wrong on so many levels. Plenty of riders downtown Toronto have no need to go on the highway, they ride to get around the core of the city. There is no need to take a highway, you can get anywhere you want without one. Heck, if I have time, I’ll take the side roads to spend more time on the bike.

No need to push anyone out of their comfort zone, especially on two wheels. Let the OP’s wife set her limits, not your place to.

 

[Trials]

Can't blame anyone for fearing the 400 series highways since they have gone crazy with installing miles of motorcycle non-friendly cheese grater guard rails on both sides of the highway.

... can you get an exemption from being M tested on a controlled access highway based on religious beliefs?

 

[PrivatePilot]

I think the better question is why are there so many people so scared of the highway they'll will go to great lengths to get around it on the M2X? Statistically you're safer on the highway than the side streets. IMO you don't have any business getting a full license.

10000% agree.

If you’re too timid to drive on a fast road you don’t deserve the full DL Privileges.

Reminds me of Toronto residents terrified of the 401...so they go to the boonies (Bancroft, etc) to get the DL, driving only on podunk roads. Then a year or so later they realize they actually need to drive the 400 series one day...and they’re the idiots who can’t merge properly, change lanes safely if their life depended on it, etc etc etc.

 

[blackcamaro]

No need to push anyone out of their comfort zone, especially on two wheels. Let the OP’s wife set her limits, not your place to.

That says it all.

I agree with others that the HWY is safer then most roads but if someone doesn’t want to ride on the HWY all the power to them. Hopping on the 401 with 3 express lanes, 3 collectors, being passed on both sides, etc can be overwhelming for some people. Doesn’t mean they can’t control their vehicle in other situations where they feel comfortable.

 

[Blackfin]

What is it specifically she doesn't like about the highway? One thing that crosses my mind is that a small bike might actually contribute to this fear. Because they're relatively slow and don't have a lot of margin up top and are easily blown around due to their lack of mass, you can easily find yourself a pylon among cars and trucks, unable to control your own situation.

A bike with more mass and more power that allows her to more easily choose where she wants to be on the highway, to power out of encroachments etc might help allay her fears. I'm not talking about going nuts but a 500cc CB500 or Ninja 650 might be better for her than a featherwight 250 or 300.

If it's just an existential fear of highway traffic and speeds, I'd have to agree with others that say she might reconsider her choice to ride.

 

[r3r3r3]

That says it all.

I agree with others that the HWY is safer then most roads but if someone doesn’t want to ride on the HWY all the power to them. Hopping on the 401 with 3 express lanes, 3 collectors, being passed on both sides, etc can be overwhelming for some people. Doesn’t mean they can’t control their vehicle in other situations where they feel comfortable.

But what happens when someone forces them into a situation where they don't feel comfortable? The left hand turner, the person riding their ass, someone taking their lane, etc. An inherent lack of confidence can get you killed. If we are talking about getting a full license you should be at the point of having the ability to safely ride all types of roads and situations.

 

[Michael0124]

What is it specifically she doesn't like about the highway? One thing that crosses my mind is that a small bike might actually contribute to this fear.

I think that has a lot to do with it.

Understand that my ninja 300 is the heaviest, most powerful bike she has ridden. Her previous bike was a 229cc single and weighed under 300 lbs, before that was a cbr125. In the time that she has had her M2, I don't think she's even covered 3000km. I know she isn't afraid of speed, she has been over 100kph many times without issue. But I think the idea of riding what she is used to on a big wide open highway is what she is uncomfortable with. I can't blame her, I don't like riding my 300 on the highway either for the same reason. I think if I can get her onto a bigger bike, cbr500, etc. she would be more comfortable and might venture onto a 400 series Hwy someday.

But again, she is perfectly content bombing around town and the country backroads on smaller bikes, she has no desire at this point to go on the highway and it isn't my place or anyone else's for that matter to tell her otherwise. If that's what she enjoys and it makes her happy, I'm not going to try to convince her to do something she doesn't want to.

Some random people on the internet telling her that she shouldn't ride at all because of it is pretty ridiculous. I don't like riding downtown Toronto, should I stop riding because of that? The beauty of motorcycling is the variety of it, not every aspect of it appeals to everyone and that's ok.

 

[JD_PICKLE]

I've always maintained that the drive test should be conducted at the center closest to your postal code. I personally know so many people who went to smaller towns 100s of km away to do the test. You should do the test where you intend to drive or ride, simple.

It's unfortunate that there are many shortcuts to this process, and nothing to stop one from abusing them. Nothing you or I can do about it sadly. It's the reason for sh!tty drivers in the GTA.

I've had numerous debates about this with several of my friends. It didn't lead anywhere. Only made me look like a d-bag infront of them.

I have a co-worker who failed 3 times for his car licence. Ended up going to Bancroft and passed. Now he's driving Toronto. Shity system.

 

[JD_PICKLE]

Time was when you could take a motorcycle test and not even go on a public road, they had a little miniature test track complete with undersized lanes and traffic lights, merge lanes, the whole bit, and you did your test on the closed course where you didn't even reach a normal speed limit. They used the same course for public transit bus driver testing and it was a complete joke when you had a bus and a bike on the same course at the same time, lol the busses took up 2 lanes.

Times have changed but they still don't make you ride over anything as big as a curb.

Yup, times have changed. Did my test in a small town near our cottage. Little bike and never got out of second gear. lol.

 

[FLSTC]

Option 2: Let M2 expire, rewrite M1 test, do M2 test. Ride another 3,000km around town and backroads over next 5 years.

Gives 5 more years to decide:
1. Gain more confidence and do the M2 exit (with highway riding test)
2. Continue M2 renewals and city/backroad riding only
3. Have baby, give up riding

I’d still recommend taking the M2 Exit course/test now. Putting in some effort to get over fear of the highway to pass the test. With a M licence will still have all options open and will be in a better spot if there is a pause in riding (ie baby) and she wants to pick it up again in 10 years for example.

And a side benefit that some of us older, more experienced riders are trying to tell you - the highway training, confidence, and skills, will SAVE HER LIFE one day, even if all she does is ride city and backroads. Ride your comfort zone, for sure, but other drivers don’t care.

 

[lildevilx]

EDIT :

Just called them, no exceptions, must be under 250cc and can't "reach or maintain speed of 100kmh safely" . They're pretty booked up, too...next available time is mid August.

Now to find her a 250 to do this on...

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I know for sure that thing can go up to about 140 with some back wind

PS: I don't own it anymore it was a really fun bike tho
BTW, this thing is super cheap on insurance, when I had it, I was 26, just got my M1 with the safety course, cost me $350/year to insure it with liability

 

[Malks]

Time was when you could take a motorcycle test and not even go on a public road, they had a little miniature test track complete with undersized lanes and traffic lights, merge lanes, the whole bit, and you did your test on the closed course where you didn't even reach a normal speed limit. They used the same course for public transit bus driver testing and it was a complete joke when you had a bus and a bike on the same course at the same time, lol the busses took up 2 lanes.

I took my M test in 1972 at the MTO complex that used to be at 401 and Keele. They had a road layout that included a set of traffic signals. You rode around the course in full sight of the tester and never left the property. I used a 100cc Kawasaki enduro for the test which made it a breeze.

These days most people who want to eliminate a 400 series highway from their road test (car or bike), simply come up here to Orangeville to take their test. The closest 'big' highway is over 30 minutes away, so that portion cannot be included. These same people then go back down to Brampton and reek havoc on the 410.

 

[lildevilx]

I took my M test in 1972 at the MTO complex that used to be at 401 and Keele. They had a road layout that included a set of traffic signals. You rode around the course in full sight of the tester and never left the property. I used a 100cc Kawasaki enduro for the test which made it a breeze.

These days most people who want to eliminate a 400 series highway from their road test (car or bike), simply come up here to Orangeville to take their test. The closest 'big' highway is over 30 minutes away, so that portion cannot be included. These same people then go back down to Brampton and reek havoc on the 410.

They really need to force people to take their test by the area they live in...

 

[PrivatePilot]

No need to push anyone out of their comfort zone, especially on two wheels. Let the OP’s wife set her limits, not your place to.

People who refuse to be pushed out of their comfort zone results in the quality of drivers we have today. The ones that are menaces on the road.

Part of learning often involves exiting your comfort zone, but once you learn that by doing so you reach a higher level of comfort zone as you gain gain experience, then it's no longer uncomfortable. Think about winter driving for example - a lot of people are scared of skids and simply don't know how to handle them, resulting in a huge percentage of winter crashes that should have been avoidable. But send someone to skid school and have them spend a day exiting their comfort zone but learning how to handle them results in a safer driver.

When I got my pilots licence I was super paranoid about spin training. I did it though because I knew I wanted the experience, the training, and the knowledge that made me a safer pilot. And the knowledge could very well save my life some day.

Did I consider it fun or enjoyable? Not particularly, I've never been big into what is effectively aerobatics, but I did it, and I feel far better off for having the knowledge and experience.

For whatever reason she's apparently scared of the highway, she needs to confront that and get past it, be it through professional training (a M2 exit course with an accredited school) or via gradual experience riding with someone else. Just avoiding it is not a solution.

 

[jemlinus]

Things people do to avoid the proper training is crazy. Is it danger to the person itself to ride when someone can't pass the M2X test properly? Not to mention danger to others around the person.

 

[roadrash]

...simply come up here to Orangeville to take their test. The closest 'big' highway is over 30 minutes away, so that portion cannot be included...

Then perhaps the Orangeville drive test center shouldn't be conducting M2X tests. Same goes for Lindsay. Closest highways are all 80kmph max.

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