License? I don't need no stinking license

[Pursuvant]

Had the pleasure on this first 80 degree day to make a run thru the sam houston state park with an R6 & MT-09 I ran up on from behind. After we pulled in to meet, the big motor new friend said he doesn't have a MC license.

I told them how, at 18 but still in highschool I got busted for motorcycle without license, in those olden tymes judges had lots of leeway for creative sentencing. He ordered me to surrender to the county jail on that Friday after school, and they held me till Sunday afternoon, in with the bad dudes. Judge knew I needed to see where I was maybe going if I didn't show respect, and he was right. That experience in County straightened me out pretty much, I owe that smart Judge a thank you.

Anybody else got an olden time story about deal'in with the man?

Edited March 31, 2021 by Pursuvant

[Nealsmo]

Buddy and I got pulled over on the street riding our dirt bikes home from the canyon.  My friend admitted he didn't have a moto license and I pretended I did. Luckily he didn't call my bluff.  Buddy got multiple tickets and all I had to do was push my bike home the last couple of blocks.

[shinyribs]

I rode for several years without a license, but wanted to get it all legit to keep my clean driving record. Went to the DMV to take the test but my Honda literally didn't have a tight enough turning radius to pass the course. Decided I'd just do the MSF course instead. Passing that class circumnavigates the DMV and gives you a credit on your insurance. It was a 4 day class.

My instructor was not thrilled about me making the 1hr ride to class every day

I live in a rural area and there's not much police presence. I mean, there's not really much human presence. See more livestock than you do people. We used to do a lot of street racing ( cages) back in the day. Had some close calls with the cops, but we eventually took it to the track when things started getting heavy. Only "punishment" I ever got from a cop ( as far as street racing was concerned) was him flinging my keys out in to a pasture. " By the time you find those you'll have had time to get your head screwed on right"

Little did he know the keys only worked the doors. The ignition was just a toggle switch and a push button. I never saw those keys again! I gave him several minutes to get down the road as to not annoy him too much since he was actually giving me a huge break.

Edited March 31, 2021 by shinyribs

[klx678]

Guy would be opening up for a big law suit if involved in a crash.  No license riding his bike, even if insured, might void insurance coverage.   Not a good plan.   

I was lucky being pulled over riding our off roaders through the outskirts of the local park, beside the football stadium when pulled over by one of the more notorious hardass cops.   I could see the ones (poor college kid) flying out of my wallet.   He pointed out our wrong doing and asked what our plan was.  We said we'd push them from there.  Obviously he knew different and said, "Well wait until I'm gone."  Told us not to do it again, got in the cruiser and left.  We pushed across the road and took off again.  Clearly the officer wasn't near as harsh as we expected.  I never did see him in the same light again.   

 

Forgot one other good one.   I lost my learner's permit for 8 weeks when I took a short cut turn into an alley... drove through a yard.   Cop behind me.   I got permission to do my driver's ed summer school course while under suspension.   My driver's ed teacher never knew about it until one of my class mates put in the court docket print out where my suspension was listed for juvenile court records.  I didn't realize he didn't know about it and never said anything about it.  Boy did I get the evil eye when he asked me about it, knowing full well what was going on.   

 

Edited March 31, 2021 by klx678

[DewMan]

Nothing as exciting as these other guys, but here's my story.

Back in the 80s I was riding two up, with my GF, without an M/C endorsement.

I was pulled over by city cop and thought I was screwed ... but he'd only pulled me over for a rear running light out. Never even notice or didn't care that I wasn't licensed. I wasn't even ticketed for the tail light, just a warning. This gave me the incentive to get my endorsement.

There was no MSF course  available back then. Passed my  written test on the first attempt then the M/C  obstacle driving  test,,,,,, on my second attempt. 

[klx678]

I did forget one classic on my part.   I'm riding home through town on one of the back ways (narrow residential older part of town) from the bike shop across town.   I'm on my KLX650 with a Baja Designs reverse cone megaphone exhaust with a Supertrapp tip on a glass pack end.  Not too loud per my neighbor, beside whom's bedroom window I start it at 6:00 am.   So suddenly I notice flashing lights in my mirror and pull over  to the side of the street.  Officer comes up and asks the question with the unknown answer - "Do you know why I pulled you over?"   Hell, if I did I wouldn't have done whatever it was, right?   So I give the only possible answer it that situation - "No, I don't."   

The officer says, "Your plate is expired."  I am shocked and say, "Really?"  The stupid question... like he's gonna say, "No, April Fools, you can go."  or something.   So I take off my helmet and look...   damn thing is expired .  Not just expired, but expired a year and a half ago, holy crap!  I'm screwed...   

He calls in and finds out I have no prior issues on record and says, "Your record is clean, where do you plan to go?"  My response, "To the BMV to get my license plates renewed."  He let me go, with plates out of registration by a year and a half.   Thank you, thank you, thank you my good man!  May the road rise to meet you.  May the wind be at your back.  May the sun shine warm upon your face officer.

[shinyribs]

That reminds me of a time I was riding my XR 400 through town. Just legal enough to squeak past inspection and the paperwork was legit. I was not on DOT tires, though. A cop fell in behind me and followed along for several blocks. I smugly thought to myself, " try me, sucker! This dirt bike is fully street legal!"

He followed me all the way to the Tractor Supply where I parked and sat there while I pulled off my helmet, goggles and gloves. I asked him if everything was alright. " Your plate is covered in mud. You need to clean that off", and he went to hand me a bottle of water. I felt really shitty for feeling so smug! Thanked him for the offer, but declined since I had water in my backpack to clean it with. Washed it off while we talked.

I thanked him, we told each other to have a nice day, but just before pulling off he asked if my tires were street legal. I didn't want to lie. "Um... I wish I could say yes, but I'm pretty sure they're not". He smiled and told me to address it, then off he went. Whew...