Motor bike tests

[Kryten]

So, I have my motorbike Module 1 test this Sunday - doing Direct Access on a GS500. After a days intensive training on this bike I must admit to feeling reasonably confident, but would certainly appreciate any comments from fellow Goaters who have done the tests in the last few months.......

 

[SORRY CJ]

So, I have my motorbike Module 1 test this Sunday - doing Direct Access on a GS500. After a days intensive training on this bike I must admit to feeling reasonably confident, but would certainly appreciate any comments from fellow Goaters who have done the tests in the last few months.......

Do they still do the swerve test.....? I know that this has caused some problems and the test was going to change.
I was lucky, it was so simple in the late 70's

SCJ

 

[Kryten]

Do they still do the swerve test.....? I know that this has caused some problems and the test was going to change.
I was lucky, it was so simple in the late 70's

SCJ

Yeah they do - and it has changed. Whereas before you had to hit the speed sensors bang on 50KM/H (32MPH) - any lower and it was a fail after two attempts, now you can be 2KMH slower, although if you do you receive 2 minors on your test report. I have also been told that the cones are more widely spaced...

 

[shiny_arse]

Afternoon Kryten,

Did my MOD 1 a couple of weeks ago. Main tips would be

Take your time, listen to the examiner, if in doubt get him to repeat what he wants

During the slaom, figure eights and slow ride - a 500cc should quite easily move slowly using tickover. Keep your head up and fixed forward during the slow ride to eliminate wobble.

U-Turn - during the turn - turn your head to where you want to end up and the bike will do the turn for you. Look at the kerb (line) and you will hit it!

For the emergency stop / swerve - get yourself lined up nice and early coming out of the corner. Glance at speedo to ensure that you are hovering over the 30mph limit (engine noise will help). The stop and swerve are both fairly simple. Just ensure that after you come to a halt after the swerve that you are between the 2 blue cones.

Finally - just the usual - deep breaths, relax and again - listen!

Good luck - you will have no botherDT_Xtremez_30:

When have you got MOD 2? mine is due up next week!

 

[Kryten]

Afternoon Kryten,

Did my MOD 1 a couple of weeks ago. Main tips would be

Take your time, listen to the examiner, if in doubt get him to repeat what he wants

During the slaom, figure eights and slow ride - a 500cc should quite easily move slowly using tickover. Keep your head up and fixed forward during the slow ride to eliminate wobble.

U-Turn - during the turn - turn your head to where you want to end up and the bike will do the turn for you. Look at the kerb (line) and you will hit it!

For the emergency stop / swerve - get yourself lined up nice and early coming out of the corner. Glance at speedo to ensure that you are hovering over the 30mph limit (engine noise will help). The stop and swerve are both fairly simple. Just ensure that after you come to a halt after the swerve that you are between the 2 blue cones.

Finally - just the usual - deep breaths, relax and again - listen!

Good luck - you will have no botherDT_Xtremez_30:

When have you got MOD 2? mine is due up next week![/QUOTE]


MOD 2 is due beginning of August....hopefully.....

 

[SORRY CJ]

God.....It has all changed and for the better one would think. I've seen some right tw@ts about already this year.

I never had to do what you lot do today....That’s why a lot us crashed and burned.

My examiner walked around the opposite way to the route he gave you and jumped out on you for the emergency stop.

Lasted all of 10 mins, well it seemed like it now (mind you it was 32 years ago)

Whats all this MOD 1 and 2 then?
SCJ

 

[Kryten]

Module 1 is the off road practice - you basically man-handle a bike from a marked bay to another marked bay, a slow ride, a U-turn, a slalom and 2 figures of 8, then an emergency stop at 32MPH, followed by a swerve/avoid at the same speed.

Once you've done that then Module 2 is on-road test, featuring a hill start, a pull out behind a parked vehicle, and - a recent addition - 10 mins of "independent driving" where the instructor tells you to head to a place and off you go....

Thats after you have done the CBT and theory test, of course....DT_Xtremez_42:

 

[Sad git]

Did mine about six years ago so the test has changed since. Did the CBT then six lessons on a 500cc.

I took the test and thought I had failed it early on when I dabbed my foot down whilst turning around in the road … Thought Fcuk it … bugger I’ll carry on and just treat the rest of the test as another lesson only to find out at the end that I had past it after all.

A couple of weeks later I did what they tell you not to and bought a 800cc bike. So far no regrets.

Good luck.

 

[Scaley brat]

Module 1 is the off road practice - you basically man-handle a bike from a marked bay to another marked bay, a slow ride, a U-turn, a slalom and 2 figures of 8, then an emergency stop at 32MPH, followed by a swerve/avoid at the same speed.

Ah, gotcha. You mean the old Star rider Bronze DT_Xtremez_31:

My test was similar to Sorry CJ, riding around a "square" of roads while my instructor ran around and checked on my progress at intevals. It did help that it was raining, so I couldn't have my visor down (due to misting) and he was wearing the brightest yellow rubber trousers ever made DT_Xtremez_30:
U turn and timed circuit (they knew how long you should get around in if you followed the speed limits) and it was in the bag. That was.........
31 years ago DT_Xtremez_17: God I feel fekkin old now! DT_Xtremez_21:
I sold my bike after a friend died, but I got back in the saddle ten years ago. I don't currrently have one but the license is ready for me when I have the cash to get my Harley DT_Xtremez_30:

Good luck to you Kryten shiny_arse, every now and again I feel the pull.

......normally around the first Wednesday of the month, near a certain secret helicopter base with "proper" helicopters DT_Xtremez_29:

 

[Kryten]

Ah, gotcha. You mean the old Star rider Bronze DT_Xtremez_31:

My test was similar to Sorry CJ, riding around a "square" of roads while my instructor ran around and checked on my progress at intevals. It did help that it was raining, so I couldn't have my visor down (due to misting) and he was wearing the brightest yellow rubber trousers ever made DT_Xtremez_30:
U turn and timed circuit (they knew how long you should get around in if you followed the speed limits) and it was in the bag. That was.........
31 years ago DT_Xtremez_17: God I feel fekkin old now! DT_Xtremez_21:
I sold my bike after a friend died, but I got back in the saddle ten years ago. I don't currrently have one but the license is ready for me when I have the cash to get my Harley DT_Xtremez_30:

Good luck to you Kryten shiny_arse, every now and again I feel the pull.

......normally around the first Wednesday of the month, near a certain secret helicopter base with "proper" helicopters DT_Xtremez_29:

Wrong...so very wrong.....DT_Xtremez_30:

Thanks SB - cant wait until its all over and I can trade in my 125 for something with a bit more "oomph"...

 

[shiny_arse]

Aye - Cheers SB.

Still kicking myself for not pulling my finger out and doing the test whilst in Cyprus. My neighbour from a few doors down borrowed a bike, rode down to Larnaca in the p1ssing rain. Turns up at the test site and knocks on the door. Examiner stuck his head out, asked him where he's come from then invites him in, stamps some paperwork and voila test passed!!

 

[SORRY CJ]

31 years ago DT_Xtremez_17: God I feel fekkin old now! DT_Xtremez_21:

I sold my bike after a friend died, but I got back in the saddle ten years ago. I don't currrently have one but the license is ready for me when I have the cash to get my Harley DT_Xtremez_30:

Yep I sold my last bike back in 86ish a Mint RD250LC and 20 odd years later I got my Harley

 

[Tik-Tok]

Bike test

Bike test

This is what I did:
Borrowed the Kawasaki DVD on how to ride a bike
Bought a VFR 750 (motivation)
Booked a test
Exactly 1 week (same day/same time) before my test, went to the test centre in my car and followed the biker being tested to see what he was told to do
Hired a bike for the rest of the week and for my test
Took a week's leave a rode the test route every day
Took the test which, luckily, was the same examiner same route.
Passed
Rode my VFR around the MQ patch in first gear, then second etc (I was at Northolt). Frightened myself
It was a Friday and raining so then I rode to York in the rain, in the dark and arrived at 1 am
I then freelanced some articles for Bike and made useful contacts and blagged my way on the Met police's GLF course (Go Like F..k) at their Alperton garage. It was ace coming into London on the A40 alongside a police biker (gorgeous female with long blonde hair)
Never looked back and made great friends when I joined the MAG etc

 

[Kryten]

Well, I had my Module 1 test yesterday....in probably the foulest weather conditions this country has to offer I went out and took the test.

....and PASSED!! I am so made up I can't speak...now onto Module 2 test...just one more to do!

 

[RAF Bird]

Kryten and Shiney...... just wanted to say good luck for your mod 2's. I finally got around to doing mine a couple of weeks ago after passing the rest of it 20 months ago and the mod 2 is a walk in the park compared to the mod 1. I had the best ride to date on the day of my test.... which gave me great confidence for my actual test. Just remember the examiner only wants to know that you are going to be a safe rider. Dont take uneccessary risks, ALWAYS remember your lifesavers and to cancel your indicators (which is an automatic fail if you dont). Best of luck to you both.. hey if I can do it I'm sure you will both be fine.

 

[Kryten]

Thanks RAF Bird - greatly appreciated. Just as a matter of interest, what did you go for bike-wise once you passed your test?

 

[Max Reheat]

I did my mod 1 & 2 on the same day in March, mod 1 definately the hardest. As a previous poster said look at where you are going not what you might think you'll hit, I looked at the kerb on u-turn and paniced right at the end and put my foot down. The examiner was already marking me and had his head down and missed my little faux pas. The slalom and figure 8 were also tricky for me but there is no limit on your tuning circle as long as you stay between the cones and I took full advantage.

Mod 2 was easy enough. The hardest thing is lane discipline if you've been driving for years, especially on roundabouts. Remember you can also use bus lanes in some areas too. Also you can never do enough lifesave checks and make sure you physically check your mirrors with your head rather than just your eyes

 

[Kryten]

Similar comment to Max really for mine - I arrived 1/2 hr early in time to see one guy come out with a fail - then I watched 2 brothers doing theirs, which they both failed (one of them put the bike into neutral when doing the avoid - kept revving the engine but not going very far) - so it put me in a bit of a nervous state of mind.....

I had my first minor fault when backing the bike into the parking bay - the winds were at gale force strength and it kept falling towards me, so when I got it into the bay I kicked a cone.

The slalom, figure-of-8 and the slow speed ride went off without a hitch, as did the emergency stop (all the more fun in driving rain and blasting wind). on the first attempt at the avoid I was too slow by 1 kph - on the 2nd I attained the speed (53kph) but clipped one of the cones with my boot - as it didnt fall over it was deemed OK. So I walked out with a pass!



So, Module 2 beckons in 2 weeks time....

 

[shiny_arse]

Nice one Kryten DT_Xtremez_30:

and cheers RAFBird and Max - I'm a member of one of the bike forums and all manner of horror stories coming out there so good to hear another slant that MOD 1 caused more grief than the MOD 2.

Bikewise - got my eye on the Honda CBR600F. Failing that whatever I can get my hands on!

The crunch is coming - 2 days leave to do a spot of training then test on Friday morning (come on!!)

 

[grollie]

Sounds like i'm lucky as well. Did me test in the Isle of Man in 91, Failed first one but passed second one on first day of accompanied test. Did have trouble with 1st gear jumping out on old CB250N when some people doing test on CBR600s and ZZR 1100 etc but finally passed when come back to England DVLA gave me full licence. Sorted. Then despached in London for 9 months. I'm glad i don't have to jump through the hoops that new riders have to go through. I still do liffesavers now 20 years later. Mind you where in the new rules does it say about sixteeners texting while riding scooters as see this quite commonly around Birmingham?DT_Xtremez_35: