Rollingskies

Well done Keith!

Nice work.

Cheer up Lynn. It just makes actually passing sweeter. Keep at it.

Congrats. Welcome to the inner circule of the club. You join the outer ring when you hop on a bike.

Don't worry. My pretest ride was one of the worst my instructor had seen prior to a test. I ammassed about 4 serious and numerous minors. My instructor really didn't think I would pass. I gave it 101%, did it all outloud in my helmet. If I indicated I checked it was on and then I would check it was off as soon as I was upright - twice! Just incase I checked during a flash part of the light bulb! It all worked fine.

Definately mod 1 is the hardest bit. I enjoyed my test, I was sure I would pass and I did. The mod 1 though with all its cones and no feet down business doesn't give minors, it gives fails. Why should putting your foot down be a fail? I just think it's crazy. I got a minor for screaming the engine on mod 1 by accident after the swerve, got into a right old pickle with everything and just scraped through it. lol. It's the sort of test you can pass and then if you did it again you could clip a cone and fail.

Sums up I think for most people who selected, yes. Interesting poll results.

I admit I ride when it's dry. I don't mind the cold. Just not when it's raining. That means proper rain, not the odd piece of cloud spittle. So do you take the car or other similar caged transport if its bombing down out there? Getting caught out doesn't count.

Yeah thats fine. When you have done your CBT you can go right out and buy a 125. Most people here will recommend you do your test though for your own safety and there is a quite a difference on insurance premiums too. Seeing as you are 21 you are old enough to go on to do your test on a big bike and then you can ride anything you like. For now though, see if biking is your thing. I did mine in the pouring rain and wind in November. I knew if that didn't put me off nothing would. I was right.

No you don't need any lessons. Most schools offer it for £100-150 for a 1-2 day course depending on your skill and ability. I had never ridden before and did mine all on one day. My sister did hers over two. Enjoy the day.

So will ACF 50 get rid of rust and put the shine back into chrome? Is it really necessary to use a car/bike shampoo?

Ok, tomorrow I want to make a special expendition to the shops to get some bike cleaning magic. Since owning my bike, a year next week, I have only given it a good scrub with fairy liquid and warm water before a cold rinse with the hosepipe. I then rub it try with rag and oil the chain. Now though, I've got rust spots on my exhaust that are getting bigger and my chrome (think it's chrome) on the forks and the radiator shield things are looking awful. I haven't a clue what to get or what to buy. What do you use to make your bike all nice and glistening?

500 is a very good price for a weeks package. Most places are nearer 600. You will ride safer if you have lessons, I think most people would say that was obvious. How much would you put on avoiding an accident then? I did DAS, brilliant.

I know, but I couldn't book that test because I hadn't done the theory and I was just returning to uni. The semester goes so quick and the workload rapidly builds and I just couldn't free up the time. It was unfortunate, but I think I'll pick it up quickly again. My test is booked for beginning of July, so I have the whole of June.

Almost got my car license then I basically realised this guy's situation below and didn't sit the test. So bike license first, but I was driving long before. Spent hundreds on car lessons and then realised I could NEVER afford the insurance. Like you say around £1,500 (for an old banger). Like you uni seems to be full of spoilt brats and some get given everything. Now I have just got a job and been offered a company car (it's a V70) and now it's time to get the car license. I'm a biker at heart though and hope to upgrade to a thundercat next year when my insurance premiums will fall.

Whoooo! You'll never forget those box junctions now!

Oh well done! It's such a brilliant feeling when you ride back from the centre certificate in hand. That grin takes a while to fall.

I dropped it (first time on a bike ever) while just sitting on it. The instructor, who had been doing it for like 15 or 20 years, said he had not seen that before! I've never dropped one since.

Yep, talk to yourself. Tell yourself you are going to enjoy the ride. If you get nervous recite out loud what you do and tell yourself how fun this is. So like, now I must check my mirrors, then indicate, check to see the indicator is actually on, good, now I need to look over my shoulder, slowing down easy easy, drop the gears, oh there is a car, down to first, clutch in, checking, off we go around the corner, turn off that indicator, check it is off, now I'm half way cool this is good.... you get the theme. I did it.

This thread is to help new potentials not to worry when things go pear shaped in training. It should help them to avoid them too. I'll start. Turning right on an uphill junction and I forget to change from 4th to 1st. A lorry slows down and flashes me to let me turn and I jerk and stall half way across the road. Frantically trying to hit first the incline prevents me from changing gear (I wasn't experienced enough then to play with the clutch and gears to slip down). I couldn't move, the inclide prevented me from pushing it with my feet. By now I was straddling both lanes and a queue of traffic built up both sides. My instructor overtook turned right, jumped off and then pushed me, yes pushed me off the junction. I go red everytime I recount it. Helmets, what a lifesaver to pride!!

Ride normally, DON'T forget that indicator, look out for STOP signs and be prepared to stop at every traffic light. You'll struggle to fail. Mod 1 is so much harder. I passed both first time, but I could have taken mod 1 again immediately after passing and failed it.

Well done, mod 2 is a breeze. Just take it steady.

Be careful I kept the the speed limit on my test, and was penalised two minors for not taking into account the rain on a motorway! Honestly, I had the choice of hanging around lorries at 60 or doing 70 in the middle lane and clearing the traffic. I couldn't have argued, but because he passed me I didn't (not that he would have changed his mind on the matter).

I personally think proper professional training is the best. I won't forget some really hair raising moments and my instructor leathering me afterwards! I tried really hard to concentrate and learn as much about safety as I could. Riding the machine comes with time (the thousands of miles), but a proper understand of road psychology, driver behaviour etc etc requires experience and an instructor will pick up on little things; but those little things can suddenly become BIG things when something goes wrong. I know my £600 DAS could be an investment on my life.

I personally suspect the reason for accidents is that people are turning up for module 1 with either a) no training b) not enough. People get their CBT and then after a few months on the road put themselves in for the tests. My riding school has a 75% module 1 first time pass and a 90% first time module 2 pass. The clatters and fall offs happen not on the test, but when people first get on a bike. I really think most of those offs will be people just trying to do it cheap, not all, but most. I practiced the swerve lots of times before my test. First we hired out the DSA court for a few hours a week before and then the day of the test we went on country lanes and practiced all over the road!! Over and over. I would like to see a longer stopping distance or a bigger area to stop in, but apart from that I think it's good. I actually used that swerve skill today on a 4" pothole I spotted at the last minute. It's the first time I've had to do a proper swerve since my test.