Module 1 - Diary

[Guest]

Pre-Test Day

Well just returned from my full day pre-mod1 test and thought I'd post up some of my pre-Mod1 test day insights....

Firstly, to protect the innocent and not to provoke the wrath of my instructor I will omit names!.

Well met instructor at 10 minutes to 9, thinking getting there early will show I'm keen and that any mistakes I make will be smiled away! Unfortunately the other Mod1 DAS learner must have had the same idea and was standing chatting happily to the instructor on my arrival!

During the initial documentation checks and after some highly amusing and observant humour by myself to the instructor I introduce myself to my fellow leaner. During our nervy conversation he mentioned that he had never ridden a motorbike until he undertook his CBT a month back and has not been on a bike since. With a solemn face I mention I did my CBT 3 months back and

have bought a 125 since, tottering up over 1800 miles. Inside, the devil in me is singing and dancing, shouting 'relax you're Yoda, wise and calm, Young Master Luke here will stall, wobble, you are the Gifted One....'. Unfortunately ... the devil in me more often than not get's it totally wrong and like the Flaming Sambuca incident of 2007, I have the scars to prove it. In all fairness and being totally serious, considering I had the experience and my fellow learner didn't it definitely didn't show and to my shame, he in my opinion was the more confident and accomplished rider.

Well pleasantries all exchanged and onto the bikes, we head off. We ride onto the main road and out of the first junction, I slip it into second around 10 mph which I now know is not advised. Several lunges later the voice in my head says "on this bike, leave it in first until 20-25mph". Now not being too religious and thinking The Lord must surely have more pressing tasks than monitoring my pre-Mod1 test day, although I am impressed with his interest in my wellbeing, the realisation that The Lord's voice sounds very uncannily like our instructors hits home, when the voice booms "JUNCTION, JUNCTION, stop stop".

One successfully stopping at the junction and then engaging first, I pull off and progress through the busy side roads making our way to the mod1 test circuit the training school has. I think it may be prudent here to sort of clarify that last statement. Yes, you could do the Mod1 test on the waste ground, however I hope that the test centre tomorrow doesn't also have the 29 potholes, raised tarmac and diesel ours did. In addition, I hope the staring and in my opinion slightly menacing sheep will also not be on hand to comment on my riding abilities.

Having a good run to the test circuit, through country lanes and some fast stretches, I finally relax and enjoy what brought me to motor biking in the first place. Through many bends and fast straights, dodging potholes and enjoying the freedom we

arrive at the test circuit. On arrival there were several things I noticed, the state of the ground being the first but also the smell. Seeing there were another training school there and 2 other learners, I was relived to find out the smell was that of the often reminisced Country Air and not of the result of some worrying swerve manoeuvre!

Well thanks to the other training school, all the cones and markers were laid out and we got straight into the slow manoeuvres. Having practised for a good few hours on the 125 on the slow manoeuvres through cones (well rough painted line estimates on the industrial estate near my house) and doing figures of 8; I was feeling reasonably confident. 'Become One with the Bike, oh wise Yoda' .. with the devil raising his grinning little face and resuming his little dance, I proceed through the first yellow cone, success, a slight move to the right and 2 cones done, excellent, a flick to the left and that’s the third. I manage relatively easily to do the cones and now onto the figure of 8. 'I am The One and Only' the devil starts singing 80's music as I approach the first blue cone, I move left and then misjudge it and have to quickly turn right, I start getting flustered and when the closing bars of "Nobody I'd rather be" finish, I've dropped the revs, the bikes turned acutely in on me and I put my foot down. Sh*t, Damn, F**k. I can't do the figure of 8, God know's what I'm going to be like on the other exercises. My instructor comes over and calmly tells me to go wider, saying I have as much room as I want. …

I'm pretty certain, that he wasn't expecting my next attempt to occupy the same space that the Apollo shuttle takes orbiting Mercury, but I go alot wider and actually successfully complete figure of 8 second attempt.

My fellow learner, or Valentino as I affectionally call him, went up next. In and out of the cones he went and finished like a nimble Russian ice skater with a perfect figure of 8. Ignoring the devils yells of "swerve into him, sound the horn, pass wind" we now do the slow walk manoeuvre. This is the one I hate, on my 125 I swerve back and forth and rarely keep it in the straight line. The instructor starts walking followed closely be Valentino and me on the other side ... hey this is ok ,I stay behind him and yes I am moving. The bike is alot more stable than the 125 and although we do the exercise again and this time with the instructors arthritis playing up, I still manage to do it ok.

Now onto the swerve test and emergency stops. The instructor comes over with his clipboard and pen and shows us the circuit diagram, one which I admit I've studied hundreds of times practising on the 125. The instructor explains the exercises and then disappears to his Top Box and returns like Clint Eastwood with his speed camera twirling in his hand; must admit the wind blowing the dust and gravel up combined with the cow dung added to the Western effect.

On being the more noble, well more scared, I let Valentino try it first. He accelerates up, slips it into second, rides confidently through the cones, looking over his shoulder into the bend, the skies part, angels sing and he speeds up gracefully swerving through the cones and comes to a perfect stop in the cones ... "bast*rd" and I for once agree with the devil! My turn ... a perfect start off, into second I approach the bend too quick and start braking, damn lost speed, I'll gather this on the straight and fully open her up ... once thing to say here, a flick of the wrist on the 125 sees the speedometer wince from 2 to 3 degrees, about 2-3 mph. Unfortunately the same flick of the wrist on the Kawasaki, sees me lunge backward, I grasp the handlebars, I fly through the first cones, push down on the left, twist to the right I slam on the brake and stop near(ish) to the square cones. It is at this point the instructor comes over and compliments me on my foot balling skills and then proceeds to collect the cone I've involuntary kicked 10 meters away.

The instructor on replacing the cone tells me to check my speed on arriving at the first red cone and then don't look at the speedometer again. It must be said that this vital but of advice would have been made alot more useful if the previous training school hadn't run out of red cones and put one red and a blue on the bend exit. Try number 2 ... no kicked cones and 56kph! Instructor's praise matches that of the devils and I grin for the second time today.

Now those words that I have come to dread ... "We'll now do a proper test". The instructor nominates me to go first and tells me to drive into the green cones and park the bike. Unfortunately I go to slowly and very tight into the first bay and stall the bike, immediate fail. F**k, F**k, F**k, t**t, t**t ... I've failed before the test had begun. I look up and to Valentino's and the other learners credit they all look solemn. God why didn't I do this 2 years back 40 minutes ride, one U turn, little banter, no questions, job done! I try again and drive bike into the furthest away bay!

I then get off and reverse it into the other bay, paranoid about watching cones and looking over my shoulder. Its then onto the cones, I do this fine and with very wide turns I complete the figure of 8. Next is the bloody swerve, I look left and right over my shoulders and pull away. Into second and round the bend about 15-20mph. I speed up and instinctively avoid the blue cones. Not sure of the speed, but it was fast, supersonic even. Then the U turn, which thanks to numerous 125 practices I do with no problem. No the slow walk, I notice its all in the start and pull off and apply the back brake.

Instrcutor walks forward and I slowly follow ,wishing he would speed up. Then its the Emergency stop, more lifesavers, quick acknowledgement to the gathering cows and off I go, into second round the bend more speed, instructors arm raises, I apply the brakes and stop successfully. He walks over and tells me my swerve was too slow and to do it again. Damn, how fast does he want me to go, I am flying exiting that bend ...

"Be As One, Feel the Force", I pull away contemplating why the devil in me is fixated with Star Wars all of a sudden, although am relieved its not "Go On Thrust It In, You Know She Wants It" from more recent internet perusals. I speed up, into second, bend, flick of the wrist, turn, brake and stop. I'm then told I would have passed, huge grin, thumbs up to Valentino and can now breathe.

So day done, test first thing in the morning ... am feeling very very worried. Its not difficult and I'd be alot more confident if I'd have successfully done it more than once out of 4 attempts! I'm convinced that if you could retake the Mod1 shortly after - if you failed - then I'd be more at ease, but I am very worried and concerned about tomorrow. One silly mistake and that’s it ... 2 weeks until retry and the delay in finally getting on the bike to freedom.

I will update you all with how tomorrow goes and what tune the devil decides to sing...

thanks all

Stu

[SAINTDP]

Good read mate. Hope everything goes well for you.

[Mightycaz]

It sounds like you should be OK mate, Just don't over thnk things too much. I still get that swirly feeling in my stomach when I think back to doing the MOD1. Once its over and done with you will never have to do it again (unless your a naughty boy!)

Good luck for tomorrow

EDIT: Just realised you posted this yesterday so good luck for today..............

[Guest]

Thanks saintdp and mightycaz for your encouragement …

Module 1 .... test day

Woke up just before finding out how more effect the railings are in an emergency stop compared to front and back brake! Damn, been asleep for only two hours and now I'm wide awake. Whatever I think of, my mind quickly wanders to the test, figures of 8 and swerves, God I hate practical tests!

... having spent a nervy evening thinking of little else apart from Mod1, I go through my usual pre-test routines ... little or no treats until I pass, eat healthily to get a good nights sleep and the no sex rule, OCD is not the word! The evening drags, 7 ... 7:15 ... 8

... the hours just mocking me now. I switch on the tv, no help. Music, the same ... stop thinking one little mistake, putting my foot down when not intending to come to a stop, applying back brake to quickly and skidding; fail, fail, fail... I pick out my lucky pants and go to bed, not tired just want time to go faster.

Its still the early hours and after resigning myself to the old wives tale of a hot milky drink my eyes feel tired, the mind fully alert. I drop off and wake 3 hours later, I decide to get up, 2 hours before our 7.30am meet; this decision in all fairness not only down to mind focusing entirely on Mod1, but also to erase the images of the large grinning cones my mind decided to use to assist in my rest.

As I lost out to Valentino yesterday on the "getting there early, impress instructor", I

leave home and arrive at the training school 40 minutes early only to find Valentino's there before me ... damn! I comfort myself in thinking he must also abide with the no sex rule and hence his early morning keenness; although I'm suspicious of this theory when I see he's very relaxed and a lazy smile on his face.

Instructor turns up and we get on the bikes ... we go for half an hour practice on a nearby car park and I can't even get the slow control around the cones right; and that’s my best event! The bike feels jumpy and sluggish, maybe its coming out in sympathy for me. We do a few u turns which are ok and then try out some swerve manoeuvres. Surprisingly the swerve and emergency stop seems alot easier today; not sure if its due to the fact we're not being tracked by the speed camera or its because I'm feeling fresh. I can't seem to work out why yesterdays bad points have turned around and the good points turned sour ...

8.15am test time. We arrive at the testing site and we're the only learner bikers; at least there'll be less eyes to divert me. I'm introduced to the examiner (a very nice, laid back bloke) and then out onto the bike. Strangely the nerves disappear ... I'm used to this, I work myself up and on the day they subside as I can now do something about it; again beginning to doubt this theory...

The examiner checks my helmet (very thorough this Mod1!) and opens the gate ... I drive slowly in and aim towards the far end coned section .. i drop the revs, the bike starts to wobble, shit, shit what did instructor say; think, think god damn it, dont put foot down, dont, dont... my foot goes down but thankfully only when the bike has got mainly into the coned section .. phew..

I then do the obligatory lifesavers and push the bike into the other bay ... whey first test done, top marks, 10 out of 10. Now the cones ... lifesavers and I pull off, the first 2 are easy, then the revs drop closely followed by the speed. Oh god please not now, relax, open up throttle slightly, turn slightly... done... now the event I thought I'd be ok over (well on the 125 I'm pretty good even if I say so myself!), not sure why on the bigger 500cc I find it extremely difficult to turn left in a tight(ish) circle ... yep I go practically to the fence and back, I quickly turn it and lean to the right and go back through the 8's centre, I was impressed with that turn and so it seems is my examiner when I see him waving congratulations to me ... the clipboard in his hand brings me back to earth when I realise he wants me to ride to him ... figure of 8 done ... God that was hard, not helped by the sight of 4 other bikers all scrutinising me from the gates!

Now the swerve .. after the usual talk and cone pointing, left shoulder look, right shoulder look and I accelerate off; the test centre road surface is fantastic, not like the quarry of yesterday, but smooth, blemish free and very very grippy. So grippy in fact I go through the bend at about 25mph, the wheels for once like glue on the tarmac .. 50kph here we come, no problem, I open up the throttle, dont look at speedo, move to the right back in quickly to the left, brake, brake and stop in cones ... perfect. Hey thats about half way round and by my recollections, no major fails... I can pass this, I will pass this!!!

Now the u turn, done this numerous times on the 125 and can hit full lock and turn with no issues, the 500cc is abit more difficult, but no major issues...Now the next dreaded event ... the slow walk, all through my training and even on the 125, I lunge left to right more furiously than a demented pit bull... the examiner walks a few metres in front and then says the follow behind him, he then proceeds to walk or to be more precise jog to the far end cones ... result! (think he was more worried about being run over!).

Now the final hurdle .. emergency stop. Instructor cheered me up no end this morning, when he said even if I stalled, its not usually a fail, with this in mind and reasonably confident I've successfully completed all past tests, I do the lifesavers and accelerate up for hopefully the final time - never to be repeated again .... I approach the bend, the tyres married tightly to the tarmac . 20, 25.. out the bend, open it up, dont look at speedo, through the speed camera, look for his hand raising .. it does, off the throttle, apply front brake hard, veru hard.. slam on the back brake, oh no, no, no .....

.... the back wheels locks, I feel the back end start to slip, not realising and quite instinctively I release the back brake and just go with the front ... I stop. On looking up, I see the examiner mark some box on his sheet, his face looking solemn. NOOOOOOOO I'm gutted, there is no God, life is sh*t, there is no bigger plan...

"Please ride to the gate" .. I pull away deflated to the gate, where my instructor moves to welcome me, I shake my head and feel strangely I've not only let myself down but him too.

Through the gates and bike on the stand.

"I'm pleased to tell you, you've passed" .. what, I've passed, f*ck, really. Yes, Yes, Yes ,oh God thank you, thank you, thank you .. here's my sisters address, have her, have the house, yes, yes, yes...

What a result, made even better when Valentino passed too. Questions, still remain in my mind .... did the buying of the 125 make much of a difference, when the other learner (with only a CBT under his belt) I feel, did much better than me? Does the Mod1 make a difference to me when I ride on the road? Why is my slow control and tight left turns still not brilliant even after 1800 miles (on 125) and a day on 500cc? I hope to answer these within the next few months!

Finally, to finish off and to give back some/my words of wisdom to other learners about to do Mod1 .... the key to it is to familiarise yourself with each exercise, especially get the feel and find out your speed on any practice swerve and emergency stops. Approach each exercise as a single task; try to ignore all the others following , just concentrate on the exercise in hand. As mentioned before, always do the lifesavers before moving off and prior to your turn for the u turn. As for the swerve and emergency stop ... the test centre tarmac is very grippy (apparently its specially prepared to give it this finish), try to hit 20ish on the bend so you're not really opening the throttle widly on the exit. Its not difficult, but does need to be approached with concentration and a positive attitude.

Good luck and thanks for reading...

[Ian G]

well done fella good luck on your mod2 when you do it and the best advice i can give you for that is relax and enjoy as to why the instructor passed you when you locked the back wheel is because you released it and didnt panic

[lingy3]

Well in on pass

its not a test I'd rely on as to how good or bad you ride in the real world,

its got to be done though

[SAINTDP]

Congrats mate well done!!

[Smiles]

Congratulations - Well Done!!

Feels great to get that outta of the way doesn't it!!!

[rennie]

well done!

and thanks for the write up!

[Danny-B-]

Fantastic read this, you should consider writing books or opening a blog etc, really interesting. Cant wait for your mod 2 write up now

Good news though, im sure youll walk the mod 2 ... i found it loads easier than the mod1