Mod 2 - 3rd attempt Failed - should I call it a day ?

[caretaker]

Take it again and watch your distances, as for being failed for not overtaking when you didn't feel it was safe, that's just down to that particular examiners opinion unfortunetly

 

Its a good job I'm not a cynical bitter old get- (if I was itd be easy to say that as they are funded by their own exam fees they are probably be working to a pass quota)

[Mightycaz]

I failed my mod1 twice but passed the mod2 first time, all my instructor said I was a capable rider and must put it down to thinking about the technical stuff on the mod1!

£1500 is alot to spend on getting your licence and you already have a big bike so a 125 might be a drastic step, why don't you see if you can get a shitty one for cheap it might be worth it. How much do you pay per test with bike hire and a lesson? I think I paid about £220 so if you can get one that Is road worthy for around the 300 mark it might be the best bet?!?

or just nail the mod2 next time and get on the big one!!

[Guest]

Keep going on the big bike, youll get there eventually, and definitly don't give up because of the money youve spent so far.

[caretaker]

£1500 is alot to spend on getting your licence and you already have a big bike so a 125 might be a drastic step, why don't you see if you can get a shitty one for cheap it might be worth it. How much do you pay per test with bike hire and a lesson? I think I paid about £220 so if you can get one that Is road worthy for around the 300 mark it might be the best bet?!?

or just nail the mod2 next time and get on the big one!!

 

yes, I've paid about that but also had half days extra practice time the day before as well so boosts it to to £300/£350 a retake.Its the doubt and openendendness...I tend to think that having done my best several times already and failed its going to take a bit of time on a bike now to make any noticable improvement...not sure that time on a 125 would help either...but it would be free practice once the cheap bike was bought.

Or as you say, its just a case of nailing it next time, or the next , or the next!

[caretaker]

Keep going on the big bike, youll get there eventually, and definitly don't give up because of the money youve spent so far.

 

Thanks you for your support and everyone who has been kind enough to offer advice.

I will let you know how I get on

[caretaker]

not sure but think they take you for test in nottingham at netherfield now but they are very good

 

I have been in contact with the owner/trainer 'John' that you mentioned this evening and he as offered me a free 1hr ride and assement, a sort of mock test to see what he thinks and tell me straight.

Its in a different area around Mansfield way that I dont know so that will be good too as it should keep me on my toes and allow him to independently assess how I do etc.

[caretaker]

?

Get out a bit more, see if you can do a 1 day DAS or something (yeah I know, money money money). I'd also highly recommend BikeSafe which is a day with the police for £45 - absolute bargain.

Just keep it up mate, you're so close.

 

I had a look into Bikesafe but its only for bikers with a full licence..but sounds a good day for anyone for the future

[TeamMCS]

?

Get out a bit more, see if you can do a 1 day DAS or something (yeah I know, money money money). I'd also highly recommend BikeSafe which is a day with the police for £45 - absolute bargain.

Just keep it up mate, you're so close.

 

I had a look into Bikesafe but its only for bikers with a full licence..but sounds a good day for anyone for the future

 

Not sure where you picked that up mate but I just did it last saturday. L plates and all...

[caretaker]

?

Get out a bit more, see if you can do a 1 day DAS or something (yeah I know, money money money). I'd also highly recommend BikeSafe which is a day with the police for £45 - absolute bargain.

Just keep it up mate, you're so close.

 

I had a look into Bikesafe but its only for bikers with a full licence..but sounds a good day for anyone for the future

 

Not sure where you picked that up mate but I just did it last saturday. L plates and all...

 

It must be different for diferent forces then..I read up on the Faqs on Lincolnshire police web site http://www.lincs.police.uk/News-Centre/Campaigns/Bikesafe/Bikesafe-FAQs.html Maybe I need to find out more from other areas -cheers anyway

[polecat]

?

Get out a bit more, see if you can do a 1 day DAS or something (yeah I know, money money money). I'd also highly recommend BikeSafe which is a day with the police for £45 - absolute bargain.

 

Most forces require a Full licence and Mine is free as the fee is paid by cornwall council but they will not allow learners which is a shame really

[spunky1976]

not sure but think they take you for test in nottingham at netherfield now but they are very good

 

I've had a look at the web site and sent an email to John Wilson asking them if they are up to the challenge of taking on the 'pupil from hell' - anyway I will see what they say and recommend.

Did you do a DAS course with them and take your tests in Netherfield? ..if so did you pass them okay?

 

did mine just before the new test came in luckily the test centre was in sutton then so it was roads i knew well. John is brilliant as are the rest of the guys that work for him and they're not shy to tell you you've cocked up, rememnber john ripping into me cos when we'd stopped i'd changed up to sixth instead of down to first when stopping (my 125 had all six straight down ).

I'm sure he'll sort you out i know you've spent a lot of money already and more than you intended to but it is worth it in the end trust me, a change could be just what you need

I have been in contact with the owner/trainer 'John' that you mentioned this evening and he as offered me a free 1hr ride and assement, a sort of mock test to see what he thinks and tell me straight.

Its in a different area around Mansfield way that I dont know so that will be good too as it should keep me on my toes and allow him to independently assess how I do etc.

when you going to do that?

[caretaker]

not sure but think they take you for test in nottingham at netherfield now but they are very good

I've had a look at the web site and sent an email asking them if they are up to the challenge of taking on the 'pupil from hell' - anyway I will see what they say and recommend.

Did you do a DAS course with them and take your tests in Netherfield? ..if so did you pass them okay?

 

did mine just before the new test came in luckily the test centre was in sutton then so it was roads i knew well. John is brilliant as are the rest of the guys that work for him and they're not shy to tell you you've cocked up, rememnber john ripping into me cos when we'd stopped i'd changed up to sixth instead of down to first when stopping (my 125 had all six straight down ).

I'm sure he'll sort you out i know you've spent a lot of money already and more than you intended to but it is worth it in the end trust me, a change could be just what you need

 

I have been in contact with the owner/trainer 'John' that you mentioned this evening and he as offered me a free 1hr ride and assement, a sort of mock test to see what he thinks and tell me straight.

Its in a different area around Mansfield way that I dont know so that will be good too as it should keep me on my toes and allow him to independently assess how I do etc.

 

when you going to do that?

Doing it on Wednesday about 4.30...... Yes we used to have a test centre in Newark that used familiar roads

[alol74]

Here is my 2 pence worth...

Ask for a few hours of mock tests with your instructor... This is what I did and what made me pass Mod 2 !!!

[caretaker]

Here is my 2 pence worth...

Ask for a few hours of mock tests with your instructor... This is what I did and what made me pass Mod 2 !!!

 

Yes, it sounds a good idea - I will do that- Thanks

[alol74]

?

Get out a bit more, see if you can do a 1 day DAS or something (yeah I know, money money money). I'd also highly recommend BikeSafe which is a day with the police for £45 - absolute bargain.

Just keep it up mate, you're so close.

 

I had a look into Bikesafe but its only for bikers with a full licence..but sounds a good day for anyone for the future

 

Not sure where you picked that up mate but I just did it last saturday. L plates and all...

 

I was told to b*gger off last time when I showed up on my trusty 125 I actually parked besides to someone's Hayabusa

Anyway, the biker cop who I arranged the course with popped around and said:

- Are you actually a learner ?

- Well, yes, I have not got full bike license yet - and I did tell you that before...

- Sorry, but you have to get it first in order to get on BikeSafe...

- Oh well...

Here in Fife they clearly have different rules to the ones over there...

[spunky1976]

when you going to do that?

Doing it on Wednesday about 4.30...... Yes we used to have a test centre in Newark that used familiar roads

did my driving test there used to live in newark myself.

[BigShot]

A bit of input from someone who's not (anything like) as far down the road as you yet.

To me it doesn't sound like your problems have anything to do with the bike, so I can't help thinking that taking the test on a little'un and getting a restricted licence would be a bit pointless. From what you've said, if you were going to fail again on a big bike you'd fail on a 125 too. So in my view - stick with the DAS.

However, since it sounds like general riding that's the issue, if you can't be straightened out quickly after this assessment you've got coming up, I'd probably suggest getting a 125 so you can head off and get some proper miles under your belt, get more used to riding than you could just taking lessons and then head back for another stint with an instructor and a big bike test. From what I can gather, learner legal 125s hold their value pretty well so the extra cost should be pretty minimal too, so probably no need to even think about selling your bike. (Must be torture seeing it sat there like that! Good on you for having the willpower to stay off it though.)

I'd echo what other have said and say it seems kinda pointless to drop down to doing the test on a 125 now. You just need that last push.

[caretaker]

A bit of input from someone who's not (anything like) as far down the road as you yet.

To me it doesn't sound like your problems have anything to do with the bike, so I can't help thinking that taking the test on a little'un and getting a restricted licence would be a bit pointless. From what you've said, if you were going to fail again on a big bike you'd fail on a 125 too. So in my view - stick with the DAS.

However, since it sounds like general riding that's the issue, if you can't be straightened out quickly after this assessment you've got coming up, I'd probably suggest getting a 125 so you can head off and get some proper miles under your belt, get more used to riding than you could just taking lessons and then head back for another stint with an instructor and a big bike test. From what I can gather, learner legal 125s hold their value pretty well so the extra cost should be pretty minimal too, so probably no need to even think about selling your bike. (Must be torture seeing it sat there like that! Good on you for having the willpower to stay off it though.)

I'd echo what other have said and say it seems kinda pointless to drop down to doing the test on a 125 now. You just need that last push.

 

Hiya .......... The general opinion seems to be that I should stick at the DAS and give it another go. You also seem perceptive and correct that it isnt really anything to do with the bike - more a general riding issue - I have just returned from the assessment (carried out in this evenings downpour) and that seemed to confirm it too! Thank you for taking the time to let me know your thoughts

[BigShot]

That's quite alright.

I'm glad the assessment confirmed it... well actually it'd be better if it didn't and he said "nah it's fine, just need a bit of prep to make sure you ride OK in the test" but if not that, this is the next best thing.

Did he say if he thought simply getting miles under the belt was the answer or are you booking some lessons?

[spunky1976]

what did he actually day was the problem then? as bigshot said could be just need to get the miles under your belt

[caretaker]

what did he actually day was the problem then? as bigshot said could be just need to get the miles under your belt

 

Well yes I met John as we had arranged and as we chatted he asked what I thought the problem might be and I said didnt really know as " I thought I was now riding generally okay and but when I relax and just ride naturally maybe I must be doing something wrong or just be slipping into 'car driver' auto mode or something that the examiner doesnt like". Once he had checked my documents, fitted me with a radio off we went for a ride around Mansfield. John had decided that he would just give me the directions to go and no instruction so he could observe how I did.

It was a great ride I thoughly enjoyed it, riding around somewhere different to all the test routes of Lincoln..plenty of tight turns, hills, roundabouts, traffic, the works a whole new area - all new to me. After about 25 mins the the heavens opened up and the rain came down in torrents just to add to the mix. About another 20 mins later we arrived back at his training centre and as we were going indoors John asked " Now if you was doing that ride again what would you do differently?" I mentioned an indicator I remembered turning off a little late, my positioning on a particular rounabout that could have been a little better etc ......... He said "What about when you was going down the dual carriageway behind some cars at about 55/60 and it was raining hard ........I timed you at 1 second behind the car in front!" -I said, "I was sort of equidistant as per the line of cars that were in front and behind" .....

"yes," he said, "But you are not in a car, they are and you need to give them more room" (I wasnt tailgating by any means but I had slipped into car driver mode and just slotted myself into the flow of traffic as though I was in a car and without allowing for me now being on a bike) He also mentioned that I had failed to take an oportunity on an approach to some lights to occupy the front place in an empty centre lane and make progress by getting away early. I had just stopped in the line of traffic and gone with the flow of cars, he said "Thats another mistake common to car drivers, they usually dont bother with that too much, and they tend not to think and look far enough ahead". Thats again why I missed the chance to take the empty lane and make progress.

The final assessment went something like this .. " Right, you dont need lessons and I dont need to give you any lessons, your observations are good, maybe a few to many at times" ( referring to the numerous shoulder checks I did whilst we went over numerous speed bumps) Your control is okay and you are safe or I would have returned before the downpour - (especially so, I think as he had allowed me to go on his new GS500) He said, "You can ride and control the bike okay thats not a problem but before we started I asked you what you think the problem is and you said maybe your naturally slipping into car driver mode once you relax- Well thats exactly it! you do know the problem but you are not changing it and dealing with it when you get on a bike. You just need to remember that you are on a bike, allow a little more distance than you would if you were in a car and work on your forward planning and looking further ahead."

Anyway the result is from my point of view that I came away having enjoyed a thoroughly good ride in a different area........I had my suspicions fully confirmed and I now had something to consider and make sure I worked on getting " rid of my nasty car driver" habits as I take the next step towards taking my test again.

Again, Thank you all for your input...........It is all appreciated.

It seems 'Ash' seemed to have my probs simply sussed, and 'Bigshot' was also logically astute.

In particular Thank you to Spunky for putting me in touch with John Wilson at Bike Skool of Mansfield, who I have no hesitation in reccomending...(anyone who take the care and time to give a free assessment to a newbie and not tout for unneccesary lessons is to be commended)

Incidently, I am now of a mind to book a few hours ride out/lesson with John again anyway........ just for the fun of it.....

Edited August 9, 2010 by caretaker

[BigShot]

Sounds like a great session and a glowing recommendation for instructor and school too. Suggesting "no more lessons" after a free assessment is a pretty sure sign of a decent mob in my book.

So... have you picked out a 125 to get in some miles or do you think you'll be OK to just go and do the test again with your new perspective? What's the plan?

[caretaker]

Sounds like a great session and a glowing recommendation for instructor and school too. Suggesting "no more lessons" after a free assessment is a pretty sure sign of a decent mob in my book.

So... have you picked out a 125 to get in some miles or do you think you'll be OK to just go and do the test again with your new perspective? What's the plan?

 

I did have a look at a 125 but to be honest although it was fun to be on it didnt really feel good having got used to a 500cc. so I'm going to stick with trying to get the full licence rather than the restricted.

I will do a couple of ride outs/lessons just to practice the new perspective ( I will be riding around reminding and saying to myself I am not in a protective car I am on a motorbike and need to allow more distance)I will do the test again as soon as one becomes available and I've had a payday again to pay for it.

[BigShot]

Oh yea, I don't mean are you getting the restricted but whether you were going to get a 125 to practice on (so you can ride without supervision) but still do the test on a big'un. Clearly not though, as your answer made clear.

I take it you're going to keep up posted on how the test goes?

[polecat]

Oh yea, I don't mean are you getting the restricted but whether you were going to get a 125 to practice on (so you can ride without supervision) but still do the test on a big'un. Clearly not though, as your answer made clear.

I take it you're going to keep up posted on how the test goes?

yeah I would be tempted in this situation to ditch the car for a while and get about more on a 125 cos there is nothing that makes you more aware your on a bike than when your on a 125