coldphoenix1 Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 So just wanted to rant... I failed my mod 1 for the 3rd time today The first two times I put my foot down going through the cones and also didn't get up to speed on the avoidance (last time failed that by 1kph!), this time the avoidance was okay (52kph!!) but I put my foot down on the cones again... Not booked round 4 yet but if I fail that as well I'm going to go crazy, all this is costing me a fortune! Plus the fact that I can ride the bike blindfolded in my lessons is driving me nuts! Anybody got any tips on not failing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rennie Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 hello and welcome please say hello in the newbies sectionand put your location in your profile Practice and confidence is all I can say really. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alice-In-Sunderland Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 Have you tried remaking the course or the bits of the course you struggle with on some unused land? If you can do it there then you know it's just the nerves that are putting you off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 Look ahead, not at the cones. Get some revs on but slip the clutch to keep your speed stable.Stay in 2nd gear for E/stop and avoidance.99% front brake on E/stop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GazW Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 What bike are you attempting your test on? If it's a 125, try and carry more corner speed into the swerve and emergency stop, it's notoriously hard to get up to speed if you are going too slow by the time you get out of the bend.As for the slow speed stuff, control it on your back brake, you'll get the engine speed higher, be less likely to stall, but be able to maintain much better control of your speed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lumor_uk Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 I set up some cones at work and just practised till I was taking the cones with my knee down Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 Sounds pretty clear to me that its not a skill issue here, more a confidence thing. Keep precticing, don't think about the examiner being there and try to relax as much as you can before hand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
humbucker Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 It is sometimes possible to use the test centre mod 1 compound after they have finished with it for the day. You would then be familiar with the real thing. No harm in asking if you can use it/hire it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klingelton Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 deep breath before every manoeuvre. don't set off until you're ready. Don't rush. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pittsy Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 deep breath before every manoeuvre. don't set off until you're ready. Don't rush. I second this.I failed my Mod 1 (quite spectacularly) due to nerves mainly, being too tense and feeling rushed. The second time round my examiner made me put it in neutral after each maneuver and I took my arms off the bars, sat back and took a couple of deep breaths before doing the next part.Made hell of a difference and I flew round with 0 minors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klingelton Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 deep breath before every manoeuvre. don't set off until you're ready. Don't rush. I second this.I failed my Mod 1 (quite spectacularly) due to nerves mainly, being too tense and feeling rushed. The second time round my examiner made me put it in neutral after each maneuver and I took my arms off the bars, sat back and took a couple of deep breaths before doing the next part.Made hell of a difference and I flew round with 0 minors. It's what got me through it as well. Also - talk to the examiner. If you're unsure of anything, it will put doubt in your mind. if you have a question, ask it. That is unless the question is "which lever is the clutch?"! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cockercas Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 Nerves, you need a way of controling them, and now your really worried about failing number 4, forget about the test, take a break and re attempt. Ive my mod 1 next week, lucky for me i dont get nervous about anything. Ive had years of practice learning to control stuff like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OhJay Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 deep breath before every manoeuvre. don't set off until you're ready. Don't rush.+1You've got more time than you realise to do your mod1. Don't let the examiner rush you 'coz he wants to get off for another fag and a cuppa Take your time. Sit and visualise every manoeuvre before you start it. Look at your route, see yourself doing it. Breathe. Shoulder check, in gear, shoulder check, shoulder check (just in case ), go Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NooBish-AbbZ Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 think about each maneuver before you go for it. Stay nice and calm. For the speed exercises, just nail it, I had 56 for emergency stop, 53 for the swerve and i backed off a bit early (i thought too early to be honest) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zipster Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 If you put your foot down you must have been going too slowly. To quote my instructor when I was getting ready for Mod 1 "Rev it like a learner" by which he meant make some noise and slip the clutch on your manoeuvres. This should help keep your speed up and your feet on the pegs. Remember it's once up a slalom and three figure 8s so come off the last cone in the slalom as if it's the bottom cone of your first completed figure 8 and get yourself into a good position for the rest of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zipster Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 Oh and walk through the course with an instructor a couple of times and definitely on the day of the test just to get your positioning clear in your head. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coldphoenix1 Posted January 29, 2014 Author Share Posted January 29, 2014 Thanks for the advice guys I don't know what it is that's stopping me, when I'm in my lessons I blitz through the whole thing like I've been doing it for years, but I keep failing my test!On my second test I tried to take a moment to breath and relax but I kept thinking about the examiner waiting for me... Then on number three I wasn't nervous at all and genuinely thought I'd sail through it, but then the foot went down... I don't know what it is O.o After the 3rd go I thought maybe I'm getting thrown off by the fact that my starting position in the test isn't 100% identical to my lessons (the cones are further to the right in the test), but... I don't know how that makes a difference because I always end up putting my foot down when I'm more than halfway through the cones. My instructor said maybe I'm failing because I'm over-analyzing it... Could be. Do you think it would help if I didn't actually concentrate? Like if I thought about work or something instead... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zipster Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 Could be you need to practice starting on the other side if the cones - mix it up a bit. That way the difference at the test won't be so bad. "Rev it like a learner"!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dav3y Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 Head up, nice big wide turns, not too slow.Is the foot going down in the same place each time or randomly different places ?Try not to over think about what you're doing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CGD217 Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 You will get there, i failed 3 times before i passed, yet in my lessons i was blitzing it. Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coldphoenix1 Posted January 31, 2014 Author Share Posted January 31, 2014 You will get there, i failed 3 times before i passed, yet in my lessons i was blitzing it. Good luck Ah that is so reassuring! I'm glad somebody else has done this too! What were you failing on?Anyway guys yeah I think I am overthinking it ... the foot is going down in around the same place I think, so maybe I'm losing concentration because I know I'm near the end ...I like your idea though Zipster, on my next lesson I'm gonna move the cones about and maybe change my starting position ... if I fail number 4 I'm going to scream! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dispersion Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 I get awful nerves on tests like this.I too took a fair few attempts at mod1. What my instructor did was book test 3 and test 4 for a few days later. That way I was not under pressure to pass. He also took me out for a ride before hand and went for food and then told me my test was earlier than he said and we had to race back, there was no waiting in that god forsaken room.Probably all psychological but worked very very well.I passed mod 2 first time just because you can relax a bit more and got time for nerves to calm down! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newbikergm Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 For me lessons went great but the day before the mod1 we went to the test centre for a practice session and I was total cr*p. I did everything you can imagine, including dropping the bike. My nerves were shot.Had a talk to the instructor and decided I hadn't a hope in hell of passing but I'd still go for the test just for the experience. - so the pressure was off so I relaxed. Went for the test and it was really easy - passed with no issues.Just got to relax mate. One tip from this forum which really helped me was - don't look at the cones, look at the gap between them, 'cos the bike will go where you are looking.Good Luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamboRambo Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 I got a minor on mod 1 for being 1kph below.... Smashed the rest of it though, missed a junction on the self navigate part of mod 2 and there was a car on its roof 5 minutes into the test! It was like that when I arrived I assure you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeltaLima Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 I'd say also remember that you're steering with your body, not just your arms. If you are going a bit on the slow side (understandable due to nerves) then any oversteering with your arms (ie erratic handlebar movement) is really going to unsettle the motorcycle and give you more chance of a wobble. I but a foot down on the u-turn and failed my first attempt due to this. Lean your way through the cones for the slalom and figure-of-eight, get into a rhythm. Remember on the figure-of-eight to take it nice and wide, you've got a lot of lateral space to work with and not much between the cones (lengthways) so use the width to your advantage. Finally, and this is easy for me to say, I know... but just relax. You CAN pass it. You need to go into it with the attitude of 'if I don't pass this time, I'll just pass it next time'... you have the skills to do it, it's just a stupid test to see if you can jump through their hoops on the day. Relax, and good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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