Passed! Thanks for the help and a few tips of my own....

[craynerd]

I did my CBT for the third time a few week last Friday, completed it and then went looking for 125s. After lots of offers were rejected as I didn't quite have the funds for the bike I wanted, with it burning a hole in my pocket I wondered about doing the full bike test. I rang up and of course I could do it, but had to book my theory. Gutted to find out that most theory booking dates were 3 weeks+, I got a bit deflated only to find a cancellation (it must have been) at a local test centre, in 3 days time! Did the test, got 50/50 for Q's but lost 10 marks on the hazard perception. Immediately drove to the bike school with my theory test and they booked me in for the following week for 1 day mod 1 training. Drove well so we booked in the the mod 1 test 4 days later. Passed with two minors. Back to the bike school and booked the mod 2 test 4 days later and passed that yesterday with a big fat zero minor faults! Chuffed to bits. Although I am just gloating here, I just wanted to say how helpful searching this forum has been over the last few weeks!

I did pretty well but I appreciate I'm a just a beginner. I'd just like to share a few things that really helped me.

1. Theory test, if you have a iphone download an app with at least 800 approved Dsa questions. I spent an hour wasting time looking at the Highway Code and then just hammered questions for probably 6+ hours. The app I used had a practice mode, it allows you to practice the question but then gave you immediate feedback. I pretty much exclusively used this function until I learnt the answers. I was gob smacked to see how near to the real thing the questions are.

2. Download a hazard perception app just to get the feel for the style. On my real test I actually still did pretty well only losing 10 marks but 5 of those were on one question where I was disqualified for hitting 'too many times' on the button. In actual fact, I hit once but was on a country lane. Nothing had happened for many many seconds and I thought I could see something in the distance so clicked as I didn't think it would matter (most clicks don't) but clearly it is programmed that if there is no hazard, a click will fail you on that question. Don't click randomly!!

3. Mod 1 - stop and take a few seconds to collect your thoughts before each section. Think about what you need to do and then when you are ready go. Don't just go when he finishes taking. I'm not going to repeat the obvious stuff but one thing well worth repeating is go as wide as you need for the figure of 8. For a while I was making it too hard going too tight until he said come wider.

4. Mod 1 - u turn. You must must do a life saver before you turn. So that's two in total, one before you set off and then one before you turn. So when he finishes talking, think think... Don't forget the last life saver. And the usual advice, look up the line not at the floor. Out of the entire test, I was most worried about the u turn. I still would be nervous but the key really is looking back up the line at the instructor and your bike will follow.

5. Mod 1 - high speed. I know a lot of people don't make speed on this exercise but I went around the bend at 20mph and then as I came out the bend on the straight I literally fully opened the throttle and easily made 55kph pretty much consistently each run (in fact, of the three runs on the real test I hit 54,55,55). If you are over, the extra few kph make little difference to the exercise, even emergency stop and if you are under you risk a minor, repeat or fail. Admittedly my instructor in practice said to try and slow a little but I don't see why as the exercises are fine even at this speed and there is no need to repeat.

6. Mod 1 - high speed avoidance. It isn't a swerve for a start! If you look as you go around the bend, there is pretty much a straight line at an angle from the end of the bend through the speed trap and into the blue cones!! You then just have to gently steer it back on the course as you decelerate to the stoping cones.

7. Mod 2 - tricky to give advice on this as the major thing is just your road awareness and understanding. However, the best piece of advice I was given was - SYSTEMS! Everything had a system. If you are turning, mirror, shoulder, indicate, move to position. To turn - mirror, lifesaver turn. Right country lane bends - mirror, position left, stay left, back to centre. Parked cars - mirror, shoulder, move. Stop sign - look at the solid line, stop. Now look up and move out safely. Everything had a system and literally as I drove I was talking to myself (out loud!!) which system to use.

Anyway. I'm no know-it-all. I passed and I'm chuffed and from all the info I got from these forums, if anyone finds any of the above useful then I'm pleased to know I've helped.

All the best

Chris

[rennie]

Well done!

Good write-up!

[fq-craigus]

Well done now the fun part starts, looking for a bike

[staningrimsby]

Congratulations just remember don't get carried away and drive safe

[Psychybikey]

Well done, chuffed for you.

[fredc]

congratulations, well done

[eastanglianbiker]

well done and welcome to the smiles per mile club

[Glorian]

Top banana =)

About to do my mod 2 next week, A little nervous but i've ridden for best part of a year, Just gotta remember to do the checks everytime and make sure they see me doing it. But hoping will pass without to much issue!!

[runningman]

Top banana =)

About to do my mod 2 next week, A little nervous but i've ridden for best part of a year, Just gotta remember to do the checks everytime and make sure they see me doing it. But hoping will pass without to much issue!!

I would hope that you'd have been doing all your checks as second nature if you have been already riding for a year.

Good luck.

[Six30]

I noticed my self doing them in me car... Like you say second nature

[staningrimsby]

I noticed my self doing them in me car... Like you say second nature

 

I do that as well the missus always picks me up on it

[Glorian]

Top banana =)

About to do my mod 2 next week, A little nervous but i've ridden for best part of a year, Just gotta remember to do the checks everytime and make sure they see me doing it. But hoping will pass without to much issue!!

I would hope that you'd have been doing all your checks as second nature if you have been already riding for a year.

Good luck.

 

Of course. But you pick up bad habbits when riding after you finish training.