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Struggling with mod 1 test 5 later this week :-/


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Hi

I did my CBT in June and have since done 8000 miles on a 125, a course with the firebikes and a bike safe course with police force all of which I have been fine with.

Mod 1 first test, complete mess, missed observations on U turn and kicked hazard cone.

second test,kicked the hazard cone. Realising this was an issue I did some further training on hazard bit.

Third test got all way through with 1 minor (to wide on figure 8) got 47 on hazard avoidance so had to do it again. Did it again and for some weird reason I didn't attempt a swerve and rode right through the cones. Was pleased I hadn't kicked it though :-)

Test four, wobbled and put foot down on U turn. Carried on and nailed the rest, including two perfect flippin U turns :-/

Frustrating isn't the word, not to mention expensive.

Clearly I can actually do each bit but get nervous about the little things that can go wrong such as putting foot down.

On top of that I have a bad cold :-) Any advice welcome.

Shirl

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Talk to yourself in your helmet, and keep telling yourself you can do it which you obviously can.


Do something that normally relaxes you before you get on the bike (if i know im heading to a nervous situation i stick my earphones in for 5 - 10 minutes which helps calm me down and take my mind off what it is.)


And break it down into sections, and only concentrate on the section your on, I never had to do the mod 1 or mod 2 thing so cant talk about my personal experience but when i did my das i really struggled with the u-turn, when it came to my test i just kept saying to myself, you can do this DONT put your foot down head up look where i want to go. Over and over to myself in the helmet and it worked.


Good luck you'll nail it next time :thumb:

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Hey Shirl.


I found (and some others on here i'm sure) the Mod 1 is the harder of the 2 tests. The only way you will get better and pass is to practice. Might be worth getting some cones (or something visible) and go to an empty carpark on a sunday and practice for a few hours.


Manual moving - push bike so center of balance is middle so you're not struggling with the weight, straighten handle bars, push back to edge of the cone, look left and right then carry on, turn straighten and then at the right time turn again before crossing the "path" check left and right and move the bike into the "garage" simple. stand next to the bike do not get on untill instructed.

Slalom - Easy enough with practice, High revs and play with the clutch don't look at the cone you passed, or the one you're going to, look at the next one and the bike should go good as gold.

figure of 8 - bit harder, go around and as soon as you pass the middle -->8 turn your head right the other way, same again once you pass back around, naturally the bike will go where you're looking (obviously you still have to steer somewhat) again, high revs play with the clutch and if you're going to fast use the REAR brake only. keep going untill he says to stop.

Slow riding - Easy one to do, just look far ahead and keep it slow, if you're going to fast rear brake.

U-turn - One most people fail on. I understand why, i took ages to get this down. You need to look RIGHT over your shoulder and turn the bike slowly. Go quite a way down (you have something like 5-10 meters to play with) this gives you plenty of time to straighten up when you come around. You don't have to pull off and immediately turn, take your time just don't forget to keep revs high. and don't pass that line.

speed test - Simple one for checking you can hit the right speed. no way to fail unless you fall off.

emergency stop - I think someone on here failed this the other day. Take it steady get used to how the bike feels at speed and what it sounds like at 31mph so you can FOCUS on the instructor. when he waves his board, off the throttle squeeeeeze the front brake untill you feel it bite (WITH ALL FOUR FINGERS!) then pull it in slowly enough so you don't lose control, at the same time gently apply the rear brake, not to tough you don't want to lose control or skid (fail town that is) do NOT pull the clutch in untill you have practically stopped you will stop slower also i believe it is a minor. put your foot down once you stop if you stalled it no biggy start the bike up first gear shoulder checks and move on back to the instructor unless he has walked to you.

hazard avoidance - My worst enemy i found. It's hard to get the right speed up and move at the same time but after about an hour of practice i nailed it. Get your speed up and come toward the cone at a SLIGHT angle, push down on the right bar and the bike should lean past the cone as soon as you pass it push on the left and the bike will straighten up. stop at the designated point and await further instructions.


I don't think i've missed any, nudge me if i have.


Things to remember:

-Shoulder checks EVERYWHERE, you pull off, both shoulders. You get on the bike, both shoulders. you park the bike, guess what... BOTH SHOULDERS. i might be going over the top but better to check than him fail you for "No observation".

-Be calm, hard to do on the test but breath and chill, count to 5 and you'll relax a little stiff muscles make slow manouvers hard as hell.

-High revs on slow manouvers and play with the clutch you'll be a low smoother and more steady

- Don't use the front brake on slow manouvers you'll be jumpy and potentially fall off / put your foot down

- When listening to the instructor lift your visor up and keep your RIGHT foot on the brake your LEFT on the floor and BOTH HANDS on the bars

- Smile and shake the instructors hand, they're people make them feel like you appreciate their time and effort, they might just ignore that little mistake..


Good luck and practice =) You'll get it eventually.

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You'll get there. It's just nerves! As above really just do one step at a time and try to stay calm. Imagine the instructor doing the funky chicken or something and look where you want to go, don't look at the inspector (except on the emergency stop!).


Good luck it'll be all the sweeter when you do pass

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Take your time Shirl it isn't a race. Treat each exercise as a separate part, before each one take a couple of deep breaths and try to relax. Never look at the cones only where you want the bike to go. How do I know all this? I also took five attempts to get it. :oops:

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Take your time Shirl it isn't a race. Treat each exercise as a separate part, before each one take a couple of deep breaths and try to relax. Never look at the cones only where you want the bike to go. How do I know all this? I also took five attempts to get it. :oops:

 

:stupid:


definitely take your time. ask twice if you want to make sure you have no doubt at all. take a deep breath before starting each manoeuvre. remember those shoulder checks! above all - you can do it!

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As others have said take your time. My MOD1 and 2 did not go smoothly but I passed.


Reason being I convinced myself I was going to fail or had failed on both very shortly into the tests. I then relaxed and did not care.


Except I decided I was going to do the speed required on the hazard avoidance on second attempt I went a little too quick.


VERY VERY hard to do but just relax you know you can do it. Yet it's a test and you will make mistakes.


Oh and keep piling the miles on on the 125 go to a carpark don't worry about the cones just play.


How tight can you do a U turn? A circle a figure of 8? On my YBR and now the 600 I can just do a U turn at full lock with feet off the ground (on a good day).


It can be handy in towns...


I tried weaving as tight as I could, breaking on one brake at a time, doing speedy circuits round the car park I just played with it.


Another that improved my clutch control was a car park with gentle slope and doing hill starts in traffic.


SO MUCH EASIER SAID THAN DONE but Relax and maybe enjoy.

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Another thing is to take a breather as and when you need.


My instructor informed me that you are allowed 29minutes for the Mod 1 so you really can take your time and compose yourself between each maneuver.



I would say good luck but you wont need it. You'll nail it! :)

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Hi All

Thanks for all of your advice. Have been out today practising again :-) fingers crossed for tomorrow. Might need the 29 minutes to keep blowing nose :-/ knowing me bad weather and a cold will get me through lol

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Really sorry to hear about the Mod1 fails, it's a horrible test I think - easy to pass but so easy to fail with one little mistake.


I wasn't no stranger when it came to taking Mod 1's either. Took me 4 goes:


First Attempt: Didn't feel too nervous, in my mind I was very worried about the u-turn as this is what I most struggled with in lessons. I thought I had a 50/50 chance to pass or fail. Went in, was quite windy and was asked if I wanted to continue. I'm here now so might as well. Did all the slow maneuvers fine and did a good u-turn. Found myself relieved. Controlled stop was fine, then comes the E-stop. Not had any issues before with it, went through at 50km and pushed too much on the rear brake. Back wheel locked, skidded about a bit. Instant fail.


The retest was booked for almost 3 weeks later so booked an extra days lesson in at to practice at the test centre again where I worked on Estop over and over as well as all the other things to make sure I could do them right.


Second Attempt: A tiny bit more nervous than the first time but nothing major. Went in, did all the slow maneuvers well including the U-turn again. Kept thinking to myself to hardly even touch the back brake at all on Estop. Came round the bend, accelerated, started slowing down, stopped... Examiner stood where he was for a minute looking at me, the cones, his speed reading machine thing, his clipboard. Walked over to me and said, "I'm sorry but it's a fail" I was so sad and asked why. He said I hadn't stopped soon enough for the speed I was going - which was 49km. Didn't get another attempt or a chance at the swerve. Test 2 over.


Third Attempt: Did the slow maneuvers, was a little slow and wobbly with a high rev on the slalom and figure of 8 this time. Rode around to the examiner when he signaled me over but I didn't realise he wanted me to go around a cone he was standing next to on the other side to the side I was riding at, so made a quick swerve around it missing it by about a cm! Stopped ready for the slow ride, did my observations, went to pull off and stalled! Sat for a few seconds and thought to myself, 'omg Is that a fail!?' Examiner came over and said, "don't worry, that's not a fail"... Pheeeww - Big sigh of relief. Did slow ride and stopped ready for uturn. He explained it to me and then I sat for a min and I was shaking and so nervous. I said to him "I just need a minute, I'm really nervous" And he said to take my time theres no rush. Deep breaths, looked at what I needed to do, Obvs and started the uturn... Too slow, Too nervous, Foot down. Examiner comes over and says "Now that IS a fail". Gutted. He asked if I wanted to continue the test and I said yes. I proceeded to do everything else perfectly. Estop & Swerve were great and did them both at 52km.


Fourth Attempt: Passed - Only a minor for 2kph under on the swerve.


Something that I think helped me on the 4th attempt was in the couple of hours we had riding around before the test, I asked to practice U-turn's so I was more confident doing them again right before my test, fresh in my mind. Perhaps if you have some time before your next test, ask your instructor to specifically practice anything you feel you need to refresh.


What also helped was being calm. I get nervous and worried quite easily. The difference on the fourth attempt was that I had a different instructor take me to the test centre. Now I'm not saying the other instructor who took me the other times wasn't good, but the one who took me the 4th time actually sat in the little office room with me where we waited for the examiner to come through the door - rather than staying in the waiting room area - and he talked to me. Just general conversation really, and it was great, really settled me down.


The last thing I would say that helped me was to keep saying to myself and everyone else who asked about trying again, was "As long as I've got the funds to do it, I'll keep trying till I pass." I was so determined to pass, even after each knockback. I'd spent so much money, time and effort into it and I wanted a bike so badly. I felt saying this to myself, rather than "I'll do it this time!" got rid of any self expectations.


So hopefully you might get some good advice somewhere out of this, or if not at least passed some time :lol:

Don't give up, and don't try to over-think anything too much. Take your time, deep breaths and just know that you'll get there in the end!


Best of luck, Take care


Bex

- x -

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I have theory next week, Mod 1 scheduled for early Feb. New to forum but thought I'd browse others' experience to see what I could learn. All above really helpful so thanks to all of you but Shirl, I can't believe you never posted an update after that test - what a cliffhanger!

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I have theory next week, Mod 1 scheduled for early Feb. New to forum but thought I'd browse others' experience to see what I could learn. All above really helpful so thanks to all of you but Shirl, I can't believe you never posted an update after that test - what a cliffhanger!

 

Best of luck with the theory and Mod 1 Fin! :)

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Hi all


Test number 5! failed! stinking cold and did well all the way through, no minor marks all perfect then in the last 20 seconds I messed up the swerve again. Speed was fine, just decapitated the cone. Examiner said I was a cone murderer ! He did laugh however when I shouted oh F **kin H*ll not again!


Shirl

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Shirl,

You are obviously getting closer to nailing it so just keep at it.

I wont offer any advice because its already been covered here above.

Also i agree that mod 1 is alot trickier than mod 2. So just carry on until this wretched mod1 is out the way.

And with 8000 bike miles under your belt mod 2 should be a breeze.


Good luck

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just decapitated the cone. Examiner said I was a cone murderer !

 

Did you do a good job on the cone did you get to keep it :D


Sorry to hear you bad news fingers crossed for you for next time...

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Sorry to hear you failed :( As i mentioned swerve was my worst one. It's quite tricky to do it right. Just keep practicing in a car park even untill you can do it without issue =) You'll get there!

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Accelerating at something you know you've got to avoid still doesn't make sense in my head.


Hey, ho. It's not a thread for that discussion.



Next time shirl, you'll do it!


:)

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You're not glancing at the cone then getting target fixation are you?


When practising the swerve test, my instructor would move the cone over slightly to make it even harder, but at least I didn't worry about it too much for the test after that.


You'll get there though!

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Hi Everyone


I went out for a ride today and swerved around everything I could find lol. I'm not saying when the next one is I will just post when I pass the stupid thing :-)

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Hi Everyone


I went out for a ride today and swerved around everything I could find lol. I'm not saying when the next one is I will just post when I pass the stupid thing :-)

 

Not a bad idea on the swerving or the secrecy, I tried not to tell people when mine was takes the pressure off...


IN the mean tie enjoy your rideing, it al counts and should still make you smile :D

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