I never Knew...

[OAP bug eater]

I really didn't know that passing your test on bike had become so complicated.

 

I got my full motorcycle licence in 1973, back then you were restricted to a 250 with L plates until you passed your test, I took mine on my Yamaha RD250. (one of only two brand new bikes I have ever owned)

 

This is how it went,

Book a test, turn up on the day for the test, show your provisional licence and insurance, ensure that you have your L plates on, testing guy comes outside with you, gives your bike a quick look over to ensure it's road worthy,

he then tells you to get on the bike and start it up, once you achieve this amazing feat he instructs you to ride down the street while he WATCHES you, you are told to at a certain point to pull in to the side of the road and when you feel it's safe preform a U turn using your indicators (if fitted) if not use hand signals, and old trick used to be to remove your indicators before your test because he will ask you to do it all twice once with indicators and again with hand signals.

he then instructs you to ride around block in a correct and safe manner,  he can't SEE you because he stands on the corner waiting for you, he will then do the emergency stop, which I almost failed, he said at some point I will hold up my clipboard and I want you to stop as though a small child has ran into the road in front of you, I must've been half a mile away when he held up his clipboard, so I rode closer to him and then slapped on the anchors he said "I told you to do it when I held up my board"

I replied, "I wanted to make sure you could see me" he accepted that, then I had to turn my motorcycle around in a narrow street, I can put my feet down and do as many 'points' as I liked all that was required was that I didn't cross the kerb at any point.

there then follwed a few questions on the highway code, easy peasy, he then said "OK I am statisfied I will give your class C licence" I said "does that mean I've passed?" he said "yes congratulations"

and that was it, I am still riding to this day on that same licence.

 

I have nothing but respect for all you 'new' bikers I honestly don't think I would have been bothered to even try if I had to go through the 'stuff' you new riders have to go through, which is exactly the result they want, it's to make it such a long drawn out expensive rigmarole that it puts lots of people off, and it would be a shame because I have had so many fantastic experiences made so many great memories, made lifelong friends, I've laughed so hard that I've cried and cried for the loss of brothers and sisters.

I wish you all well in your endevours.

respect to you all.

[daveinlim]

I've been driving for 20 years and still have to go through the same hoops as anyone else but if it makes me a better and more importantly safer rider then I'm all for it.

I just wish it didn't cost £700 to do the DAS. 

It's a very long drawn out process and it's far from perfect. For instance shouldn't you have to do the theory test before the CBT not after. 

Also I think all delivery drivers should have a full licence not driving professionally on L plates

 

[Bender]

It is what it is unfortunately but you just have to do what's in front of you. 

 

Having gone through it I don't think the process put me off at all, it's more convoluted if your young and can't do das. 

[KiwiBob]

I stupidly never took the test on my Bantam back in the 70's .. But I was even more stupid than most!

 

Where I worked we had our own examiner and I could have taken the test on the firms motorcycle combo.... He never failed anyone no matter how bad they were! .. When he asked if I wanted to take the test I said I was a bit busy and he never asked me again! 

[Bender]

3 minutes ago, KiwiBob said:

I stupidly never took the test on my Bantam back in the 70's .. But I was even more stupid than most!

 

Where I worked we had our own examiner and I could have taken the test on the firms motorcycle combo.... He never failed anyone no matter how bad they were! .. When he asked if I wanted to take the test I said I was a bit busy and he never asked me again! 

Now that was silly  

[OAP bug eater]

On 19/06/2021 at 10:51, daveinlim said:

I've been driving for 20 years and still have to go through the same hoops as anyone else but if it makes me a better and more importantly safer rider then I'm all for it.

I just wish it didn't cost £700 to do the DAS. 

It's a very long drawn out process and it's far from perfect. For instance shouldn't you have to do the theory test before the CBT not after. 

Also I think all delivery drivers should have a full licence not driving professionally on L plates

 

I agree that the rules and regs these days are intended to give new riders a better awareness of safety and their own riding skills, always a good thing.

Back when I got my first bike, a BSA 250 C15, a single cylinder 250 with a tops speed of no more than 65 mph, and a 0 to 60 of about a week, the rules were, you could ride anything up to 250 cc, for as long as you liked no CBT or any of that malarky, buy the bike ride it away, my first insurance (at 16) for Third party fire and theft was a massive 12 quid, (bear in mind my take home pay was less than 10 quid a week!!) you didn't even have to wear a crash helmet, I often didn't.

 

My dad had to teach me about changing gear etc, how I survived the first 6 months is nothing short of a miracle, I had to learn the rules of the road as I went, little things like who has right of way and other basic stuff, I was not alone most of my friends used the same 'learning techniques'

I've been using motorbikes as my only means of transport for around 50 years now, probably tempting fate but, during those years I have had only one serious accident and I was a pillion on that occassion, I broke my collar bone in the mid 70s when some nob in front of me indicated to turn right, pulled to the middle of the road and stopped, as I passed him on the inside he changed his mind and pulled back to the left clipping my front wheel putting me on the ground and promptly drove off leaving me lying in the road.

I've done the usual stuff of learning about ice n snow, but even so only came a cropper less than half a dozen times with nothing more than a bruise or 2 to show for it.

I find myself being more cautious and careful nowadays than at any other time.

 

Have huge respect for anyone setting out to learn these days, that's some dedication and determination, I doubt very much that I would have bothered had I just been starting out, good luck to all you new riders.