XmisterIS Posted May 4, 2009 Share Posted May 4, 2009 Apparently the new test has now definitely come in (27th April I think).I have my A2 licence and I am now the proud owner of a restricted SV650 ... I might want to do the A-test before my two years are up (if I can be bothered/able to afford it!).So, it would be good to hear from anyone who has done the new test ... what is it like?I very much doubt I will actually do the A-test because I am lazy and I'll probably end up waiting for my 33bhp to come off anyway after the 2 years (1 month done, 23 to go ... !), but it would be interesting to hear first-hand experiences of the long-awaited new test. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris128 Posted May 4, 2009 Share Posted May 4, 2009 im in the same situation mate, and I havent heard from anyone who's done the new test yet apart from hearing that the first person that took it broke their arm or something lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XmisterIS Posted May 4, 2009 Author Share Posted May 4, 2009 How unfortunate, I suspect it was that bloody "swerve" manoeuvre. (whoever decided to put that in should be shot) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris128 Posted May 4, 2009 Share Posted May 4, 2009 yeah it was, 2 people crashed on it in the first day apparently (as it was raining) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XmisterIS Posted May 4, 2009 Author Share Posted May 4, 2009 I always thought that part of the test was crazy, I was very relieved when I passed my test and knew I wouldn't be doing the new one! If I'd failed I would have been doing the new one.I think that swerve should be taken out; I've been riding pretty much every day for several months and I've only just recently got the hang of flicking the bike at speed between tight, opposing corners! I pity anyone trying to do it after only a few days of riding, which is what most of the CBT + test courses seem to be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamesw Posted May 4, 2009 Share Posted May 4, 2009 I think that swerve should be taken out; I've been riding pretty much every day for several months and I've only just recently got the hang of flicking the bike at speed between tight, opposing corners! I pity anyone trying to do it after only a few days of riding, which is what most of the CBT + test courses seem to be. I think that if you are to be allowed to ride a 'big' bike, hazard avoidance is a necessary skill. If that means having to do more training and learning to ride better then surely that can not be a bad thing?Unlike many I actually think this new test is a good idea (except for the ridiculous cost and having to ride/drive miles to one of these supercenters) in that it will hopefully better prepare new riders for the road. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XmisterIS Posted May 4, 2009 Author Share Posted May 4, 2009 Yep, hazard avoidance is definitely a necessary skill ... but I don't think that people should be tested in such a way as to deliberately place them in an excessively dangerous situation.From what I understand of the new test, you have to redline it between a pair of cones and then flick the bike left-right to get through another pair.Can you imagine the objections if they decided to put a similar manoeuvre into the cat test?! "please drive flat-out at that brick wall over there, and swerve out of the way at the last minute" ... I think not! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamesw Posted May 4, 2009 Share Posted May 4, 2009 I don't think asking them to perform the swerve maneuver puts them at necessary risk and is one of the reasons why it is done off road. Ifyou were ever faced with needing to swerve in a situation on the road it's not like you could say, "wait a minute, can we please do this more slowly and in a safe place just in case I can't do it and fall off?"Also, how can you compare a motorcycle swerving round some cones to a car swerving round a brick wall? To me it seems like a perfectly legitimate maneuver.Anywho, has anyone on the forum actually had the pleasure of trying the new test yet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris128 Posted May 4, 2009 Share Posted May 4, 2009 I think that swerve should be taken out; I've been riding pretty much every day for several months and I've only just recently got the hang of flicking the bike at speed between tight, opposing corners! I pity anyone trying to do it after only a few days of riding, which is what most of the CBT + test courses seem to be. thats my feeling exactly, I've had my 600 for 3 days now and I've done just under 400 miles on it and I'm still finding it hard to handle the weight of the bike properly, I would hate to have to try it like you say after having just done a few hours lessons and a CBT. I'm hoping that because I will of been riding the 600 for about 3 months by the time I do my test I will be fairly decent at handling it so hopefully it wont be too much of a problem but I think its a very hard for beginners to do, especially in the wet.The other thing is that I've been riding my 125 for a few months and like i said now this new 600 for a few days and so far I've never had to quickly dodge out the way of anything at 30mph... maybe thats just luck but it hardly seems that this part of the new test is preparing people for something that they are going to need to do very often and if they do ever need to do it then by the time they do it they have probably forgotten most of the stuff they learnt in their lessons anyway.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 4, 2009 Share Posted May 4, 2009 I always thought that part of the test was crazy, I was very relieved when I passed my test and knew I wouldn't be doing the new one! If I'd failed I would have been doing the new one. I was the same way i had my first test on the 6th of april and failed, then they said i wouldnt get in before the new test, i was gutted and nearly decided to give up before trying lol. Luckily enough for me CSM managed to get me in on the 16th of april, i passed and am now forever greatful haha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 4, 2009 Share Posted May 4, 2009 I've just got a date for my off road manoeuvres test. In Northern Ireland you do a Theory, Off Road Manoeuvres Test and a Road Test - no CBT.My point is - that I have been driving a car for over 29 years - and it would be rare day that I went over 50 miles an hour. In my lessons I 'have' to get the bike up to 45 mph on an unrestricted road - I doubt if I would go any faster than that AFTER passing my test. You can argue that you need to be able to control to bike at speed, but if you have no desire to ride that fast....This swerving exercise - I thought that hazard perception was about reading the road to AVOID situations where you you would have to swerve, etc.I think controlling a bike in slow moving situations is important, but this part of the test does seem to pose some risk to the rider.And I have to laugh - if someone told me to drive at a wall in a car and swerve - I'd tell them where to go.Still, I have to do it - but moaning about it makes me feel better! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted May 4, 2009 Share Posted May 4, 2009 Haha, tell them where to go!!! Hahahaaa - "OK, if you'd just like to rip the throttle open and career straight at the ominous looking brick wall there and then swerve to narrowly miss it...."I was speaking to a mate from Belfast who passed his test around the same time that I did and I was surprised to hear about all the restrictions in NI compared to here in England, there're looooads even on the full licence!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XmisterIS Posted May 4, 2009 Author Share Posted May 4, 2009 I was speaking to a mate from Belfast who passed his test around the same time that I did and I was surprised to hear about all the restrictions in NI compared to here in England, there're looooads even on the full licence!! What kind of restrictions? Would I be able to jump on my restricted SV and go hoonin' round the roads of NI on my UK A2 license? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wannars125 Posted May 5, 2009 Share Posted May 5, 2009 I don't think asking them to perform the swerve maneuver puts them at necessary risk and is one of the reasons why it is done off road. Ifyou were ever faced with needing to swerve in a situation on the road it's not like you could say, "wait a minute, can we please do this more slowly and in a safe place just in case I can't do it and fall off?" After getting the 125 I had to swerve to avoid a car that was turning right at a crossroad junction from the opposite direction. The CBT had no mention of how to swerve at 30mph and I'd not practised. Have no idea how I managed to pull it off (tried again when not in danger situation and found it very tough) but I did. A bit of trainin would have been helpful! My point is - that I have been driving a car for over 29 years - and it would be rare day that I went over 50 miles an hour. In my lessons I 'have' to get the bike up to 45 mph on an unrestricted road - I doubt if I would go any faster than that AFTER passing my test. You can argue that you need to be able to control to bike at speed, but if you have no desire to ride that fast.... The test needs to cater for everyone..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted May 5, 2009 Share Posted May 5, 2009 I was speaking to a mate from Belfast who passed his test around the same time that I did and I was surprised to hear about all the restrictions in NI compared to here in England, there're looooads even on the full licence!! What kind of restrictions? Would I be able to jump on my restricted SV and go hoonin' round the roads of NI on my UK A2 license? No it's more strict there than it is here! http://www.dvlni.gov.uk/drivers/ride_motorcycle.htmLooks like the catergory A in NI is just like the A2 licence in the rest of the UK (someone correct me if I'm wrong...). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XmisterIS Posted May 5, 2009 Author Share Posted May 5, 2009 No it's more strict there than it is here! http://www.dvlni.gov.uk/drivers/ride_motorcycle.htmLooks like the catergory A in NI is just like the A2 licence in the rest of the UK (someone correct me if I'm wrong...). Looking at that, I think I would be allowed to ride in NI - it seems they have done away with what we call the "A" test and their "A" test is our "A2" test - so it's like only being able to do the "A2" test here and not having an "A" test. That means my UK A2 licence is equivalent to their "A" licence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris128 Posted May 6, 2009 Share Posted May 6, 2009 so we still dont have anyone on here whos actually taken the new test then? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chiz Posted May 6, 2009 Share Posted May 6, 2009 Just did it three hours ago...http://www.themotorbikeforum.co.uk/view ... 51#p415551 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XmisterIS Posted May 7, 2009 Author Share Posted May 7, 2009 Just did it three hours ago...http://www.themotorbikeforum.co.uk/view ... 51#p415551 From your post it seems like it may be easier than the old test!And congratulations on passing the first bit! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiffers Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 I agree that it's a good idea.I passed CBT and DAS in 3 days ... but with a full licence I wasn't 'ready' to get on my bike. I think everyone should be restricted for a while. I think experience should play a part. Or at least high speed cornering and swerving etc should be part of the training.But it's easy for me to say ... I have a licence Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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