Module 1 - members test experiences

[mailee66]

Well after taking four MOD 1 tests I think I can safely post in here being a bit of an expert now!

A bit about me first in that I am 57 year old and haven't been on a bike since the 70's I am pretty short at 5'3" and also a lightweight at 8.5 Stone. I had been taking lessons on a kwak ER6N which I found not too tall for me and pretty manoeuvrable. First test I was nervous but not too much so and had good feelings of a pass. Started the bike up and rode into the compound with no problem remembering to do the shoulder checks. Parked the bike up between the cones perfectly and waited for the instructor. After his instructions I did my checks and leaned back with the front brake on and released it gently pulling on the bars as I had been shown. with my size I had been shown to do the three point turn with the bike and so completed it with no problems. Then came the slalom. shoulder checks again, two long deep breaths and feed in the clutch, peer over the top of the cones at the far end one and keep the clutch on the biting point and feather the back brake. Straight into the figure of eight and look over the cones into the distance again clutch on the biting point with a few revs, feathering the back brake. Examiner gestures me to pull up next to him which I do and slip it into neutral. After he explains the slow ride, Two long breaths and then I shoulder check and set off, gentle on the throttle, clutch on the biting point, feather the rear brake. Stop in the cones with the rear brake only and head tilted slightly to the left.

next is the 'U' turn and the space seems tight to me! Two deep breaths again and shoulder checks and off we go, shoulder check, look forward, shoulder check and turn looking straight down the circuit, straighten up, ease on the rear brake and tilt head to the left, perfect.

By this time i was feeling more relaxed and confident. Examiner now explains the next manoeuvre, controlled stop, OK, two deep breaths, shoulder checks, off I go. nice steady speed through the cones around the bend, straighten up out of the bend and aim down through the speed traps, gentle braking with both brakes, slower, slower and stop gently in the box of four cones. Great no problem there. Told to turn bike around so shoulder checks, nice wide turn back to examiner rear brake, tilt head to left and come to a gentle stop. He explains the emergency stop and steps back. Two deep breaths again, shoulder checks and off i go, up into second and more throttle. not sure of the speed round the bend but it is not checked at this point so no matter. Now exit the cones and twist the throttle aim for the speed trap, praying it is fast enough as there isn't time to look at the speedo. At the speed trap close the throttle and look at the outer cone, swing and lean then look back at the stop box and lean and swing back, start braking gently with both brakes easing the bike down and gently rolling into the end cones. Now that got the adrenalin going and the brain on overtime as everything comes up so fast but yes the cones were still standing and it was looking good, result..........but no it was 1 KPH too slow! I was asked to do it again, my heart sank at this point.....1 KPH just 1 KPH too slow, oh well just got to go a bit faster this time. My heart was pounding on the second go as I flew through the speed traps at what a later learned was 56 KPH. Wow those cones certainly come up fast and lean and swing to the left, shit I am looking at the cone!......too late as I clip it with my foot! I brake into the stop box and look in my mirror at the cone lying just 12" from it's spot....game over for me....Damn!

My second attempt at the test was two weeks later and I thought I would get it this time by testing my speed for the avoidance while doing the controlled stop. All of the slow manoeuvres went well with only a minor for a wobbly start on the slow ride, OK I can live with that I thought. Now it was time for the controlled stop and my chance to check my speed for the avoidance I thought. OK, deep breaths again, shoulder checks, off I go into the bend, exiting the bend I wind open the throttle and look down at the speedo, yes 33 MPH it's going well, through the traps towards the stop box and brake, brake, bloody brake! too far forward by a wheels diameter! Damn! Examiner walks over and asks if i know what is wrong? I nod and he tells me to turn around while he opens the gates......Game over again! Damn, this is a real blow for me.

My third attempt at the test and I figured I would have it in the bag this time as I had done it already and know how to judge my speed through the traps. Again everything went well with all of the slow manoeuvres with not one minor. Emergency stop went well but was a little slow and a minor. Now the avoidance again. I felt sure I would get it this time as i could glance at the speedo before the trap. Deep breaths again and shoulder checks and then off into the bend in second gear. Out of the curve and twist open the throttle, heart racing now, glance at the speedo 35 MPH yes, look up, straight at the cone and freeze! bang goes the cone into the air with a kick that Beckham would have been proud of! Bo***cks.......Game over for me! Brake bike to an emergency stop, slap the tank with a stream of expletives exploding from my helmet! Examiner comes over and says he really thought I would have nailed it this time....so did I.

My fourth attempt and again everything went well on the slow manoeuvres. I had a day off yesterday to chill out and not think about this test. I also had a few beers last night to relax me as I know the problem is all in my head. The time came for my Nemesis of the avoidance again and I took time to take a few deep breaths and close my eyes and picture myself swerving around those cones. shoulder checks and off I go into second through the curve and out of the curve at a reasonable rate then twist the throttle and aim for the speed traps, all the time repeating to myself, "I can do this" don't look down at the speedo, look at the outer cone, lean and flick left, look at the end cones and lean and flick right....I am through and gently brake into the end cones...yes! Examiner walks over and says it was again 1 KPH too slow and could I do it again! OH NO! this is a repeat of the first one, chill out, chill out you CAN do this! Again after the shoulder checks off I go into second round the curve, as I exit the curve i look at the speed trap and line up for it and open the throttle hard, "I CAN DO THIS, I CAN DO THIS" I repeated to myself as I closed the throttle in the trap and looked over at the outer cone, swing and lean left, look at the end cones and swing and lean right, look through the end cones and gently brake into the end cones, tilt head to left and stop nice and gently.......Did I,....did I....The examiner walked over and asked me to turn the bike around while he opened the gates.......DID I PASS bu**er the gates I thought to myself. The tension was electric as he led me into his office and asked if I wanted my instructor with me, YES, YES I replied asking how did I do? With what I am sure I detected slight smile on his face he informed me I had passed. I was ecstatic and thanked him and shook his hand along with my instructor, Finally I had got there, it had been worth all of the expense in the end I thought. Now on to MOD 2 which i feel much more confident about having been a road user for over 25 years.

I know this has been a long post but I thought it would help others who are in my position and are wondering how they are ever going to get through this test. I do hope it may help someone else to relax and not let your nerves get the better.

[klingelton]

passed my mod 1 yesterday. Took it at the wakefield test centre and the examiner was a lovely bloke who immediately put my nerves to rest!

first off, park in the bay before you start your test with the bike facing toward the road so you don't have to do any pushing or pulling around. rear observations are a must before setting off.

Listen to the examiner. if you have any questions, ask them. you won't be failed for being stupid, but you will if you do the manoeuvre wrong!

I was dreading the figure 8, as in practice i always did something wrong! in the actual test though, the words of wisdom from my instructor were ringing in my ears "imagine there's an 80 year old granny noshing you off. it's great unless you look down!" so head up, look where you want to go, and feather the clutch using the control brake to slow you down if you're going too fast.

Where i had been practicing the fig 8, there wasn't a great deal of space. my instructor had said if i can do it there, i can do it anywhere, and he was right. the tarmac is incredibly smooth and a pleasure to ride on!

so i man handled the bike, did the slalom where i remember thinking "these cones are much bigger than i expected!" and remembered not to knock any down as the examiner had complained of a bad back so didn't want to pick any up!

fig 8 completed i went to join the examiner and began the slow ride. rear observations and steady away over to some cones where i stopped to do the u-turn. he explained the manoeuvre then i went ahead and did it. rear observations, moved off, another quick glance over the shoulder before focusing approximately level with my rear indicator. the bike spun round - u-turn complete. it wasn't my cleanest u-turn, but there's plenty of space for it, so i was in no danger of overrunning.

the instructor then pointed out on his drawing and pointed to the cones which he wanted me to ride round for the controlled stop. I asked him to clear up which cones he meant and which way round i was going. he did. yet more rear observations and we're off. nice steady corner before accelerating to approximately 50kph. controlled stop done. rear observations and another u-turn (tighter than the marked one!) and we're setting off for the emergency stop. round the bend again and accelerate to 53kph. hand goes up, roll off the throttle and apply the front brake gently. adding more and more while adding a little rear to keep the back end in check. I thought I'd taken a little too long to slow down. another u-turn to face the right way and off for the swerve avoidance.

I don't understand why people worry about the swerve avoidance. I think it's the easiest of all the tests and the most fun! more rear observations and off round the bend. accelerate to 54kph and a gentle push on the left handle bar lurches the bike left. immediately counter this with a gentle push on the right handle bar and the bike jumps right. nice and smooth! the way i built up to this is by riding my 125 on roads and practicing what it feels like to counter steer at speed. grip the tank with your knees and push the handle bars, swerving all over the road. it's the same theory.

the examiner told me to move my bike over to the gates and he would let me out. rear observations, move and await the examiner. before leaving the test area, i did another rear observations and a good check to make sure there was no other traffic. reversed my bike into a bay and turned the ignition off. picked up the keys and followed the examiner inside where we had a short chat about what bikes we were interested in, what attracted me to riding and in a typically british way - what the weather was like. He offered me some tips about removing the liner in my textiles and getting some wicking long johns from go-outdoors so they don't stick to your skin! He then said he was looking forward to seeing me in the next couple of weeks and going for a ride for mod 2.

If you're nervous about Mod 1 - don't be. The examiners are not there to fail you, they're bikers as well! They just want to see that you can control the bike. Don't worry about the occasional wobble, as long as it's not too bad, you've nothing to worry about. i had a couple of little wobbles and recovered them, that's more important!

Finally, have fun with it. it is quite good fun!

04/06/2013 mod 1 passed with 0 minors.

[Guest]

Here is my experience, I got to the test centre today in leighton buzzard for my test at 8.30 am and my examiner failed to show! I now have to wait for another date, anyone else ever had that happen!? I would like to hear?!

[mackemforever]

Here is my experience, I got to the test centre today in leighton buzzard for my test at 8.30 am and my examiner failed to show! I now have to wait for another date, anyone else ever had that happen!? I would like to hear?!

 

Not the same problem, but my Mod 1 was a complete drama.

Attempt 1) Turn up at the test centre, realise I've forgotten the paper part of my driving license, get turned away.

Attempt 2) My bike had an alarm/immobiliser fitted and I only had 1 fob for it. Anyway, the night before my test I forgot to take it out of my pocket before my trousers went in the washing machine, and so when I pulled them on the next day I found the remote in there, pretty much completely dead.

The battery was knackered, the remote itself was on it's last legs, and because I had no spare battery I managed to cobble together a few pieces of wire and a AAA battery, stripped the electrics out of the remote case, and somehow managed to rig it so it would turn the immobiliser off.

Well I got to the test centre, and on autopilot I took the key out of the ignition. 10 seconds later the immobiliser arms itself, but I didn't panic as I thought I would be able to turn it off without a problem, as I'd figured it out at home before I left. Go inside, run through the usual pre-test stuff, then walk out to the bike and pull the remains of the alarm fob out of my pocket. At this point the examiner started laughing at me!

Well obviously the fob wouldn't work, and so I couldn't turn the immobiliser off and start the bike. So the examiner told me that he was allowed to give 15 minutes for technical problems and started a timer, saying that if the bike wasn't started within exactly 15 minutes I had failed.

It took me 14 minutes and 53 seconds to get the immobiliser off and the bike running!

Somehow after all of that I managed to calm myself down enough to pass the test without any problems, but jesus christ was it close!

[mister-t]

did my mod1 practice yesterday,did mod test this morning,was shaking like a leaf

first exercise,parked bike up between cones ready to push bike back into other bay,forgot to put it in neutral,mind went blank, after trying to push bike backwards and couldnt get it to move,the examiner told me to jump back on bike and put it in neutral.great start i thought,anyway got bike in other bay,took a few deep breaths,next the slalom,no problem now the figure of eight,i am sure i did that more than twice lol,anyway called me over,next was the slow ride

now this was different,i was asked to slow ride the bike,you do a slight turn then straighten up to park in the cones,examiner does not walk with you,u turn was dreading this,but went fine,sighting lap was a little slow,so on the emergency stop went faster,58km controlled stop a bit to far travel but he said it was fine,now the swerve avoidance,first run was only 45km,so asked to do it again,so off round again and just went for it,the swerve aint really a swerve,anyway stopped bike in cones,examiner told me to make my way to the gates,remembering life savers,parked bike up,into office,passed with 3 minors,49km on avoidance,bit to fast on slow ride,and taking a bit longer to stop on emergency stop.all in all well pleased.now on to mod2

[Repsol Racing Queen]

Passed yesterday 1st time with zero minor faults!! :-)

I have no idea how this happened as 30 mins before my test I was practicing emergency stops on a side road and managed to fall off the bike (quite spectacularly) and snapped the brake lever After this my nerves were truly shot, but my instructor said told me that I was more than capable of doing every manoeuvre.

Wobbled into the test area, then just thought "sod it, lets not mess this up". The thought of having to do no more figure of eights & u turns really spurred me on! The next 10 mins passed in a blur.

Controlled stop 41kph, so I thought crikey, better pull my finger out, emergency stop 51kph and avoidance 54kph, I was so flippin relieved when he didn't ask me to complete the speed manoeuvres again!!

Thank you for all the advice I have read on here. I seriously was the most nervous newbie EVER!

For me, spending 4 months on a 125 building my skills and confidence, has worked wonders. I am still by no means competent, but an learning all the time and feel I am on my way to becoming a better rider.

My one piece of mod 1 advice.............. watch the government or roadcraft video of the mod 1 manoeuvres. Really helped me make sense of the "sea of cones"!!

Bring on mod 2!!!!

[klingelton]

My one piece of mod 1 advice.............. watch the government or roadcraft video of the mod 1 manoeuvres. Really helped me make sense of the "sea of cones"!!

 

I paid attention to what the examiner was saying. If i wasn't clear, i asked to repeat it, or repeated back what he said. if he said ok - i knew i had it down. It gave me chance to calm down between manoeuvres as well.

[ApolloMozart]

Passed Mod 1 on Wednesday, what a relief!

Done the test in Oxford, in the stadium car park. Had to by car travel from Bushey, where I live to Aylesbury (riding school) around 0700 and got in the middle of a torrential rain. I was thinking that if the weather in Oxford is the same then I have slim chances of getting everything right. However the ride from Aylesbury to Oxford was in the clear weather with no rain at all and by the time we arrived in Oxford the testing grounds were all dry.

The day before I had some issues with the figure of 8 so the instructor asked me to do some practice in the car park near the testing site. I just couldn't do it! Either because the car park was sloped or for some other strange reason I still don't understand, I couldn't do the 8 figure! So I stopped my practice and decided to just relax before the test.

I was third for testing so had plenty of time to observe others doing it. To my surprise the testing site is way bigger that what I was training on, so I was feeling more confident.

Then came my turn. Sorted the paperwork and off I go. After riding to the "parking box" and putting my feet down, a red light on bike dash comes on and the bike engine turned itself off. My heart stopped for a second, but then I select neutral, switch off the ignition, get off the bike and rest the bike on the stand. The examiner approaches and tells me to move the bike to the other bay, which I do without any issues. Then he's telling me about the slalom and the figure of 8. I get myself ready and hope with my imaginary fingers crossed that the engine will fire. And it does! It's alive! I do the slalom without any issues and then do the 8 two times without any problems. The slightly bigger space definitely gave me confidence.

Then slow ride. Selecting first gear, revs go up, slipping the clutch off I go. Applying slight pressure to the brake pedal to shave some speed and in no time I arrive at the line. Job done.

Comfort riding. Turn the bike around and ride to the end of the circuit, transmissions goes into first, accelerate, then second gear , accelerate and in no time I have to brake for the finish. Easy on the front brake and then I see that I'll be stopping before the box, so slightly release the brake then reapply. Bike slightly dives in, but the wheel is in the box. Job done.

Now the fun. Ride to the start line, accelerate in first then in second and as I pass through the timing gate I decide to look at the speedo - doing 31-32 mph. A fraction of a second later I look at the examiner and see him with his hand raised. OOOOOPS! had to brake but didn't want to lock the wheels so I don't squeeze the lever too hard. So my emergency braking distance is shorter than my normal stop but not by much. My heart stops again as I was already thinking that I messed up and all is gone. Nevertheless, I prepare for the avoidance test. First gear, accelerate, clunk into second, accelerate! This time I don't look at the speedo as I don't really care. Timing gate whizzes past me, lean to the left, lean to the right, brake, clutch in first gear and I'm stopped with the cones next to my feet. The examiner comes over and tells me to park the bike, which I do and then red light on the dash comes on and the bike stops again! But I don't care, I either did it or screwed it.

I did it!!!

Three minors, one for the slow emergency stop, one for a speed run (48KPH) and one for something else I don't remember. With shaking hands I took my pass paper and folded nicely to keep it safe in my pocket. I did it!

What I learned from the test is be relaxed and do your best. If you feel something wasn't quite right, don't despair, just keep going and finish the test. I never rode before, so on Wednesday, when I passed the test I only had four days of training "under my belt". So not a bad achievement I'd say.

More training now and Mod 2 test. Looking forward to it.

[Tango]

Congrats Guys..........Mod 2 should be a breeze then......

[acting_strange]

Well Done mate

[ApolloMozart]

I'm going to take a short break and then do a few days of training for Mod 2. the days before Mod 1 were quite demanding and I feel a little tired. Usually I was starting around 0900 and finishing at 1500 the earliest. Quite exhausting but well worth it.

Some beers over the weekend and then back to learning!

Thanks a lot for everyone on this forum, there's a lot of info that helped me.

[Tango]

Well.....keep us posted on how you get on......and Repsol Racing Queen........

[Guest]

Hi Guys and Girls,

Im new to the forum, so hi!

In the lead up to my mod1, which i passed earlier first time with 1 minor i have used this page to help me so i thought id share my own experience, including the lead up which i also think plays a big part.

Did my CBT in march this year and wanted to progress straight away onto my mod 1 and 2, but after getting quotes from local instructors i soon realised its wasn't going to be cheap! The cheapest i could find was about £550 for the mod 1 and 2 with a lesson before each one, and obviously if you fail either test you have to pay the £550 over again. Doing it per hour also wasn't really an option as it was £60, due to bike hire.

Anyway, i had access to a van so decided to purchase my own bike (Suzuki bandit 600) off ebay for £1400 and eagerly booked up my mod1 and a single lesson the day before. I got down my local car park a couple of times before my lesson and this eased my nerves.

I printed off the cone spacings for the mod1 test (available on DSA website) and set up parts of it in the car park to practise with, obviously just be careful, if you're by yourself you're technically not insured as car-parks are still public road, so just be respectful of locals to the car-park as they might report you if you are rude, inconsiderate or look like you don't know what you're doing, i personally wore a high vis vest with a big 'L' on it, and gave them a big cheesy smile if i saw them

My lesson went well and i set off this morning to the test centre which is over an hour away from my home. I arrived and unloaded my bike from the back of my van and wondered into the centre, as i entered i could see one other learner and his instructor who i gathered had just passed his mod1. we began chatting and the instructor started making me more nervous by saying that he didn't think that i was insured to do the test as apparently you need some sort of special insurance to do a mod1 (absolute rubbish!)

Anyway the examiner met me and took me outside, he opened the gate and i entered and picked the right hand bay (to make it easier as bike is on the inside) i did observations and 3 point turn as oppose to one big reverse into the other bay. the next 8 mins seemed to fly by with only one hitch, when completing the emergency stop, just going through the speed trap as i pulled in the clutch and hit the gear lever upwards to shift to 3rd, i either didn't time both movements correctly or i didn't hit the lever hard enough because it didn't engage 3rd and instead made a loud horrible noise similar to that in a car if you try and change gear without using the clutch. I panic'd and looked down quickly at the bloody gear lever and when i looked up his hand was already up - 'shit, ive missed his gesture to stop!!' i thought and just hit the brakes as hard as poss, luckily gained enough composure to remember to check over the shoulders and shift bike into neutral, obviously was fine though as i passed, but i did get a minor as i was 1mph too slow!

Some tips i would offer to people doing module1 are that i don't think have been mentioned are:

1) don't look at all the cones when you enter, i instantly found it daunting when i realised that they were the 12" high cones as oppose to the flat spaceship style ones most of us are accustomed to practising with.

2)Breath! sounds stupid, but i find that when i'm nervous or concentrating on something like a 'u' turn i tend to hold my breath, something i was focusing on while practising was making a conscious effort to breath deeply whilst performing any maneuver.

3) when you enter the test area, if you're anything like me you will not be thinking straight due to the pressure or nerves or whatever it is. One thing i found helped me, was visualising the whole test the night before, the morning of the test and just before.

I sat there in the van before hand and went through the whole test in my head, including all observations and visualising each maneuver, which i felt really helped when i went blank due to nerves as it was already second nature, almost like a script running in my head.

Excuse the long post!!!

[Tango]

Congrats mate........

Thanks for sharing your experiences of the test.....it all helps those that are thinking of or waiting to do their test.......

[Guest]

Ah, the MOD 1, the test I feared the most.

I hadn't been on a motorbike in my life until my CBT and due to this I found it difficult and I felt unsafe, however I managed to pass the CBT on my first attempt but decided I would take a 4 day DAS course instead of the usual 3 day to gain the extra bit of experience before the MOD 1.

After two months had gone since my CBT, I got back on a 125. Oddly enough it felt as though everything had just "clicked" and after just a few hours later, I moved onto the 600cc bike. Yes there was the odd wobble and I had some fear about being on a powerful bike, but by the end of the first DAS day, I honestly felt I could of stuck with a 3 day. I found that during the two month gap I had taken between the CBT and DAS, I used the time to read & watch videos online about the MOD 1 looking for tips and advice. By the time I got back on the bike, it all kind of made sense.

MOD 1 day:

After a short morning journey and quick refresh on the training I headed over to the test center. Typically on the day of my MOD 1 the heavens opened which resulted in me becoming slightly more nervous as I hadn't been out in the rain up until then. We arrived a little early but this gave me the opportunity to watch someone else do their MOD 1. Sadly, this person failed during the figure of 8 by placing his foot down. It sank in just how easy it was to fail after seeing this however I wasn't going to let my nerves get the better of me.

When it was my turn, I met the (grumpy) examiner and followed his instructions. The test began. I made sure I kept looking over both shoulders before moving off, listened to the examiner and just put faith in knowing that I knew how to do the maneuvers. I went into the test with the frame of mind of "if i don't pass, I will another day". I didn't feel the need to put extra pressure on myself to make myself pass that day and I think this probably helped. I hit 55km on the Emergency Stop and 56km on the Avoidance test, both on there first attempts.

The examiner instructed me to leave the area, the test was over. I knew I hadn't done anything obviously wrong such as foot down, lose control, go too slow but I did have my doubts. I then went for my briefing and was told I'd passed first time, with no minors!! Relief.

---

I must say, I think with the right training we're all capable of doing the MOD 1 it's just a case of nerves on the day. On the day it comes down to just doing exactly what you've been trained to do. I was lucky during my training as I was able to practice on one of the MOD 1 test areas. This was great as It allowed me to judge my speed for the speed assessments. During the practice runs I was only hitting about 48-49km (minors) but being able to use the facilities and check my speed really helped improve the final result.

For someone like me that had never been on a motorbike and to have passed MOD 1 first attempt with no minors, I know we're all capable of doing it. I wish you all the best of luck and remember to relax and show the examiner what you already know.

[Stilton Jo]

Yay! Mod 1 on 600 passed today!

I was so nervous I went to the loo about 4 times in the 20 minute wait, and then off I went.

Pushing the bike I find really hard because I am so small and feeble, but I breathed deeply and took my time. Sorted.

Slalom and figure of 8 - a bit messy but I got round the cones, no feet down. sorted.

slow ride - fine.

Then, U turn. I hate this. Big mental block as the first time I did this on the 600 I dropped it! Anyway, deep breathe, off I went, plenty of observations, turn....front wheel just on the white line! NOOOO!

Carried on....top corner....as I came out the turn I knocked one of the blue cones over. NOOO!

Did the stop, he then sent me to do the emergency stop and avoidance. Did them both and then he asked about the cone...did I knock it over? I said yes, on the first circuit. He replied that he hadn't seen it...

So, the upshot was --- I passed!

skin of teeth or what...!

[Tango]

Congrats Jo.......good job.......

[Rad]

My second attempt, this time successful . On the first attempt I was doing great until the swerve. I knocked the cone, locked the wheels and went flying. Made me famous at the test centre, not the kind of fame one wants .The reason for my crash was simple. I wasn't thinking where I wanted to go. It was wet and I left the bend a bit slow, so I was thinking about hitting 50 through the speed trap, not what to do after.

This time it was damp but I learned my lesson. I went a bit wide on figure of 8. No idea why, I did good during practice, my head just wouldn't turn in the right direction. The rest was a breeze until the dreaded swerve. I took few extra seconds to imprint the path in my head and went for it. After few seconds it was over and I was between the blue cones at the end. The plan to leave the bend, blast the throttle and just do the line worked.

The examiner commented on the wide 8, commended me for excellent emergency breaking (did if from 53 kmh) and said that stopping after swerve was a bit too harsh. Well, my plan ended between the blue cones and I did the swerve at 59 kmh so daa .

To anyone fearing the swerve: don't worry about the speed, hit the throttle and do the line, the speed will come. If not you get a second chance, as long as you don't fall on your face. So don't worry and have fun.

[evetsneerg]

I passed this morning with no minors.

It was a bit windy today but didn't even notice it when the test started. Best advice I was given was just stop and think before every maneuver as when we were practicing I was rushing things abit much. So just think it all through in your head then move away.

So I backed the bike in the space. Went inside and sat down for a bit then went and had a fag to calm the nerves . Got called in to the room with the instructor who was very nice and friendly. Checked all my paperwork and explained a few things then out to the bike.

Just listen to everything he has to say, they do make everything very clear. then on the bike start it up and he signals me through the gate. Remember the shoulder checks and through I went.

Started getting nervous now. He tells you to turn round using as much space as possible and to park in one of the bays. Ok not a problem shoulder checks, chucked a lifesaver before turning just for good measure and in the right one. In to neutral and off the bike.

Then the manual handling. Off the stand turn round and push the bike back a bit look where you want to go and full lock and the bike should go nicely in to the space which it did lol.

Then the slalom and figure of 8, felt like the figure of 8 could of gone better but no feet down or cones hit.

Then the slow ride with instructor walking behind.

Then he told me to turn round and meet him in the middle and explained the slow ride it's not speed checked but said they are looking for around 20mph and stop between the cones.

Then the fun bits controlled stop which I went through at 62kph. Round the corner at about 20 mph then as you start to straighten out just pin that throttle back in 2nd and won't have a problem with the speed then throttle off squeeze the front brake and a little bit of back brake and came to a nice stop then the same again just with a swerve. Look for the outside cone then back to where you want to go nice and easy went through that at 58kph then come to a stop at the cones. He will then tell you to ride towards the exit gate and to pull over in one of the spaces remember the lifesaver before turning for the parking space, get off and follow him in.

Now for the mod 2 on Wednesday same again please.

[DeltaLima]

Passed Mod 1 on Friday - second attempt. Basildon Test Centre.

This time I actually felt like I rode worse than the first time - the first attempt I was way more relaxed, everything was smooth and I had little or no fear of proceedings.... until I put a foot down on the u-turn. Haven't done it in practise before, but for some reason on the day I lost balance and down it went.

This time was fine, although because of the previous failed attempt I was really nervous. The slalom, figure of 8, etc were very cautious and was overthinking every little movement I made, willing myself not to lose it. I liken it to carrying a massive tray of drinks. If you think about it too much, you'll spill them - if you just relax and walk, you'll be fine.

However, I did manage to do everything okay - slightly unnerving was watching the guy who went before me completely stack his emergency stop - crashing in epic fashion after locking his front wheel. At least was able to tell myself that it couldn't be as bad as that!

Main piece of advice is just to try and relax, just ride like you know you can and don't over-think every little move. Remember that the bike will go where you're looking and trust that you can do it. Back brake, clutch control and gentle throttle will see you through nicely.

Good luck if you're about to take yours... you'll be fine!

[Guest]

Hi,

I just registered to thank the guys who posted in this thread and to share my experience. I have been riding for more than 10 years, but I came to UK about 2.5 years ago, so after getting my car license I went for getting the motorbike one. After doing a 3 days DAS training (using a suzuki bandit) I went for Mod 1 test (mod 2 test scheduled for the same day as well (mistake!)). The story below:

Mod1 1st Attempt: The suzuki bandit wasn't available from the driving school, so I had to use a kawasaki ER-6N. I did well until I got to the emergency stop, I applied too much pressure on the rear brake, locked up the wheel and got a major failure because of that. gutted. lost the mod 2 fee as well.

I scheduled for another mod 1 and mod 2 exam for some week later, no further training ( I was feeling confident as I said I had experience riding)).

Mod1 2nd Attempt: on my second mod 1 attempt, again with the kawasaki, I didn't want to make the same mistake again, so I applied less brakes, result: took to long to stop, failure... lost the mod 2 fee again....

Mod1 3 rd Attempt: rescheduled again for mod 1 and mod 2, I still had some pinch of confidence....3 attempt and yep, you guess it, too much pressure on rear brake, lock it up and failed...... riding the kawasaki as well.

At that point my confidence was nil, but I didn't want to give up, it took so long and much money to reach this point so I was determined to keep trying.

So after some weeks I scheduled only mod 1 and went for it:

Mod 1 4th attempt:

I finally got the bandit which I feel more comfortable with. I got to the test center, it was raining badly, my trousers were wet, didn't look promising and it was my first time using the suzuki bandit on the exam (although I used it on training).

Everything ok until the emergency stop time, I was really worried, I went for it, applied the right amount of rear break and yes, I did it!, didn't I? the examiner doesn't say anything, we proceed to the avoid exercise, no problem. I was thinking, Did I pass? Did I? went back to the test center, and yes it is a PASS!! only a minor for doing 49 km instead of 50 in one of the exercises (don't remember if was the emergency stop or the avoidance, but who cares!!! I Passed!!! finally!!)

After some thinking and analysis of the problem with the emergency stop I had the following hypothesis, which may sound as excuses :

1- Less sensitivity on the right foot due to the riding boots. It may sound silly buy I never used riding boots before, the one I got for the exam are quite chunky and I do feel I have less sensibility with them.

2- Disc Brakes vs Drum Brakes. it may sound silly as well, but all the motorbikes I had, were with drum discs without hydraulic system. There is quite a difference between the breaking power of these two types and the amount of pressure you need to apply to the levers.

3- Kawasaki ER-6 Wheelbase 1,410 mm vs suzuki bandit wheelbase 1,470 mm (5 cm difference). Not sure, but a shorter wheel base means is easier to lift up the rear wheel and therefore lock it up. Not sure if 5 cm are that important though.

4-foot position and front suspension compression. As you know, when you apply the front brake, the front suspension will compress and you will lean forward, if you have your foot covering the rear break or just applying low pressure to the lever, this movement of you leaning forward will likely increase the pressure on the brake. This can be fixed only touching the rear brake when you really need to use it and not covering it with your foot.

So conclusion, for me, it was a nightmare, and it was down to this particular exercise, the amount of rear break you apply is so crucial and it is really easy to lock it up, I had to fight years of bad habits on this particular exercise. I used to apply both brakes at the same time and when I saw the examiner's hand up I was trying to stop as quickly as possible, making it really easy to overdo it. Even if you have years of riding experience I do recommend to do the DAS, so you can get the feeling of the exam.

but at the end, I did it...after 4 times and a bunch of money . never, never, never give up...

I will share my more successful Mod 2 experience in the Mod 2 thread..

Thanks again for sharing, it was useful.

[NooBish-AbbZ]

just passed my Mod 1 at the first attempt. Really was worrying and over-thinking it to be honest.

When i booked it on friday, apparently todays weather was rainy and cold, wasnt best pleased as i came off my 125 back in october in wet conditions and still haven't got over entirely tbh. But anyway, get to the test centre, is sunnyish, tarmac is abit wet but not enough to be of any bother. Speeds were 56 and 53 through the speed trap, 1 minor for when turning bike around after the emergency stop i had to plant my foot for balance.

my tip i madfe myself do was, before every single maneuver, to stop. Think. Go through it in your head and obvious checks all over before any movement.

Seemed to work well Mod2 prep session booked for friday and hopefully a Mod2 test next week

[fq-craigus]

To the post on this page, my instructor taught me that on the E stop you actually hardly apply rear, what he said was just rest your foot on the brake let the weight of your foot take up the freeplay and you stop with the feont brake. The minimal pressure applied by the weight of your foot is enough, and much more would lock up. Done it this way and still havbt locked up yet. Just thought I would mention that I know you have now passed but might help someone else

[number1barber]

I have been riding scooters for 20 years and wanted to take passengers. first up the annoying thing is to do so I need to do a full licence. strange because other than a couple of questions on theory test no aspect covers a passenger and I'm not tested on it but OK.

first attempt failed badly because I don't shoulder check when I pull away at lights mainly because in London people have a great habit of walking across as you shoulder check plus at lights I'm not worried what's behind me. also hated trying to get upto speed to serve. never in real life do I accelerate on corners so harsh to do so would be really bad driving.

second time did it on a 600. both times same Guy doesn't smile doesn't talk never puts you at ease. had two days training on a geared bike. first day hell second day sorted. I goto the test and coming out of the figure 8 I put my foot down and fail. two major issues with this. first "treat the area as a real road" yet do figure eights?? secondly in 20 years I have never dropped a bike and commute daily in rush hour. when I'm driving slowly and pull up I put my foot down. putting a foot down is not losing control its preventing losing control. riders put there foot down all day long in the real world when going slow. its a easy test to pass and a easy test to fail. now I'm buying the bike and using my dads land and will practice slow speed control for a couple of days beforehand

I think if you show you can fully handle a bike well then putting a foot down should not be a fail. others would say if you can't do it without doing so you can't handle a bike. sure show me where you do this on the road and I'll agree. hard work to carry a passenger. I think the passenger thing should be a proper separate test to add to any licence. if you have already been driving a while then you find bike training is expensive and not very helpful. once I get my full licence I will take friends to my Dads and let them practice for mod 1. I just wish that I had known someone who could have done that for me saving me alot of time and money. if you have rode before then once you learn shoulder checks and slow control you should find it easy.

one tip.

when you go for the swerve test if he asks you to go down and wait for a signal ask him to let you start straight away no signal. my guy said two different ways. if he allows you to do this then do so this will mean you can approach the start at a comfortable speed then slowly increase through and will be alot smoother and easier just don't go nuts on the speed as you approach it there is no need.

a safer way to do this part would be for them to offer a strap on device that beeps on a headset once you hit target speed. could a satnav do this?

was going to get the bike in two days but Feb was short so my wages are alot lighter this month.

I want a vfr750

[Joeman]

Welcome to the forum!

The test is designed for people who have been trained to pass the test. With no training you had little chance of passing first time.

As for slow control and shoulder checks. You need to be doing both but slow control is easier on a bigger bike. Scooters Dont like going slow as the wheels are smaller so you get less gyroscopic effect to hold you upright at slow speeds.

I often come to a near complete stop in traffic before putting any feet down. So long as the bike is crawling, you don't need to use your feet