Module 2 - members test experiences

[Guest]

we must ride in a different London. if I leave a car gap when I stop I inevitably get a car or some other vehicle trying to cut in on me especially if they suddenly decide my lane may move before theirs. in 15 years I have never been hit or bumped in the rear.

If you don't leave a good enough gap, in a good enough position, you can't see ahead and hazards all become a lot more last minute reaction. You can't make good progress because your visibility of the road opening for filtering etc is sacrificed ergo you will be stuck in that less-than-car length gap more often than you need to.

In summary, but not giving a good distance, you are slower and more at risk of collisions.

[number1barber]

I leave a 4/5 foot gap behind cars i dont worry about seeing ahead due to the fact i can see over the car. lorries and vans i stay more to the right when stopped and riding and give a bigger distance for both. i dont need to have a big distance when stopped because unlike many i don't race to filter as soon as the vehicle in front moves. When it moves i then move and if its safe to filter i do so i don't chop around trying to constantly find the quickest way because im on a bike im in no rush and chopping around is rarely faster in london anyway. your right i ride slower than some people but as to how on earth you think that equates to more risk is really beyond me?

cars go slower than me and they are not crashing every 30 seconds. the gap you refer to is as others have said for if you are hit in the rear. As i have said i have riden daily into London for 15 years and have never been hit in the rear nor hit anything. i am a confident calm rider.

[nickcook]

Hi all, a question about Mod 2.

I keep reading about only needing to signal if there's someone around who needs to know where you're going. I'm a great believer in only signalling when necessary, but I'm a bit wary abut not signalling on a test. Presumably as there's an examiner behind me, he's going to want to know where I'm going, so I should always signal. Right?

[Hoggs]

Hi all, a question about Mod 2.

I keep reading about only needing to signal if there's someone around who needs to know where you're going. I'm a great believer in only signalling when necessary, but I'm a bit wary abut not signalling on a test. Presumably as there's an examiner behind me, he's going to want to know where I'm going, so I should always signal. Right?

 

I promise I'm not stalking you!!

Yes, the examiner is another road user. Assume he does not know where you are going!

TBH on the bike I tend to always indicate out of habit but also (especially in London) there are ninja pizza delivery scooters who do appear from absolutely nowhere.

[nickcook]

Haha! Don't worry about stalking. It's good to get replies to my questions. Thanks!!

[soll]

its when she rings you standing below a street lamp sharpening a knife

[Hoggs]

its when she rings you standing below a street lamp sharpening a knife

 

ssshhhhhhh don't ruin the surprise!

[JRH]

its when she rings you standing below a street lamp sharpening a knife

 

ssshhhhhhh don't ruin the surprise!

 

Naa it's the knock on the door in the late hours. (Holding a map of the test route)

[Joe85]

to Joe85: yeah erith is up down up down all the time and the roundabouts are big. I think your talking about Dave teller. I heard awesome things about him but I messaged him asking for one day mod 1 training after lots elsewhere he said he would do 3 day with some mod 2 I said I only wanted mod 1 first but he insisted 3 day at 400 I think which peed me off alot. for a new rider I would recommend him from what I hear but for me it was not suitable at all.

Sorry, late reply mate. The 3 day course is just 1 day of Mod 1 and 2 days for Mod 2. Test fee's are included in the £400. If anyone can get you through, this guy can.

Good luck.

[nickcook]

Passed my Mod 2 last week. 3 minors: stalled twice, once on the hill start and went round a mini roundabout still changing down the gears.

Started looking for a new bike, but having recently been made redundant, Mrs C says I have to wait until I've got a job!

[Tango]

Congrats on the pass mate.......I hope you get a job and bike sorted soon......

[Hoggs]

Woo congrats!

[bandit-style]

I took my mod 2 test at burton staffordshire on december 18th,on my ride to the test centre i felt calm and relaxed,but when i went inside the test centre the nerves started to kick in

The examiner called me into the room and went through my paperwork before explaining what manoeuvres he would be expecting me to carry out as the test progressed .So after he fitted the radio it was off outside for the show me tell me questions and the eye test,I was asked to show him how i would check that the front brake was operating correctly and what affect a pillion passenger would have on the bike.

As we set off i kept telling myself that i was just having a nice relaxing ride out,with the added bonus of somebody behind me providing free sat nav . My test itself went great and everything seemed fine.I made sure all my lifesaver checks were done and indicators cancelled after every manoeuvre . i kept moving my head to check my mirrors every 15 secs and watched all the speed limit signs closely as i entered a new road.

We arrived back at the test centre after about 40 mins on the road,and waited nervously until the examiner turned and said those magical words....... " I'm pleased to tell say you have passed the test " yesssss

I received 1 minor for not overtaking a lorry on the dual carriageway when the examiner thought i should have,so now i have brought myself a suzuki bandit 600 gsf and i can't stop smiling every time i go out for a ride

[JRH]

Well done and congrats

[Hoggydo]

Congratulations on passing your test! It's a great feeling isn't it? I can remember every second of my 45 minutes of module 2 and those magic words at the end 'I'm pleased to say you've passed' were music to my ears! Went out and ordered my brand new Honda CBR650f three days later! Loving the biker life! Safe riding!

[xxsteve-zorbaxx]

I was due to take my MOD2 today. However, I had an off on my training yesterday lunchtime. I was the 2nd rider behind another trainee with the instructor following me. As I approached a r/h bend i was carrying a little bit too much speed for my experience and then did everything thereafter text book WRONG. Instead of counter steering and looking through the bend, I focused on the crappy tarmac at the edge of the road and guess what i Hit? You've got it, the crappy tarmac at the side of the road!!!! bike went left into ditch and i hit the tarmac on my right shoulder. Wearing the full armoured gear, so nothing broken!!! I might have a bit of soft tissue damage to my shoulder or a muscle tear due to the impact and it hurts like hell. So test was postponed until I get my shoulder right.

It was going so well.... up to that point, with the instructor more than pleased with the progress I was making.

I am furious with myself for trying to keep up with the rider in front instead of riding for myself! Because I know exactly what I did wrong (won't make that mistake again) it hasn't knocked my confidence and I am eager to get back on the bike and continue my training and MOD2.

The lessons from this are:

1. Do NOT skimp on protective gear.

2. Ride for yourself, and within your capabilities.

3. Learn counter steering, and use it.

4. Do NOT target fixate, always look where you want the bike to go.

My mistake was when I realised I had carried too much speed into the bend, I had a moment of "Brain freeze" and completely forgot my training!!!! If I had been going slower, I would have had plenty of time to correct my error.

I will let you all know how I get on with my MOD2 once I've got my shoulder sorted out.

Safe riding and Cheers

Steve

PS No damage to the bike. Just lots of vegetation in all the nooks and crannies!

[JRH]

Sorry to hear that Steve, glad you are reasonably OK. As you say you know what the problem was so all you can do is chalk it up to experience and move on. It may take time to get your confidence back up to 100% but take it easy and all in your own time and all the best for the test next time.

[Hoggs]

Bad luck Steve, glad you're (mainly) ok.

Personally....I'd say reading the road conditions and judging speeds is a better skill to obtain than countersteering (and has a lower risk of horrific highsides ) which all comes with experience. As you say it's easy to get sucked up to someone else's speed and misjudge things, but mistakes are (annoyingly!) the best way to learn. Glad it hasn't dented your confidence too much!

Good luck with the mod2 when booked!

[number1barber]

Steve that sucks but on a plus you fine and happy to continue.

I had the same thing a while back on a ride with some big bikes went really fast into a corner following them then thought oh hell.

with more training on tracks i could lean it further but as it is i didnt crash so i was lucky.

small accidents are a lot better lessons than making the same mistake at high speed resulting in serious harm.

Its the people that have near misses then still ride the same that concerns me you should always evolve and learn from what you do.

good luck with your test.

[number1barber]

although it was a few months back this is the full version of my mod 2.

On the day of the test it was raining hard. i had all the right gear but my dad who was riding the bike from his house did not so i text him offering to cancel but didn't get a reply. When i arrived at mitcham there was my dad soaked to the skin. (MY dad has trader insurance and can ride anything)

Since riding the bandit 600 the day i bought it some months before i had not used it again but was riding a geared varadero so i was nervous.

I was praying to get mags a stunning foreign examiner who was always friendly putting people at ease i would have settled for anyone except Shaun who never shows emotion whatsoever. So obviously out walks Shaun and im thinking oh shit.

We ride off and turn into heavy traffic as roadworks has shut one side of the road. after a traffic island the road has temporary one way signs designating the opposite side of the road as going the same way as my side but i have never seen this before and no one is using the other lane so im thinking no way plus he will probably say turn left at the end and i will be in the wrong lane.

so i ride in slow moving traffic which im very used to slipping the clutch keeping my feet most of the time instead of stop starting. at the end on cue he says turn left we come to a steep hill and i drop a gear and engine brake so no brake lights coming up.

we then do the pull over pull away a few times and we are soon back at roundabout at the start of the long road back in fact too soon which worries me. A van tries to undertake me and my examiner starts to say something to him then turns off his mike needles to say he was super unimpressed with the van. we pull back into the centre.

my dad says we was very quick and im very sure i have failed. We go in the room and i say im sure i failed but have no idea why. he asks me why i didn't use the empty lane at the start i tell him i assumed we was going left at the end. He asks me why i didnt filter and i say whilst i do so daily i thought it prudent not to on my test just in case. He says okay then still without a smile tells me i passed.

I say to him "you know what your a bit of a b**tard" with a smile on my face. he ask why is that.

I say to him "i have dealt with you a few times and last time i said you never smile and this is the one time you could have"

with that he gives me a big grin and i laugh.

i go back out and my dad asks me if i want to ride the bandit home but i say no thanks and ride the varadero.

this was a very different test route to erith

reasons i failed 3 tests at erith

1st test wrong way on a big roundabout could not see any signage on approach changed lanes.

2nd test come to a Y junction with the previous instruction continue straight slowed right down looking for indication of which was turning which was straight on but couldnt see anything and apparently took a turning

3rd test last road looked like a 50 sped up and told to slow down. after he said he didnt know why everyone thought it was a 50.

[xxsteve-zorbaxx]

Finally passed Mod 2 after my shoulder injury had healed (torn cuff rotator!!). I was absolutely gagging to get back on the bike and get my test under my belt.

Although the test ride didn't feel as though it went brilliantly. I was fairly relaxed during the ride and was so happy when the examiner told me I had passed with 3 minors. All I can say is that my training instructor Darren was a much harder task master than the examiner (not a bad thing).

Although initially looking to get a FZ6 fazer. i came across a VFR800 and took it for a spin. Fell in love with it immediately and negotiated a deal. 2003 40000miles full Honda service history. Very pleased with it and I am off to my first rally (as a rider) at the end of the month. I will look to add some luggage to it over the coming months. Thanks to all members who wished me a quick recovery and good luck for my test. The grin on my face over the last week on the VFR says it all and it has been so worth all the hoops/injuries I have had to go through.

I'm only at the very beginning of a great adventure.

[JRH]

Congrats on the pass and the new bike.

[number1barber]

I have ridden for many years but just passed my full bike so would just like to add the following warnings for all new big bike riders

because these are the things that are not said.

1. its very easy to get carried away riding in a group at speed which is fine until they enter a corner they know but you don't and it tightens don't worry about looking cool because you wont after. Worry about getting used to your bike properly before you try matching your mates speed.

2. The new rear torque is great just be wary of pulling away on poor ground gravel wet grass mud whatever because you will end up dumping it.

3. Your only as good as the car driver next to you open roads are great for speed whereas filtering is not if you filter fast and someone steps out or pulls out its bad keep it for clear areas. 99% of crash videos on youtube could have been avoided with just a little less speed. There is no point in being right if your laying in the road with your new bike in bits.

I expect everyone is trying to kill me and will do something stupid therefore im usually not surprised.

I was riding down a 2 lane empty road recently in the left lane when i saw a car in a left hand turning waiting. I assumed he might be a idiot so i moved to the right lane and slowed a bit sure enough he pulled out on me just as i got to him and instead of pulling into the left he went across into my lane causing me to swerve him. Had i just assumed i had the right of way which i did and not took action in case i would have ended up in hospital.

so always wear gear ride well and always expect idiots.

P.s ride well does not have to mean slow it just means well

[AndySv]

Module 2 at ipswich, thurs. Pass

Nothing I can really say was hard about it just ride safe, do all your observations and follow road rules. my instructor had eased me into the lessons and such a great guy at explaining things so everything felt natural to do.

I had originally thought I had failed due to me turning right and leaving my indicator on but I cancelled it and carried on like It hadn't happened, I hadn't caused any other road users confusion or passed any junctions so it was a minor. Also got a minor for sitting too close to a car at traffic lights.

Was a great day and all I can say is if anyone is in the Southend area Passbike is probably the best school in the area!

[Hoggs]

Nicely Done Andy!

This is where the real learning starts so take it easy and shiny side up