My Bike Test Experience

[grotbag]

Please don't take offense but ...



If anyone wants to make comments etc, could you open another thread to do that on please.

I would like to keep this thread just for others to write their accounts of their bike test experience, so that other 'L' plate riders can read the accounts without having to scroll through lots of comments and banter posted!!

I know where the delete button is and I'm not afraid to use it!

[grotbag]

Been asked to do this by GB so here goes

Test day

Turned up at the biker school & the instructor check’s all my documents & explains the test procedure, format & what I am likely to be asked etc. We then went out for a quick loosen up ( a calm down more like it ), a couple of U Turns, Emergency Stops a couple of last minuet pointers on the way to the centre..
Into the test centre and had to provide the examiner with both parts of licence, CBT & Theory certificates. The examiner then goes through some basic instructions, if I ask you to pull over, double yellows are acceptable, if you don’t hear an instruction shake your head & I’ll repeat, don’t wait for me if you see a gap big enough for you go, stuff like that. He then put his Comm’s system on me, I put my lid on & we went to my bike.
He then did the eye test, can you read that cars registration over there, then onto the maintenance questions. Only a couple, how do you check the chain, how do you check break fluid. ( I was told to stand the bike on its centre stand or get on it to check this ). The then told me what car he would be in & told me to get ready to move off. He appeared at the entrance to the car park checked the Comm link was working ok & asked me to move off.
We did a couple of small junctions then left onto the two lane main road. He wanted us to be in the outside lane to turn right further on. There were road works on the road so he told me to wait until he moved over then to pull in, in front of him. ( This was a god send as it was mayhem on the main road ). A couple of more turns and then into a side street. He asked me to switch off the bike & get off. He then asked me to push the bike in a U Turn around the street. He then asked me to go to the end of the street turn left, left, left, & left come back down this road & when he raised his hand he would like me to come to a controlled stop. Left, left, left, left & ( he had moved a way from his car a bit ) and stop. No worries now the U Turn.
I backed the bike up as there was a parked car further down in front and I wanted to make sure I was steady before I attempted the turn. I checked and moved off, life saver over the right shoulder and as I was about to start my turn, a car pulled off a drive and headed towards me. I just stopped the bike wheeled it back to the examiner & said I‘d aborted the turn because of the car coming down the street. No worries with this I set myself up again & made the turn.
I wouldn’t have had the confidence to abort the manoeuvre on my first test & would have tried to rush it round, but as my instructor said its your test so you take control of the situation, it was the same with backing the bike up a bit before starting the turn. This was probably the best advice he gave about the actual test.
That done couple more Junctions & Roundabouts and a national speed and we headed back to the centre. Oh yeah the last minuet pointers the instructor gave… Did you know if you are turning right at traffic lights, only two vehicles are allowed to cross the white line & wait, if you are the third vehicle to cross & wait behind the white line you will receive an instant fail. I was turning right at traffic lights with two cars across the white line but enough room for my bike, I would have moved out if the instructor had not told me this on the way to the test centre.
Back to the centre pull up & wait for me inside please. A couple of Pillion questions what would you change on the bike, how would it affect the ride etc, & then he said I am please to say you have passed, please can I have your licence back. & I got an A2 pass certificate in return & the biggest fattest grin on my face.

Was the 125 test different to the direct access? No not at all. ( Apart from I passed this one ) The only thing was on the U Turn, the road could have been narrower on the 125 test than on the DAS but apart from that there was no difference at all.

Riding back to the Instructors and then riding back to work was exhausting. Again full marks to the instructor who wouldn’t let me ride straight back to work, he made me go back to the shop sit down for 5 minuets have a brew & calm down a bit.


aspe16




That's fantastic aspe, thank you! I hope some of the others will follow your lead!

[Shamblatron]

29/04/08 at 2.30 pm was test day

I had a morning riding with my instructor which was great for the nerves ahead of the test. We did a few U Turns and emergency stops which given all the training was done in the wet I was happy to do in the dry.

2.20 pm, we arrived at the test center and my instructor parked my bike and led me into the test center, documents were handed over and checked and the instructions were given by the test instructor, 'ride your own ride and don't worry about me and follow my instructions'. The radio is strapped on and the examiner administers the eye test outside, that done he hops on his bike and tells me to do the same.

2.29 and 59 seconds, I starts to hail as the examiner instructs me to pull off, thankfully we head down one of the routes my instructor has taken us down a few times, it started with a country road and then headed into the town where we took a route I had never seen.

There were several 'Please pull over when it is safe to do so' followed by' 'OK, please pull off when it is safe to do so' about 5 of thes in all through the test we were then heading into a known U-Turn street where I was instructed to pull over.

After being told to pull over I was told to stop the engine, walk the bike in a U-Turn, stop, mount the bike, start it and then complete a U-Turn on the bike. Then it was round the block for the emergency stop. I did manage to skid the back wheel in the stop but l re-applied the rear brake and regained control, (Phew)

We then spent time going back through the town past some schools that were swarmed with mothers in cars and pedestrains and after this we then got stuck at some roadworks/train crossing for five minutes, this probably shortened the test but all I could do for five minutes was go over the test so far in my head i was happy to get going again!

After that we hit the ring road and some dual carriageways for a couple of minutes before heading back to the test center.

I am glad to say I passed with 4 minors, 2 for incorrect or badly timed lifesavers and 2 for undue hesitation, this was because I kept waiting for a gap big enough for myself and the examiner when turning right, (ride your own ride!)

If you reading this and about to do your test good luck and keep us posted in the new biker forums. if you a new biker that is

[Singh600RR]

Was a few months ago when Britain was hit by the worse hail, rain and wind for years!!

Test was at 10.05am - so got to training school at around 8.50am. Cup of tea and then off for a warm up ride and last minute practice.

Did a few more U-turns and roads in the test area.

Got to exam school and sat in reception. Examiner came out and examined my doc's - both licence parts, CBT and Theory Test doc.

He then took me outside and gave me an eye test.

He then went to my bike and asked a couple of questions - how do indicators work? (easy) how do you check brake level & oil level?

These were easy enough. But he did ask 3.

He then went over the basic format of the test - what he wanted me to do, how to pull over, don't wait for hm if gets stuck at lights - that kind of thing.

We both then helmeted up, went to our own bikes and he did a radio check.

All was ok - he then said go when your ready - he gaves route instructions in plenty of time.

I pulled off and the rain started to fall!! And the wind picked up a gale!

The test lasted for about 20-30 mins and is mainly road riding. Left turns, right turns, stopping, starting - he tested me on hills starts and pulling off when parked close behind another parked car. That bit was ok.

However at every set of traffic lights some bugger (kids) were messing around - stepping out onto the road to put me off (chavs!)

Also on one road i wasn't sure if it was 20 or 30 so i did 26ish ;-)

He then told me to pull over in a small quite road. I was pleading internally that this wasn't the U-Turn road - it was!!!

Luckily i managed to pull it off - by looking up the road and keeping the bike steady.

He then told me to do the emergency stop by sending me round the block whilst he waited by the side of the road. I practised the stop two or three times whilst going round the block - so by the time i got to him it was easy enough!! Just don't lock up!! and check over both shoulders when pulling off!!

We did a bit more riding - and got to a STOP sign - the road was clear - but i did STOP - you need to do that.

We then set off again and as the weather got worse the test finished.

We went inside (i had a good feeling) and he told me i'd passed!! I did a WOOHOO and thanked him - i got 8 minors (mainly speeding and not safe enough gap!)

He took my paper work and gave me a pass package - and then i rode home in the wet with the biggest GRIN on my face. :-))

GOOD LUCK TO ALL ABOUT TO TAKE TEST!!

[skycat]

My test (in 1997)...

The bike tester had been in an accident and couldn't make it (broken leg) so I had a guy in a Mercedes following me.

I had only had one lesson, which ended at the test centre before the test started. I had ridden motox for years so didn't need to learn how to ride, just how to pass a test.

With a car following me it was easy to show the acceleration of a little 125 bike.

My main issue was the u-turn (both pushing and riding) because of the weight of the bike, so before I did the lesson and test I spent ages and ages going round and round until I knew I could do it every time. I still hated it and never do a u-turn on my 750 now (that would be asking for trouble).