2008 Motorcycle Test

[grotbag]

DSA - 2008 Motorcycle Test




Background to the reasons for the project

The new practical motorcycle test is being introduced in October 2008 to comply with European legislation, which aims to improve the standard of road safety for motorcycle and moped riders. This user group have been identified as having a high risk of injury or death. This is particularly the case for young and inexperienced riders.

In October 2000, the European Commission brought in new standards for theoretical and practical driving tests conducted within the European Union (EU). This new legislation adds to this and is intended to ensure that motorcycle test candidates demonstrate that they are competent in the control of their machines at a more demanding level than is currently the case.

The new one test event will contain two elements. The Higher speed manoeuvres and other exercises will be tested on safe off-road sites and take about 8 minutes to complete. The accompanied riding element of the test will follow, consisting of a road ride include normal stops, hill and angle starts. Candidates who have exhibited riding skills of a dangerously incompetent level during the off-road part of the test will not be permitted to proceed to the on-road element.

The new test will be delivered from a network of sites provided either directly by DSA or via private developers. Many of the centres will be Multipurpose Test Centres (MPTC) providing both motorcycle and car testing facilities. Some will provide Large Goods Vehicle (LGV) and Passenger Carrying Vehicle (PCV) testing facilities. Some low use sites will only provide motorcycle testing.

What is different about the new motorcycle test?

The new EU standards set extra and more demanding special manoeuvres that must be included in every practical motorcycling test. These new standards include:

* at least two manoeuvres being carried out at slow speed, including a slalom
* at least two manoeuvres being carried out at higher speed, of which one manoeuvre should be in second or third gear, at a speed of at least 30 km/h (18.6 mph) and one manoeuvre avoiding an obstacle at a minimum speed of 50 km/h (31.1 mph)
* at least two braking exercises, including an emergency brake at a minimum speed of 50 km/h (31.1 mph)

Link to manoeuvre diagrams

The diagrams show the proposed layout of the manoeuvring area. At the discretion of the examiner, candidates will be asked to demonstrate their ability to ride a right circuit, and steer to the right on the avoidance exercise or a left circuit and steer to the left on the avoidance exercise.

The practical moped riding test is being developed. The higher speed manoeuvres for moped riders will be slower than for motorcycles. A test for the drivers of motorcycle and side car combination is also under development.

Why are special "off road" facilities required?

It was considered that it would not be safe to conduct the new higher speed and braking manoeuvres on public roads, which in very built up and busy test areas, would not be safe for the rider, other road users and the general public.

Undertaking a fair and consistent assessment for all candidates across Great Britain would be best achieved by using a pre-determined layout using ground markings and cones. It would be impractical to do that on a public road with other traffic present.

Due to the minimum speeds required and different handling and power characteristics of different machines, it has been necessary to calculate a minimum test area in which to conduct the new test.

What will the new Multi-Purpose Test Centres provide?

* comfortable waiting room with toilet facilities
* easy access and toilet facilities for disabled candidates
* good off road parking facilities for motorcycles and cars
* separate "radio kit up" room for motorcycle candidates
* an off road motorcycle manoeuvring area for the new test, finished with a high specification surface providing good grip in wet and dry weather and designed to be without hazards such as drainage gullies

[grotbag]

Autumn 2007 up-date

The main highlights are:

The contract for the speed measuring equipment has been let to a Belgian Company (LET Automotive) who have developed a remote hand held display, which is linked to the speed measuring equipment, using blue-tooth to allow the examiner to read the speed achieved whilst conducting the test. (see photo of speed equipment and hand held device). Deliveries of the equipment to our Cardington training facilities are underway.

Further work has been undertaken regarding trainers being allowed to use the DSA off road manoeuvring area for training purposes. We are looking at the following options:

* For training when not being used for testing, and
* For familiarisation of the off-road manoeuvres prior to the test, subject to availability.
* Examiner training will take place for the new test during the winter, most of which will be at Cardington, however some could be carried out at a local MPTC


Specially sourced traffic cones in four colours have been delivered to existing MPTCs for use on the off road area, with further supplies available on a call off basis for new MPTCs To view a more detailed diagram of the finalised layout with measurements, click on the link here.


A promotional DVD of the new test was recently filmed at Gloucester MPTC and is currently being produced to be made available at the National Motorcycle Conference in January


The 2008 Information pack (including the DVD of the new test) about the new test will be available at the National Motorcycle Trainers Conference planned on 23 January 2008 at the Motorcycle Museum near Birmingham. Following this conference, it will be sent to all training bodies. For further details about this event, visit the “Events”
section of the website


Following a successful trial at Leicester MPTC, hot and cold drink vending machines have been rolled out to all completed MPTCs for use in the waiting rooms

[druidsam]

Originally Posted by grotbag

DSA - 2008 Motorcycle Test



Why are special "off road" facilities required?

It was considered that it would not be safe to conduct the new higher speed and braking manoeuvres on public roads, which in very built up and busy test areas, would not be safe for the rider, other road users and the general public.

so its not safe to do during a test,but you are expected to do it on public roads after the test..isnt the purpose of the test to make sure you are safe to be allowed on the roads? how can they determine this if parts of the test are not carried out in "real life " situations...its all just a money making scheme for everyone concerned except for the learners, and i still dont see anything being done to improve the standard of young car drivers



......................Sam

[Spree]

Very useful post GB - thanks for that

[grotbag]

your welcome Spree





Sam, my dad say's that the instructors teach you how to drive /ride just to pass the test and then you do your learning from experience afterwards! What do you think?

[Ross]

i agree with your old man no one can teach you how to ride and reat with different situations only experience does that.
GO FOR IT GIRL

[grotbag]

yep, I am oh yes .......... sound like the dog in the churchill advert!

[Ross]

nah, thats politics!! thats just what you could call reality

[LF125-J]

good info grotbag ty i want to get a ahead and get my practical and test out of the way before you have to endo's and backflips to ensure sum 1 can ride a bike safely on ones own :/

[peanut]

the instructors on my training were not shy in telling me that they would only show me what i needed to pass the test and no more.
thank's alot guy's now i'll pop out and buy a litre bike, and you wonder why there are so many accidents involved with young bikers