Anyone taken a test with no formal training?

[Tristan.]

Got a little bit of a story for you, skip past these 8 paragraphs if you want to get to the point of the post

Well, I've tempted fate a little too much, had an off on my cg months ago and bent my mudguard so much so that it wont fit without touching the tyre. Ordered a new one through my local garage in July, and said I'd get it MOT'd when the mudguard got here.

Got my A2 booked about a month ago, for the tenth of September, popped into the garage to ask if it was there yet, and he said no, told him that my MOT ran out on the 9th, and my test was the day after, "no worries, it'll be here by then"

Yeah, so back from the garage about two hours ago, and my fork is still mudguardless, and I've been told it's required for an MOT, which seems a tad silly, it's not like I have a radiator or anything to protect anyway, I had an unMOT'd bike and a test in two days.

got the number for all the Lincoln bike schools, hoping one of them could book me lessons over the test time, and let me take the test, they get paid for two hours lessons, I use the bike for half an hours lessoning, then 40 minutes test, then they get it back, seemed reasonable.

Well the first five I phoned didn;t pick up, I was down to the last one, and damn was it good to hear the click of the phone being picked up, wrong.

The bloke on the other end was a complete and utter tool, laughed at me thinking I was taking the test with no training, said I'd fail before I'd left the centre and saying there was no way he'd let a pupil go for a test without a weeks intensive training, or twenty weekly lessons, started asking me the show me tell me questions, "what would you tell a pillion?" me:"umm, lean with me into corners, don't look round me, and keep hold of the grab bars, or me all the time"
"well youve just failed straightaway there, what should you adjust for a pillion?"
"umm, headlight, increase rear tyre pressure, if you can adjust your rear shocks, stiffen them, and make sure you can use your mirrors?"
"there's 8 of them, youve got no chance"

Started asking me if I'd ever done a U turn, I told him I'd been riding for about 12000 miles, I've done dozens, then asked him what his problem was, he laughed at me and said he'd see me monday, and that he was an examiner, then he asked when my test was

Anyway, rang the first number on my list again, and some proper sound bloke said he'd be happy to lend me something learner legal on a CBT, but he couldn;t give me any training, which I wasn;t really wanting in the first place.

So anyway, the point of my post, has anyone actually passed with no training, I've been on the road for 7 months now, propbably more on the cautious side of the spectrum, will I be wasting 35 quid to rent a bike on top of the 60 I've already wasted on the test?

[Nb]

I bet the odd few have passed without training but the majority of people will need atleast 1 or 2 lessons just to brush up and to help assess how good they are for the test.
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[01dabreoo]

i had been riding for a year before i did my test, i thought i was a pretty good rider, but without the lessons i defo wouldnt have passed.
its alot more than just cbt riding

[st3v3]

He can't have been an instructor with that sort of attitude, and I'm about to take my second test without any kind of lessons other than 2 CBT's under my belt. Failed first one on not having all my documents, didn't even get to the eyeset test. Got my second one booked for about a months time, nothing to be scared about, it's all just common sense and comes with experience. Plus I too have the odd thing needs replacing/repairing on my bike
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[Ste]

Yes.

1st test attempt I messed up the U turn, 2nd one I got something wrong with lanes or some crap like that on a roundabout, 3rd time pass. Bit of a gamble trying without any lessons cos you could end up trying 5 times and then going on to have some lessons anyway, but within a few attempts you should be there.

[Tristan.]

cool, I think whaty I'll do is get into the mindset that I've failed this one, and it's just a learning experience, for one, I'll be on a bike I've only ridden for about an hour, for two Ive only ridden in Lincoln once before. After I've taken (failed ) this I'll be moving to Plymouth, without a bike, so I'll have to have lessons for my next test, no way am I travelling 10 hours on a slightly dodgy cg.

Of cours if I pass I can go down on my NTV, and everything will be awesome, I'll save like 300 quids worth of train tickets straight off the bat.

God I hope the tit off the phone isn;t my examiner.

Good luck with your test St3v3, whereabouts in York are you from btw, grew up there myself.

[faddius]

Did mine without training, had been riding a 50cc for 5 months and a 125 for a month, took test twice.

First time round was a joke, failed because apparantly doing left turns I was too far away from the curb, yet I was only a few inches from the yellow lines. The instructor was an idiot, who felt he could fit a VFR through the gap between me and the curb when even a push bike wouldnt have gotten through. He was arrogant and rude, after the test, I just told him he was an arse and left.

Second time, took the test at a different test centre, passed with flying colours.

[t101]

[Kal]

CG mudguard? eBay or your local Honda dealer!

It took 5 days for my local Honda dealer to get a brand new

I'd have lent you one for your MoT if you'd mentioned it earlier!

Yes people do pass without training. There are posts in here about it. Like everything else in riding it is risk and you choose the level of risk you wish to be exposed to.

I would suggest if you are going to the test anyway that you put in the best possible ride you can

If you pass its a win

If you fail then at least you'll have a test sheet telling you where you fail to meet test standard and you can polish those parts of your riding for next time.
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Kal...
I Like To Hoon It Hoon It I Like To Hoon It Hoon It I Like To Hoon It Hoon It Ya Like To (HOON IT!).
1984 GB250 Clubman,1983 CB250N Superdream, 1999 GPZ500S

[Seb]

One session to brush up on stuff that examiners will be looking for and to identify any bad habits beforehand wouldn't hurt. As my lot said, DAS style training is to teach you to fly through the test and not much more.

I certainly wouldn't go to a riding school with an attitude like that guy you spoke to on the phone though

A 5 day course or 20 lessons when you've already got a ton of road experience sounds like money grabbing to me

Good luck!
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2010 Triumph 1050 Sprint ST

[st3v3]

[Cigaro]

Since when has a mudguard been required for an MOT?

[Tristan.]

[Kal]

[carvell]

Yeah, I passed second time with no training. Just bought the book from Halfords and practiced U turns lots.
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Yamaha TDM 850

[mattgirv]

I passed first time with no lessons, and managed to get no majors or minors but I did manage to clock up about 15,000 miles on my 125 within the first year before I took it.

Unlucky with the roundabout and lanes. Get a bit more familiar with the area and practice how you should be going around it. Then rebook your test and give it another go. You might find it easier on your own bike again?
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Bikes: 1998 Honda VFR800Fi, 26,500 miles
1989 Honda CB-1, 38,000 miles