Just Failed Mod 1 [& TLDR Analysis]

[pendulum]

It all went to pot

It was raining heavily (with hailstones on the way to, but not at, the test center). I'd been dreading the high speed manoeuvres in the rain and already decided before the test that I wouldn't risk me or the bike for a £15 test pass, I'd rather fail and rebook.

But it was the U-turn I messed up on. I pulled up on the left, did my Obs, and then I set off doing quite a sharp U-Turn. I realised mid-turn that he actually wanted me to pull up on the left as well, got a bit panicked and let the speed drop too much, wobbled, then had to put my foot down - Stupid really. The first U-Turn I ever did on my CBT was better than that. Next time I'll just use the full width of the lane, it'll be much easier!

Knowing I'd failed already, I felt the pressure on me for the high speed manoeuvres had been lifted, because I could go as fast or as slow as I liked and it wouldn't make a difference

For the controlled stop, I took the wet corner at a speed I felt comfortable with, accelerated through the speed trap to a speed I was happy with (all the time thinking "I'm not going to go any faster than I'm happy with just for his sake!", and stopped with the front wheel in the blue cones. He showed me the speed reading - exactly 50kph! Wahey - so all the worries I had about getting my CG up to speed seem to be unfounded. If I can do that in the wet then it should be no problem at all in the dry etc.

Now we come the emergency stop. I went round the corner much the same [but he didn't show me the speed this time], still deciding to play it on the safe side. When he raised his hand I braked using the front and back brakes. I thought it was a half decent stop for a soaking wet road in the rain, but he didn't - another serious for stopping distance, and no chance to practice the swerve test.

Overall I can see the test is not difficult. Mixed feelings about the emergency stop result though. I really didn't think it was that bad.

Still, £15.50 for a practice run isn't bad, and I do feel more confident now about what the test involves. I'll rebook (probably somewhere else as my local has a 6 week waiting time) and see how the next one goes.

[DrSnoosnoo]

When I did emergency stop today, I used my back brake how I have in the dry. All felt fine to me and I came to a nut smashing stop, but the use of the back brake like it was dry made it lock up. I didn't even feel it but that's a fail isn't it. Mine got called off so didn't get a run at the corners in the rain
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I'm Sam; Northern, Ginger, Lover
Did have: '95 ZZR600 '83 CG125 '97 ZZR1100 '15 Hypermotard 821 SP Do Have: '10 ZX10R

[pendulum]

I'm sure locking the rear is a fail if he notices you do it.
How obvious was it?
Lucky for me it takes a lot of force applied for my back brake to lock up, even in the wet.

[DrSnoosnoo]

My instructor could see it from quite far away to be fair. He said it was the last half foot - foot distance and it slightly locked up.
In my opinion it didn't happen but just put more bias towards the front in the rain to make sure eh?
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I'm Sam; Northern, Ginger, Lover
Did have: '95 ZZR600 '83 CG125 '97 ZZR1100 '15 Hypermotard 821 SP Do Have: '10 ZX10R

[Richtea]

Unlucky mate, but you've got the right attitude, just treat it as a practice run.

I locked my rear for a second on my Mod1, but didnt fail. Think it depends if the examiner deems it as under control or not I guess.
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2005 Honda Varadero 125xl > 2005 GS500F > 2007 DRZ400 SM > 600 Bandit & Yamaha YP250

[trikeschick]

One of my fails was for allegedly locking the wheel. I disputed it and those watching said it didn't lock but the examiner was a patronising fecker so I didn't go back to that test centre!
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"Light travels faster than the speed of sound, which is why some people appear bright until they speak"

[GREENI3]

Unlucky mate, you'll nail it next time!

I almost fluffed my test on the u-turn; basically did the shoulder check as I was about to turn, and then apparently my front wheel almost went over the white line.

Other than that it was relatively straight forward.

Seems some people find mod 1 more difficult than mod 2 and vice versa. Like for example, I breezed through mod 1 first time, but I'm currently on my 3rd attempt at mod 2.
Wish it was the other way round for me, considering the huge difference in price between the two tests.

[Llama-Farmer]

Can't see why (briefly) locking the rear wheel would be an automatic fail.

If you lock it and it stays locked, fair enough, but if you lock it and ease off the back brake so the wheel starts turning again, and stay in control of the bike, then surely thats ok?

[Themightyimp]

Locking rear wheel on E stop can't be a straight fail.Unless the examiner of a mate of mine got it wrong.He locked the back up for possibly a good meter.But Examiner passed him as he said he controlled it.
With my E stop when I passed I was feathering the rear,on off on off.

[trikeschick]

[blurredman]

I didn't even use the rear.. Just a shit load of front (drum brakes), and engine braking. But I made the effort to make it look like I was using the rear (just pressing slightly, but no actual force came from it)
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CBT: 12/06/10, Theory: 22/09/10, Module 1: 09/11/10, Module 2: 19/01/11
Past: 1991 Honda CG125BR-J, 1992 (1980) Honda XL125S, 1996 Kawasaki GPZ500S, 1979 MZ TS150.
Current: 1973 MZ ES250/2 - 18k, 1979 Suzuki TS185ER - 10k, 1981 Honda CX500B - 91k, 1987 MZ ETZ250 (295cc) - 40k, 1989 MZ ETZ251 - 51k.

[Richtea]

[snikks]

I found that it's not that hard to not lock up the rear when e-stopping, you just have to control the urge to stamp rather than apply controlled force. Otoh when you're a learner and on your tests, you have a lot of extra pressure, it's probably a lot easier to just hover over it.
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- CBT: 02/01/11 Theory: 26/04/11 Mod 1: 19/05/11 Mod 2: 19/08/11
- 2007 Honda XL125V Varadero (Sold), 1999 Yamaha FZS600 Fazer (Sold), 2001 CBR600F

[herulach]

yep, locking the wheel isn't an auto fail, at least at audenshaw, locked the back wheel of mine up on my mod 1, not a full on fishtail, but enough to notice.
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YBR 125>FZS600

[pendulum]

Passed Mod 1 this morning [Second go]
It went really well!

0 Total Faults is what is marked on my test report - but it's not quite a clean sheet, because underneath that box I got a minor for Eco Safe Riding, for having some throttle applied with the clutch in after my Swerve exercise; so the bike was revving whilst I was coming to a stop.

But 0 or 1 minor, whatever you want to call it, I am really pleased.

Slalom went great - and that made me think "I am better than last time. I can do this" Aced the U turn, after I'd been practicing on much narrower roads, then had no problems with the high speed manoeuvres on a dry track!

Got my Mod 2 on the 9th - I don't feel quite ready for it yet, but I am going to go ahead and try my best.

[Benson_JV]

Nicely done! Minor or no minor it's a pass, who cares.
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Willson - "If you go out on that CBR600 in the winter, you're going to do more miles on your side than on your wheels."
Riding: CBR600FW Driving: Audi A6
Previous Bikes: '96 Bandit 600, '96 GPz305

[Alex_B]

Rolling on the throttle a lil after the swerve was probably just nerves.
No worries, you wont do it in normal circumstances I'm sure.

Never heard it called Eco riding though

Good job man.

Silly one done, good luck on Mod 2
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My Lane Position is always AWESOME!!

[Rogerborg]

[Kingstondavo]

[Matt B]

[cdlxxvi]