A2 without courses, what you think?

[Bikercem]

Hey guys, new to the forums.

I have booked my theory test for the 7th of September, I just called a Training centre local to enquire about courses and they said that for a four day course it would cost me £599, bike hire and test fee's included.

I have been driving my YBR125 for a year now and I have looked up the Module 1 exam(Nothing on the Mod 2 yet), do you think I could get away with Renting a bike or something for the test and doing it myself? Or should I do the course, because £600 is a bit steep considering both the test fees are around £85 and £15, the reason the others are included are because its a bit rash letting a newbie on a 600, but as posed below I will be getting another bike this month anyway as my NCB is almost built up and no point in renewing if test will be imminent, I mean I CAN pay the course fees and get a 95% pass chance as stated but If I can save money for my bike etc I would prefer it.

Baring in mind that I will be selling my YBR125 this month and using the money to buy a Bandit-600, I am going to buy the bike at some point anyway so maybe its better to buy the bike, insure it, Restrict it to 46 bhp whack some L plates on, do a little 'Back road driving' to get used to bigger bikes, and go for my test on that because I am supposedly allowed to do so? Anyone got any experience with this sort of thing? Did you pass doing it by yourself?

So the real question is, what are my chances of passing the A2 test without a course, but some practicing?

[J.M.]

I passed Mod 1 & Mod 2 (old test) with no training. I rocked up on my 125 and just took the tests. I practised Mod 1 a little bit with some cones on an industrial estate though. If you apply a little common sense and read the highway code, you can too.

If you can find a company to insure you, your idea about buying a bigger bike and using that for the test is spot on. I think it would work out best in the long run as if you fail a test, you wont have to add in bike hire fees again.

I'd definitely do some 'back road' practise though. The bandit is a heavy bike, so you will need to get used to that for the Mod 1 test. You can't legally ride the bandit on L-plates unless you are accompanied by a trainer or examiner. It's not the same as a car where you can just be with a friend who's owned their license for 3 years. Get a friend to ride the bike to the test for you, with you as the pillion.

You will also have to look in to what the DSA accept as proof of restriction. Legally there is nothing you need to provide, but the DSA seem to like to impose their own rules.
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2004 R1 & 2018 XSR900

[Bozzie08]

I can echo that comment, the bandit is a heavy ass bike compared to a 125! I've not much experience but struggle with the slow stuff due to the weight.

You may be fine with it tho having rode the 125 however I think the 600 bandit is at least double the weight

[Bikercem]

Thanks for all the feedback guys it's the kind of information I was after, I'm quite tall and heavy myself 6'2, 240lb or so, is a big bike hard to cope with regardless of size?

[J.M.]

The weight of a bike really comes in to play with slow speed stuff. Once you're up to speed, the weight of a bike means a lot less.

I wouldn't say it's hard to cope with, but something you will want to practise.
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2004 R1 & 2018 XSR900

[Rogerborg]

You should be fine on a Bandit if you're a biggun.

People can and do pass on their own bikes. In principle the bike that you are on makes no difference to the test. But I should note a few things.

#1 Insurance will be a pickle. We've been told that Bikesure will cover you on your provisional for something like a month before requiring you to be licensed up. I don't know of anyone else who will do it. Your'e not required to show evidence of insurance, but you'll want the bike to be on the MID.

#2 The DSA will want to see convincing evidence that the Bandit has been restricted. A dyno certificate is explicitly not acceptable. They want an invoice or "certificate" from a dealer or a "recognised restriction specialist" - and their definition of "recognised" is a secret list. I'd guess the scammers at "FI International", or Kickstart Engineering on eBay although ALL THE CAPS HE USES are not convincing. Ask your local test centre.

#3 You don't want them to see you riding it in to the test centre. So, pillion, trailer, van, or push it in from round the corner (you know, from the trailer / van / where your mate rode it to).

Best of luck, and massive if you get it done this way.
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Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[MC]

Just out of interest, what constitutes riding under supervision? I'm guessing following your mate doesn't count, that they need to be a fully qualified motorcycle Jedi type person?
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Yamaha MT-03 '08 (crashed)
Honda XR-125L '04

[Rogerborg]

Provisional license conditions for riding >125 or >11kW are:

Displaying L plates front and rear.

Wearing fluorescent (or at night, reflective) clothing. The amount isn't specified.

Being in radio contact with a certified "DAS" instructor in possession of his certificate, who is in contact with no more than 2 "DAS" trainees.

Aside:
As far as I can tell, the legislation still talks about "DAS", which is a bit of a misnomer now as there's no indirect access through an automagic upgrade. Take it to mean "anything bigger than a 125".

There's no requirement to wear hi-vis while on test, but you'll not want to argue the toss.

There's no limit on the number of 125 trainees who can be out with the instructor - I often see the local outfit out with one instructor and 3 or more Learners, which I consider a bit naughty.
____________________
Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[SteveZZR]

[Ribenapigeon]

If you've survived a year on the roads you're not going to need a £600 course. Look for an independent instructor who will taylor a course to your needs. I did this and got my M1, M2 training and fees for £210.

[Dave70]

[Bikercem]

Ah, sorry for the late reply, been working a hella lot recently.

Hmm, well I have my theory on saturday so I got to wait until then to be able to book my test (As well as get my wages this month), so thanks for all the feedback I will keep you guys posted!

[j.silvs]

There's another guy on here who made a really in depth thread of passing a test without lessons.

Forgot his name tho.....

[Mark 37]

£600 for DAS= BARGAIN!

Take the tuition, you'll be a better rider for it.

Mark

EDIT....I've been quoted £800 with tests by one school and £800 by another with no test or bike higher include. Both are 4 day coarses.
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No matter how fast light travels, darkness was always their first.

[j.silvs]

Found the post:

https://www.bikechatforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=262478url

[Bikercem]

Good news guys, I passed my Theory test, I just got to wait until I get my wages to book my Full test, I am 80% likely to go for a 2-day course locally for £430, if for example I get paid on the 17th, and I book a 2-day course the same day, what waiting time am I looking at waiting for? A week? a couple? From experience if possible

[J.M.]

[shaanaleem92]

I only had to wait a week or 2 even for retests

[Bikercem]

Update: Module 1 in the morning, so nervous.

Here is what my instructor said:

Parking and stand/moving to other bay: Fine
Slalom:Fine
F8:Fine
Slow moving: work on clutch control
U-turn: Same as above
couldn't do bend as nowhere to do it, but It shouldn't be too hard to do it.
Swerving: Spot on
Emergency braking: I pull the clutch in too quick and I should pull it in like a second or two before the bike stops to stop it stalling. after a couple of tries I did it fine.

I rode a GS500 and the bike is a lot bigger, the tank is so wide, I feel like its more suited to me as I'm a bigger guy being 6'2 and 220lbs, where he's telling me instructions all the time i'm panicking and making it worse by for example taking the right hand lane for a straight etc when it should really be on the left, taking mini rbs too wide and I should keep it tidy and close to the middle of the roundabout but not on it.

any extra tips, module 2 isn't booked yet but paid for, he reckons I need a little more practice for that one but by the end of the session today he didn't seem to spot so many faults etc so I must be improving.

[Rogerborg]

A2 without course, did course?
____________________
Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[trevor saxe-coburg-gotha]

Bikercem loses massive karma chance.

Dude you were our best bet. All our hopes...gone.
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"Life is a sexually transmitted disease and the mortality rate is one hundred percent."

Mobylette Type 50 ---> Raleigh Grifter ---> Neval Minsk 125

[Bikercem]