Struggling with Mod 1

[NeoCafeChick]

Hi everyone,
I’m new to biking after deciding a few months ago to go for it in my early 40s. I used a ride a twist and go 100cc about 15 years ago so do have some experience of riding two wheels (used to commute 30 miles a day for about a year) but not any geared bikes.
So back in June I passed my theory and did my CBT which I thoroughly enjoyed. I’ve since been learning on a 650cc and getting loads of road riding including to and from the test centre which is around an hour each way.
I feel pretty confident with my riding out on the roads however on the Mod 1 I struggle with my U-turns (too slow, putting foot down or panicking and dropping the bike) and getting to speed on my avoidance. I’ve had two tests within a month (the second being this morning) and failed both. I know with practice I can get to speed on the fast manoeuvres however I get a complete mental block about the U-turns, I just seem to be afraid of going a bit faster to keep more stability.
My first Mod 1 I would have passed if I’d reached speed on the emergency stop (had to finish the test early as didn’t meet speed on second attempt and ironically did U-turn OK with one minor). The second test today was foot down due to loss of stability (which was a fail) then didn’t meet speed on avoidance. I know I’m a reasonable rider but lack confidence on just a few manoeuvres. However to get practice in costs me £90 a time for a three hour slot and is becoming expensive. My husband is doing his Mod 1 early next month and will hopefully pass followed closely by his Mod 2. He has experience from years ago of bigger bikes which was clearly seen on his CBT apparently. Being male he also (in my personal opinion) more fearless and likely to pass due to having more confidence.
I’m thinking of buying a cheap but decent 125cc geared bike to build my confidence on the road and practice manoeuvres or my husband has suggested I borrow his bike once he’s passed to practice all the slow stuff on a private car park somewhere.
Just really want some advice on how to get past this Mod 1 hump without throwing what feels like money out the window.
Many thanks in advance all

[B0ndy]

There is no substitute for practise, though if you don't have a bike or a can borrow someone's you have to pay for training.

Sounds like borrowing your husbands bike for a few sessions down a quiet industrial estate is a good plan, providing it's got some crash protection.
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CBF 125 -> CB400SF -> GSX600F -> ZX6R (G1) -> GSXR1000 K4 -> ZX6R (B1H Stunt bike) -> VFR800 -> R1 5PW -> Sprint 1050 -> Fireblade 929 -> ZX10R C2H

[Easy-X]

Yeah, mental block on U-turn gets ppl every time, so said my instructor.

Firstly, can you zig zag the cones? Can you do the figure of 8? As was pointed out to me: after really nailing the figure of 8 you're turning in about 5 metres! But then you don't have that white line made of land mines in your view

You should already be doing this but practice doing U-turns on a metre or so less width than the real test. The key is you should be able to turn the bike on full lock at a reasonable speed. It doesn't seem possible but you need shift your body weight and remember to keep your head up! not eyeballing the approaching white line

With regards to the speed manoeuvres for me it was trusting the bike's abilities - particularly braking. Knowing the bike can stop in a surprisingly short distance would, I hope, instil some confidence.

Depending on the type of bike you'll probably be ramping up to >30mph in 2nd gear. Listen to the revs, don't look at the clocks! "I need to get it this loud to be fast enough..." that sort of thing.

Finally the swerve: I've mentioned this before but if you don't mind cheating a bit there's nowhere that says you have to ride through the dead centre of the box before the swerve - you can hug one side and then you only have to flick the bike out a little bit
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Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter

[trevor saxe-coburg-gotha]

[Evotion]

I could have written that post!!

I am still crap at U-turns and get anxious the moment I try and do one.
Conversely, I am very good at doing right to left u-turns!
Unfortunately, the Mod1 was left to right of course, as it would be on the road.

I was soooo not confident about that part of the Mod1.
I did the speed stuff and even the figure 8 okay.
The instructor just said to concentrate on turning your head to where you want to go and never to look at the side of the road and the bike will make it so long as you have plenty of revs.

I was crapping myself on the actual test and somehow passed it first time! I was convinvced I was wasting my time.
I even did it perfectly on the second time you do in in the Mod1 though you are allowed to put a foot down.

When I get a new bike I practice short turns. A car park is good for this and trying to manoevre in and out of the white parking lines.

The instructor was doing a turn in half the road practically standing on the side of the bike so anything is possible!

[chris_hu_cheng]

Practice was what got me through it.

I fluffed a mod 1, literally at the beginning putting a foot down on the cone slalom entirely due to nerves (I never fluffed this in training). Then I practiced the hell out of everything. A big bike would be best but I had a 125cc brought some sturdy coloured paper cups and spent a ridiculous amount of time practicing in empty car parks.

On the 125 I did everything in a lot less space, for example three standard UK parking lot spaces is 7.2 meters the Mod 1 u-turn is 7.5 meters, I got to where I could u-turn in two parking spaces consistently on a 125.

Eventually everything on the Mod 1 becomes ridiculously huge to the point where in my pretest practice I had to make sure that I was actually finishing somewhere near the line on opposite side rather than feet away from it. You don't need full lock or anything near it, just practiced consistent speed, proper head turn etc.

Some would say this was overkill, but I turned it into a game and had fun, even managed to u-turn my Bandit within two spaces first time after my son challenged me (which was hard!) after I had got my licence.

The problem for me with practicing on paid lessons was the expense, once I had the feedback from the instructor I knew what I needed to do but I need to do it again and again and again and again .... to remove all chance of failure due to test nerves and that is expensive if you are paying for it.

[Easy-X]

[Ribenapigeon]

This is where being able to practice in your own time makes a big difference. I had a 125 so I used to do loads of U-turn and figure 8 practice in the unused bit of a local supermarket car park. I made it a habit any time I passed the supermarket to go and do some practice. By the time I dud MOD 1 it was no problem in fact I passed it twice (another story).

[Nobby the Bastard]

[hawkeyefxr]

To get the silly stuff out the way, when i took my test in the late 60's we did not have to do the stuff you do now. You went straight into the test, cost £1.00 Car and Bike tests. You could ride up to a 250cc on a provisional license and i'88 admit there was not many 250's that could get to 70mph.
The examiner was on foot and he told you to ride to a point and "make you bike safe". This involved putting the bike on a centre stand and turning the petrol off. After that i lost the examiner, he told me to turn left and i turned right (stress), at the end of the test, 45mins, i passed lol.


Back to the U turn, a friend of mine has failed it twice, he said you had 6 metres to do it in, it does seem a tad small in my opinion. I know they are looking for bike stability. The times you would do a complete U turn while riding along must be extremely small indeed. I would always stop look behind then do you Uee. I don't know what a 650 weighs these days but going by the old Bonny's it would be quite easy.

I dare say i will be shot down on this post but i would say ride, ride, ride it all comes to you.

[Kentol750]

Don't practice less than the prescribed 7.5 metre gap. 3parking bays in a normal car park. If you can get use of a bike, go to an empty car park and just u turn and ride slowly until you're happy with it. Don't look at the floor, pick a focal point that keeps you looking where you are going. When you mess it up, forget about it, have a breather and reset. You won't get better whilst dwelling on why you can't do it.
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Some bikes.

[slowside]

As you have more or less surmised, its primarily confidence rather than technique that are the obstacles in MOD1. You know you can do it, you’ve no doubt nailed the process numerous times before the actual test.

Confidence is much harder to learn from posts on a forum. I was terrified during both my MOD1 and 2, despite having done numerous successful mock tests before hand.

A couple of points that helped me:

One was a technique thing, which was not only to look where you want to go, but to keep your chin right up. It’s really easy for your gaze to drop to the ground during slow manoeuvres (I want to go over there to that bit of tarmac!), but this causes wobbles. Keep your chin up and look into the horizon at a point you want to head to instead.

The other thing, which was more confidence orientated was that even if I was unsure of my own abilities I was always confident that the bike could easily perform any of the tasks asked of it. It was a subtle distinction, but it makes everything less daunting to be able to say to yourself “sod it, just point the sodding thing where it needs to go and let it sort the rest out”. Obviously, take this one with a dose of perspective and common sense.

[F18]

[bigdom86]

what bike is it? I found on the manouevres it was much easier using a bike which you could slip the clutch and the bike will move by itself without throttle, think I did mine on a CBF600 which did this, the other bike was some sort of 600 yamaha or kawasaki which you needed to balance the throttle and clutch which made it more difficult,perhaps you could ask to do it on a bike with enough power to slip on clutch only? otherwise just make sure you keep the revs up and slip whilst lightly dragging rear brake if needed

[Smada76]