MOD 1: Glasgow Shieldhall Centre

[Fat_Angry_Scotsman]

Finally found an available time and date for my Mod 1, its on Wednesday 2nd June at 13:40. Does anyone know if they use the right-hand or left-hand test set-up? Also interested in hearing general tips for the test itself, I have heard that Mod 1 is more difficult than Mod 2 in some ways.

Not gonna lie, arse has started making buttons already.

Going to be spending Sunday afternoons practicing slalom, figure of eight, U-turns and general slow control.
____________________
Degenerate on a Chinese bike (Zontes ZT125-U)

[A100man]

[JustinW]

What size bike are you taking your test on? If a big bike, the cones and slalom on a 125 didn't really help me. I needed the weight of a big bike to practice on, they tip a lot easier making foot go down. In fact, I kept off my 125 when I was doing A license training so my experience was consistent.
____________________
Currently Honda CB500x
Previously: Yamaha WR125x, BSA Bantam D1

[Nobby the Bastard]

If the bike feels like its going to tip, open the throttle. It will stand up again.
____________________
trevor saxe-coburg-gotha:"Remember this simple rule - scooters are for men who like to feel the breeze on their huge, flapping cunt lips."
Sprint 1050 ST
Keeping forums autist free since 2013.

[KiwiBob]

[Fat_Angry_Scotsman]

[KiwiBob]

[ThunderGuts]

Most important thing to get your head around is the upper body stuff; lifesavers (they expect them for all pull-aways and the U turn, plus a check of both mirrors after the emergency stop), looking where you want to go, so in the case of the U turn looking right behind you and maintaining that as you turn (don't glance at the turn itself). Figure of 8 is even more extreme as you need to be looking for the next cone and turn around it as you are completing the first - plenty of videos on youtube on this.

Yes, bike will feel different but you adapt to that bit easily enough - if you're tuned into looking in front of the wheel not at the horizon/where you want to be, that habit won't change with a change of bike and will get you into trouble.

Bikes don't tip over unless they virtually stop - usual reason for foot down on a U turn is too slow a speed (and a "preventative" foot goes down) and/or the gaze shifts to the turn itself, you lose the turn, panic and stop. These things can be practiced on a bicycle, let alone a 125.

Direction of the course; yes it's random. Circumstance can change things sometimes; when I did mine, the HGV training centre had one of their learners flatten the boundary fence the week before so we knew it could only go one way (left) which helped. This is unusual unless you intend on sabotaging the course (not recommended).
____________________
Rob

[GettinBetter]

[ThatDippyTwat]

[Jmoan]

[Fat_Angry_Scotsman]

[Kentol750]

The sv will turn in less than 2/3 of the space you have for the u turn. Just practice it using all the space you have and don't look down either. Post 16 sv is great for mod 1 as it chugs nicely at low speed.
____________________
Some bikes.

[GSTEEL32]

Be confident, without trying to impress the examiners .... MOD 1 is a precise art with a precise scoring matrix, there are no "bonus" points for artistic impression.

Practice makes perfect. If you do an hours training beforehand, you tend to make the mistakes you would have done on the test itself, so they are ironed out by the time you get to the test center.

Instructors are good blokes, but they take their responsibility very very seriously. Dress like you're taking it seriously too.