Bike Training for Practical

[lightfoot256]

About a month ago I attempt to take my practical test on my newish (about a month old) Hyosung Comet gt125... did my CBT about a year ago (probably about 14-16 months ago) and totally failed the test. He stopped it after about 3-4 minutes saying i was a danger to the road and that from what he observed i shouldn't be alive... I found it quite funny (seriously), that he could make this assumption after not only yelling at me before the test for talking to him and scaring the shit outa me but the fact that he was generally really rood to me all round.

I've done probably about 20,000 miles in the last year and feel that (in comparison with other riders that i've seen) that im very safe. I've only ever come off twice and both involved diesel spills which at the time were beyond my experience and never been encountered before.

I'm kinda scared of taking my test again cause I was under the impression that the test wasn't as hard as what I was put through.

He claimed that my road positions was completely wrong, I never indicated, I never checked my mirror and I never did a life-saver check. Admittedly I went for the front brake doing a U-turn (Which is what failed me :-p... ), but i thought they were kinda on our side...

From what he's told me, I'm really pressured into doing some kinda training scheme and then the practical test which i've foud costs about 250-400 quid (bleh...). When i've been out with friends and my dad they've all said my riding skills are fine and with the amount of road-hours I've had, i'm more than capable of moving up to a bigger bike (my 2 month old 125 is starting to feel the pain of doing 12,000 revs everywhere :-p).

I'd like to take the test on my own bike, but feel that it's possible not totally suited for the practical test (not a really good turning circle). But dont wanna waste a couple days learning how to ride a CG or SR (or is that RS...) and spend a loada money doing so.

I do a lot of miles, generally around 300-400 miles a week, a lot of that is just having fun, but also involves work, 40 mile round trip to gf's etc.

What path did everybody else take, and most importantly where is a good place to take ure practical test? :-p. I'm based around South Yorkshire (Sheffield actually), but have heard that worksop is a good place to take the test...

Cheers,
Chris

[TOM M]

well i took my test on my own bike- an rs 125 which has the turning circle of an oil tanker and i managed the u-turn fine, i did fail because of a combination of another driver cutting me up and me traveling slightly too fast when he did causing me to swerve, but i only had 4 minors otherwise so i would of passed.

i didnt take any training, i just read the dsa manuals etc,

but if you feel ya need to improve then take some training, and if ya want to do it on your own bike then just find a quiet housing estate / industrial estate and practise.
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Now owner of a 1200 Bandit

[ghostgirl]

I took my test on a GS500 and failed first time!

My Instructor was HORRIBLE!

I went for my lessons and test elsewhere as I thought he was of no help to me whatsoever!

I passed second time round!

Stick with it and go elsewhere
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The most wasted of all days is one without laughter.

www.bikepics.com/members/ghostgirl

[killa]

Sounds like you can ride a bike, a lot of people can with that much experience on the road.

You just sound like a lazy ass fuck, good luck with you're test.
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Cleverly disguised as a responsible adult.
Bike:- Yamaha TRX850 | Killas Biking History | Killas Gaming History | Killas autmotive history

[zephyrgirl]

You might feel that you can ride your bike, but maybe you are not riding it as an examiner would like to see you ride.

There is a certain riding style required to pass your test & examiners like to see you doing it to the book.

It might be an idea to go out with an instructor for a couple of hours to get advice on how you should ride to pass your test.
You will be hooked up with an instructor to pupil intercom and the instructor can give you hints and tips as you are riding.
Such as 'OK, you need a lifesaver at this point' and 'try and position yourself to the right to make the manouvre' etc.

You can go out on your own bike, and this will make it cheaper than going out on a school bike and you will be more used to your own.

Once you pass your test and get some more advanced training you can see that some of the stuff you have to do to pass your test will need to be refined, and in some cases changed completely to make yourself a safer rider.
e.g. Learners are always told to remain in the centre of their lane while riding along. Advance riding will teach you to position yourself in the road to obtain the best view of the road ahead, this doesn't mean sticking rigidly to the middle of the lane at all times.

In short, go get some lessons and do your test again. You probably won't need a long course, just enough to learn the techniques to pass your test.

Just curious, but what did you say to the examiner to piss him off before your last test?
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Fly away on my Zephyr?
I bloody wish.

[Bomberman]

Hey mate, I'm in Sheffield too I know that the instructors down by the dog track do a free evaluation lesson or some such. Did my CBT with them, they seem a decent bunch. might be an idea to check it out
____________________
'Allo! My name is Inigo Montoya, you killed my father, prepare to die!
'89 TZR 125 - '94 GPZ500s - ZK3 GSXR600 Alstare

[lightfoot256]

I asked him a question, which i should have apparently asked my instructor. He was extremely offended by the fact that I asked him something or that i even talked to him, claiming that he was the one who asked questions and how dare i ask questions.

Kinda not my fault to be honnest, although, thinking about it now, it seems stupid. But my cousin failed his test and the reason was to do with overflow lights and waiting behind the white line at a cross road... apparently during the test you must never cross the line unless safe to do so even if theres a filter thats specifically designed to be triggered once you step over the line. If you dont step over the filter never comes on and effectively its never safe to cross... so i was _told_ to ask the examiner on what to do. Silly really...

The dog track? Whereabouts?

I went to one in norton, where i did my CBT... they put me on a Yamaha RS (or SR, can never remember which way round), which is a lot lighter than mine and was obviously set up wrong. he claimed that i needed about 4 days training at £400, bike hire, insurance, etc...

I gotta admit that i do get nervous when somebody is watching and examining me... i did on my test get very nervous, especially after he had a go at me... kinda scared me from doing the test altogether, hehe.

Yeh the riding position thingy, I was _told_ by my CBT guys to always stay in the middle when riding on straight, but really i'd wanna be a little left or a little right to avoid the diesel spil that usually sits in the middle of the road... it sux how the rules change as you get more and more advanced, and that trying to be advancd on the first test makes you fail. Cause i stayed left of center, until turning right of course, but he said i should have been in the centre of the road... its wierd...

It'd be cool to go out and be told exactly how i should be riding and what i need to do to pass...

Although my CBT people said i was fine, its wierd how examiner is saying i shouldn't have passed my CBT... pssstt... he was an ex-copper i think, not that i have anythign against police... but his attitude and authority was overwhelming... dont much like authority :-p.

But yeh... I keep trying to save for training, nearly managed it this month but the gf keeps saying i have better things to buy than stuff for me and my bike... lol.

Chris

[feef]

[Adam_P]

You say you've done about 20,000 miles in the last year? On a 125?

And you ay that you're a safe rider but have only been down the road, twice..?

Not meaning to sound harsh (but I will do anyway).

I think you ought to get some more proper lessons under your belt so that you know what to expect when it comes round to the test again.
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Colin McRae MBE 1968 - 2007 RIP
Orwell Rolls in his Grave
God is imaginary

[Adam_P]

[Mr.Everready]

Do you not remember anything you were taught at your CBT ?

Anyway, as said above get down to your training centre and get out for a lesson or two using your own bike.
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the undemocratically unelected mod of the Scottish section

[lightfoot256]

Cheers for the advice guys.

Yeh... i go everywhere on my bike... i get through about 3-4 15 litre tanks a week, each tank does about 170-190 miles .

I'm really pushin the limit of my bike which is why i'd like to move onto something bigger

Chris

[Bomberman]

I was referring to the dog track in Hillsborough mate. Bikesafe (I think that's what they're called) have a portacabin and lockups in the car park there
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'Allo! My name is Inigo Montoya, you killed my father, prepare to die!
'89 TZR 125 - '94 GPZ500s - ZK3 GSXR600 Alstare