Small changes to Mod 1 and 2 ?

[Peter]

Hi to All,

Im doing my test on the 24th May and have just been told that mod 1 and 2 have had some small changes recently.

Does anyone know what these changes are and should pay extra attention to them.

Thanks for your time...

[Paxovasa]

I haven't heard of any changes to either mod 1 or mod 2.

I have heard speculation that they may get rid of the mod 1 and go back to the old style test.
____________________
Suzuki GSF600 K3 (in the fastest colour, black).

[Peter]

I was told that in Mod 1 when you do the slow speed ride you no longer follow the instructor, he will stand behind you and watch,

And Mod 2 you are given several instructions in one go rather than the instructor firing them at you one at a time.
These if true are nothing to worry about as your still doing the same actions you would normally do but i was wondering if there was any others.

Amazing that when your coming up to a test you take every little bit of information in and over analyse it

[Rogerborg]

Mod 2 now has the 10 minute "independent riding" section where you'll be asked to ride towards a destination without receiving instructions. It doesn't matter where you go, just ride sensibly as you get there.

From 16th of May, Mod 1 has some small but significant changes for the better:

All the slow speed stuff is done first.
The slow speed ride is observed - you don't follow the examiner any more.
The exit from the fast bend is wider so you can pick a better line to the swerve test.
You get a "practice" go through the fast circuit and emergency stop speed trap. You won't be told your speed unless you ask, or unless it's excessive.
The emergency stop comes before the (more hazardous) swerve. If you fail the stop, the test ends without giving you a chance to bin it in the swerve.
The swerve stop zone is more generous now - it's no longer effectively a 2nd emergency stop.
If you don't make the minimum speed in the stop or swerve, you get your 2nd try immediately, not at the end of the test.
The minimum required speed for the emergency stop and swerve is now 48kph. If you only manage 48 or 49kph then that's recorded as a fault - you're allowed 5 in total - but you don't automatically fail.

The only thing to note is that there is now more manoeuvring between the exercises, so take observations. Other than that, it's all good, and a shocking attack of common sense by the DSA.
____________________
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

[gdog74]

I got told by an instructor last week that as of the 16th of this month there are a few tweaks, mainly relating to the emergency stop and emergency avoidance.

At the moment, if you are below 50kph at the speed check you get a retry, do it again you fail (I think).

It'll be changing to:
50+kph pass
48-50 kph, it counts as a minor, BUT you don't have to repeat it.
Less than 48kph, it counts as a minor and you have to redo it (not sure if it's a fail if you don't get to speed on the 2nd attempt)

There might have been other things but they were the 2 that stood out

[gdog74]

[Rogerborg]

Oh, and the DfT still say that they intend to tell Jean-Claude Brusselsfellow to stuff his 50 "kilometrons per metric hour" speed limit and get back to a single test on the Queen's Highway using Imperial Miles Per Greenwich Hour, but there's no fixed timescale or details on that, so don't hang around waiting for it.
____________________
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

[Peter]

Thanks guys and Rogerborg that was really helpful,

One more thing, if there's a 10min free ride part of the test how long will mod 2 take in all.

[Codemonkey]

I did mod 2 on Tues. The whole test took about 40 mins I think. The independent riding section consisted of 2 parts:

1) Got asked to pull over and was shown a simple line diagram that in my case showed a left turn, followed by a right turn, followed by 3rd exit off a roundabout. Was then asked to proceed along the route shown on the diagram.

2) Asked to follow the signs "to Sheffield", this lasted a few mins and in my case I crossed 2 roundabouts and a junction I think.

One thing that surprised me was the number of times I was asked to pull over. If you get the procedure for this wrong, it could quickly tot up to enough minors to fail. I was convinced I was doing something wrong, and he was trying to get me to continue to screw it up. Turned out not to be the case (only got 1 minor on the whole test). Make sure when you pull up at the side of the road, you're not too close to a parked car cos it makes it harder to get going again. I had to paddle the bike back a couple of feet on one occasion but then he did ask me to stop on a road that was almost all parked cars (near a school at about 8:30am!).

[Peter]

[Rogerborg]

Yup, the independent riding section is instead of rather than in addition to 10 minutes of turn-by-turn instructions, so the test isn't any longer. Do not worry about getting lost - it's not test of navigation, it's just to see that you can make safe, sensible decisions without being nannied.

That's a great point about all the stopping and starting in Mod 2. Plenty of opportunities to miss observations or forget to make or cancel a signal. Just take a deep breath before setting off each time; every second you spend taking observations is a second less where you could be racking up faults.
____________________
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

[Moxey]

Just had my test the other day at 8:15 and got to say that I preferred it honestly even if there is more traffic and congestion spent at least 20 or so minutes sitting in traffic.

My test was about 45-50 mins with 15 of it self riding which is not complicated at all; the examiner just tells you to pull over at a suitable location then gives you a destination he/she wants you to go to. Doesnt matter if you get lost as long as you do everything safely with correct observations then it's fine hell I ended up going completely the opposite direction to where they asked me to go! (accidentally ofc )
____________________
Current: 02 FZS 1000 & 91 Royal Enfield Bullet 350 Some Bike Pics...
'I was too busy paying attention to pay attention'

[MikeyBrown]

[N cee thirty]

hmm i quite liked the slow ride following his board D:
____________________
'00 Aprilia RS50 > '92 Honda CG > '99 Yamaha Fazer > '91 Yamaha RXS > '79 Suzuki X5 > 01' Honda Cg > 07' Honda Cg > 82' Kawasaki Z200 > suzuki gsxr 400 gk73a > honda vfr 400 NC30 Mod 2 Passed 09/06/2011

Jewlio Iglesias wrote: I actually did vote BNP once

[MikeyBrown]

[Rogerborg]

The problem they had was consistency of speed, and some examiners who started off quick then slowed down as you got closer, the infamous rogues.
____________________
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

[Killer Rat]

[Rogerborg]

You're fine, there's no measured or maximum speed. The test is designed to see how you'd do in slow moving traffic, so you're fine to do a normal start (try not to pop a wheelie though) and then slow down to "walking pace".

Always bear in mind, the examiners are bikers too and want to pass you.
____________________
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

[mjn51]

I passed my Mod 1 yesterday, I had to follow the examiner and his board on the sloooowwww ride. (Ipswich)
M.

[blurredman]

It's not bad following the instructor, it's completely and almost utterly flat ground.
____________________
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.

[Rogerborg]

Yes, the new version starts next Monday the 16th.

[kramdra]

I done this new test today. Changes are good, its quite easy.



I have a question about the figure of 8. I done mine perfectly controlled at a slow speed, but gained a rider fault due to completing it without using brakes or clutch. I was not told to use either, and otherwise it were perfect. I did not go wide, nor did I go round the yellow cone - which is allowed without getting any fault.

Yet he said the reson was if I did use brakes and clutch, I could have completed it much tighter....

[Rogerborg]

Mmm, that's a bit harsh, especially as it's subjective - you think we could stretch to a tin of paint to put some lines down.

On the other hand, who cares, a pass is a pass. Minors count for nothing.

If it bothers you, the DSA's complaints procedure is here. If nobody tells them that there's a problem with the test, or at that centre, or with that examiner, then they won't know and can't improve it.
____________________
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

[Peter]

[kramdra]

No reson to complain. I was just unaware that I was expected to do it that way - in my cbt, they kept insisting I do it using the clutch..


foot down on the U turn, I still think its easy, but did not pass :p