Practicals D:

[ClydeGhost]

So, module 1 and module 2.... should I do the training days? With the training days and using their bike it's around £330 each for mod 1 and 2. Seeing as it's around £15-20 for mod 1 and £70-£80 for mod 2 without training, is it worth it?
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Honda CBF125 : Suzuki GS500

[Jersum]

[bikertomm]

Possibly worth it for MOD2, depends on your riding.

Blowing 330+ on training for MOD1 is insane if you ask me, a few decent hours practice in an empty car park is fine! You need to know what to do though so perhaps a lesson would be good on things you need to pick up on remember / e.g shoulder checks even when moving the bike.


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07' Honda Hornet now full powaah! My guide on performing an oil change!

[Teflon-Mike]

Is Formal Training REALLY worth the money?

£330 a day seems a bit steep. Shop around for a better deal / school.

Especially if you have your own bike.
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My Webby'Tef's-tQ, loads of stuff about my bikes, my Land-Rovers, and the stuff I do with them!
Current Bikes:'Honda VF1000F' ;'CB750F2N' ;'CB125TD ( 6 3 of em!)'; 'Montesa Cota 248'. Learner FAQ's:= 'U want to Ride a Motorbike! Where Do U start?'

[ClydeGhost]

[Teflon-Mike]

[Rogerborg]

We've all got our own views on this. Mine is that if you're good enough to ride around soLo, you're good enough to pass the tests.

Mod 1 is £15.50, that's really all you've got to lose. Treat it as practice for itself, and expect to fail it: women have a pass rate around 47%. I have no idea why, try not to get distracted thinking about kittens or knitting or marrying your examiner.

Mod 2, well... here it comes... you can learn on the test, but you can't pass during a lesson. I'd be astonished if you could spend more money or time on retests than you'd be guaranteed to spend on lessons, and you could still fail the test multiple times.

It's really up to you though, everyone learns differently.
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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

[DrSnoosnoo]

One thing to consider if you do the "I'll just do the tests and hope for the best" (exaggerated) is the resit times. You could end up failing a MOD1 then have to wait another 6 weeks and possibly the same for MOD2? It's not only the money, it's the time inbetween.

Just something else to think about, I'm not saying do this/do that.

I did DAS and thought the instruction I got was great.
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I'm Sam; Northern, Ginger, Lover
Did have: '95 ZZR600 '83 CG125 '97 ZZR1100 '15 Hypermotard 821 SP Do Have: '10 ZX10R

[Zombeh]

[the_quick]

All depends on how busy are the test centres.

Zombeh, how long did you have to wait for Mod1? I checked the website and DSa showing to sites, Ore and Burgers Hill, but Ore one does not give waiting time information and my training school booked me for burgers hill anyway - but I had to wait 5 weeks.
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Bandit GSF600 '00

[Zombeh]

I went to Ore. I can't remember the wait but it was very short. Ore seems to mostly book on weekends as well!. The actual centre is kind of strange. Its mostly a MOT centre for lorries I think - you have to ride round the building before you go into your 20mph bend, quite fun really.

What training school are you with?

[ClydeGhost]

Cheers ma dears! Yeah, I'm still torn about this situation! I'm lacking money and time and the more I wait to save up money, the less time I'll have for the tests! Ah, and I've just come back from A&E because apparently knives weren't suppose to go in your thumb when cutting LIMES. Who'da thunk!, but yay painkillers Mo' money mo' money out the window. I might just try MOD1 and do it as a 'lesson' for how much it's costing. But I'm not sure! Thanks though, guys. Really helpful!!

[the_quick]

If I would be short on cash and would not mind restriction I would train my self and see how it goes on mod1

Zombeh I'm doing mine with Flying colours in Eastbourne
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Bandit GSF600 '00

[miss.metallica]

Been knocking around on mybike for 2 years now & not taking any lessons for my tests. Mod 1 nect friday, only thing I was concerned about was the U turn & got a little help from a friend & i was well on my way. Mod 2 im not worried about, ill just ride like an angel for about a week before hand

[Leodbroga]

I'm in the same boat as you - wanting to do training but:
a. Can't afford it.
b. Worth a shot just to see how it goes.

I agree with Roger in that if you can ride on roads alone it shouldn't be a problem. Module 1 is all relatively low speed and skills based, so you'd probably benefit just the same by spending a few hours practising in a car park. I can see where training would be beneficial for Mod 2 though; to iron out any bad habits... But then again, self-assessment can't be that hard, and if you aren't under a lorry yet, you must be doing something right!

Good luck whatever route you choose, I've got my Mod 1 on the 12th !
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Yamaha SR125; Yamaha XJR 400; Suzuki GS500E

[waffles]

Im with Mike and co for this, book a mod 1 and do it on your own bike. If you pass - hurrah! If you fail you will have the score sheet that tells you what you need to brush up on and you can either try again or find a school/training scheme to help you out.

Good luck!
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Theory test - 19/8/09, CBT - 11/10/09, MOD 1 - 16/8/10, MOD 2 - 27/10/10
Past rides Yamaha XT125X, Triumph TT600, Honda XR250
Current rides Suzuki GSXR 600, Honda MSX125

[kotachi]

After three months of riding the bike as a learner I booked and passed both tests without any formal training.

But I've been driving a car for almost three years so the rules of the road and the highway code have become like second nature, and so for those three months all I had to focus on was my bike control. Plus, I am always very confident coming into things like this! Confidence is key!

Go for formal training if it will make you feel better.. But for mod 1, car park time is plenty. And for mod 2, the only practice is real riding.
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CBT done - 24/03/2012, theory test done - 03/04/2012.. Mod 1 done -26/06/2012, Mod 2 done - 29/06/2012. Current steed: Cage.
Suntan Sid said: "Look at it this way, your employer wants to pay you the minimum amount, it thinks it can get away with, and extract from you the maximum amount of graft. Ergo it's your responsibility to ensure that karma is restored and you do as little work as you think you can get away with, for the maximum amount of money."

[alexknight200...]

I,ve taken my CBT, Theory and MOD 1 so far without any formal training, just on my own. However I do not want to mess up the MOD 2, (I'm a cheap skate and it is £75 a pop) so have booked 3 hours of lessons/tuition.

At the end of the three hours I should know what to brush up on.

Don't know if it will work but I will give it a go!

Alex
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Current stable: Yamaha XVS 650 1996 - Honda Super Magna VF750 1988.

[Alpha-9]

[ClydeGhost]

[mysterious_rider]

I'd deffo do the training as there's a fair bit the examiner will want to see and you will know 100% what you are doing.

I paid £450 for three days training plus tests and using a naff bike. A lot of money but worth it IMO!!!

Gave me lots of confidence on the day, and I passed mod1 with 1 minor and 0 minors on mod2. Same day I came home with pass certs.

I wouldn't wanna go in blind and fail. How depressing would that be.

[ClydeGhost]

[mysterious_rider]

[ClydeGhost]

[ThoughtContro...]

You could easily do mod 1 on your own on a 125. Just download the pdf of the course layout and dimensions between cones, and go to an empty car park or industrial estate when it's dead. Set up some old coke cans or similar as marker "cones" for the particular exercise you're practicing, at approximately the distances you need, and then practice away as many times as you want until it's boring.

The only thing you have to remember is to treat the mod 1 test area like the road from start to finish, so BEFORE YOU START EACH MANOUEVRE MAKE SURE YOU DO YOUR SHOULDER CHECKS BEFORE SETTING OFF. While your practicing on your own, do the checks every time, and it will just drill it into your head so you don't forget them on the test day.
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Prize cunt
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"In a world of universal deceit telling the truth is a revolutionary act" - George Orwell