First Ride of the Year

[Graham B]

As always trying to juggle family life and finding time to get out for a ride is always difficult.

Any how managed it yesterday afternoon for the first ride of the year and oh how I missed it.

Not a big engineered bike only a Honda Varadero 125 but the country roads around Gloucester and Cheltenham provide some fun in a great setting.

A few more of those and I might have to reconsider direct access for mod 1 and 2.
Its just the cost and the fact after driving a car for 27 years I have to sit another hazard perception test that puts me off.

[Nexus Icon]

Surely it'll be your first Hazard Perception test? I'm sure I didn't take one 27 years ago when I started driving.

Anyway, it's not hard.... really.... just forget everything you know about spotting hazards in the real world and learn how to pass the test from the recommended DVDs available to buy.

Do the test. You know you want to.
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Greetings from Shitsville!

[janner_10]

You need to get yourself down through Gloucester and then Ross then Abergaveny and up to Brecon - bloody good route that.

Or Tewkesbury the Leominster to Doms Bike Cafe - a great ride and an awesome place to have a coffee and a sarnie after.

As said, just book the test, its like 30 quid - you have nothing to worry about - 2 hours in front of Google the night before and that's you all prep'd up.

Get your DAS done - pottering around on a crappy 125 at your age - just isn't fun
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Yamaha FZS600 (Now gone to heaven) > CBR600F4i (SOLD) > '99 YZF-R1

[Rogerborg]

The hazard perception is ridiculous, given that there are only a handful of bike specific questions, and you don't even have to get them correct.

But it is worth jumping through that hoop. Bag a go on a bigger bike, and you'll find out why.
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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

[ipip]

I'm in a similar position, although I've been commuting all through winter so I'm finally getting to try some dry roads for a change!

But...

Theory test is booked for this weekend. The questions are easy, mostly common sense and I've surprised myself how much I actually do remember, not having read a Highway Code for at least 20 years.

I've been using an iPad app to practice the hazard perception. My common mistake is identifying it before the scoring zone, so I've ended up almost double-clicking to make sure I don't get a zero.

Don't leave it until the last minute to book though, I've had to wait almost a month to get a test slot in Bristol.

C'mon Graham, you know you want to

[dydey90]

The way to do it is click, pause, click, pause, click.
There are three different scoring zones for the hazard perception, with the earlier ones scoring more points. I can't remember if the points add up or if you just get the highest one though.
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This post is probably not serious and shouldn't be taken literally.
Past: CBR125,ER6f NINJA 650, ZZR600 Current: VFR750

[Llama-Farmer]

[Graham B]

Thanks for the comments gents.

I actually passed the hazard perception a three of years ago when I did my CBT the first time around with a view to then doing DAS, unfortunately due to leukaemia, chemo and a life support machine that never happened.

Hence the reason for now just enjoying being able to get back on two wheels.

My CBT runs out at the end of the year so I will need to get it all sorted before then, pointless paying more money for another CBT when I may as well put it towards the proper tests.

[ipip]

[janner_10]

[Graham B]

Janner, I only did it for the free NHS perscriptions

[Pigeon]

I'm incredibly lazy and couldn't be arsed to jump through all the hoops and hemorrhage cash for the golden ticket.

That first day of training, riding a CBF600 up to Newlands Corner, accelerating briskly onto the A25, then up the hill on an effortless wave of torque (relatively) that usually stumped the 125 if there wasn't a "clean run".

Then getting some mug in a Honda Civic Type R try to beat me off the lights in Guildford (having squeezed passed me to create a 3rd lane) and leaving him behind with ease.

My main thought that night, was why the f*** didn't I just do this earlier!

July 10th Theory passed, 22nd July 1st time on 600. 20th August Mod1 done (they were well booked up, hence the wait). 30th August, mod2 done. 2nd September I was bombing down some of my favourite local roads test riding a couple of bikes having not even thought about taking a test 6 weeks earlier.

Just book the theory for a couple of weeks time, download a £3.99 theory app, nail the test and move on to the next hoop. Don't think too much about it, just do it.

[sabian92]

[Llama-Farmer]

[sabian92]

The camera didn't lean on mine once

Ah well, I'm not going to complain in case they rescind my pass or something. I only just managed a pass as it is so I'm not going to bitch and moan about it. I still think it's rip off though - you can pass and fail every single motorbike related question in it. I've already passed one for my car entitlement, and you don't need to resit it if you go A1/A2 to an A licence so why do I need to sit it again? Robbing buggers

[gbrand42]

Yes my bike theory test had all the clips filmed from a car too.
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Yamaha RD50M, Honda C90, Yamaha RS100, Yamaha RD125LC, Honda XL125 V9 Varadero, Honda NT700VA, Honda VFR800X, Honda CRF1000L, Honda ST1300 Pan European