U - Turn on practical test width of road.

[kawakid]

Hi,

Coming up to my practical test and been practicing U-Turn, now to be honest mostly on roads where you could have traffic moving freely both ways.

Now I have tried on some tight roads on housing areas. (I was okay till a few days ago but now seem a bit crap, off to practice some more today).

Anyway how wide a road was it? 20 Feet? 16 Feet? More / Less
Cheers.
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I've a twin and a 4.

[Sadie]

It will be wide enough.

When I was practising for my test many moons ago, I could only do my u-turns 5 out of every 10 times I tried it, which completely freaked my out.

What I hadn't realised was that the road I would be asked to do it on during the test was about twice the width of the one my instructor had me practising on!


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With experience comes age.

[Ian (GPX)]

The road is around 8 paces as a rule, if you can do a u-turn in under 8 paces, then you should have no problems with it

[Pat172]

when u pull over to do the u turn the instructor will ask u to get off and walk the bike around and do a u turn to proceve that it can be done in the said space, so so that when u do the manoover you end up facing the way you were going orignally - lazy DSA
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- Suzuki Bandit N600

[Jammy-G]

Remember when pushing your bike do all the observations you would if you were riding it. Oh and it will be plenty wide enough for you.
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RooRoo: just like the time i stuck my finger up my arse with no lube at all and she didnt talk to me for hours

[epz]

if you are worried about it i would advise practicing it, its one of the few parts of the test where they have to fail you if you put your foot down. the testers have a lot of discression and unlike driving tests i recon they can cut you a bit of slack if you look like you are going to be safe since testers tend to be police genuinly interested in safety rather then car testers which feel more like tax collectors.

[Scotsman37]

Just before you commit your self to do the u-turn itself take a deep breath because it will relax you.

[tony532]

i will probably be done on a housing estate like the one you are practising on

fairly wide

remember when you walk the bike round place the bike as near to the kerb as possible

you can position the bike so your left foot is on the pavement


if its not a very wide road

[froggy128]

will it be on a flat bit of road

[.....]

[Davo]

[Dave H]

Mondoekid - Let me know if you want me to show you where I had to do my u-turn so you can get a bit of practice in if you want. No guarantees you'll get the same bit of road but it is quite a popular stretch for this manoeuver apparently

[biggerjohn]

I had the same fear as you coming up to my test.

My advice is go practice

Find yourself a nice quiet road and do 30 minuets of nothing but U turns go for a little ride or take a brake then do it all over again till you have done 10 Good turns in a row.

Do them as you would in the Test

Plenty of observation
The instructors like to see you have a really good look so take your right hand and place in on the seat behind you so you’re really demonstrating that fact you can see right behind you.

Then do your U turn (remembering to look up the road first)

For the actual U turn try this as it worked for me.

First roll forward about a bike length and use the rear brake to help control the speed (and it will make you feel more stable)

Then look at a point at about your 5 o’clock as you start making your turn then swap to something right down the road to look at (I used the white lines) at about of just before the half way point.

Doesn’t worry about ending your Turn up against the other curb (and FFS don’t look at it as you go where you look) you can just ride into the curb from where ever you finish you Turn.

I also found it much easier to do when I blipped the throttle and rode the biting point on the clutch as you can use one against the other to keep you going rather than just concentrating on the clutch.

I also found I had a habit of doing the turn to slow so I was finding it harder to do that I should. I know this will sound daft but the best way to do a Turn in the road is just to do it. And that really will come if you do the practice.

Last this I would say is remember not to stop along side some one drive way but against the curb as you could fail for that just drive on till you have a clear piece of curb.

[KevTM]

U-Turns are easy, stay relaxed and be confident that's all there is to it.

I had to re-do my CBT last year as my last expired, i was the only one allowed to ride on the road . I missed one fo the instructor directons and ended up heading onto a dual-carrageway so he asked me to do a u-turn. It was a fairly narrow road and not only that it was on quite a gradient, and i was on a bike for the first time in years.. i managed it no problem, first time..

"excellent, well if you can do a perfect u-turn on a narrow hill you can do a u-turn anywhere, let's head back home"

practice in the worst conditions you can and you 'll be able to do them confidently, anywhere, anytime!

[bish777]

A lot of people pass on 125s because you can ride in circles in a normal width road on a CG125 or similar!

Go steady, slip the clutch and a little throttle, if it wobbles gently apply a little BACK brake.
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GSXR1100J

[kath600]

the u turn on a test is a bazza imho it was the only thing i had a problem with, on my lesson before my test i couldn't do a u-turn for toffee

the examiner took me to the worst rd ever, it wasn't busy but it was narrow with wet leaves on the hedge side, i was shaking so much as i did my walking turn i thought i was gonna drop the bike (ER5) i just managed to get round and killed a mouse in the process with my front wheel but it was him or my test
i told the examiner i killed a mouse!

when we got back he said ' not only are you a mouse murderer, i am pleased to say you have past your test'

seriously, just practice and breath! good luck
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Seven days without laughter......... makes one weak.

[foxbat]

For those that suffer from imbalance or get a bit wobbly when doing their U-turn, I have a tip that really helped me.

As I go to do the LS check, I do a deliberate look in the right mirror and then do my LS. This mechanical, two-step approach stops me rushing my head round and losing my balance/sense of direction.

If your balance is right, you tend to get the bike going in the right direction on your turn. Aim for your pre-determined mid-point and then just roll-out the bike (under power) in the space left.

Its the only bad part of the test so hopefully you'll get it out the way quickly and then it's just keep your observations up and enjoy yourself.
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Honda CBR600F4
(oh, and a VW Golf GTi)