Mod 1 fail ... again absolutely gutted. .
Discussion
moanthebairns said:
You obviously have never ridden a Triumph triple. The turning circle is ridiculous, until I broke my steering lock life was full of constant 3 point turns instead of U-turns.
I nailed the U-turn both times, the space was huge, however I dabbed my foot down on the figure of 8 and failed the first time.
To be honest its not a hard test to pass, however when you are learning it bloody can be, especially for me.
I was 45 miles away from the nearest test station, it was booked up months in advance.
I was doing lessons every second Saturday morning so when it came to do my test it was almost 2 weeks since I rode a bike.
I had to hire a van - £40
Fuel - £30
Day off work
Hire the bike for two hours - £54
Test - £15
Practice for the test - £54
Cost - £194 for a fail. I was a bag of nerves for that reason, I couldn’t afford to sit it again, sure enough I failed.
If I had failed a second time I would have gave up biking. Some will say its needed, personally I think that it’s a face, £300-400 would have been better spent on advanced training.
I understand your point. But some people really struggle to ever acheive an acceptable standard of bike (or car) control (what was the mad stupid woman called? was it Maureen?), the test is about achieving a minimum standard to allow you to go out unsupervised. Ultimatly once you've passed, it dosen't mater if youre doing 7 point turns or u-turns, its about having and demonstrating good control of the bike. Seems wrong to me to be thinking about advanced training when there are basics missing. I nailed the U-turn both times, the space was huge, however I dabbed my foot down on the figure of 8 and failed the first time.
To be honest its not a hard test to pass, however when you are learning it bloody can be, especially for me.
I was 45 miles away from the nearest test station, it was booked up months in advance.
I was doing lessons every second Saturday morning so when it came to do my test it was almost 2 weeks since I rode a bike.
I had to hire a van - £40
Fuel - £30
Day off work
Hire the bike for two hours - £54
Test - £15
Practice for the test - £54
Cost - £194 for a fail. I was a bag of nerves for that reason, I couldn’t afford to sit it again, sure enough I failed.
If I had failed a second time I would have gave up biking. Some will say its needed, personally I think that it’s a face, £300-400 would have been better spent on advanced training.
bkbk said:
Took my mod 1 again yesterday and failed again
First time I failed as I touched the cone I was swerving around with my toe, other than that the examiner said it was perfect! Yesterday failed as I dabbed my foot down on the u turn, it seems so unfair as again I did everything perfectly! Feel very disheartened and so disappointed. Can't get in again for ages and my theory test runs out in September, my instructor said I will pass mod 2 no problem but need to nail mod 1 first. Gutted gutted gutted! Is it me or is this system stupid and unfair?? Becks
Keep at it. I failed mine the first time putting my foot down on the figure 8s. Nerves mainly - I think the mod 1 is quite high pressure as you're in an 'enclosed' area and the bike control is fairly tough to start with (I feel I'm getting better all of the time). You'll get it - try not to be nervous and enjoy it - it's good fun and doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things..First time I failed as I touched the cone I was swerving around with my toe, other than that the examiner said it was perfect! Yesterday failed as I dabbed my foot down on the u turn, it seems so unfair as again I did everything perfectly! Feel very disheartened and so disappointed. Can't get in again for ages and my theory test runs out in September, my instructor said I will pass mod 2 no problem but need to nail mod 1 first. Gutted gutted gutted! Is it me or is this system stupid and unfair?? Becks
Got my Mod 2 on Monday - if I fail, I fail, but I'll try my best and try to enjoy the ride.
How do most people approach the Mod 1 then? I'm due to do my CBT soon and I'm thinking I'll potter about on a 125 for a bit before going for the test, give myself plenty of time to learn how to control the bike confidently. Do people just pass the CBT and jump straight in to the test?
Gypsum Fantastic said:
How do most people approach the Mod 1 then? I'm due to do my CBT soon and I'm thinking I'll potter about on a 125 for a bit before going for the test, give myself plenty of time to learn how to control the bike confidently. Do people just pass the CBT and jump straight in to the test?
lessons on the road, at some point your instructor should spend a lesson with you in the car park. My instructor had to give it up as the cost to rent a car park to do this was too great to justify doing testing when your ready for mod 2 your ready for mod 1
Sorry to hear about your fail Becks, chin up, a bit more practise and you'll get there!
I think most people do intensive courses with a school. Typically:
Day 1 - CBT
Day 2 - 125cc on the road and MOD1 practise
Day 3 - 600cc on the road and MOD1 practise
Day 4 - MOD1 practise followed by test
Day 5 - MOD2 practise followed by test
I did mine with an independent bloke, £30/hr for mostly 1:1 tuition, all done including test fees for about £500.
I think most people do intensive courses with a school. Typically:
Day 1 - CBT
Day 2 - 125cc on the road and MOD1 practise
Day 3 - 600cc on the road and MOD1 practise
Day 4 - MOD1 practise followed by test
Day 5 - MOD2 practise followed by test
I did mine with an independent bloke, £30/hr for mostly 1:1 tuition, all done including test fees for about £500.
I spent about 15 months bombing around London on a scooter with a CBT whilst trying to ride 'properly' knownig I was going to do the bike test. After the all-clear from the brain tumour Op, I rented a geared 125 for a week and spent an entire weekend doing nothing but going around the local halford's car park practicing slow speed turns and figure of 8s etc (this was advice fomr the place I hired the bike form, which also did the the training).
Meant that when i came to learn on the cbf500 for the Mod 1, I already was pretty good at it before the training started. We actually spent a good two days practicing everything we needed for it, so when it came to doing it i wa sprobably as best prepared as I could be. Still absolutely cacked myself with nerves though.
The key thing was as I was doing the manouvers I was just saying to myself 'Don't look down, look where you are going and bloody well don't put a foot down!'. And I took it easy, there's no rush.
It seemed to work as I passed with no minors first time, and I have found that what I learnt then I use everyday on the commute. The slow speed control I have found to be invaluable around London, really makes getting through the traffic so much easier and safer.
Meant that when i came to learn on the cbf500 for the Mod 1, I already was pretty good at it before the training started. We actually spent a good two days practicing everything we needed for it, so when it came to doing it i wa sprobably as best prepared as I could be. Still absolutely cacked myself with nerves though.
The key thing was as I was doing the manouvers I was just saying to myself 'Don't look down, look where you are going and bloody well don't put a foot down!'. And I took it easy, there's no rush.
It seemed to work as I passed with no minors first time, and I have found that what I learnt then I use everyday on the commute. The slow speed control I have found to be invaluable around London, really makes getting through the traffic so much easier and safer.
I passed mine first time (not boasting, honest) but I do admit its hard.
Problem I found was only taking one hour of training every week, so you spent the first 10 mins just getting used to riding again.
Now I use the bike nearly every day I wonder what the fuss was about, I could do it on my 600 with my eyes closed now.
I guess what I'm trying to say is maybe get a bunch of lessons together the day before / same day as the test then just go straight into it.
Treat the test as just another lesson, as the nerves can wreck it
Problem I found was only taking one hour of training every week, so you spent the first 10 mins just getting used to riding again.
Now I use the bike nearly every day I wonder what the fuss was about, I could do it on my 600 with my eyes closed now.
I guess what I'm trying to say is maybe get a bunch of lessons together the day before / same day as the test then just go straight into it.
Treat the test as just another lesson, as the nerves can wreck it
bkbk said:
Took my mod 1 again yesterday and failed again
First time I failed as I touched the cone I was swerving around with my toe, other than that the examiner said it was perfect! Yesterday failed as I dabbed my foot down on the u turn, it seems so unfair as again I did everything perfectly! Feel very disheartened and so disappointed. Can't get in again for ages and my theory test runs out in September, my instructor said I will pass mod 2 no problem but need to nail mod 1 first. Gutted gutted gutted! Is it me or is this system stupid and unfair?? Becks
Watch this a few times taking note of where he's looking before, during and after his turns and all should become clear. Also relax, relax,relax. First time I failed as I touched the cone I was swerving around with my toe, other than that the examiner said it was perfect! Yesterday failed as I dabbed my foot down on the u turn, it seems so unfair as again I did everything perfectly! Feel very disheartened and so disappointed. Can't get in again for ages and my theory test runs out in September, my instructor said I will pass mod 2 no problem but need to nail mod 1 first. Gutted gutted gutted! Is it me or is this system stupid and unfair?? Becks
Good luck for next time
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mP8UYj49iJM
I passed my mod 1 first time, having done my CBT, then not ridden for a year. One days training and the morning after I passed it.
I found the trick with the U-turn was to pull away, and then keep going forward, on tickover. Do your life-saver, then turn, looking at the point at the end of the blue line where you're meant to be stopping.
Eventually you'll master it, keep at it
I found the trick with the U-turn was to pull away, and then keep going forward, on tickover. Do your life-saver, then turn, looking at the point at the end of the blue line where you're meant to be stopping.
Eventually you'll master it, keep at it
I feel for the OP I passed my mod1 first time with a clear round, then failed my mod 2 miserably! 10 minors and a serious,
My instructor couldn't believe I had failed so badly as he only had praise for my riding and said I should breeze it.
I hadn't changed my riding style and wasn't that nervous ( surprisingly). And like I said to the instructor after "I don't know what I could do differently" as I rode exactly the same as I had on our practice, incorporating all the little pointers he suggested for the local area.
The examiner was following in a car which I thought was a bit odd but I don't make the rules.
All I can do is get over myself and get back on the horse so to speak
My instructor couldn't believe I had failed so badly as he only had praise for my riding and said I should breeze it.
I hadn't changed my riding style and wasn't that nervous ( surprisingly). And like I said to the instructor after "I don't know what I could do differently" as I rode exactly the same as I had on our practice, incorporating all the little pointers he suggested for the local area.
The examiner was following in a car which I thought was a bit odd but I don't make the rules.
All I can do is get over myself and get back on the horse so to speak
Edited by Discopotatoes on Thursday 31st July 20:54
Sounds like it's easy to fail. Any one of us loses our balance every now at low speed and then and has to have a dab of the foot, if we didn't we be Dougie Lampkin. Try trials riding anyone, knowing you're not allowed to dab makes you think of nothing else and doing it far more often!
Just stick at it OP, best things in life are tough to get
Just stick at it OP, best things in life are tough to get
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