Mod 1 fail ... again absolutely gutted. .
Discussion
Part of the reason for the Mod 1 was the danger of doing the U turn and emergency stop on the road, was it not? Trying to find somewhere quiet to do it, which can be incorporated into the test routes is not always easy. Even in the car driving tests, the emergency stop is only done if the examiner deems it safe to do so - if the usual spots along the route are busy or there are other hazards present, they'll err on the side of caution and the candidate won't have to demonstrate the emergency stop.
I was chatting to a colleague about this yesterday. Mod 1 seems like a pain in the arse at the time but it teaches and tests necessary bike control. It's one thing wobbling round on the road but what happens when you need to do an evasive swerve, emergency stop, slalom through debris (this has actually happened to me when a load of bricks fell off a truck!) without that, you wouldn't have a clue what to do.
I know the odd person who can't ride for s
t and they still managed it, so suck it up and try again there's nothing unfair about it.
I know the odd person who can't ride for s
t and they still managed it, so suck it up and try again there's nothing unfair about it.Edited by Yazza54 on Friday 1st August 07:28
I will ALWAYS remember the lad I did my lessons with dropping the bike time after time after time when doing U turns 
Poor guy, took him ages to nail it. I never dropped it and didn't struggle with that aspect. I still rib him about it when I see him to this day 
As a point of relevance, the nearest I came to crashing at a Cadwell track day in May was almost toppling over in the paddock at slow walking pace
Mastering a bike at low speeds is, IMHO, harder than once you're rolling along.
My missus wanted to do her test and was having lessons, but kept wobbling/falling over pulling out of junctions on the 500's (she was fine on a 125). I kept telling her to just get going and it becomes easier once the speed is up, but if you can't get your head around it I guess you're a little stuck
Poor guy, took him ages to nail it. I never dropped it and didn't struggle with that aspect. I still rib him about it when I see him to this day As a point of relevance, the nearest I came to crashing at a Cadwell track day in May was almost toppling over in the paddock at slow walking pace
Mastering a bike at low speeds is, IMHO, harder than once you're rolling along. My missus wanted to do her test and was having lessons, but kept wobbling/falling over pulling out of junctions on the 500's (she was fine on a 125). I kept telling her to just get going and it becomes easier once the speed is up, but if you can't get your head around it I guess you're a little stuck
Just failed mod 1 . Shockingly touched down in the cones .the u turn and hit the swerve cone. It was like I hadn't rode b4 . Thing is on you tube videos they seem to practise on the actual course. ? Mine was 2.5 hours round the back of the bike school . Didn't put a foot down once plus that floor felt like some type of rubber ? Instructor was a in a rush so he left me there as I met him in my car .I had my debrief of a car instructor who happens to ride bikes and was waiting with his customer to do a car test haha . Oh well it's not like I was gonna be able to go and ride after this . If I new from the beginning how much money I wouldn't of done the cbt . Dooh
I hated Mod 1, especially the U-turn, I found Mod 2 far easier. You are right though, your riding school should get you some practice time at an actual test centre, which is what the one I used did. I promptly dropped the learner bike (Er6n) while trying to attempt the U-turn!
The tarmac they use feels the way it does as it is a special extra grippy aggregate mix, to make the test safer in wet conditions.
The tarmac they use feels the way it does as it is a special extra grippy aggregate mix, to make the test safer in wet conditions.
Slow riding is by far the hardest. It's all physics. At highet speeds, the bike wants to be upright. At very low speed, your 200kg lump of metal, with you balanced on top, wants to fall over.
I'm finding higher speed riding very enjoyable and easy, but going around a tight roundabout in a retail park i look like a bag of ste. There are lots of videos on YouTube that go over the principles - feathering the clutch, back brake, looking where you want to go and not at the floor/cones, and leaning the bike (not just steering) with your body leaning the other way as a counter weight. They're the principles, and worth getting clear in your mind. Then it's just a case of practicing.
My mod 1 examiner told me my figure of 8s were terrible, but I didn't put my foot down. Remember, you can make them as big as you like within the space available. Keep trying anyway. I got to know some people who failed the mod 1 repeatedly, but they were better and more experienced riders than me. Their nerves kept going once they got there. The low speed stuff is important, and I'm putting practice into it now even though I have my licence, but I reckon a large proportion of riders are bad at it, and get away with it because most of their riding doesn't involve needing very low speed precision. They can avoid tight u turns by waiting for junctions or big spaces for instance.
I'm finding higher speed riding very enjoyable and easy, but going around a tight roundabout in a retail park i look like a bag of s
te. There are lots of videos on YouTube that go over the principles - feathering the clutch, back brake, looking where you want to go and not at the floor/cones, and leaning the bike (not just steering) with your body leaning the other way as a counter weight. They're the principles, and worth getting clear in your mind. Then it's just a case of practicing.My mod 1 examiner told me my figure of 8s were terrible, but I didn't put my foot down. Remember, you can make them as big as you like within the space available. Keep trying anyway. I got to know some people who failed the mod 1 repeatedly, but they were better and more experienced riders than me. Their nerves kept going once they got there. The low speed stuff is important, and I'm putting practice into it now even though I have my licence, but I reckon a large proportion of riders are bad at it, and get away with it because most of their riding doesn't involve needing very low speed precision. They can avoid tight u turns by waiting for junctions or big spaces for instance.
Julian1969 said:
Just failed mod 1 . Shockingly touched down in the cones .the u turn and hit the swerve cone. It was like I hadn't rode b4 . Thing is on you tube videos they seem to practise on the actual course. ? Mine was 2.5 hours round the back of the bike school . Didn't put a foot down once plus that floor felt like some type of rubber ? Instructor was a in a rush so he left me there as I met him in my car .I had my debrief of a car instructor who happens to ride bikes and was waiting with his customer to do a car test haha . Oh well it's not like I was gonna be able to go and ride after this . If I new from the beginning how much money I wouldn't of done the cbt . Dooh
1) holy thread resurrection batman.2) sounds an odd way of going on by the instructor - you just had a single 2.5 hr lesson before doing the mod1?
Berty3000 said:
Slow riding is by far the hardest. It's all physics. At highet speeds, the bike wants to be upright. At very low speed, your 200kg lump of metal, with you balanced on top, wants to fall over.
I'm finding higher speed riding very enjoyable and easy, but going around a tight roundabout in a retail park i look like a bag of ste. There are lots of videos on YouTube that go over the principles - feathering the clutch, back brake, looking where you want to go and not at the floor/cones, and leaning the bike (not just steering) with your body leaning the other way as a counter weight. They're the principles, and worth getting clear in your mind. Then it's just a case of practicing.
My mod 1 examiner told me my figure of 8s were terrible, but I didn't put my foot down. Remember, you can make them as big as you like within the space available. Keep trying anyway. I got to know some people who failed the mod 1 repeatedly, but they were better and more experienced riders than me. Their nerves kept going once they got there. The low speed stuff is important, and I'm putting practice into it now even though I have my licence, but I reckon a large proportion of riders are bad at it, and get away with it because most of their riding doesn't involve needing very low speed precision. They can avoid tight u turns by waiting for junctions or big spaces for instance.
Its almost certainly an issue with where they're/you're looking. Practice on a bicycle with jumpers at ever decreasing distances. Seriously. You can't dodge the slow speed stuff forever and the underlying issue may well bring you undone at high speed one day. I'm finding higher speed riding very enjoyable and easy, but going around a tight roundabout in a retail park i look like a bag of s
te. There are lots of videos on YouTube that go over the principles - feathering the clutch, back brake, looking where you want to go and not at the floor/cones, and leaning the bike (not just steering) with your body leaning the other way as a counter weight. They're the principles, and worth getting clear in your mind. Then it's just a case of practicing.My mod 1 examiner told me my figure of 8s were terrible, but I didn't put my foot down. Remember, you can make them as big as you like within the space available. Keep trying anyway. I got to know some people who failed the mod 1 repeatedly, but they were better and more experienced riders than me. Their nerves kept going once they got there. The low speed stuff is important, and I'm putting practice into it now even though I have my licence, but I reckon a large proportion of riders are bad at it, and get away with it because most of their riding doesn't involve needing very low speed precision. They can avoid tight u turns by waiting for junctions or big spaces for instance.
Anyone can ride fast (in a straight line).
If you are not willing to put in enough time into slow riding and parkour - it's your problem, not "unfairness".
I am not a natural rider, so what I did to prepare for the parkour part of the exam (slalom, 8, riding 15 meters as slow as possible, emergency braking) was - I bought 8 cones, I took them with me to work, during lunch time I rode my bike to the official exam area (outside MOT center), place the cones and practice for an hour, then go back to work. In the evening I would take the cones to a local parking lot and practice slalom and 8 again. On weekends I would take the cones and go to another place (the official exam place is closed on weekends) and practice some more. I did that for weeks.
If you are passionate about biking and want to pass the exam you will find time and perseverance to practice till you get it right.
If you are not willing to put in enough time into slow riding and parkour - it's your problem, not "unfairness".
I am not a natural rider, so what I did to prepare for the parkour part of the exam (slalom, 8, riding 15 meters as slow as possible, emergency braking) was - I bought 8 cones, I took them with me to work, during lunch time I rode my bike to the official exam area (outside MOT center), place the cones and practice for an hour, then go back to work. In the evening I would take the cones to a local parking lot and practice slalom and 8 again. On weekends I would take the cones and go to another place (the official exam place is closed on weekends) and practice some more. I did that for weeks.
If you are passionate about biking and want to pass the exam you will find time and perseverance to practice till you get it right.
As someone who passed MOD 1&2 first time, and had never been on a bike before my CBT (actually I did my CBT on a scooter and took a lesson on 125cc after), I can only pass this advice which I applied myself.
Not give a st if you fail, you're only going to get yourself wound up , you can always try again and many ppl fail first.
Break each part of MOD1 down. In other words, only think about what the examiner is asking you to do and apply what you've been taught. I was replaying the annoying Sgt Major type voice of my instructor in my head at each exercise. Don't think about the next exercise, only the task at hand, again you may be thinking of your weakest exercise before you've completed your current one.
The above gave me the best situation to be in, RELAXED. My wife was more nervous than me on my tests, in fact I didn't even text her to let her know, I came home and made a cup of tea, she text me after a few hours of no news.
You will get there, don't worry about it, just think of all the type of people that have a bike licence, they are not extra special, they are just like you and I.
ETA, I should read the dates of the OP post.
Not give a s
t if you fail, you're only going to get yourself wound up , you can always try again and many ppl fail first.Break each part of MOD1 down. In other words, only think about what the examiner is asking you to do and apply what you've been taught. I was replaying the annoying Sgt Major type voice of my instructor in my head at each exercise. Don't think about the next exercise, only the task at hand, again you may be thinking of your weakest exercise before you've completed your current one.
The above gave me the best situation to be in, RELAXED. My wife was more nervous than me on my tests, in fact I didn't even text her to let her know, I came home and made a cup of tea, she text me after a few hours of no news.
You will get there, don't worry about it, just think of all the type of people that have a bike licence, they are not extra special, they are just like you and I.
ETA, I should read the dates of the OP post.
308mate said:
Its almost certainly an issue with where they're/you're looking. Practice on a bicycle with jumpers at ever decreasing distances. Seriously. You can't dodge the slow speed stuff forever and the underlying issue may well bring you undone at high speed one day.
I get the impression you didn't actually read my post...I took my mod 1 yesterday. Took my bike in left my brain at the gate gutted . Hadn’t practiced the left circuit sent me into a panic ( not a nervious person at all but the nerves kicked in was doing ok until figure of 8 got disorientated didn’t touch down. Also on my emergency stop he reckons I was doing 60 but there’s no way I could have been as on my test runs I didn’t always hit the required speed . Some people don’t fair well on TESTS. I would much prefer for the training schools to give there accessment of a student got to do it all over again Monday 😳 hope alls well this time have to take each section one at a time
I did completed mine last Nov and took the pressure off myself by giving myself the target of passing before March this year. This allowed me plenty of failed tests in hand which luckily I didn't need.
It really is all in the mind though as the actual exercises in isolation are very easy (If they're not then you really need more practice). Remember though that despite all the crap you hear, mainly by those that have failed numerous tests, the assessors are bikers themselves and will want you to pass.
On the bright side, if you are just planning on riding for social pleasure then you won't be missing much riding time over the next 3-4 months.
It really is all in the mind though as the actual exercises in isolation are very easy (If they're not then you really need more practice). Remember though that despite all the crap you hear, mainly by those that have failed numerous tests, the assessors are bikers themselves and will want you to pass.
On the bright side, if you are just planning on riding for social pleasure then you won't be missing much riding time over the next 3-4 months.
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