Didn't make CBT : (
Discussion
Back when I used to instruct the training school was affiliated to the BMF and we were all volunteers who did it for fun.
This gave us the luxury of just operating to cover basic costs and we could afford to have one instructor to one pupil which meant there was no pressure on people who learnt at a faster or slower rate.
Most people would be deemed competent at around 6-8 hours although we had a few cases which took double that to reach the required standard.
Over all the years we only had two people we refused to pass so I suppose technically it is possible to fail a CBT!!
This gave us the luxury of just operating to cover basic costs and we could afford to have one instructor to one pupil which meant there was no pressure on people who learnt at a faster or slower rate.
Most people would be deemed competent at around 6-8 hours although we had a few cases which took double that to reach the required standard.
Over all the years we only had two people we refused to pass so I suppose technically it is possible to fail a CBT!!
I'm sure there's a safety element involved in the new regime. However part of me thinks it's a Euro wide push to introduce the sort of monopolies that exist in other countries (ie even if you meet the required standard without tuition you still have to do a mandated number of lessons).
A lot of people I know have had great success with 5 day intensive courses.
A lot of people I know have had great success with 5 day intensive courses.
Don't be put off OP, it takes some longer than others but most will get there in the end and it sounds like you were pretty close to getting it right. There was a thread here recently from another poster who did his CBT and then gave up as he ran wide on a corner and decided biking wasn't for him. If you fall off the horse, you've just got to get back on it. Riding a motorcycle on the road is one of the most rewarding things you can do.
thatdude said:
If it's your first time on a motorcycle with manual gears then I'd say a single day to learn everything isnt too shabby at all.
Agreed. I often find I need a night's sleep to process new learning, the next day things are much easier. I'm sure the OP will be out on the roads soon - and his additional slow speed control practise will come in handy.SS7
I did my CBT last week, first time on a geared bike in 15 years. To say that my arse collapsed when the instructor threw me the keys to a 600 rather than a 125, is a bit of an understatement!!
In the end we agreed that a van van 125 was a better proposition, and leave the bigger stuff till this Sat when I start DAS
In the end we agreed that a van van 125 was a better proposition, and leave the bigger stuff till this Sat when I start DAS
Good luck getting it finished off. It'll be worth it. When I did mine last December, I was on my own and it was fantastic as I got some real instruction from a great trainer. I do wonder though, if it's really sufficient, at least for those with no previous road experience.
I did wonder though, short of dying, what you'd have to do to not make the standard required to pass. A girl I work with did hers with her fiancée; he dropped the bike at slow speed on the road section, crushing his foot against the kerb and breaking it. He hobbled on and passed, even with her asking him "is this really for you?".
I did wonder though, short of dying, what you'd have to do to not make the standard required to pass. A girl I work with did hers with her fiancée; he dropped the bike at slow speed on the road section, crushing his foot against the kerb and breaking it. He hobbled on and passed, even with her asking him "is this really for you?".
DuncsGTi said:
I did my CBT last week, first time on a geared bike in 15 years. To say that my arse collapsed when the instructor threw me the keys to a 600 rather than a 125, is a bit of an understatement!!
In the end we agreed that a van van 125 was a better proposition, and leave the bigger stuff till this Sat when I start DAS
It sounds bizarre, but the 600 will be much easier to ride than the 125. Enjoy In the end we agreed that a van van 125 was a better proposition, and leave the bigger stuff till this Sat when I start DAS
I did mine when I was 16 and was determined to get an Aprilia RS50, because I wanted a geared bike my Dad insisted that I did CBT on a geared bike. I had never ridden a bike before and obviously not driven on the road. They wheeled out this 1984 Suzuki TS50, I was apprehensive about it, but after the theory bit they gave me an instructor just to teach me how to ride the bike and I picked it up very easily. I rejoined the group for the rest of the day and it all went really well, I loved having the only bike without a limiter, got it upto 37mph which is amazing when you're 16! We did have someone for the road section who hadn't passed the previous week so it does happen. The people I used didn't charge if you needed to come back for another day.
anonymous said:
[redacted]
Me... two weeks after my 2nd but successful attempt at my CBT I dropped me and the scooter coming off a mini roundabout, did substantial damage to the pair of us (we both landed on the pavement, but I was still technically on the bike!)With my first attempt at the CBT, I made to call not to do the road ride, I just didn't feel that I was safe enough and all the 'stress' had given me a stonker of a headache. (It was more of a confidence thing)
Went back 1 week later and sailed through it, picked the new scooter up 5 days after that (Friday evening) and rode it from Preston to Burnley no problem, did a few rides out on the Sunday, rode it work on the Monday, dropped it coming home Monday night. (and totally knocked my confidence again)
Took me 2 and half attempts to get my CBT c 9 years ago.
First time I had not slept much the night before and voluntarily packed it in before getting to the end of the off road section - just too much to concentrate on when going over routine things in the confined yard space when tired.
Second time the road instructor was a shouty bloke whose teaching style was to bawl critically at you if you got something wrong - knocked my confidence, and he wouldn't "pass" me at the end of the day.
(I think he owned the school and was highly experienced - just not the type of teacher I respond well to!)
Next time I returned, before the road section I asked to go out in the group with a different instructor - he was an IAM observer but much more relaxed and encouraging, albeit technically less qualified - made a huge difference and I got through fine.
There's a lot to cover in a short space of time and instilling confidence is key IME.
First time I had not slept much the night before and voluntarily packed it in before getting to the end of the off road section - just too much to concentrate on when going over routine things in the confined yard space when tired.
Second time the road instructor was a shouty bloke whose teaching style was to bawl critically at you if you got something wrong - knocked my confidence, and he wouldn't "pass" me at the end of the day.
(I think he owned the school and was highly experienced - just not the type of teacher I respond well to!)
Next time I returned, before the road section I asked to go out in the group with a different instructor - he was an IAM observer but much more relaxed and encouraging, albeit technically less qualified - made a huge difference and I got through fine.
There's a lot to cover in a short space of time and instilling confidence is key IME.
anonymous said:
[redacted]
I really don't know, all we can assume is that I stood it up on the turn or went too wide to go around the white paint and got too close the kerb, we just don't know. We both landed on our left side, with my leg between the scooter and the edge of the kerb stone (beautiful bruise that was). My left shoulder took pretty much all of the impact, the left hand side of the bike was a mess (bear in mind she was shiney, new and only had 75 miles on the clock), lots of plastic snapped, scratched and broken, and the steering was a bit out of line, a couple of lads helped me right her and I got back on and carried on home (luckilly on a few hundred yards), but she was pulling to one side, and I took those yards carefully.It was about a month before my shoulder was anywhere near right, and to get her back from the dealer. By then it was late September, starting to get bad with the weather and my confidence was as an all time low. I felt sick if I just turned the ignition on.
To be fair, in the 2 years since, I have not ridden as much as I could/should, but my CBT ran out and I went to do it again, and felt great (although I was fighting a 50cc Giggle, which at some points I could get off and walk faster, it maxed out at 28mph!)
The only thing that's stopping me at the moment is the total mayhem that is the roads/roadworks etc on the route to work, it's gridlock at times, roads closed, reduced to one lane, temp lights etc etc and I just don't want to be in the traffic, would rather be sat in it on a bus.
Dorje said:
I did my CBT last year just before taking DAS, the other student I was about to go on the road with didn't know who to give way to at junctions/roundabouts before we set off. That delayed us for about 30 mins..
Should've gone where I did, they didn't seem overly concerned that one of our group had never used a vehicle on the road before and kept stopping mid-roundabout to let people out. Then the surprise emergency stops because they thought they saw someone who might want to cross the road. And completely ignoring all the instructors directions. All this in a cold, dark, wet London evening rush hour.It's astonishing you don't have to pass the theory test before attending a CBT course. They still 'passed' the guy.
Edited by TheInternet on Friday 31st October 14:21
I'm still of the opinion that letting a 17 year old out on a bike that will do 70mph, with just a days training, and with no road sense, no other road experience and just a "yes, honest guv I've read the highway code 
" is pretty dangerous.
No, 125 bikes aren't fast, but they're fast enough to get into trouble and do serious harm to the rider and or pedestrians. CBT (IMO) should be an option IF you already hold a full car licence (or hgv, bus etc) but if it's your first time on the road ever apart from a push bike, you are required to do other/further training. Maybe not to the extent of the MOD1 and MOD2, but maybe a 2 day course with an actual test at the end. Oh and they have to do the theory test before doing this course.
" is pretty dangerous.No, 125 bikes aren't fast, but they're fast enough to get into trouble and do serious harm to the rider and or pedestrians. CBT (IMO) should be an option IF you already hold a full car licence (or hgv, bus etc) but if it's your first time on the road ever apart from a push bike, you are required to do other/further training. Maybe not to the extent of the MOD1 and MOD2, but maybe a 2 day course with an actual test at the end. Oh and they have to do the theory test before doing this course.
Tall_Paul said:
I'm still of the opinion that letting a 17 year old out on a bike that will do 70mph, with just a days training, and with no road sense, no other road experience and just a "yes, honest guv I've read the highway code " is pretty dangerous.
No, 125 bikes aren't fast, but they're fast enough to get into trouble and do serious harm to the rider and or pedestrians. CBT (IMO) should be an option IF you already hold a full car licence (or hgv, bus etc) but if it's your first time on the road ever apart from a push bike, you are required to do other/further training. Maybe not to the extent of the MOD1 and MOD2, but maybe a 2 day course with an actual test at the end. Oh and they have to do the theory test before doing this course.
Well said! Shocks me how we have riders with, near as makes no difference, zero experience on the road. " is pretty dangerous.No, 125 bikes aren't fast, but they're fast enough to get into trouble and do serious harm to the rider and or pedestrians. CBT (IMO) should be an option IF you already hold a full car licence (or hgv, bus etc) but if it's your first time on the road ever apart from a push bike, you are required to do other/further training. Maybe not to the extent of the MOD1 and MOD2, but maybe a 2 day course with an actual test at the end. Oh and they have to do the theory test before doing this course.
My Dad could ride a 250 at 16 on L-plates, without a helmet, in the 1960s.
Rules were tightened when Japanese 2 strikes became fast.
I'm not sure if there were any restrictions in my Grandad's day, but I know that he had a ~500 BSA in the early 1930s.
....and a car driving licence from some time in the 1920s that he just had to apply for -there was no test.
Rules were tightened when Japanese 2 strikes became fast.
I'm not sure if there were any restrictions in my Grandad's day, but I know that he had a ~500 BSA in the early 1930s.
....and a car driving licence from some time in the 1920s that he just had to apply for -there was no test.
OP - I can only echo the thoughts of others - Don't worry or be put off - just try to carry on as it doesn't sound like you were far off passing. I didn't pass my CBT first time either - I went it into similarly, having no knowledge or experience with motorbikes, but thinking that if 16 year olds with no road knowledge can do it, how hard can it be? What a mistake that was! Plus it had been a few years since I'd even ridden a pedal bicycle properly so I really struggled having the confidence even to balance and control this newfangled heavy beast (An ancient Yamaha SR125)!
I got told to go and practise on a pedal bike and come back another day but I never bothered and just bought a sporty car instead. A year later I still had the interest and decided to have another go so practised doing U-Turns and figures of 8 on a bicycle in the local park (must have looked a right tit!) and then booked another CBT. Went really well the second time and the instructors were so helpful and supportive I booked my DAS and passed my Mod 1 and 2 first time a few months later.
2 years, 3 bikes and 6000 fantastic miles later, I have a Yamaha Thundercat 600 which I absolutely love and in fact whilst out riding today I was actually thinking I'm so glad I didn't just give up after that first CBT as it really is one of the best things I've ever done! So just get back on that bike and don't look back!
I got told to go and practise on a pedal bike and come back another day but I never bothered and just bought a sporty car instead. A year later I still had the interest and decided to have another go so practised doing U-Turns and figures of 8 on a bicycle in the local park (must have looked a right tit!) and then booked another CBT. Went really well the second time and the instructors were so helpful and supportive I booked my DAS and passed my Mod 1 and 2 first time a few months later.
2 years, 3 bikes and 6000 fantastic miles later, I have a Yamaha Thundercat 600 which I absolutely love and in fact whilst out riding today I was actually thinking I'm so glad I didn't just give up after that first CBT as it really is one of the best things I've ever done! So just get back on that bike and don't look back!
The Moose said:
It sounds bizarre, but the 600 will be much easier to ride than the 125. Enjoy
bgunn said:
Agreed. Better balance, smoother, far far nicer to control. Don't be scared!
Well, you were right, had about 10 miles on the 125 this morning then went out on the 600, so much nicer and easy to ride more smoothly . I need a bike now 
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