We can't. My secretary types these for me.

To add to Neal's impressions of the test (and it was a really helpful write-up), the absolute keys for me were:

- taking plenty of time to think about what I was doing

- going really wide on the figure of 8, making it nice and easy

- constantly thinking of observations; including when he asks you to move off and park through the gate at the end; you're still on test at this point!

- when doing low speed manouevring, making sure I was looking at my destination, not the bike or the floor - makes it as easy as pie and stops all wobbles

- being able to take that corner smoothly and at decent speed for the high speed avoidance/emergency stop; meant that getting up to speed was easy, unhurried, and the whole thing felt relaxed.

- just touching the rear brake on the emergency stop, to show that I could use it; but really diving onto the front brake: front, touch of back, more front seemed to work every time in practice and on test.

Not as helpful as Neal's tips, but just a few things that make the bits that seem difficult rather less daunting.

Part 2 test tomorrow morning. This is the difficult one...

*crosses fingers*

Yes, passed with no faults, passed mod 2 on 12/07, got a VFR 800 now. Happy days, just need some sun shine!

Passed mod 1, has 2 goes at the swerve (49kph first go). Nice and easy, dunno what all the fuss is about! Mod 2 23rd, exited!

Sat the mod 1 twice, failed the first time and passed the second.
First attempt I put my foot down in the figure of 8 for a split second. I don't know why I did it and to this day I never will just probably nerves. I also only achieved 49 kph on the swerve but to be honest I just wanted it to end and wasn't
particularly trying as I knew I failed my test.

Second attempt, nervous as hell and
stuffed full of the cold I passed with 0
faults and speeds of 50 kph first time for swerve and 63 kph for the emergency stop. 

As people have said it's a easy test to pass but an easy test to fail. 
The swerve is fairly easy, especially on a 500. 

My advice would be to practise for a hour or so with an instructor. It let's you see how easy the test is but obviously as I demonstrated you can screw it up easily on the day. Spend a few seconds between each manoeuvre just to visualise what you have to do. I think this is the reason I failed as I rushed straight into my figure of 8. And finally take as much space as you need on the figure of 8. 

The thing that pisses me off is the test is pointless. It in no way made me a safer rider. 
First attempt cost me-
£56 lesson before
£43 higher of van
£56 higher of bike 
£15 test
£10 fuel I had to drive 40 miles as it's the nearest test centre!  
£180! 
Second attempt cost me £152 as I only had a hour less before 
So in total £332 to pass a 5 minute test. Its a joke anyone that says that money would be better spent on this rather than advance riding or more lessons on the road is a liar. 

Did Mod 1 on Tuesday and passed with no faults.

If you're in the Surrey / Sussex area, I seriously suggest you use Ridesure in Dunsfold as their school - it's the only one with a massive offroad area marked out to the same measurements as the Mod 1 centre, and that you can use all day. (Plus theres the benefit of some pretty metal tearing up and down the runway at Dunsfold where they're based).

I reckon I went into my Mod 1 with about 8 hours of practice, versus the 1, maybe 2, that other schools had.

Me, and the other guy on the course thought this - we both failed clipping a cone on the avoidance... It isn't that easy - the pass rate nationally is only around 60%..

http://www.dft.gov.uk/dsa/Documents/FOI/operationa...

Good luck with it, hopefully it will warm up a bit for you.

I passed Mod 1 yesterday.. on the second attempt. First attempt a month and a half ago ( snow and work had stopped play since ) and I failed having gone just too slow on the slalom and then realising it was either putting a foot down or toppling.

I'm used to regular tests as part of my job and although a bit nervous for the first test I would say that whilst it is 'easy' to pass it is also very 'easy' to fail. I would illustrate this by saying that having not been on a bike for the intervening month and a half we spent 30 mins practising on a car park and had a short ride to the test center. I then passed with 1 minor ( locking the wheel and having to release and re-apply on the emergency stop. ) and no other issues. The weather was shocking for both tests and the one positive I would say is that the surface was excellent even whilst very wet.

For this reason I would say it is probably not a great test as I was riding on the road to a higher standard before the first failed test than the successful second. I gave the examiner good cause to fail me on the first but the fact that no further training is required to pass on another attempt suggests to me that nerves and this particular assessment can generate an unreflective result. For that reason I think its a little harsh to say 'anyone with half-a-brain' should pass etc. Everyone can have a bad day and hopefully I've got mine out of the way before mod 2 !

Nicely done! Are you browsing Bike Trader now then?