Passed module 1
Discussion
Passed module 1 test with no faults on Sunday morning in Livingston, Scotland 
Only dodgy bit was that I didn't think I had got up to speed for the swerve test so was expecting to have to repeat, but turned out I was doing 52 kph (you need to be doing at least 50) so all good.
Having received my certificate and been told 'well done' by the examiner, I went back outside to ride the bike back to the gate of the exam centre. Got on feeling rather pleased with myself, and proceeded to ride off with the sidestand still down. No-one saw me fortunately
The day must have cost me 80 quid - £10 test fee (goes up to £15 from today I believe), £5 booking fee (my instructors booked it as they had to get a time when they were available and coordinate their other students to be there), £56 for the hire of the bike, my instructor's time and their petrol costs in getting the bikes there in a van, plus my own petrol costs (40 minute drive each way; I live in Stirling and the DSA centre here only does Mod 2). I'd had to wait near enough 8 weeks to get a date when all of the above could come together. I'd have been right hacked off had I failed as it would have meant another 1 or 2 months wait and yet more expense, all for a ten quid test!
A few observations:
- on a dry, still day the test is a piece of cake. Had the weather been the same as the day before (very windy, wet) I wouldn't have fancied the swerve test - though I hasten to add it is still perfectly achievable for a decent rider. I'd just have been a bit nervous about it in the wet.
- getting some practice on the bike directly beforehand is crucial. You need to get your confidence up and be comfortable on the bike before you go in to the test centre.
- I'd recommend doing practice U-turns beforehand till you're completely confident. I did several U-turns in the practice area, then I did some more, then I did some more still. I only stopped when I started to smell the clutch frying
- I was also practicing the manual handling bit i.e. pushing the bike backwards from one parking bay to the other. For a wee bloke like me it's not the easiest thing in the world and you don't want to be struggling with that or thinking 'where do I put my hand again?' as it's at the very start of the test and might knock your confidence for the rest if you are hesitant.
- you have to plan how to get up to speed for the swerve i.e. go round the turn at a decent lick, and be in second gear ready to give it some beans as soon as you're out of the corner. Getting up to speed for the 'controlled stop' isn't a problem as there's no swerve to worry about - I was at 60kph.
- you can go really wide for the figure of eight. At times I was miles away from the cones, wasn't a problem.
- for the U-turn and slow riding bits, and anywhere else where you need to slip the clutch, feed in plenty of revs and don't worry about the noise the bike is making. The temptation is to ease off the throttle to quieten things down, but as long as you're balancing throttle, clutch and back brake and going the speed you want to, just keep it like that. If the revs drop too low you'll lose drive and may feel like putting your foot down.
So well done me and I'll be booking module 2 now.
Only dodgy bit was that I didn't think I had got up to speed for the swerve test so was expecting to have to repeat, but turned out I was doing 52 kph (you need to be doing at least 50) so all good.Having received my certificate and been told 'well done' by the examiner, I went back outside to ride the bike back to the gate of the exam centre. Got on feeling rather pleased with myself, and proceeded to ride off with the sidestand still down. No-one saw me fortunately
The day must have cost me 80 quid - £10 test fee (goes up to £15 from today I believe), £5 booking fee (my instructors booked it as they had to get a time when they were available and coordinate their other students to be there), £56 for the hire of the bike, my instructor's time and their petrol costs in getting the bikes there in a van, plus my own petrol costs (40 minute drive each way; I live in Stirling and the DSA centre here only does Mod 2). I'd had to wait near enough 8 weeks to get a date when all of the above could come together. I'd have been right hacked off had I failed as it would have meant another 1 or 2 months wait and yet more expense, all for a ten quid test!
A few observations:
- on a dry, still day the test is a piece of cake. Had the weather been the same as the day before (very windy, wet) I wouldn't have fancied the swerve test - though I hasten to add it is still perfectly achievable for a decent rider. I'd just have been a bit nervous about it in the wet.
- getting some practice on the bike directly beforehand is crucial. You need to get your confidence up and be comfortable on the bike before you go in to the test centre.
- I'd recommend doing practice U-turns beforehand till you're completely confident. I did several U-turns in the practice area, then I did some more, then I did some more still. I only stopped when I started to smell the clutch frying
- I was also practicing the manual handling bit i.e. pushing the bike backwards from one parking bay to the other. For a wee bloke like me it's not the easiest thing in the world and you don't want to be struggling with that or thinking 'where do I put my hand again?' as it's at the very start of the test and might knock your confidence for the rest if you are hesitant.
- you have to plan how to get up to speed for the swerve i.e. go round the turn at a decent lick, and be in second gear ready to give it some beans as soon as you're out of the corner. Getting up to speed for the 'controlled stop' isn't a problem as there's no swerve to worry about - I was at 60kph.
- you can go really wide for the figure of eight. At times I was miles away from the cones, wasn't a problem.
- for the U-turn and slow riding bits, and anywhere else where you need to slip the clutch, feed in plenty of revs and don't worry about the noise the bike is making. The temptation is to ease off the throttle to quieten things down, but as long as you're balancing throttle, clutch and back brake and going the speed you want to, just keep it like that. If the revs drop too low you'll lose drive and may feel like putting your foot down.
So well done me and I'll be booking module 2 now.
Edited by sam303 on Monday 5th October 10:38
Congrats mate. Mod 1 is a pig for some not for the difficulty but the logistics involved in getting there and back never mind if you need a re-test! Good effort with the side stand-what machine were you on? I thought most but the cheapest Chinese machines had a cut out with the stand down in any gear bar neutral? I knew the fee was going up DAS cost me £615 broken down as Day CBT, 1 days Mod 1, 2 days Mod 2 and all fees. 2 months sounds like a harsh wait so glad you passed.
I had a 70 ish mile round trip but there was a riding school there that must have had a 300 mile round trip and all 3 of them failed. Worse still they all had there own 125’s they ridden up on so had a 150 mile trip to look forward to back without being able to use a motor way!
I had a 70 ish mile round trip but there was a riding school there that must have had a 300 mile round trip and all 3 of them failed. Worse still they all had there own 125’s they ridden up on so had a 150 mile trip to look forward to back without being able to use a motor way!
Nah it's not a typo... sadly due to the Evil Empire, sorry the European Union, the speeds are measured in kph rather than mph. Flipping offensive if you ask me, why the heck do we have to adopt their measures?
For the chap who asked above what I was riding, it was a Kawasaki Er-5, an S reg, revcounter bust, indicators taped on; must have been dropped a hundred times and looks an absolute shed!
For the chap who asked above what I was riding, it was a Kawasaki Er-5, an S reg, revcounter bust, indicators taped on; must have been dropped a hundred times and looks an absolute shed!
Edited by sam303 on Monday 5th October 13:22
sam303 said:
Nah it's not a typo... sadly due to the Evil Empire, sorry the European Union, the speeds are measured in kph rather than mph. Flipping offensive if you ask me, why the heck do we have to adopt their measures?
For the chap who asked above what I was riding, it was a Kawasaki Er-5, an S reg, must have been dropped a hundred times and looks an absolute shed!
S reg, bet that was a shed and a half if it's been used at a riding school for all or most of it's life! I did mine on an 04 plate GS500 and it looked 40 year old that's what they're there for I supose. And yes KPH is annoying stuff Europe I say.For the chap who asked above what I was riding, it was a Kawasaki Er-5, an S reg, must have been dropped a hundred times and looks an absolute shed!
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