View Full Version : Failed my test!!
Failed my test today!
Managed to screw up after the first few minutes before I'd even got anywhere lol. The examiner had to remind me to cancel my indicator after a junction turning onto a main road...I feel like a right plum but there you go, I also fluffed my u-turn but I think that was partly down to me stopping in a less than perfect spot...there were a lot of parked cars on either side of the street I was asked to stop in and I felt a bit boxed in so probably rushed it. Other than that I only got 2 minors so even tho I didn't pass I'm feeling so much more positive than I have been lately. I knew I'd failed but I just tried my best for the rest of the test, you have to learn from your mistakes! :smt045
Riding in town all day yesterday and then again this morning has boosted my confidence massively and I've really enjoyed myself...thing is my re-test wont be for a few weeks and I really want to get out on a bike NOW!!
Don't know whether or not to pick up a cheapo 125 that's a decent runner. Actually I'm still wondering if the SV's going to be a bit too much for me, the other bike I was thinking about was a CBR125R and I'm wondering if I should get rid of the SV and build up confidence on a 125? Thing is, you can't really go for a rideout with your friends when you've only got a 125 and they've got big bikes!! ;)
Decisions, decisions...I'm feeling good tho!! Yay!
book up for a cancellation ASAp:smt045
alot of peeps fail first time
Commiserations.
Whatever you decide to do, it's the fact that you still want to pass the test & continue riding that counts. :thumbsup:
Keep the SV bigger bikes are not necessarily harder ride, often the opposite is true. It is a light bike for a big un, quite well balanced and very forgiving in terms of engine response in any gear and good braking. Just IMHO ;)
Do as Hovis say's and hunt for a cancellation, do the test again as soon as - just don't be frightened of the bike or it will do the riding rather than you.
Good luck, you'll do it!:smt045
Keep the SV bigger bikes are not necessarily harder ride, often the opposite is true. It is a light bike for a big un, quite well balanced and very forgiving in terms of engine response in any gear and good braking. Just IMHO ;)
Do as Hovis say's and hunt for a cancellation, do the test again as soon as - just don't be frightened of the bike or it will do the riding rather than you.
Good luck, you'll do it!:smt045
I hear what you're saying...I'm just so small and feeble lmao
I'm desperate to get out on the road again so will aim to get my test sorted asap!
:smt056 See the tests not that bad really. Atleast next time you come to do ti you'll know what to expect and the first thing you'll check is cancelling your signals. Hope you can re-test soon.
As for getting a 125 i'd stick with the SV and just spend some money on R&G crash bungs. You'll be fine, just make sure the SV is set up for you and when your happy you can get your feet down enough, get out and ride it. You won't regret keeping the SV, where as you'll regret getting rid of it for a 125, after you've got used to the 125 you'll be wanting more for sure!
Ollie_07
05-07-07, 06:22 PM
I failed my test first time, due to something the examiner and i disagreed on, but we wont go there!! :(
Anyhow, i passed second time round, and im sure you will too!! :)
I hear what you're saying...I'm just so small and feeble lmao. Its technique as much as anything. Keep riding and make sure you handle the bike a lot; maneouvering it about and the like and it'll soon come together.
I'm desperate to get out on the road again so will aim to get my test sorted asap! Practice smooth controlled riding, if you get too eager it can lead to rushed moves and mistakes.
Being desperate to get out will catch a lot of us, like me who prefers dry weather riding :oops: and is just waiting to see a patch of cloudless sky, that is when we make silly mistakes. Beware!!:reaper:
Keep it cool!!:smt045
:smt056 See the tests not that bad really. Atleast next time you come to do ti you'll know what to expect and the first thing you'll check is cancelling your signals. Hope you can re-test soon.
As for getting a 125 i'd stick with the SV and just spend some money on R&G crash bungs. You'll be fine, just make sure the SV is set up for you and when your happy you can get your feet down enough, get out and ride it. You won't regret keeping the SV, where as you'll regret getting rid of it for a 125, after you've got used to the 125 you'll be wanting more for sure!
I've come prepared lol...fitted my R&G's this weekend as well as sorting out my Scottoiler...why doesn't araldite stick the conduit to the swing arm!!!!!
Practice smooth controlled riding, if you get too eager it can lead to rushed moves and mistakes.
Being desperate to get out will catch a lot of us, like me who prefers dry weather riding :oops: and is just waiting to see a patch of cloudless sky, that is when we make silly mistakes. Beware!!:reaper:
Keep it cool!!:smt045
I totally agree...I got used to the 125 but a couple of times today I wobled pulling off and had to put my feet down...if it was bigger/heavier I don't know if I would have stayed upright but then I can reach the ground a bit better on the SV and I've still got scope to lower it more...
why get a 125 when you are sure to pass next time now you know whats coming itll be a dodle good luck:riding:
lib-biker
05-07-07, 07:06 PM
I totally know where you are coming from - I failed mine the first time for exactly the same reason. Sadly was just a few yards out of the test centre. Doh! :D Keep checking for cancellations, thats what I did, drove my instructor mental and got back in a couple of weeks later. My instructor also kindly lent me a 125 to practice on a few days in between, which I reckon helped keep my hand in. Worth a try?
Regarding getting a 125 I would recommend keeping the SV and modify it to suit you. I got mine as my first bike and don't regret it for a minute. Looking back I would have gotten bored after a month or so. Being somewhat vertically challenged too I had the suspension links changed for longer ones at the back to lower the height and also chopped some foam out of the seat. Made for much more confident riding when I wasn't teetering on my tiptoes :)
Good luck!!
ralph wiggum
05-07-07, 07:07 PM
Commiserations :(
When I took my test the guy on the DAS failed for the exact reason (the indicators) Although I believe he nailed the U-Turn(he hardly did one good one all week!)
I passed with 2 minors though! :D Chin up and youll do it :D
markmoto
05-07-07, 07:12 PM
Book it again and go for it, bigger bikes are easier to ride than 125s believe it or not the extra weight makes them more stable and more power to get you out of trouble. Even riders of 11 yrs ehem foget to turn their indicators off occasionaly lol.
Book it again and go for it, bigger bikes are easier to ride than 125s believe it or not the extra weight makes them more stable and more power to get you out of trouble. Even riders of 11 yrs ehem foget to turn their indicators off occasionaly lol.
Oh the irony...just remembered what happened this morning. Me and the other girl who was training with me were chatting about remembering to cancel our indicators while we were waiting for the instructor to turn up this morning...we'd both noticed that he'd left his on once or twice. Next minute he rolls up on his bike with the indicators still on...you have to drive up about 500m of track to get to the training centre! I obviously tempted fate when I made a cheeky comment about it lol :rolleyes: tit!
Nostrils
05-07-07, 07:28 PM
Unlucky LouLou, sounds like you still enjoyed you day though, learning from your mistakes. Sounds like you need to get out on a bike more and gain the confidence. I currently have a CBR125RR and being new to biking, I think it is a cracking bike for the novice - I have done 1800miles over the last year learning my road craft and practising those dreaded u-turns as often as I can (or remember) and a ride-out with 2 other 600's to Brighton last year on all the A roads from Heathrow was amazing.
On my CBT day, I was constantly being told to cancel my indicators, cracked it by the end of the day and now on my CBR I am probably cancelling almost every minute, overkill for sure but knowing I am not confusing other road users!
Think positive! Be safe and Enjoy
fizzwheel
05-07-07, 07:31 PM
Personally if it were me I'd push myself to do the test on the big bike and maybe take a few extra hours training so that you have a bit more time and you're a bit more confidence on the bigger bike.
Sounds to me like theres some "test nerves" going on with you maybe and thats contributing to your struggles.
Its just time on the bike, you havent had enough time thats all.
The bigger bikes are easier to ride once you've got used to them. I found it easier low speed wise and its much much easier once you are on the move.
If you're not to confident its to easy IMHO to get stuck into a rut if you go down the 125 route. It is a bit nerve wracking, but push yourself you will get through it.
Good luck with the re-test.
ASM-Forever
05-07-07, 07:38 PM
Commiserations :(
When I took my test the guy on the DAS failed for the exact reason (the indicators) Although I believe he nailed the U-Turn(he hardly did one good one all week!)
Sounds like he was no way near test standard!
Sorry to read about the fail Loulou, it sounds like you are gaining in confidence and improving so keep at it.
I understood that you had to wait 2 weeks before you could retake your test?
Personally if it were me I'd push myself to do the test on the big bike and maybe take a few extra hours training so that you have a bit more time and you're a bit more confidence on the bigger bike.
Sounds to me like theres some "test nerves" going on with you maybe and thats contributing to your struggles.
Its just time on the bike, you havent had enough time thats all.
The bigger bikes are easier to ride once you've got used to them. I found it easier low speed wise and its much much easier once you are on the move.
If you're not to confident its to easy IMHO to get stuck into a rut if you go down the 125 route. It is a bit nerve wracking, but push yourself you will get through it.
Good luck with the re-test.
I agree. If you're paying for tuition on a bike, it might as well be a 500, but then again, a license to ride is a license to ride. The 125 test will be enough to get you on your SV (albeit in 33bhp mode) and that's what you want first and foremost I expect.
Good luck with whichever way you go about it.
Sounds like he was no way near test standard!
Sorry to read about the fail Loulou, it sounds like you are gaining in confidence and improving so keep at it.
I understood that you had to wait 2 weeks before you could retake your test?
If I go to Kings Lynn for my test again I'll have to probably do it on the 20th July...I'll get some extra lessons in before then tho...I might see how I get on with the bigger bike but I think it would take me a bit longer to be ready for the test :)
Endellion
05-07-07, 08:28 PM
Unlucky on you first attempt, know you know what to expect next time you should have it in the bag.
As for 125, I comsidered this too but thought that after riding a 500 on my DAS there was NO going back, think how annoyed you will be when after a few months of riding the 125 you want a bigger bike! Some people get a 600 Supersport or larger as their first bike an SV650 is a cracking first big bike, I wouldn't have had it any other way
dizzyblonde
05-07-07, 08:29 PM
well guess how many times it took me to pass my test
4!!!!!!!
it helped when I told the examimer the last time how upset I was of failing every time for U turn. He gave me a road the size of an airstrip to do it on .I was determined i wasn't going to ride a 125...and the dreaded U turn pee me off every time I failed..then I went and passed and I ripped the Sv from my other halfs clutches....125 to 650 is not too bigger jump if your not intimidated by the thought''650''
then I got the disease......and bought myself another so now i got two
so never give up...nothing is impossible...especially if your a dizzy woman like me
northwind
05-07-07, 09:31 PM
There's no shame in it, it wouldn't be a test if everyone passed :) Just don't obsess on it, the number of people that get hung up on the thing they failed on then blow something else is just horrible... Good luck for next time!
ArtyLady
05-07-07, 09:47 PM
as I said on the other post, sorry to hear that - think of it as a practice run and you'll nail it next time :cool:
SoulKiss
05-07-07, 09:58 PM
I was 3rd time lucky - look at my posts from end of august last year :)
3rd time lucky on my car test too
Dont worry about it :)
U turning scared me silly before my 1st test...mainly because my first ever go at doing one on a CB500 resulted in me (very gracefully I might add) discovering that it hurts to fall over.
Needless to say I failed my 1st test because I just couldn't mentally do a u-turn after that. :(
Breezed through on the 2nd attempt a few weeks later though. :) 2nd go was a million times easier as I knew what was coming and I knew that if I nailed certain parts it would all flow from there...
You'll be 100% less nervous for the 2nd go as you've now been there and done it and know what lies ahead. That's half the battle!! If you can, just practise to death the bits you struggled on then you know you have all the skills you need...
(PS I reckon the best bikers are the ones who take a few goes to pass as they are the ones who REALLY REALLY want it! :))
Don't know whether or not to pick up a cheapo 125 that's a decent runner. Actually I'm still wondering if the SV's going to be a bit too much for me, the other bike I was thinking about was a CBR125R and I'm wondering if I should get rid of the SV and build up confidence on a 125? Thing is, you can't really go for a rideout with your friends when you've only got a 125 and they've got big bikes!! ;)
Decisions, decisions...I'm feeling good tho!! Yay!
Think how chuffed you will be if you pass on the bigger bike though! I would push yourself if you can - when you look back you will be so glad you did!
Either way best of luck! :D
Sorry to hear that LouLou, but you'll nail your second test. :D
I agree totally with Fizz. :thumbsup:
Stop worrying about dropping a bigger bike, eventually you learn to handle the weight (I did - just ask need2ride how bad I was for dropping them - I speak from experience (I'm 5'4 with too much padding on my butt so I'm essentially shorter when sitting on the bike :lol:)).
If you think you're too weedy, grow stronger! :)
Sorry to hear you didn't pass, but it sounds like you already at/or very very close to the level to pass.
Good luck on the next one!
Shellywoozle
06-07-07, 03:58 PM
LouLou
Sorry to hear about test number 1, all good riders pass on the 2nd attempt (I told myself that anyway and passed 2nd time.
I class myself as a feeble wimp and my biggest fear was the weight of a 650cc bike. I dropped mine the 1st day I had it and then it leant itself up against my house by the wingmirror (don't ask) and I didn't have the strength to pull it upright, this made me worry.
BUT .... I thought sod it and I am OK on a 650. I was so glad I didn't give in and go to a 125 as I would have sold it by now throught boredom and the need for speed.
Keep with it and go for it - good luck for your next test.
Shell
book as soon as possible and you will do it. the bigger bikes are easier to ride only heavy if you fall off - so dont ;)
kwak zzr
06-07-07, 05:03 PM
Bugger:( book it again! 2nd time lucky,were all willing you to pass now:) so no pressure or nothing:)
Cheers everybody :D I know if I persevere I'll get there with the big bike...thing is I'll have to look for a different instructor.
My current instructor really isn't confident that I can manage the CB400's although I was ok on the track...I didn't really have much practise before I went out on the road and that was the problem. Because I dropped it twice I think he was worrying about the bike being damaged as well as me getting hurt!
I need to tell him tomorrow if I'm going to retake my test on 20/06 on the 125 and get some extra lessons in...getting out on my SV just seems so far away!
fizzwheel
06-07-07, 09:05 PM
You're the customer, if you want to take your test on the bigger bike then you are totally within your rights to do so.
Sounds like your current instructor isnt putting you first, which is not what you need and perhaps he's not being as supportive as he could be.
I think you'd be wise to get a 2nd opinion at least on your riding from another riding school.
I'd still advocate doing your test on the 500 at least that way if you do decide to get a 125 you dont have to spend cash again if in 6 months time you feel more confident about you're riding and want to get a bigger bike again.
toonyank
06-07-07, 11:05 PM
Stick with it. We've all been there albeit I can hardly remember mine as it was in '83 but I'm sure I struggled at some point. Man I'm showing my age :)
Definitely take another test.
I passed 2nd time round. First time I was so nervous and I accumulated a load of minors. Second time round, I just enjoyed the ride and tried to pretend it wasn't a test.
I took my test on a 125 and got the SV a couple of weeks later. I'd not been on a big bike before and the difference in weight was astounding. I'm still getting used to riding my bike (a whole year later) but at least it doesn't feel as heavy as it did when I first rode it. I was pretty competent with U turns on a 125 but not on the SV. I just paddle through.
So, take another test asap and keep the SV. If I can do it, then there's hope for you yet!
I passed my test on Thursday,i had my SV sitting in the garage waiting for me.(talk about buying the pram before the baby was born).and i havent got off in since.33bhp and its plenty for now.!I will learn to ride it properly at33bhp and then when its time to take it off it will be like riding a new bike.but to the point i failed the first time 12 years ago and never got round to doing it again till now,love it!should of done it straight away.wasted 12 years of fun.
the_runt69
08-07-07, 10:44 PM
Dont let it faze you Lou. I failed twice before passing, couldnt do the U turn, Third test the examiner was so suprised how happy I was when I did the U turn perfectly he only gave me 2 minors.
Pedro68
11-07-07, 09:05 PM
Sorry to hear about test LouLou ... but I'm another "big bike advocate" ;-)
Had only ever sat on a bike ONCE before September last year - sat on my mates KwakZZR1400 (I think?!). So took a DAS course (with CBT included).
FWIW, I dropped an ER5 trying to do a U-turn. Up until this point, we'd been practising on the bike school car park, turning in parking bays, where if you cross the white line "so what?!". First time out on the road running into a 4" kerb I grabbed a load of front brake and fell on me **** ... I was so embarrassed! But got up and after composing myself did 2 pretty damn good ones! The lad I was with on my DAS lesson had to go up the kerb - lucky sod was turning by a driveway entrance tho!
However, come the test ... he failed for putting his foot down on the U-turn - which was rather unfortunate really as a learner driver was reversing into the space that he was trying to turn it into :smt104
I was a little bit luckier ... I put my toe down on my turn, but still passed. The examiner explained that he'd counted that as a minor because I didn't take the weight of the bike on it. Which obviously the other lad had had to as he had to come to a dead stop. I hear he passed on his 2nd test tho a few weeks later :P
Good luck for next time!
Pete
ASM-Forever
11-07-07, 10:54 PM
I was a little bit luckier ... I put my toe down on my turn, but still passed. The examiner explained that he'd counted that as a minor because I didn't take the weight of the bike on it.
It seems they are getting less strict on the U-turn part of the test, another fella on here was let off for 'a technical dab'. I was always told it was black/white...pass/fail!
Pedro68
12-07-07, 07:13 AM
It seems they are getting less strict on the U-turn part of the test, another fella on here was let off for 'a technical dab'. I was always told it was black/white...pass/fail!
That's what we were always told on our lessons ... foot down=fail :rolleyes:
However, technically what you are performing is a "controlled turn in the road", and providing you remain "in control" of the turn, then you have done what is asked ... of course whether you are "in control" or not does appear to be at the discretion of the examiner.
I never stopped during my manoeuvre, just tapped the floor with my toe, but TBH I thought I'd failed it as soon as I'd done it and the examiner saw the look of absolute disappointment on my face. Hence when we got back to the test centre the examiner said to me, "Well you're probably surprised to hear that you've passed ... The 'toe down' on your turn in the road I simply put down to nerves because at no point did you stop dead, or not have complete control of the bike".
He also commented that the "nerves" were to be expected since I was attempting the turn on a fairly narrow road with a particularly adverse camber, in the wet, with wet leaves covering both gutters ;)
Lucky me :D LOL
Pete
John 675
13-07-07, 08:02 PM
I havent even read what everyone else said so appologies if im repeating
i passed my test last august, after 4 attempts after the 3rd i was back into DK motorcycles looking to swap my brand new K5 with lowers for a brand spanking RS125 . . . i was so close too . . but i decided to go for one more test . . . and i passed! there always that what if i pass everytime i took a test.
and believe me the day you do, you will be the king of that day nothing feels like what that did and it will be fully worth it. keep at it! :)
vBulletin® , Copyright ©2000-2025, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.