Practical Test

a car test examiner once said to me "if i feel like i could trust you in my car then you will pass"

It is basically the CBT road section but with a U Turn and Emergency stop. So I just did my CBT then rode on the road for 9 months or so then just applied for the test myself. I figured with a fee of £30 it was cheaper to fail 10 times than do training!

Both tests the bloke followed me in a car. The first time he didn't like it because I left him behind in traffic. I pulled out of a junction with loads of room but not enough for him to follow me out in his cage which upset him. Then I DIDNT use a bus lane when I COULD have so he failed me for that - something to do with not making progress or holding up traffic or not obeying signs. A bit annoying as the lane opened up at 10am and I didn't have a clock on my bike and it is illegal to use a lane when you shouldn't but not illegal to use a bus lane when you can. So I played it safe... Annoyingly Bristol changed the rules so that bikes could use bus lanes all the time after that.

When I did the second test the bloke actually said on the radio what the time was and told me I could use the lane so I think some clarification took place after I disputed the first test.

He also faulted me for going too slow down a lane in the wet. I did about 40 in the 60 limit but 40 was the cruising speed of my CB100. I guess he wanted me to lay down on the tank and max it out! Also it was a muddy road and I had cheap chinese tyres on the bike and I went at what I considered a safe speed.

The 2nd time I ranted the ******** off it in the 60 limits, left twice the gap when pulling out of junctions so the cage could get out behind me and of course he told me about the bus lane. I actually passed with zero minor faults so a perfect test! So it cost me £50 for the CBT and £60 for 2 x tests to get my bike licence. Pretty cheap.

Originally Posted by Toypop

When I did the second test the bloke actually said on the radio what the time was and told me I could use the lane so I think some clarification took place after I disputed the first test.

I think they do this now, not sure for definite though... first test I didn't hit any bus lanes, but the second test he told me the time just before the bus lane came up.

I think my duffest fault was popping the bike into neutral on a roundabout- instead of up to second which I'd planned- he could hear me graunching away trying to get it into gear. Not to mention lane position on a roundabout that was pretty much the opposite of what my instructor told me! Other than that, simple things- missed observation, stalled on the controlled stop- got 7 minors in total.

I thought I'd be busted on a speed limit- I'm sure I was doing 35 in a 30, but no- and that's the other vital piece of advice that got me through my fourth car test and the bike test 1st time- forget everything you've done up to the moment in the test- if you think you've b*ggered it up, forget it and move on- just try and be calm and focussed on the remainder of the test- massively improves your ride and chances of passing.

Originally Posted by Baph

It was in the high 90%'s at my centre, and my instructor had a 99.9% (claimed) pass rate.

Instructors pass rates could simply be because they don't put people forward for test until they're pretty sure.

The test-pass rate at the examination centre was more than 90%? That is incredibly high. The place I did my test has a sub-50% pass rate for bikes, and sub-40% for cars.

Took me 3 attempts to pass First time I failed for doing 20mph in a 30 zone (it was a residential with speed humps everywhere and I missed the sign). I was too busy thinking about the u-turn having dropped the bike earlier that morning during the mock test with my instructor.

Second time, he had me on balance. I took a wrong turn down a 'no through road' and when he asked me to do a u-turn out of it I didn't bother doing it to standard (put my feet down) as i had already performed the test u-turn at this point. My instructor thought it was pretty harsh. Finally, turning right through the gate of the test centre a passing pedestrian waited to let me go. Examiner had me for not giving him right of way. Third time passed with 2 minors.
The new test for 2008 looks comparitively vicious

Good luck with yours.

Well, SimJ, they do say that if you do more tests, you end up a better motorist- 4th attempt in car for me, but 1st attempt on the bike- thinking maybe I should've had another! Maybe it's a commiseration thing, or more likely that you therefore spend more time with instruction, working on getting it right.

Though failing is very, very frustrating!!!

Well, SimJ, they do say that if you do more tests, you end up a better motorist- 4th attempt in car for me, but 1st attempt on the bike- thinking maybe I should've had another! Maybe it's a commiseration thing, or more likely that you therefore spend more time with instruction, working on getting it right.

Though failing is very, very frustrating!!!

Have a read of this link :

http://www.dsa.gov.uk/Documents/prac...1/Chapter2.pdf

Its the instructions that the DSA provides to examiners conducting a bike test - i found it very useful.[/url]