Practical Test
 

So what do they do when you take your practical test?

Like what do they look for and test you on?

Do most of you pass first time and what do you usually fail on?

Re: Practical Test
 

Best thing is to buy the DSA's books about the test - they're yellow covers - have a look Here. They told me everything I wanted to know, but at the end of the day the best people to ask are instructors.

And most people seem to fail on either observation or slow speed manoeuvring.

Basically, an examiner rides behind you, asks you to take certain turnings, stop at the side of the road and start off again plus perform a u-turn and a controlled stop. They're looking for you being generally safe rider with good road position, observation and control of the bike, as well as taking speed limits and road signs into account. You also get asked a couple of bike maintenance questions (fairly straightforward stuff) and a question about pillion riders (as it doesn't always come up in the randomised theory test questions).

If you do a direct access course, you go through everything you need for the test. I passed first time, but as with many things, you don't really start learning until you start riding for yourself- I don't tend to get the hang of things properly until after I've passed the test...

As long as you're a safe and controlled rider and can listen to instructions and take criticism positively, if you do a DAS with a good instructor, your chances of passing are pretty reasonable.

My first thoughts were that you should be asking your instructor about this, but then I figured you probably have done already.

What do they look for? Honestly, the usual stuff, that you're a safe (ish) rider & can ride competently. IMO at least.

I passed first time (thankfully).

I got 2 minors, both were observation IIRC. One was almost a major (no lifesaver turning into the test centre car park), but I got lucky & he put it down to test nerves based on the rest of my ride.

The examiner could also drive behind you in a car instead. Which is quite different to having your instructor behind on a bike.
He'll say continue unless instructed to do otherwise, and if (like on my test) you do it somewhere busy, you'll make much quicker progress in certain situations than a car (and maybe fail if you don't actually), so you'll either be riding on your own quite a bit whilst he catches up (he must have broken a few speed limits), or find he's asking you to pull over quite often.

I passed 1st time, to my surprise, but do yourself a favor and don't ask what the pass rate is at your test centre :)

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.

They like to know how far you can travel on the back wheel. This shows throttle control and balance skills.

They like to see how far you can travel on the front wheel, this shows front braking control.

They like to see you do a 180 degree burnout, this shows...er...

Ok! Seriously, they look to see if your a safe rider. If you do anything dangerous, that sort of thing. They want to see you looking about, checking your mirrors, DOING YOUR BLINDSPOTS AND INDICATORS. They want to see you control your bike smoothly (so no judderyness when pulling away, that sorta thing).

I passed second time (incorrect signal failed me first time), btw.

Matt

I failed the fist time.. Yes I am going to blame my bike, (it was an mz)...

Throttle cable snapped, just before the test. rush job fitting a new 1 15 mins before my test (luckily my dealer used to be 10 seconds away from the test centre). Then on my test I took about 5 mins trying to get the tick over right, with my examiner behind me on his bike shaking his head and me being a bag of nerves I was practically swimming inside my helmet..

Eventually I got going, with my indicator on... 30 sec later later... indicator still on.

Heard a voice over the radio

examiner - "could you please cancel your left hand indicator"

me - "F******* £$%^&*^%$^"

I knew I failed at that point, but continued with the test, and did everything more or less perfect.

1 month later, Passed with just 2 minors for stalling on the emergency stop

Watch your speed too!!! Failed my first one for doing 25 in a 20, and 35 in a 30 zone... :roll:

safety to you and other road users is the key.

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.

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.

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 :oops: 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]