Motorcycle Test - ADVICE NEEDED!

Morning everybody,

I wanted to see if anybody had any advice for how to get the full license. I’m American and have been riding big bikes for 6 years. I just moved here in January and am really in need of getting this license. I’ve already taken part 2 of the riding test 2 times and failed each time. Each failure was due to an individual scenario. The last time I turned from a b road onto an a road and couldn’t find the sign indicating the speed, so I assumed I gambled on 30, and was wrong. The examiner said that I have nothing to worry about, just to be more observant.

That being said, I know that I can pass the test. The real problem is with how long it takes to both get a test, and that I have to pay for a full day of riding. It’s getting really really expensive. If anybody has any advice on how to get through this thing, or how to do it more quickly or anything, I’d really love to hear it. I’m pretty desperate at this point so any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks a ton

I did my training with Metropolis in Vauxhall. The instructors knew the areas that were used for testing and most of the routes. We spent a decent amount of time getting familiar with the area and the parts of the route that were “tricky”, i.e. Where to be extra observant :slight_smile: It helped a lot.

Also, mention what you failed on to the next instructor so they can concentrate more of your days ride on that particular issue.

Best of luck!

Didn’t they change something to make the routes a bit more ‘secret’ or was that just a proposal?

In any case, it’s difficult to give any advice other than what Timmy said because it doeant sounder like you have one particular issue, i.e. with a u-turn. I cant offer any advice on logiatics as i took my test in the countryside before it was a two part exam. 

Sounds like all you need to do is relax under the test as the circumstances may be putting you under pressure and causing you to make mistakes you normally wouldnt

Yea, to be honest I think it is a bit of pressure. Also because it takes the entire day and it’s a lot of money riding on it. Any thoughts on how to get a faster test or deal with this beuracratic process? I’m working with metropolis now (was with fusion until they went out of business, the whole thing was highly unprofessional) and I like them but it’s just so damn expensive

Also I’m op, looks like I accidentally made a second username

What did you fail on the first time?

I know the feeling with signs; in the scenario you’d probably had gone through a gateway. So you should be able look in advance; once you know which way to turn.

Advice wise; just relax and enjoy the ride. My examiner was good in that he was mostly silent but the instructions were very clear - so you just ride your own ride and turn when they ask :slight_smile:

Personally I’d go with Test E and a D Bol kicker topped off with a primobolan final 4 weeks :roll_eyes: Whoops wrong forum!!

Roberth, I’m also American. Have been in London 23 years and took up bikes 7 years ago. Two thoughts from when I did the test, but your results may vary:

  1. I assume you have your UK car licence? Like everyone from outside the Commonwealth and EU, I had to take the UK test after one year here. Totally different kind of driving test than in the USA - more like operating a piece of factory equipment than driving a car. But once I had that mindset, it was easier to get ready for the motorcycle exam: think of it as operating machinery rather than riding a bike. Very mechanical and lotsa procedure, seems to me that’s how the examiners think about it. Once I thought of it like that, then it was easier to rely on the process. 

  2. I assume you are taking the DAS exam, and have an instructor? You didn’t say you do, or don’t. I took a 3 day intensive course and the repetition helped a lot in nailing down the patterns that the examiners want to see. I was pretty serious about learning to ride: did 1,000 miles on my 125 in a month, doing 35-50 miles most mornings before work. I thought I was OK but I took the DAS prep course. Absolutely essential if you want to pass: the bike instructor had the same view as my car instructor, “no question you know how to drive/ride, but you will fail the test in the first 3 minutes unless we show you how they want to see it”

I agree with the comment about the pressure of the test - I took the test in my 40’s and had been driving cars since I was 17 and have a family, a job in finance, a mortgage, etc etc. It was a big surprise to be so tight the day of the test, when I knew I’d done a ton of other more important stuff in my life. So I had a laugh about it, which took the edge off. 

Third time’s a charm, and hope to ride with you after you pass.

Super hooner bike training is one of the best around! !!

Just stay calm you’ll pass it… I passed my after a three day session at a squat party!:stuck_out_tongue_closed_eyes::stuck_out_tongue_closed_eyes:

Lol

My 2pc. 

Now granted I have not been in the country for ages and I past my test in the early 2000’s but I do not see why the advice will still not be relevant.
I believe there is a short period between failing a test and retaking, 10 days?, it was always the case that if you failed you simply contacted the test centers that where local to see if there had been any cancellation, no doubt this is all online now??.. 

Just a pub quiz fact, I ran a motorcycle store for about 9 years in London and one of my very good customers was a DSA examiner, he informed me that “Chingford” was probably one of the hardest places in the UK to pass a test be it Car or Bike. People that know the area will no doubt agree as there are so many different road types in that area and the Car park where you do a “bay park” for the car test is on a hill and totally off camber. There are also a number of restricted access roads at certain times, the list goes on!!!.. One of the easiest is Chelmsford as it is
basically national limit until you hit the town center and then its a 30 zone. No doubt the whole national limit area is now 40… But the whole idea of me saying this is pick your test center wisely…

Quotas???,how many people have had what they thought was a good test and failed??, me I had a bloody nightmare on my test and was shocked to my core when he said I had passed… I have a honestly held belief they have a quota system they work to, so sometimes it well just be luck of the draw, they are human after all…

A funny story that I was witness to also involved a American guy actually, he came into the shop one day on a tricked out MV Augusta (He also owned a BMW R1100S), he was here working in the city and had just had his bonus arrive. He was riding on his US license and was planning to get his full test as he had a contract for a few years. Basically he did bugger all training and just
booked the test thinking it would be a “show a basic set of skills” and you get the license. He took his test on a MV!!! , failed miserably and was told by the examiner “it was the worse standard of riding required for a test he had ever seen”…


Having re read all this I have no idea if it will help but good luck anyway…