Passing test with just lessons?

yer man!

So I passed my IBT last September and bought a bike which I have been riding for the past 3 months to build up experience and practice for my test. Bike got stolen on Christmas day :-( and I planned on sitting the test in Feb/Mar for A category. Do you think it's likely that I could pass the test with some lessons, pre test and renting a school bike? I know everyone is different but is the test something you need to have a lot of practice for to pass? Planning on moving hoise to a less dodgy area before I purchase a new motor.

Del2005

Of course it's possible. In most other countries you can't drive without an instructor before you pass their usually much harder tests. The amount of lessons required to get up to the standard is the only issue/cost.

I did A, C, CE and D without owning a suitable vehicle.

Lumen

I found that the hard stuff in the test was stuff I wouldn't necessarily do routinely (on my commute), like tight u-turns and hill starts.

You presumably have the basic bike control sorted, so you'll probably be grand. Maybe hire the bike you'll use for the test for a day or two before the test itself and then just do loads of drills.

yer man!

Yeah I have a basic riding ability and have been commuting through the centre of Dublin for 3 months so I'm confident enough on the road. I just know I definitely have some bad habits and not great at U turns. I struggled a bit with that in the IBT. Sure I'll just book the test and get some lessons and a pre test and hope for the best.

listermint

No I don't think it's a good idea tbh, for me you need to be trying regularly right up to the test. I'd put money down they you won't pass sorry to be candid. But you need hours on the seat and a good few of them

XsApollo

If you have good control of the bike and riding pretty much without any thought about what your doing, save for bad habits like mounting , dismounting properly , how you stop at junctions and stuff a good instructor will get you past the test.

I did mine that way before.
I hadn’t had a bike in a few years, hadn’t been on a bike in that time either and wanted to get the license so I could get back on.
I passed the test first time with about 5 or 6 lessons I think using the instructors bike.

yer man!

Thanks for the help guys, gonna book a lesson in the next week or two just to see how well I do in the eyes of the instructor and see if it's a good idea to go for it or wait to buy the new bike.

XsApollo

XsApollo wrote: »

If you have good control of the bike and riding pretty much without any thought about what your doing, save for bad habits like mounting , dismounting properly , how you stop at junctions and stuff a good instructor will get you past the test.

I did mine that way before.
I hadn’t had a bike in a few years, hadn’t been on a bike in that time either and wanted to get the license so I could get back on.
I passed the test first time with about 5 or 6 lessons I think using the instructors bike.

Just to add to that.

Book a lesson soon to see where the instructor thinks you are.
And plan your lessons so that they are running right up to the test.

Del2005

listermint wrote: »

No I don't think it's a good idea tbh, for me you need to be trying regularly right up to the test. I'd put money down they you won't pass sorry to be candid. But you need hours on the seat and a good few of them

You can reach test standard with out a bike, it's mostly 50 and 60 zones. Getting good on the road requires miles but to pass the test you can do on lessons.

Like the poster above I hadn't ridden in years. I applied for the test and hadn't heard anything. Decided to get a lesson to see how much I remember, it's riding a bike so I should have been an expert after riding a bike for 13 years, but after not riding for a decade I was sh1te.

Was talking to the instructor after the lesson and he said that there was a change coming to the test soon so try and get it ASAP. Went home from the lesson and called the RSA. I had the lesson on a Thursday afternoon, they offered a test 1st thing Monday, asked what was the story if I could cancel if I couldn't get a bike and told no bother as it was short notice. Called the instructor back and got their bike for the weekend, could only use it the Monday morning though. Drove to the test centre and passed, the only 1 passed first time. Thing is that I know I don't do enough milage on the bike and it's the vehicle I'm least confident using but I did pass the test without any road practice or being on a bike in over a decade.

listermint

Sorry lads. It's just not the same. you both had been on road bikes for some years first then went back to it.

The op has little road time and expects to pass the test.

It's very slim chance of passing very slim. Saddle time is required . It's a chance but as I said slim. Should be riding weekly in prep for test not just a handleful of lessons

frozenfrozen

could you buy a bike and keep it at someone elses house who has a shed?

yer man!

Can't really leave the bike anywhere near enough to me, I'm living in Dublin north inner city and new enough to the city in general. I've been driving a car for the past 8 years so I'm confident on rules of the road aspect of the test. Will go ahead and book a lesson and see what level I'm at, I know dublin traffic has definitely helped me in very low speed control on the bike so will be interesting to see what the instructor thinks.

Goose81

yer man! wrote: »

So I passed my IBT last September and bought a bike which I have been riding for the past 3 months to build up experience and practice for my test. Bike got stolen on Christmas day :-( and I planned on sitting the test in Feb/Mar for A category. Do you think it's likely that I could pass the test with some lessons, pre test and renting a school bike? I know everyone is different but is the test something you need to have a lot of practice for to pass? Planning on moving hoise to a less dodgy area before I purchase a new motor.

I did just this and wouldn't recommend it, ended up failing a few times. I think the testers frown on it, it was mentioned to me that if I had had a bike for 3 days I would have passed and I definitely think they don't like it.

I also had ridden mx bikes a bit as a kid so wasn't a novice. Up to yourself but I reckon it cost me time and money

frozenfrozen

I failed my first test after just doing the ibt and pretest. had experience from when I was younger too but it boiled down to me being inexperienced on a **** rental bike that I wasn't comfortable on at all. Nearly fell off doing the u turn and actually nearly fell off during the pretest lesson just coming up to a stop which I'd never even nearly had happen during IBT, and with hindsight it was 100% very low tyre pressures on that bike but I hadn't the experience to spot it. Cost me money and I flew through the test on my own bike then. Actually flew though it as in he asked me after why was I going so fast.

I had to put air in the tyres during my IBT on the same bike and the morning of my test they brought out the A bike for me because they forgot I was A2 and then they had to go pulling loads of bikes out of a garage to find an A2 bike for me and it was the same beater ER-5 which probably hadn't been out since I last rode it on the IBT

Now I'm not saying any rental bike would be like that but its very hard to get straight onto a different bike and ride it properly when you are inexperienced, and if there's something bad or broken or **** about it like soft brake lever, really heavy clutch, or bad tyres etc you're just asking to put a foot down during the slow control or U turn and generally look like a complete novice to the tester

Cost me time and money and stress because I couldn't believe after being so good during the IBT I was barely able to ride the bike during the test. The one doing the ibt even said it just doesn't come naturally to some people after I'd failed it! Little did I know at the time...

thos

Aside from an opinion on a forum - try getting out with an instructor to give you feedback on your current ability, and what time he thinks you need in the saddle to be able to pass a test. Most instructors should be able to tell you that you still need X hours lessons etc.

Sebatron3

Just rent a bike for the pretest and hang onto it for the test the euros add up but it worked for me. I failed once and went back and flew through it. If you can afford it then go for it.

yer man! wrote: »

So I passed my IBT last September and bought a bike which I have been riding for the past 3 months to build up experience and practice for my test. Bike got stolen on Christmas day :-( and I planned on sitting the test in Feb/Mar for A category. Do you think it's likely that I could pass the test with some lessons, pre test and renting a school bike? I know everyone is different but is the test something you need to have a lot of practice for to pass? Planning on moving hoise to a less dodgy area before I purchase a new motor.

listermint

So far anyone that did this failed. So it appears not the ideal thing to do.

I had my own bike for six months before test . Had to rent for the test as mine was 1kw under the allowed. But I passed first time because I was chilled out on the rental due to all the time in saddle . Every week out driving multiple times a week .

Sat opposite a guy in waiting room on the day he was on his third fail.

Lumen

listermint wrote: »

So far anyone that did this failed.

What's "this"?

From the OP:

So I passed my IBT last September and bought a bike which I have been riding for the past 3 months

listermint

Lumen wrote: »

What's "this"?

From the OP:

And he has no bike for the next three months.

I've yet to see someone that passed on a rental after little experience.

So what's your point ?

Lumen

listermint wrote: »

So what's your point ?

Only that the examples of failure posted in this thread have been from people who didn't own a bike to practice on for 3 months.

listermint

Lumen wrote: »

Only that the examples of failure posted in this thread have been from people who didn't own a bike to practice on for 3 months.

And there's no example of passing first time with little driving experience. Until then I stand by what I've said. Very tough to jump on a foreign bike very tough.

yer man!

That's for all the feedback lads. I've a lot to think about. As it's gonna be a fairly long time before I get another bike as I have to move location first, I think it might be worth my time getting a pre test at least just to see what level I'm at. I don't want to let my IBT expire so this is why I want to pass the test as soon as I can.

Sebatron3

yer man! wrote: »

That's for all the feedback lads. I've a lot to think about. As it's gonna be a fairly long time before I get another bike as I have to move location first, I think it might be worth my time getting a pre test at least just to see what level I'm at. I don't want to let my IBT expire so this is why I want to pass the test as soon as I can.

I think you should go for it, they’re scrapping the IBT and bringing in a whole new system, no doubt this one will cost more. You should go for the test now, get in a few pre tests and go for it. And if you get a loan of a bike to practice all the better. That’s what I did, and passed it last Summer, as ridiculous as it may sound I went over it in my head while driving my car. Obviously all the experience on the road with your own bike is ideal but sometimes you have to make do with what you have, rent one, and trust in yourself. Best of luck.

Roadskill

Sebatron3 wrote: »

I think you should go for it, they’re scrapping the IBT and bringing in a whole new system, no doubt this one will cost more.

And what's your source for this fake news?

Sebatron3

Roadskill wrote: »

And what's your source for this fake news?

My IBT driving instructor

listermint

Sebatron3 wrote: »

My IBT driving instructor

Who's that , and what information did he give on the scrapping of the ibt considering its practically new itself

Roadskill

Sebatron3 wrote: »

My IBT driving instructor

We'll they are wrong. Ibt is not going anywhere anytime soon. It could do with being tweaked a little but that's up to the RSA unfortunately.
The UK system is being radically overhauled but not here.

Sebatron3

Roadskill wrote: »

We'll they are wrong. Ibt is not going anywhere anytime soon. It could do with being tweaked a little but that's up to the RSA unfortunately.
The UK system is being radically overhauled but not here.

I just got onto him there to clarify and you’re right, no new IBT, what he meant was that they are bringing on the expiry date on all IBT certs. Some are 5 years old plus and people still haven’t done the test, and he reckons they’ll be notifying everyone soon and it could be implemented in 5 months. So he said to do the test soon so that you don’t have to go and do the IBT again when the new one comes in.

Roadskill

Sebatron3 wrote: »

I just got onto him there to clarify and you’re right, no new IBT, what he meant was that they are bringing on the expiry date on all IBT certs. Some are 5 years old plus and people still haven’t done the test, and he reckons they’ll be notifying everyone soon and it could be implemented in 5 months. So he said to do the test soon so that you don’t have to go and do the IBT again when the new one comes in.

All ibt certs since 2013 have a two year expiry on them. The RSA haven't really been too strict on it up to now but it could be an issue in the near future. I don't agree with it myself as the car lessons don't have an expiry on them so why ibt. Anyway if anyone has an out of date cert they could still get a test date and get away with it atm but may well be refused unless they get it renewed.

Lumen

Roadskill wrote: »

car lessons don't have an expiry on them

Car learners must be accompanied at all times until they have passed the test.

If there was no IBT expiry there would be little incentive to take the test except slightly cheaper insurance.

Roadskill

Lumen wrote: »

Car learners must be accompanied at all times until they have passed the test.

If there was no IBT expiry there would be little incentive to take the test except slightly cheaper insurance.

Not a valid point in my book. The 12 edt lessons need to be completed and signed off by the instructor. The ibt is completed and signed off by the instructor. Ibt has 2 years to pass the test or renew ibt and the edt has no time limit once complete.
The learner permit cannot be renewed indefinitely without applying for the test anyway so the incentive is to pass it and be able to be free of any restrictions at all. As for learner drivers having to be accompanied at all times that's as likely as all learner riders wearing the L vest.