Motorcycle Driving Test

LegacyUser

Anyone done one. What is it like ? Hard to pass ?
I'm riding about 6months on a 125cc and it's time to upgrade.
Any details appreciated.

dogs

I did my test about a year ago, makes a nice
difference to insurance premium
He'll start with some theory questions inside the center, basic rules of the road, some road signs, etc. It's all common sense really, and some numbers and lists you'll just need to learn off.
Then it's outside to your bike, he'll do a quick inspection, ask you to show (brake)lights working, indicators, just general stuff really. He might ask you things you'd check before riding, those kinds of questions.
Next he'll give you a route, clear instructions as to what route you're to take. He'll follow behind you in a car, lots of looking over your shoulder instead of relying solely on your mirrors (I took the mirrors off my bike a few months before, it all helps) and hand signals with your indicators too.
You'll be told to keep driving around the route he's told you. The first time around he'll follow you in the car, then he'll stop somewhere on the route while you keep driving around it. They usually pick somewhere where you're likely to make one of those pass/fail manouvers for me, he waited behind some parked cars at a Stop sign junction. But this
does mean you're driving part of the test without him being able to see you ) I found a quick blast on the throttle calmed me down and got me into a more normal style Pulling a couple wheelies would probably help too
He'll stop you again, ask you to make a U-turn in the road without stopping/putting your feet down "when it's safe to do so", so lots of signals and looking-over-your-shoulder before you make your move of course
Then he'll walk beside you and ask you to keep your *HANDLEBARS* level with him as he's walking, it's important to remember that, even though he'll say it clearly, because most people end up keeping their body level with his, rather than their bars. He'll walk at a quick enough pace too, so it's fairly easy.
Overall, it's an easy test, probably a bit more room for mistakes than the car test, just basic bike control, common sense driving and a good knowledge of the rules of the road and you'll be fine

LegacyUser

Thnaks for that.
Any idea on waiting times ?

dogs

Took my test in Waterford, took about 6 months after I'd applied.

LegacyUser

Surely you mean looking over your shoulder etc before pulling out etc and not while your acutally driving foward????????? cos if thats the case thats stupid. And as for hand signals another thing i disagree with unless in simlar situation.

dogs

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Gideon2000:
Surely you mean looking over your shoulder etc before pulling out etc and not while your acutally driving foward????????? cos if thats the case thats stupid. </font>

Yes, looking over your shoulder while you're driving forward. You can't see everything going on behind you in your mirrors and if you're ever driving a bike without mirrors (bikes aren't required to have them) you'll HAVE to.
It'll also get you into the habit of thinking an extra few seconds ahead, so you'll have enough time for a quick look around.

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">
And as for hand signals another thing i disagree with unless in simlar situation.</font>

Again, they're good to know, if you lose an indicator while you're out you'll have to be able to signal somehow. There's also some signals that aren't really covered by your indicators (eg: slowing down/stopping). And it means you're able to keep control of your bike with one hand (you'd be suprised the muppets out there...).
I don't ever use them myself, but I think it's good I at least know them and can recognise them if some other driver uses them.

LegacyUser

Okay, i'd half go along with the old hand signals, but looking behind isjust stupid.
The amount of times i've seen ppl doin it, only to turn around, throw a wobbly and fu*k them selves off there bike.Not to mention hitting that unseen pothole rabbit, sheep? Its just stupid thats all. Thats the whole point of mirrors i think.
Like even in a car ya wouldn't do that for tendence of stearing off in a direction, after all our roads aren't all very straight. Seen that happen on one of those shows where they had this lad doing his driving test. The instructor had to grap the wheel. She was ****tin her self.
I dunno,its just stupid makes no sense.
If ya have no mirrors on your bike, then get some, yaknow. arg. stupid tests **** me off. And back to the hand things. altho i half agree with them, i think they should be practiced before you leave, just to show ya know them, rather than being on the road on a perfectly working with indictors brake lights etc' with your arms flappying inthe air like a spastic. Your likely to be pulled over for such behaviour for driving under the influence. SHOCKIN never mind not being in full control of your bike.

sebdoheny

God Help you Gideon2000!

Have you heard of your '****ing' blind spot?

Full **** but no substance!

By the way its called a LIFE SAVER...

Vertakill

Gideon2000 wrote: »

Like even in a car ya wouldn't do that for tendence of stearing off in a direction, after all our roads aren't all very straight. Seen that happen on one of those shows where they had this lad doing his driving test. The instructor had to grap the wheel. She was ****tin her self.
I dunno,its just stupid makes no sense.

As sebdoheny said, have you never heard of your blind spot?

It's ironic that you would go on about how you shouldn't have to look over your shoulder while in a car (or a bike), when that's probably the main risk for bikers... being stuck in a car drivers blind spot and the driver pulling out in front of you.

You have a blind spot in both vehicles and considering how small/quick a bike can be in someones mirrors, you'd ought to know better about it.

Gideon2000 wrote: »

And back to the hand things. altho i half agree with them, i think they should be practiced before you leave, just to show ya know them, rather than being on the road on a perfectly working with indictors brake lights etc' with your arms flappying inthe air like a spastic. Your likely to be pulled over for such behaviour for driving under the influence. SHOCKIN never mind not being in full control of your bike.

Again, you're really putting bikers in a terrible light here.
Knowing the hand signals is as much for you to be able to reproduce them if you had to, as well as you being able to understand if someone ELSE is using them. Not to mention the hand signals that a member of the emergency services use that you need to know as well.

Knowing them means you will understand the guy on his bicycle 'flapping his arms in the air like a spastic' when he's trying to make a turn.

Every problem I've had with bikers is down to either their over-confidence or lack of knowledge of the rules of the road.

And you've reinstated my stereotypes here.

-Chris-

sebdoheny wrote: »

God Help you Gideon2000!

Have you heard of your '****ing' blind spot?

Full **** but no substance!

By the way its called a LIFE SAVER...

Jesus, you bumped a 9 year old thread for this little rant?

Thread closed, please read the charter.