2009 Motorcycle Test
What Changes Does the New Test Bring?
The principal change is to move some of the manoeuvres of the current test onto an off-road area and at the same time add a few extra exercises. The on-road section of the test will remain largely unchanged so that there may be a hill start, angled start and pulling away from the side of the road. As the examiner no longer has to explain and watch the U-turn and emergency stop it is reasonable to assume that the test will cover slightly more than the 7 to 10 miles that is the current average, but probably only by a mile or two. The off road manoeuvres are as follows:
1/. Placing the motorcycle on its stand (side or centre stand) then wheeling the motorcycle backwards into a parking bay.
2/. Slalom through cones ending in a figure of eight.
3/. Entry into a 19m radius bend (38m from entrance to exit) and exiting at 32mph through a “gate” followed immediately by a swerve round two cones then stopping in a “box”.
4/. U-turn between painted lines.
5/. Slow ride alongside the examiner in a straight line.
6/. Entry into the 19m radius bend and exiting at 32mph through a “gate” followed immediately by the emergency stop.
Is this difficult?
No, not really. We had the good fortune to practice the new test two and half years ago at the DSA’s Training HQ in Cardington and neither instructor found the course a challenge. So we have had plenty of time to prepare.
Looking at the test in detail we can see that clearly the expectations of the road section will not change; i.e. you will still need to ride safely to pass the test. The off road section is not as radical as it first appears.
1. Currently students have to put the bike on the stand, but often under more exacting conditions such as heavily cambered side of the road with high curbs. The new test will take place on a flat surface with no curbs. Currently students often have to wheel the bike backwards to get it properly placed in the road prior to the U-turn, and again this is made more difficult by the camber and curbs. Wheeling it backwards on a flat surface between painted lines with no slope is relatively easy by comparison.
2. From the CBT onwards students currently practice slaloms and figures of eight on all sizes of bike. Most students find this easier than doing the current U-turn. So we do not expect problems here.
3. The bend is not significantly different to taking a large roundabout. The main difference is the getting up to speed on the exit of the bend. The DSA are looking for about 18mph mid bend but there is no measuring equipment. This exercise will be straightforward once the student has the gear changes in the right place. Remember automatic 125’s can get up to speed on the exit of the bend so for most geared bikes it is really not a struggle. We are very fortunate in a having very large training areas where we can easily practice the “swerve”. This is an exercise that can be built up to by practicing at slower speeds. However, it is nothing like as dramatic as it sounds! The stopping in a box is again an exercise that most of our current student practice during training and harks all the way back to the Part1 test of the 1980’s (so much for progress!).
4. The U-turn is now heaven sent. Ask any current or ex-student the part of the test they liked least and most will say the U-turn. Currently there is a wide variation between one test centre and another. So - on the one hand you have the wide expanse that is the U-turn in Farnborough compared to the idiotically tight sloped U-turn at Leighton Buzzard. Currently the U-turn has curbs, camber, parked cars and on-coming cars to deal with. Now it is on a flat surface and an exact distance apart between painted white lines. In short this is much easier.
5. This is again a through back to a bye gone era in the 1970’ and ‘80’s. It was not difficult then and it is certainly not difficult now. Given that the new test has four slow manoeuvring exercises you can be sure that riding it slowly in a straight line is going to be the least difficult.
6. Back into the bend, which is the same as before, then the emergency stop. This, even though it is at a higher speed, is easier principally as there is absolutely no element of surprise! Previously you had to watch carefully for the examiner to put a hand up, now they still put their hand up but in reality once you are through the timing beam it is time to start braking. An emergency stop at any speed is the same proceedure and this is something you will have practiced time and again from the CBT onwards, So no drama here, and the added benefit of a decent flat surface and no other road users to cause extra stress.
What changes have we made to our courses?
We will be doing all the slow manoeuvres from the CBT onwards and therefore we don't expect problems here as we already very strong in this area. Time has been set aside in the afternoon of either the Roadrider 1 or DAS 1 to practice the bend and high speed manoeuvres. When we trialled these with students before the introduction of the new test we did not find this particularly difficult, and bearing in mind you get two goes at getting up to speed most people managed it on the second attempt (95%). The Module 1 will then be taken during your last day of training so save having to take extra time off work. It only takes 15 minutes so it will not impact on the training that takes place on the final day.
What changes have been made to the cost of training?
None at all, we will not be changing our current prices. They have remained as they are for over one year.
How difficult is the new test? As already described above we do not consider that Module 1 is particularly difficult, and we are particularly lucky in that we have a large training areas that we can use to practice the high speed (and slow speed) manoeuvres. The Module 2 is the same as it was before but without the hassle of the U-turn and emergency stop. Very few people failed on just the emergency stop but absolutely loads of people failed on just the U-turn. These people will now find the whole process much easier. Will the pass rate change? Yes - we expect it to improve overall by about 5% to 10%. Mostly because the U-turn will be so much easier, and students will be able to concentrate on riding. In addition more time will be spent riding in the countryside as the examiner will not have to be so close to an area to do the emergency stop and U-turn. Riding in the countryside is a good deal easier than riding in town (although clearly the consequences of having an accident are a good deal more serious by virtue of the higher speeds). Where will the new test be taken? Ah the million dollar question! Again we have been reasonably lucky in that we have a Module 1 site in Oxford, as well as ones at Newbury, Farnborough, Silverstone and Swindon that are all reasonably close. Fortunately for us this is not problem and we will not have to pass on the costs to our customers. To make everyone's life easier we will be taking as many tests as possible in Oxford. People doing their training in Reading will be ridden up to Oxford by their instructor. Overall we think that we will have to travel shorter distances than before as Oxford will at last have an adequate number of test - so no more trips to Winchester, Northampton, Cheltenham, Chippenham, Bletchley, Leighton Buzard, Aylesbury, Basingstoke and all the other centres we have had to visit in the past. What a relief!!!