When did you pass your test and how difficult was it?

[Oldgit]

1966 no less--seems like yesterday 

[Liroka]

I passed my test in September 2008. I passed first time but was definitely quite fortunate as although I'd never been to Hartlepool and therefore didn't know any of the roads, it was said to be one of the easiest centres to pass at because it was too far away from any NSL roads so all you did was a little town riding. On the morning of my test the weather was looking ominous and I really wasn't looking forward to the emergency stop in the pissing rain, but again fortune was on my side and it remained dry. After the stop, I moved the bike into the side of the road and the examiner asked whether I had applied the rear brake, I hadn't until the bike was completely stopped but said I had and he seemed to believe me. Then just as we're about to pull away the heavens opened and the rain fell heavily. Phew! I passed with 4 minors.


My car test was only a couple of years ago and both my instructor and myself think I passed before I even got out of the test centre. My examiner had been drafted in from elsewhere and it turned out he was a biker himself. He mentioned that he'd noticed I had cat A on my licence and asked me if was getting rid of the bike, I replied that I was only taking my car test as my first daughter had just been born and it would be frowned upon if I carried her in the top box. He said "Thank foc for that, I thought you were getting soft!" We spent the whole test talking about bikes and it's amazing how relaxed that drive was.

[scubamarkt]

Passed in may this year, should of done it twenty years ago, fell like I have had to jump through hoops theory £30 ish lessons 3 days including test days £375 mod1 £15 mod2 £75 all done in a week lots of pressure had my bike already would of been devastated if I had failed but fortunately passed all first time, found it a lot harder than my car test in 1982. Best thing I have done in years absolutely love being back on the bike saves time with the commute I actually enjoy going to and from work :-)))

[Fazerider]

1985. The only difficulty I had during CBT was with the figure-of-eight cones, but eventually I got the hang of it. I was using a Yamaha RS125 which had a wheelbase about a foot longer than the training centre's little KH100 machines that everyone else was using. When it came to the actual test, they set the cones to the correct spacing for my bike and it was a doddle. :lol

[Simon.Pieman]

I tried some sample tests and kept clicking too early because I was thinking "Ok, that's liable to become a hazard, so I'll keep an eye on it".

Interesting. Have a read of Keith Code's 'Twist of the Wrist' He explains how loading up the brain with too much 'potentialities' is quite a bad thing.  The more you can discard from thinking about, the easier it is for the brain to cope with a hazard when it is 'on you'. I apply this to my own riding.
I probably havn't explained that at all well, but have a read if you get the chance Graham (if you havn't already).

I passed my test in 1978, a Suzuki 185 and it was the drive round the block tests, I passed first time. It wasn't difficult and the examiner was an old schoolteacher of mine who said 'At last, you are actually pretty good at something!'

[Ian-man]

1985, had to do a cbt then a test riding round a block with the examiner running around, lol.
Passed both 1st time and took 3 attempts to pass my car test two years later.

[Grahamm]

[quote author=Grahamm link=topic=9562.msg96901#msg96901 date=1377595202]
I tried some sample tests and kept clicking too early because I was thinking "Ok, that's liable to become a hazard, so I'll keep an eye on it".

Interesting. Have a read of Keith Code's 'Twist of the Wrist' He explains how loading up the brain with too much 'potentialities' is quite a bad thing.  The more you can discard from thinking about, the easier it is for the brain to cope with a hazard when it is 'on you'. I apply this to my own riding.[/quote]

I've not read the book, but I've seen the video

As regarding "potentialities", I've been cycling for about the past 40 years (gods, that makes me feel old!) and it's so subconcious now that I hardly even think about it.

As I scan the road ahead (and behind) I'm looking for all the little clues and subtleties that mean that if, as in one of the clips, there's a side road on the left, I can be watching for anything coming out of it or that may turn across my path, so when I see a vehicle ahead that's further out towards the centre-line than the rest of the traffic, I'm already thinking "hello, I bet he's going to turn..." and planning for it even before his indicator goes on.

[solorider]

I passed my bike test on the 12th January 1984 on a Honda CB125T, I had to do the 2 part test which was easy. I passed on the 3rd attempt, the first on my moped (a Honda MB5) which I had no clue, the second time I failed on hesitation, my bike cut out in the middle of the road, this was the time when you had to ride around the block and the examiner was on foot. I passed my car test first time 2 years later, I was disappointed that the test was so short lol

[theglove1978]

Just passed my Mod 2 last week.  Took me about 5 months all in all and best part of £750.
CBT & theory pretty straight forward.  Mod 1 was a pain, failed twice and as a new biker with next to no biking experience, i feel its easy to fail, i also understand why.  Failing has made me a "better" biker as i learnt from it.
Mod 2 wasn't a wak in the park but passed 1st time but there are a lot of areas you have keep on top of especially your observations.  All in all, i think the expereince has also made me a better car driver too mainly through being much more aware of whats going on around me.

[Skippernick]

Just passed my Mod 2 last week.  Took me about 5 months all in all and best part of £750.
CBT & theory pretty straight forward.  Mod 1 was a pain, failed twice and as a new biker with next to no biking experience, i feel its easy to fail, i also understand why.  Failing has made me a "better" biker as i learnt from it.
Mod 2 wasn't a wak in the park but passed 1st time but there are a lot of areas you have keep on top of especially your observations.  All in all, i think the expereince has also made me a better car driver too mainly through being much more aware of whats going on around me.

Well done.
Good that you learnt from mistakes as well.

[Lazarus]

Oh come on............... there has to be someone older than me on this forum.
August 1966, Triumph Tiger Cub 200cc, around the block jobbie, wearing jeans, jacket and sheepskin lined flying boots and a lid with goggles. Those were the days.

thats the year and month I was born m8


did my CBT in February 2009, followed by the Theory test and then Direct Access lessons


Finally passed on the Thursday 23rd April, 4 days before the new 2-part test came into play.

[Dead Eye]

Just passed my Mod 2 last week.  Took me about 5 months all in all and best part of £750.
CBT & theory pretty straight forward.  Mod 1 was a pain, failed twice and as a new biker with next to no biking experience, i feel its easy to fail, i also understand why.  Failing has made me a "better" biker as i learnt from it.
Mod 2 wasn't a wak in the park but passed 1st time but there are a lot of areas you have keep on top of especially your observations.  All in all, i think the expereince has also made me a better car driver too mainly through being much more aware of whats going on around me.

Pretty sure that's about the standard cost now as that's roughly what I paid as well

Agree with the last bit though - having got my bike licence I think it helped improve my driving skill. The new tests are obviously more... shall we call it complex? compared to the old ones, but it does help to prepare you for your 2 wheeled adventures.

[MEM62]

September 1980.  Old style test.  Read number plate, ride around the block, avoid running down examiner during emergency stop and hey-presto - bike license.  Far better than the current system!  :rollin I took two tests in four days; bike test on the Friday and car test the following Monday.