Jeez, that's a lot of 'Do-Nuts'3 shifts and a weekends OT it took to film that
…and I haz Mod 1 (A2 automatic). It really started clicking on the last couple of fails. I made a point of altering my seating position- I was sitting so I was against the backrest. Very comfy, but I couldn't shift my weight around easily, and the CoG was further back as well. End result, really awkward for me at low speed. Benefits of hindsight.. For the attempt before last (on the 14th), I did a couple of training days first (riding the bike so sporadically, it helped to get used to it again). I tried sitting forward and all of a sudden the big blue beastie (210kg, no that's not a typo) is barely harder to steer than the PCX (124kg). Did about forty practice runs on the slow Mod 1 stuff and nailed it every time. Then on the Mod 1 itself, the old favourite fail, cone on the slalom. It was suggested that I take the exhaust heat shield off, to make the bike a little narrower (an Xmax 400 is about six inches wider than an R1, and longer, so every little helps). Next time, a week later, I absolutely nail the slalom and figure of eight, go too wide on the U-turn. Carried on and did the fast exercises as practice, nailed those as well. If you're going to fail, this is the kind of fail that makes you feel good. Seriously, couldn't be depressed about that…
Then, the U-turn. A bit wide, ended up on the line. Another minor. But a minor is not a fail. Nearly clipped a cone on the controlled stop- nearly. Emergency stop, nailed, 51 kph. Swerve: 52 kph. And that pink bit of paper is mine. It was wet, it was windy, and I had to go to work that afternoon. But I didn't care! Mod 2 attempt will follow as soon as the school and I can get a morning slot which suits.
Richa Typhoon. £45 or so from your motorcycle clothing retailer of choice. Pours scorn on rain.
Holy cow!…and I haz Mod 1 (A2 automatic). It really started clicking on the last couple of fails. I made a point of altering my seating position- I was sitting so I was against the backrest. Very comfy, but I couldn't shift my weight around easily, and the CoG was further back as well. End result, really awkward for me at low speed. Benefits of hindsight.. For the attempt before last (on the 14th), I did a couple of training days first (riding the bike so sporadically, it helped to get used to it again). I tried sitting forward and all of a sudden the big blue beastie (210kg, no that's not a typo) is barely harder to steer than the PCX (124kg). Did about forty practice runs on the slow Mod 1 stuff and nailed it every time. Then on the Mod 1 itself, the old favourite fail, cone on the slalom. It was suggested that I take the exhaust heat shield off, to make the bike a little narrower (an Xmax 400 is about six inches wider than an R1, and longer, so every little helps). Next time, a week later, I absolutely nail the slalom and figure of eight, go too wide on the U-turn. Carried on and did the fast exercises as practice, nailed those as well. If you're going to fail, this is the kind of fail that makes you feel good. Seriously, couldn't be depressed about that…
So, yet another attempt this past Friday. Slalom nailed again, but misjudged the speed on the figure-of-eight, came to a halt. Expletive! But I got going again, completed the figure, assumed the rest would be another practice. Examiner waves me over. 'I have to tell you a serious fault will not be recorded'. I could have kissed him
Small boys in the park, jumpers for goalposts, isn't it?
....as I've posted before on here, I'm kind of glad that the bike tests are so demanding these days given that we've got to contend with all these idiots in metal boxes with an overdeveloped sense of entitlement and an underdeveloped sense of both self-preservation and the welfare of others. For example, a colleague at work. I happened to encounter her on the commute home three times the other week & each time she did something dangerous. She went clean through a red light, on the motorway she decided to ignore very large signs about two lanes being closed from 800 yards out and dived in at the last second, and in slow-moving traffic due to roadworks, decided to jump the queue by driving down a parking bay then forcing her way out. Yes, the examiners should have a bit more leeway to cut people some slack, that would have saved me a lot of money, and the CBT should (conversely) be rather harder- but it is what it is.
Hell yeah.
Same here. Mate of mine actually fell off out of sight of the examiner, but got back on and finished the test and still passed.
