The Practical Test

TIME TO GET PRACTICAL... Prep well to pass your practical test first time

With your theory test pass certificate safely tucked in your pocket, your next challenge is to pass the practical test.

To give yourself the best chance of making the grade, you’ll need some professional instruction. Don’t make the mistake of thinking you can pick up all the skills you need by practising on your own on a 125cc bike, or that years behind the wheel of a car mean mastering a bike is easy. A good motorcycle training school will have so much to teach you.

Riding on a wide variety of roads with the feedback of a professional instructor will make all the difference to your skills. You’ll improve far more quickly than you would on your own, and an instructor will give you a better handle on what’s expected in the practical test.

MODULE 1

This is the off-road portion of the test and lasts around 20 minutes. You need to show that you can handle the bike in a controlled environment before tackling unpredictable public roads.

Expect the test to include:

● wheeling the motorcycle and using the stand ● riding a slalom and figure of eight ● a slow ride ● a U-turn ● cornering and a controlled stop ● cornering and an emergency stop ● cornering and hazard avoidance

MODULE 2

Pass Module 1 and you can move on to Module 2. This will take around 45 minutes, and begins with an eyesight check. You’ll need to prove you can read a numberplate from 20 metres away.

Then there are the ‘show me, tell me’ questions. You don’t need to be an expert mechanic to answer these, a sound working knowledge of your machine will be enough. It could be something like ‘How would you check the tension and alignment of your bike’s chain?’

Now it’s time to get on the bike. You’ll ride under the examiner’s direction, doing things like: ● normal stops ● an angle start (pulling out from behind a parked vehicle) ● a hill start (where possible)

Then there’s 10 minutes or so of independent riding to assess your ability to ride safely while making your own decisions.

To pass, you’ll need to make no more than 10 riding faults (sometimes called ‘minors’) and no serious or dangerous faults (sometimes called ‘majors’).

IF YOU ARE 24 OR OVER YOU CAN TAKE YOUR PRACTICAL TEST ON ANY TYPE OF BIKE, SO YOU CAN GO STRAIGHT TO A CATEGORY A BIKE.

HOW TO PASS...

1 Ride the routes. Your training school should have a decent handle on the roads commonly used for the Module 2 test. Ride them in advance and look out for tricky junctions and potential hazards. 2 Obey the speed limit. Bikes accelerate very quickly, so keep an eye on your speed at all times. 3 Look over your shoulder. These checks are important to staying safe and passing the test. 4 Not too close. Always leave a safe gap to the vehicle in front.