About the Practical Tests

About the practical tests

This is in two Modules

Mod 1 Off Road

This will be conducted at the Driving Standards Agency test centre at Burgess Hill.:

This section must be thought of as being out on the road and rear observations are necessary every time you move off from stationary, each missed observation will result in a minor. Only 5 minors are allowed in this section.

Manual handling:

Walking the machine  your examiner will ask you to go to a coned area facing towards the fence stop and to put the machine on its stand . You will then be asked to take the machine off the stand and push it backwards into the other set of cones.

Faults to avoid Knocking over a cone with bike or foot dropping bike,

Slalom and Fig 8 This involves steadily manoeuvring your bike through a series of cones as a slalom and then going straight into a couple of figure of 8s.

Faults to avoid Hitting the cones missing out a cone putting your foot down making the fig 8 to big stalling the bike

Slow speed manoeuvring and riding.:

Slow ride You will be asked to ride at a walking speed for a short distance in a straight line, to test your control, balance and observation.

A U turn:

Riding U-turn  your examiner will then ask you to ride a U-turn. An observation from stationary and then a direct rear observation in to the blind area is vital just before you carry out this manoeuvre,

Faults to avoid Missing the 2nd observation  putting a foot down  using excessive throttle  hitting the white lines or going over them  looking down at the front of the bike

High speed cornering and a controlled stop (between 20 and 30 mph In this Exercise you will be asked to ride around the course and come down through the specified cones stopping with your front wheel in the Blue cones just before U turn area. The speed is not relevant on this exercise.

Faults to avoid Hitting the cones on the way round the course Not stopping in the designated cones

High speed emergency stop (minimum of 30 mph)

The Emergency Stop

You will be asked to go back round the course and come down through the specified cones Your examiner will explain everything and show you the signal he will give for stopping.

In a emergency you should be able to stop the motorcycle  as quickly as possible  safely and under control  without locking the wheels  without risk to other road users

Faults to avoid  anticipate the signal by slowing down  skid out of control  pull up to slowly not making the minimum speed ( another go will be given if the speed is not met and you have stopped under control.) If the speed is not met or the manoeuvre is not carried out sufficiently then the avoidance will not take place and the test will be ended.

High speed avoidance (minimum of 30 mph)

You will again be asked to back around the course down through the specified cones and the move the bike though a set of angled cones and bringing the bike to a stop in a straight line near the U Turn area. demonstrating control in avoiding an object on the road and coming safely back onto your lane

Faults to avoid

Knocking over a cone at any point. Not making the minimum speed ( another go will be given if the speed is not met and manoeuvre carried out safely) Mod 2 On Road

You will pass the test if you can

 ride safely  demonstrate through your riding you have a thorough knowledge of the Highway code

The test will last about 40 minutes

The test will include

 an eyesight test (read a number plate at 20.5 metres)  two question on carrying out simple safety checks on your bike  A question on carrying pillions on your bike

As with your tuition the examiner will give you clear directional instructions in good time over a one way radio —always continue ahead until told otherwise. This instruction can be individual, in a block of 3 or 4 or to follow a location by signage i.e. take the London Road A23.

The examiner assesses you on the errors you make and you will fail if you commit any serious or dangerous fault. You are allowed to make 5 driving errors on the Mod 1 test and 10 on the Mod 2 test

Driving errors—a less serious fault

Serious fault—a potentially dangerous incident occurred or a habitual driving fault indicating a serious weakness in your ride

Dangerous fault—causing actual danger during your test

What to bring

 your driving licence. card part only, Please check that your photo is up to date if not is still a true likeness and or bring a valid passport  A valid passport if you have the older style of licence, which must be signed  theory test certificate  CBT certificate  The module 1 certificate for the module 2 test

What the Module 2 test requires

 alertness and concentration  courtesy and consideration  care in the use of the controls  awareness of stopping distances and safety margins in all conditions  hazard awareness  correct action concerning pedestrians and other vulnerable road users  dealing with other vehicles correctly  rules regarding speed limits and stopping restrictions  the law regarding you and your vehicle

Safety Questions

Identify where you would check the engine oil level and tell me how you would check that the engine has sufficient oil.

Identify where to check level, i.e. dipstick or sight glass. Explain that level should be between max and min marks. For dipstick remove dipstick and wipe clean, return and remove again to check oil level against max/min marks. For sight glass, ensure glass is clean when checking.

Show me how you would check that the horn is working on this machine (off road only).

Check is carried out by using control (turn on ignition if necessary).

Identify where the brake fluid reservoir is and tell me how you would check that you have a safe level of hydraulic fluid.

Identify reservoir, check level against high/low markings.

Tell me how you would check that the lights and reflectors are clean and working

Explanation only: Operate switch (turn on ignition if necessary), identify reflectors. Check visually for cleanliness and operation.

Show me how you would check that the brake lights are working.

Operate brake, place hand over light or make use of reflections in windows, garage doors, etc, or ask someone to help.

Tell me how you would check the condition of the chain on this machine.

Check for chain wear, correct tension and rear wheel alignment. Tension should be adjusted as specified in the machine handbook. Drive chain should be lubricated to ensure that excessive wear does not take place.

Show me what checks you would make on the steering movement before using the machine.

Handlebars should be free to move smoothly from full left lock to full right lock without any control cables being stretched, trapped or pinched and without any snagging between moving and fixed parts.

Tell me how you would check your tyres to ensure that they are correctly inflated, have sufficient tread depth and that their general condition is safe to use on the road.

Correct tyre pressure settings can be found in the owner’s manual. Pressures should be checked using a reliable gauge. Tread depth must be at least 1mm deep, forming a continuous band at least ¾ of the breadth of the tread and all the way around. There should be no lumps, bulges or tears.

Show me how you would check the operation of the front brake on this machine.

Wheel the machine forward and apply the front brake.

Show me how you would check the operation of the brakes on this machine.

Check for excessive travel on the brake lever and the brake pedal and for unusual play or sponginess.

Show me how you would check the operation of the engine cut out switch.

Operate switch, without the engine being started.

Show me how you would switch on the rear fog light and explain when you would use it (if fitted).

Operate switch (turn on ignition and dipped headlights if necessary). Check warning light is on. Show me how you switch your headlight from dipped to main beam.

Operate switch (with ignition or engine on if necessary), check with main beam warning light.

Carrying a pillion passenger

You will be normally asked one of four questions What to adjust on the bike to compensate for the extra weight  tyre pressures  suspension setting  mirrors  head light

What should you tell a novice pillion  must wear an approve safety helmet correctly fastened  should wear appropriate safety clothing  to get on the motorcycle after the rider from the curb side, sitting astride, on the pillion seat , feet on the foot rests and hold on to the grab rail or loosely around the waist of the rider  not to make any hand signals  to lean with the rider for bends  to look ahead so as to anticipate the actions of the rider, bracing for acceleration or braking  they don't have to support the weight of the rider when you come to a rest  only get off when told to do so

How does a pillion passenger affect the balance  due to the centre of gravity being higher and moved backward the motorcycle will be less stable especially at slow speed when manoeuvring What changes does the rider have to make due to the weight of the pillion passenger

You should  brake earlier due to the extra weight and leave more distance between you and the vehicle ahead  leave more time to pull away from stationary and to increase speed

What the examiner is looking for in the practical riding, in conjunction with the advice given in the Highway Code The motorcycle controls

Throttle and clutch

 balance the throttle and clutch to pull away smoothly  accelerate gradually to gain speed  pull the clutch in before stopping

Faults to avoid

 accelerating fiercely  using the clutch in a jerky and uncontrolled manner

Brakes and gear

 use both brakes correctly and in good time  brake lightly in most situations  choose the right gear for your speed and road condition  change gear in good time so that you are ready for a hazard or junction

Faults to avoid

 brake harshly, except in an emergency  use either the front or rear brake alone (excludes rear brake to ride slowly)  select the wrong gear  coast with the clutch pulled in or the gear lever in neutral (excludes block changing of gears)

Steering

 keep both hands on the handlebars  keep your steering movements steady and smooth  begin turning at the correct time when turning a corner  show awareness of the road surface

Faults to avoid

 cutting the corner when turning  swing wide on turns  braking and steering together  move out before turning left

Moving Off

You should be able to move off  safely  under control  on the flat  from behind a parked car  on a hill

You will be examined on -

The use of the controls making balanced use of  throttle  clutch  brakes  steering Observation of other road users by  using your mirrors and checking over your shoulder for any blind spots for traffic and pedestrians  signalling if necessary

Faults to avoid

 immediately signalling without first taking an observation  pulling out without looking  causing other road users to stop or alter their course  accelerate excessively  move off in too high a gear  fail to coordinate the controls correctly and stall the engine

Rear Observation

You will be required to take an effective rear observation by mirror or looking over your shoulder (life saver)  before you manoeuvre  to keep aware of what is happening behind you and act sensibly on what you see Check carefully before  moving off  signalling  changing direction  turning left or right  overtaking or changing lane  increasing speed  slowing down or stopping

Faults to avoid  manoeuvre without taking a rear observation  Fail to act on what you see behind

Giving Signals

You should signal using only the signals shown in the highway code  to let others know what you intend to do so that they can react safely  to help others road users including pedestrians  in plenty of time

Faults to avoid  give signals carelessly  mislead other road users  forget to cancel the signal  wave at pedestrians to cross the road

Acting on Signs and Signals

You should be able to understand and react to  all traffic signs  all road markings

You will be asked to follow the road ahead, being given plenty of warning to make a turn, looking out for lane markings and directional signs

Taking extra care and obeying  police officers  traffic wardens  school crossing patrols  20 mph speed limit zones  speed restriction humps and other traffic calming measures

Controlling you speed

You should make good progress along the road obtaining the national speed limits if possible bearing mind  road conditions  traffic  weather  road signs and speed limits You should  take great care in the use of speed  make sure you can stop well within the distance you can see  leave a safe distance between you and other vehicles  leave extra distance on wet or slippery roads  approach junctions and hazards at the correct speed Faults to avoid  ride too fast for the road and traffic conditions  change your speed unpredictably

Making Progress

You should  make reasonable progress along the road  drive at a speed appropriate to the road and traffic conditions  move off at junctions as soon as it's safe  keep up with the traffic  show confidence, together with good judgement  comply with the speed limits

Faults to avoid  driving too slowly, holding up other traffic  be over-cautious or stop and wait when it’s safe to go  prepare too early for junctions by approaching too slowly and holding up traffic

Special exercises

Angle start Your examiner will ask you to pull up just before a parked vehicle . Before moving off you should  check to the rear and into the blind areas  ahead to see there is no danger from approaching traffic If a angled start occurs normally during the test, you will not be asked to do it again

Hill start Your examiner might ask you to pull up on an uphill gradient.

When pulling in to stop at the side of the road to complete any of the special exercises, stop only where safe ,avoiding  bus stops  driveways  parking restrictions  within 30ft of a junction  near a bend

Hazards The correct routine

A hazard is any situation which could involve adjusting or altering course.  road junctions and roundabouts  parked vehicles  cyclists or horse riders  pedestrian crossing Look well ahead, identifying a hazard early so you will have time to take appropriate action. Always use your initiative and common sense

Always use this routine when approaching a hazard  Observation—check behind using mirrors or looking over you shoulder  Signal—if necessary signal that you are changing speed or direction in plenty of time  Manoeuvre—has three phases  Position  Speed  Look

Road junctions and roundabout

You should  use the OSM routine when you approach a junction or roundabout  position the motorcycle correctly, adjust your speed and stop if necessary  use the correct lane if the road has lane markings. In a one way street choose the lane as soon as you can

When turning left keep to the left watching out for  cyclists  pedestrians crossing Check the blind spot if required When turning right  keep to the centre of the road if safe to do so  make a ‘lifesaver’ check over your shoulder before turning from a major to minor road

You should be able to  observe road signs and markings and act correctly on what you see  judge the correct speed on approach  slow down in good time without harsh braking  judge the speed of other traffic, especially at roundabouts and when joining a major road  position and turn correctly

Faults to avoid  approach the junction at the wrong at the wrong speed  position and turn incorrectly  enter a junction unsafely  stop or wait unnecessarily

Unless signs or road marking dictate otherwise  the first exit is a left turn  the last exit is a right turn  the intermediate are treated as ahead

Signals and position.

When taking the first exit, unless signs or markings indicate otherwise:  signal left and approach in the left-hand lane  keep to the left on the roundabout and continue signalling left to leave.

When taking an exit to the right or going full circle, unless signs or markings indicate otherwise

 signal right and approach in the right-hand lane  keep to the right on the roundabout until you need to change lanes to exit the roundabout  signal left after you have passed the exit before the one you want.

When taking any intermediate exit, unless signs or markings indicate otherwise

 select the appropriate lane on approach to and on the roundabout  you should not normally need to signal on approach  stay in this lane until you need to alter course to exit the roundabout  signal left after you have passed the exit before the one you want.

When there are more than three lanes at the entrance to a roundabout, use the most appropriate lane on approach and through it.

Highway code 187

 you may go ahead from the right lane if the left lane is blocked or unavailable to you or more normally used by other trafic  treat mini roundabouts in the same way, but when turning right without signalling left on exit  always use common sense and initiative

Overtaking

When overtaking you must  observe any signs and road markings which prohibit overtaking  allow enough room  give cyclists and horses at least as much room as cars. They might swerve or wobble suddenly  allow enough space for overtaking—don’t cut in  use the OSM/PSL routine  react to road and traffic conditions  judge the speed and position of vehicles behind and in front  overtake only when safe without causing other vehicles to change speed or direction

Faults to avoid

You should not overtake when  your view of the road ahead isn’t clear  you would have to exceed the speed limit  there is oncoming traffic and you are squeezing between the oncoming traffic and the vehicle you are overtaking

Meeting and passing vehicles

You should deal with oncoming traffic safely and confidently on  narrow road  where there are parked cars or other obstructions

If there is an obstruction on your side of the road, or not enough space for two vehicles to pass safely, you should  use OSM/PSL  be prepared to give way to oncoming traffic

If you need to stop, keep well back from the obstruction to give yourself  a better view of the road ahead  room to move off easily when the road is clear

You should  show judgement and control when meeting oncoming traffic  be decisive when stopping and moving off  allow enough room when passing parked cars

Watch out for  doors opening  children running out into the road  pedestrians stepping out from the pavement  vehicles pulling out without warning

Crossing the path of other vehicles

You should be able to cross the path of other traffic safely and with confidence You normally need to cross the path of other traffic when you have to turn right into a side road or driveway. You should  use the OSM/PSL routine  position correctly and adjust your speed  watch out for oncoming traffic and stop if necessary  watch for pedestrians crossing the side road or on the pavement if entering a driveway and stop if required

Faults to avoid  cause another vehicle to slow down, swerve or stop  cut the corner  go beyond the correct turning point before beginning to turn

Following behind at a safe distance

You should always ride so that you can stop in the distance you can see to be clear Always keep a two second time gap between you and the vehicle ahead. Four seconds in the wet. In slow moving traffic it is not always possible to leave so much space Take extra care and consider changing road position when following high sided and large vehicles

Watch out for  brake lights ahead  direction indicators  vehicles ahead braking without warning

Faults to avoid You shouldn’t  follow too closely  brake suddenly  stop too close to the vehicle in front in a traffic queue

Position and lane discipline

You should  normally keep to the middle of your lane or side of the road  keep clear of parked vehicles  avoid weaving in and out of parked vehicles  position your vehicle correctly for the direction you intend to take  obey bus and cycle lanes which should not be entered unless it is unavoidable  obey lane marking in one way streets and left or right turn arrows at junctions  select the correct lane in good time  use the OSM/PSL routine  position you vehicle sensibly, even if there are no road markings

Faults to avoid You shouldn’t  ride too close to the kerb  ride too close to the centre of the road  change lanes at the last moment without good reason  hinder other road users by being badly positioned or being in the wrong lane  cut across the path of other traffic in another lane at a roundabout

Pedestrian Crossing

You should  recognise the different types of pedestrian crossing  show courtesy and consideration towards pedestrians  stop safely when necessary  approach a pedestrian crossing at a controlled speed  move off when it’s safe, keeping a good lookout

At Zebra crossing you should  slow down and stop if someone is on the crossing  slow down and be prepared to stop if there is anyone waiting to cross  wait till all pedestrians have cleared the crossing before moving off

At pelican, puffin and toucan crossings  stop if the lights are on red  give way to any pedestrians on a pelican crossing when the amber light is flashing  give way to cyclists on a toucan crossing, as you would a pedestrians

Faults to avoid Don’t  approach too fast  ride over a crossing without stopping or showing awareness of waiting pedestrians  block a crossing by stopping directly on it  overtake within the zigzag white lines leading up to a crossing  wave pedestrians across

Don’t hurry pedestrians by  sounding you horn  revving your engine  edging forward

Awareness and Planning

You should be aware of other road user at all times and always plan ahead You should  judge what other road users are likely to do  predict how their actions will affect you  react safely and in good time  give way to pedestrians when turning from one road to another  take particular care with the very young, the disabled and the elderly  take special care of cyclists when crossing a bus or cycle lane, with cyclists passing on your left and child cyclists  take special care with animals and give them as much room as possible

Faults to avoid You shouldn’t  react suddenly to road or traffic conditions  show irritation with other road users  sound the horn aggressively