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The New Motorcycle Test 2008
A new practical
motorcycle test is being introduced from October 2008 to comply with
European Legislation.
We've ridden it!..
click to see what we think of it ...
The
new test includes some additional special manoeuvres for riders
including:
-
Wheeling the machine backwards left or right into a cone
'garage'.
-
Two slow speed manoeuvres including a slalom and a figure of
eight.
-
Two higher speed manoeuvres including an avoidance manoeuvre.
-
Two braking exercises, including a higher speed
emergency stop.
(Click
here for diagrams of the new manoeuvres)
The
new test will be in two parts. The above exercises will be tested on
off-road
sites at new Multi Purpose Test Centres
(MPTC) to be built. Then the accompanied road riding element will
follow. Candidates who are considered 'dangerously incompetent' will
not proceed to the on-road element.
The
U-Turn and emergency stop exercises will not be repeated on the
road, so this
will allow a longer time for normal road riding. On
road exercises will still include hill starts and angle starts.
There is strong speculation that test fees,
training costs and waiting times will increase, and that pass rates
will fall. As the number of motorcycle test centres will be more
than halving there will probably be a longer distance to travel for
many test candidates.
The legislation that has given rise to this new
test has already been contested, delayed and revised. It is now
agreed and will happen in late 2008.
'Two things are certain. It's
not going to get any easier, and it's not going to get any cheaper.'
If you are considering taking your motorcycle
test before 2008 then don't
leave it too late to beat the increased
demand.
(Click
here for the DSA's webpage on the New 2008 Motorcycle
Test)
Please
Note: Compulsory Basic Training (CBT) is unaffected.
.
... our evaluation of the new test as we try it out for ourselves at
the DSA's Training Centre at Cardington, Bedfordshire...
The new test - ridden by us!
Given the opportunity to try out the new pre-road element of
the new motorcycle test almost 2 years before it comes into force
was not one we were going to miss out on. So we packed a couple of
bikes in a van and headed north to the DSA's Training Centre at
Cardington, Bedfordshire...
(' If
you don't want to read all this, you can simply
skip to the conclusion')
Testing Times
Well, the first thing you
notice is the sheer size of the area marked out for the test course;
It's 125 metres by 40 metres (which is about an acre in real
terms!), and it takes 86 coloured cones to mark out the course.
Initially it seems bewildering and quite intimidating,
even to an experienced rider who is there to evaluate it rather than
being on test. I would have liked the opportunity to walk the course
first, but, just as with test candidates there is no time for that.
The examiner accompanies me as I wheel my 500cc bike over to the
starting point. He gives me the choice of which 'garage' of cones I
wish to park it in initially, I chose the nearest one.
Bike Park
The first exercise is to
wheel the bike backwards from one cone 'garage' into another and put
it on its stand, (side-stand is fine) - you are allowed to do this
in one arc or by a three-point-turn if you like, as long as the bike
ends up in the new coned area facing outwards and you don't fall
over any cones on the way! I do think some of the more
slightly-built candidates will struggle with this one, and
it may mean some will have to take their test on a smaller bike
because of it.
Slalom & Figure-of-Eight
The examiner now gives a
briefing about the Slalom and Figure-of-Eight exercise using a
diagram on his clipboard. There are 5 yellow cones to slalom around
and 2 blue ones to ride a figure-of-eight twice around. The reason
we took a couple of 500cc student training bikes to Cardington
rather than our own instructor bikes was to get a feel for the
course through a student's eyes. We know our own bikes so well that
it wouldn't have been a true evaluation. And now I'm
ever-so-slightly starting to regret this fact as I set off on the
slalom. It's actually quite challenging, not hugely
difficult but certainly no walk in the park either, the slalom cones
are 4.5 metres apart which means you have to concentrate.
Then straight into the figure-of-eight, which is even more
challenging. These cones are 6 metres apart which sounds huge until
you get there and then it isn't. After my second figure the examiner
waves me over and briefs me for the next part.
Taxing Avoidance
Off I head, diagonally
across the yard to begin my first curve, feeling fairly pleased with
how it had gone so far, and the fact that I hadn't made a fool of
myself in front of an examiner and fellow instructor (not that I
expected to, but there's always that chance, and then you never live
it down etc etc..).
The curve is fairly
gentle but a bit damp compared with the rest of the yard. There's no
speed measuring equipment on the bend but you are supposed (indeed
recommended) to get to 30kph (18+mph) as you go round it. A quick
glance at the speedo as I enter the bend reveals that I'm not going
quickly enough, damn.
Coming out of the bend I
accelerate towards the cone 'gate' that holds the speed measuring
device, up into third gear, no time to look at the speedo, the gap
I'm aiming for is only 1.5m wide, it's a bit like threading a needle
and I don't want to miss it. Through the gap, throttle off, flick to
the left, through the offset cone 'gate' and I'm braking, braking,
slowing to a halt at the cone 'box' at the end. And even
before the examiner tells me, I know it's not fast enough!
46kph, the minimum is 50kph (31mph), on test you get two goes at it
so I do it again.
No mucking about feeling pleased with myself this time, keeping
it at about 20mph in second around the curve, accelerating before
I'm fully upright as I come out of the bend, through the speed trap,
throttle off, flick left, hard braking, controlled stop in the box
and it's 53kph this time, so 3kph above the minimum.
It occurs to me how tricky it is likely to be to hit the speed
required on a 125cc bike compared with the 500cc.
My Turn
From here the U-turn is
conducted, I am reminded by the examiner to treat the manoeuvre as
if I am on the public road. So with a duly diligent look behind me I
carry out the turn. This is probably the only part that, in my
opinion, has got easier. It seems fairly wide by comparison
to some of the roads used on the current test, and is on the flat of
course.
Easy Rider
The
examiner then briefs me to ride slowly behind his outstretched
clipboard between two sets of green cones, again, not really tricky,
but then I do a lot of walking-pace riding in my job...
E – Stop
Now the final part, the
same curve again but without the swerve, just with an emergency stop
at a minimum of 50kph (31mph). This time there was no way I was
going to be under-speed on my first run. Indeed the speed monitor
indicated in excess of 60kph. So that's it, the test all done in
about 6 minutes.
Conclusion
Going back in the van we
had time to discuss our thoughts on the day having done several runs
of the course. Some of it is straight-forward, some of it is a bit
more tricky. I think a lot of smug full licence holders would
struggle with some of the exercises. But then that's always been the
way, most car drivers would probably sweat a bit to pass the current
car test.
The areas I think will catch out many are:
- The Slalom - we both came interestingly close to the
cones once or twice.
- The Figure-of-Eight - there will be some red
faces on this one I predict.
- The swerve/avoidance test - just simply getting up to
the required speed (as on my first run) will catch some out,
others will swerve and brake too soon and too hard
simultaneously with the front brake and bin it.
Remember, without blowing our own trumpets too much, we are full
licence holders, as well as experienced riders and motorcycle
instructors, we rode it and found it needed concentration and
ability and was certainly not a simple formality. As
instructors we can teach novices to pass this test but it will take
students' application and effort and will certainly be no walk in
the park.
The
Final Word
My advice would definitely be don't leave it too late,
forget all the great reasons you may have for not
learning to ride yet, and think of all the great reasons to
do it now before it gets harder and you have one more reason not to
do it.
Andy and the team at Dexterity would like to thank Allister
and Hadrian at Kent Motorcycles for all their help.
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Multi Purpose Test
Centres
Updated!
The number of motorcycle test centres
will be reducing from around 200 to around 65 by October next year.
Around 65 of these are due to be built. The DSA
plans to have 20 operational by March 2007.
So far only 12 of these new test
centres have been built; Gloucester, Ipswich, Newport and Shrewsbury
are already operational; Leicester, Rotherham, Glasgow, Gateshead, Exeter, Darlington, Hull and
Enfield are built but not in use yet.
Further centres are under construction
in Musselburgh, Erith, Scunthorpe, Birmingham South and, for our area, Herne Bay.
The final location of many of the planned sites is still
unknown, although the general areas which the DSA and their agents
Lambert Smith Hampton are searching have been published. In our area
we now know that an MPTC is under construction in Herne Bay whilst
the search continues in other areas.
As the
number of motorcycle test centres will be reducing from around 200
to around 65 there will inevitably be longer travel times for many
test candidates. The DSA's aim is that
'most motorcycle test customers
should be able to reach their nearest
test centre within 45 minutes, travelling no more than 20 miles'.
So, for some at least, these changes may mean
an hour and a half round trip to their nearest centre on
test day, as well as on other training days to practice in
the test area. And even this may not be achieved at the
current build rate.
The DSA is searching for land close to the towns
mentioned. They require sites of around 2.5 acres. If you have
information that may assist them in their search please call their
land agents Lambert Smith Hampton on (0121) 236 2066.
For more information on the new test
centres see http://www.dsa.gov.uk/MPTC
DSA Continues To Lag Behind
Target
The Driving Standards Agency has only built,
or started building, 17 out of 65 multi purpose
test centres required for the new motorcycle test next year.
Updated!
In order to provide off-road motorcycle test
facilities for the
New Motorcycle
Test the DSA was aiming to have 20 of the new
multi
purpose test centres (MPTCs) operational by the end of March 2007, only
12 were operational by this date, (60% of target). The agency is aiming for
around 65 centres to be built in total. It is thought difficulties in
acquiring suitable sites due to pressure for new houses together with
planning problems may have contributed to the delays.
So far only 12 of these new test
centres have been built; Gloucester, Ipswich, Newport and Shrewsbury
are already operational; Leicester, Rotherham, Glasgow, Gateshead, Exeter, Darlington, Hull and
Enfield are built but not in use yet.
Further centres are under construction
in Musselburgh, Erith, Scunthorpe, Birmingham South and, for our area, Herne Bay.
That's 17 centres out of a total of 65 so far, and we've only got
about 13 months to go to the new test!
The final location of many of the planned sites is still
unknown, although the general areas which the DSA and their agents
Lambert Smith Hampton are searching have been published. In our area
we now know that an MPTC is under construction in Herne Bay whilst
the search continues in other areas.
The DSA describes as 'good
progress' the acquisition of just 22 sites so far out of a total
requirement of 65. The agency is accused by some of having extremely
rose-tinted spectacles to consider a third of the total (with
just 13
months to go) as a success!
Motorcycle training organisations are concerned
that in many regions sites have still yet to be identified, and delays in
getting the centres operational could cause these to be without motorcycle
test centres when the new bike test comes in force in October 2008 to comply
with EU requirements.
This article updated 03/09/07
.
For more information about the new
motorcycle test in 2008 click here...
To check on current DSA progress in building
the new Multi Purpose Test Centres click
here...
This page is updated with the latest information
as we receive it.
Last updated: 03/09/07
© 2007 Dexterity Motorcycle Training LLP
   
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