15/09/2012 12:00
I've had some time off work to finally get my full UK motorbike licence. I been driving around on L plates for ages now and there is a rule in the UK that you have to redo your provisional licence parts every two years. The idea being to get on and get the full licence or possibly just to make things more complicated.
I'm a bit up to a deadline as the theory part was due to run out in October! so I have one shot at this otherwise I have to step back redo everything, my theory test, my hazard perception test and my CBT.
CBT stands for Compulsory Basic Training, its a day of training which doesn't end in a test but does expire with a valid theory test.
So I booked a crash course! actually its call Direct Access. Three days off work Tues-Thurs and then the test on Saturday. Based near the Olympic stadium in Stratford.
Its been a hard long couple of days and my little bike has done some serious miles.
First couple of days was on my bike doing things like road sense and bike handling. Then a day on a big 500cc Honda beast to get used to it as it's the one for the actual test. This bike is so huge that it is difficult to right again by yourself if you go over.
The test (at the center in Enfield) is in two parts; one at the test centre to check yours skills like driving slow, emergency stop (proper dangerous thing to make people test on bikes but there you go), driving a figure eight in case you want to join a display team or something. Remember I'm on the big Honda so the slow stuff is tricky, and one part out in the real world.
Actually some of the group only did the first part of the test. I think they had the second part booked for a later date.
And then as long as you passed all that the second bit is out on the road. One other chap in the group was also doing the second part today and he went out first. Then it was my turn...
Oh my days I PASSED!!
The whole thing went pretty well I knew some of the tricky speed signs in the area and bad junctions but I nearly got binned for a mistake near the end after stopping to let on coming traffic pass parked cars. I was slow to get going again (getting the gears mixed up) and one of the no-nos is impeding traffic behind me.
But I was saved by a BMW driver being a real BMW driver getting impatient and cutting us (the tester on the bike behind and me) up and so didn't delay him. Anyway once I got back the tester said I would have failed if Mr BMW hadn't have been such an Ass!
The other guy was as really unlucky he had a good ride and then did something dangerous right at the end on the roundabout turn to re-enter the test center and so the tester had to fail him.
Headed back to the training center, afterwards, to pick up my bike and return the Honda. The instructor specifically told me not to get all excited with the accelerator and crash it. I was really buzzing and that much bike can really accelerate. The instructor had to escort the other guy back as he wasn't legal to drive alone.
My bike definitely deserves a service and once the buzz had worn off I needed a rest too.
