Next problem

Well guys, I seem to have finally mastered the U turn. It's only taken three years.

My instructor is getting me up to test standard on the 125 then moving me across to the 500. I can manage most of the stuff but am really struggling to hit the required speed for the swerve test, in the space available. Is this easier on the bigger bike? I should be on that next lesson but he's not going to make me do the harder manoeuvres till I get used to handling it. I have ridden 500s before in various training sessions and he has (very wisely I think) put me back on a bike where I'm comfortable with the technique.

For anyone who doesn't know my posts, I have had a somewhat chequered learning history and I have not been with the same instructor for three years! This one is the first person who has given me any confidence and he believes I can do it. I just wish I could believe it myself.

It probably is easier on the bigger bike!

just keep at it, you will get there!

And remember! enjoy it! It's meant to be fun!

Find somewhere to practice, like a quiet car park. I failed all my Mod 1 practices with the swerve, I hit the cone each time. I then past the test no problems.

Compared to a CG125, everything is easier on the bigger bike, they get up to speed earlier, stop better, turn better, centre of gravity tends to be lower so they are more stable, tyres are gripper, and you sit in the bike, rather than on top of it like a CG.

You'll find a big difference and it's a positive one.

Don't be scared of it, it's only as fast as you twist the throttle, so relax and take it gentle and you'll love it.

Yes it easier on a more powerful bike.

With the swerve the key thing is watch the gap in the blue cones. It is all too easy to be so busy concentrating on the speed detector, the approach, etc that you dont give yourself time to deal with the swerve with the result that you react too late and clip a cone.

The way I did it was to initially go quite wide on the curve then cut the corner on the exit so that I had a longer straight to accelerate in. Then as you accelerate look to the blue cones you will be swerving through rather than the ones around the detector.

Come off the throttle as you reach the detector and counter-steer through the swerve then come to a halt at the end point between the two cones.

its like reversing a trailer imposable then it clicks,,, and its easy good luck

That's the thing, if I'm supposed to keep an eye on the speed so I know it's fast enough, how can I look where I'm going? That moment it takes to look at your speedo is all it takes to lose any speed you've gained, or prevent it from building up. So you must have to know what it feels like. The actual swerve hasn't been too bad, but I consistently fail to reach quite the required speed. I've succeeded once, I think, and every other time it's been just enough below the required speed to make me have a fail (not even a minor - I've had plenty of those!).

My advice is don't look at the speedo at all, look where you want to go. Get into 2nd gear and hear it rev, that will be the speed you will need to be for the speed trap. Once through the speed trap look between the cones for the swerve then look at where you want to stop which should be in line with the middle of the 4 cones (doesn't have to be inside the cones).

Yes it easier on a more powerful bike.

With the swerve the key thing is watch the gap in the blue cones. It is all too easy to be so busy concentrating on the speed detector, the approach, etc that you dont give yourself time to deal with the swerve with the result that you react too late and clip a cone.

The way I did it was to initially go quite wide on the curve then cut the corner on the exit so that I had a longer straight to accelerate in. Then as you accelerate look to the blue cones you will be swerving through rather than the ones around the detector.

Come off the throttle as you reach the detector and counter-steer through the swerve then come to a halt at the end point between the two cones.

This is pretty much what I did, don't look at speedo just get it in second and accelerate, you'll hear the revs, come off the throttle as you pass speed trap and then try and hit the outer swerve cone (you won't but this will ensure you don't clip the inner cone).

Try and enjoy you're training as best you can, you can pass, I did so that's proof anyone can!

That's the thing, if I'm supposed to keep an eye on the speed so I know it's fast enough, how can I look where I'm going? That moment it takes to look at your speedo is all it takes to lose any speed you've gained, or prevent it from building up. So you must have to know what it feels like. The actual swerve hasn't been too bad, but I consistently fail to reach quite the required speed. I've succeeded once, I think, and every other time it's been just enough below the required speed to make me have a fail (not even a minor - I've had plenty of those!).

Dont look at the speedo - knowing how fast you are going isnt any help. It isnt as if you are going to hit 80 by accident and you dont really have time to do much to change speed before you're coming off the throttle.

Just concentrate on where you are going.

I used the first run (controlled stop) as a trial and asked the examiner what speed I'd reached on it. He was happy to check and tell me. Then I just did much the same for the emergency stop and the swerve.

Is it just the swerve that is the issue? You're fine on the emergency stop?

If you practice it enough times you'll know how fast you're going without looking at the speedo!

try not to think about it so much, don't focus on it just do it

Yes the big bike will get up to speed very easy, it's a more stable ride too, much nicer than the 125, the swerve is only a minor deviation in reality.

Keep going I'm sure a few lessons on the big bike and you will feel much better.

As said, i also find the maneuvers much easier on bigger bikes. they are much less twitchy than smaller bikes i find