Mod 1 - The nerves are kicking in

Hey Everyone

So I have my mod 1 test on Monday with training the day before on Sunday starting at 08:30. I have about 1200 miles experience on a 125cc and nerves are really kicking in as my confidence has been knocked by a recent accident, as a result of my bike being damaged I haven't ridden in a month.

Is learning to control the larger bikes difficult or will it be a fairly straight forward change? If anyone on here has any tips I will gladly accept them!

Wait, you've never ridden anything bigger than a 125 and you've got a MOD 1 test on Monday?

Was in your position few weeks ago... (still yet to pass Mod 1 yet but thats another story).

You will love the bigger bike, I was / am a bit nervy with my 125 following a near miss a year ago, still happy to jump on and ride it but just feels less secure compared to when I first started riding. Jumped on an ER6 for my training first time on bigger bike and did not know what to expect at all, within minutes I had never felt more comfortable on a bike. The bike felt so planted and just went where I wanted it to go. Speed wise bike was no scarier than 125, will only go as fast as you want it to go and at same time it is lovely having the extra power there when you need it.

All in all you will love it so relax and enjoy it! Hopefully you will do better than me on mod1 though (my story on here on training forum if interested) and good luck

Wait, you've never ridden anything bigger than a 125 and you've got a MOD 1 test on Monday?

That's quite normal, my only experience of riding was the CBT course prior to my Mod 1 training day and test.

@[mention]Scox91[/mention] As Via said, you will soon feel at home on the bigger bike, pretty much everything you've learned about riding a 125 applies to riding a larger machine. Also you will have plenty of time to practice on your training day, the instructor(s) will be experts in preparing you for the test, have fun

You've got loads more experience than I did when I did my MOD1 but if you don't pass so what? Just have another go. I'd doesn't mean you are a worse rider for it.

I was exactly the same 4 days ago mate when I did my mod 1. I was a nervous wreck, my hearts never pounded so fast but I’m pleased to say I passed with a couple of minors. I was very nervous about learning on a bigger bike as I’m a short arse at only 5 foot 3 on a good day. I always thought a bigger bike would be too heavy or too big for me. To my surprise, it was a lowered Suzuki gladius and actually fairly light. It was a dream to ride compared to a ybr 125 that I did my cbt on. Their smoother and easier to ride, only thing is their heavier but get used to your balance and stopping on your rear brake (which i found so much easier than using the front at low speeds) and you’ll be fine mate. Just take deep breaths, and if you fail? So what, you can take it again within 3 working days, which you’ll pass 2nd time round.

Is learning to control the larger bikes difficult or will it be a fairly straight forward change? If anyone on here has any tips I will gladly accept them!

Your trainer is a professional and it is a job which most of them do out of love, so just listen to him or her. They will understand and be able to help if you have any problems from your accident.

Otherwise for the slow speed stuff I did not really notice any difference over doing similar on my 125. Slipping the clutch for them I did not really feel the extra power, so if you can already slalom and whatnot then you will be fine.

For the faster tests the acceleration is quicker and smoother so that helps get you to speed better, not that I did such tests on my 125 to compare.

The bit I hated, and where it is more difficult, is the manual handling test. Those bikes are heavy to walk around. Although you may be stronger and less arthritic than me, so it may not be a problem for you. Most people manage, and somehow I did too.

I had to renew my CBT after an accident which badly damaged my confidence. Yet I found all those control kinds of things, in a closed environment, easy to do. So I would say do not worry about mod 1. You know from experience you can do everything that will be asked of you, and you do not have to worry about hazards or road surfaces or anything else that could be a problem. Just you demonstrating basic skills in a controlled environment.

Although you must still do your shoulder checks every time you change position just as if you are on the road.

Speed wise bike was no scarier than 125

Wait until you go on a motorway, look down, and think "bloody hell, it did not feel that fast!" It is not the speed which is scary but how easily you can pick it up without noticing when it is no effort for the bike. And I only have a 500.

The bit I hated, and where it is more difficult, is the manual handling test. Those bikes are heavy to walk around. Although you may be stronger and less arthritic than me, so it may not be a problem for you. Most people manage, and somehow I did too.

I have to agree with this. As I mentioned above I’m only 5 foot 3 on a good day, so this is the part I struggled with the most. I found out that wheeling it straight back to the first yellow cone for the slalom, then pushing it forwards in line with your green cones destination, then wheeling it back into the green cones, if that makes sense, was much easier. When I tried wheeling straight back from 1 set of green cones to the other, I found that when I turned the handlebars, it was a real struggle with the weight of the bike. Maybe I turned the handlebars too much, but I found the other way much easier for me. I was more worried about the u-turn, I was dreading it but funnily enough it was probably the easiest one to do. Just look at where you want to go and you’ll get their.

I found out that wheeling it straight back to the first yellow cone for the slalom, then pushing it forwards in line with your green cones destination, then wheeling it back into the green cones, if that makes sense, was much easier.

That is how I did it too. Of course, in the real world my manual handling is done by waddling. As are most of my u-turns.

No need for Scox91 to worry about any of that now though, it will be explained and demonstrated during training as one of the ways to do it.

Thank you for all your responses! Feeling a little better about it all and am going tongue and just take it easy and enjoy the riding rather than stressing that I must pass first time