Nightmare MOD practice

ARGH

Id gone into the MOD 1 feeling awesome about it but now Im not so sure. First weird moment was I had to drive down to the test centre because they didnt have enough bikes to go round.

Nerves got the better of me for sure, it was strange, like Id forgotten to ride a bike completely. Different instructor too, he wasnt impressed, said I clearly don't have control of bikes which seemed to throw me into a strop as he'd watched me ride in both sightings, so 15 mins in I just had a 'f**k this' moment and just got off and walked away lol.

I went and sat by myself for an hour or so so try and calm down (or really, beat myself up a bit).

Got back on, did everything asked and it was fine!? I did ask to do a bit of a lap/ weave around first to understand the bike a bit better, but everything was pretty good. No issue on the emergency stop or weaving. One wobbly U turn but the rest were fine. It was bizarre. He did ask if I was the same person lol.

Ive decided to do another practice session tomorrow because my test is on Monday morning but now Im dreading it rather than looking forward to it

Please tell me other people had dodgy practice sessions that turned out ok in the end lol.

Did you read my mod1 experience?

https://www.themotorbikeforum.co.uk/viewtopic.php?p=1048653#p1048653

My first mod1 test day was a disaster. I think I struggled from the transition from 125 back to the big bike. They feel very different to handle, at least to me anyway. Still do now when I move my wife's 125 for her (I find it hard to believe I ever thought a 125 was heavy!).

Do you think yours could partly me the same? As another example, when I got back on a big bike I found coming to a controlled stop a bugger due to the strong disc brake on the rear and would end up coming to an ungraceful stop until I got used to the brakes again. That would then dent my confidence.

If you can avoid riding your 125 between now and Monday that might help?

I had a similar experience with my car lessons. A stand in instructor for a practice a week before my test. He was surprised I was doing my test soon. I felt crushed and terrible. A week later and one more lesson I passed with something like one minor.

Best to get your bad one out the way when not on your test.

I had about the best ride I'd managed on the way to my Mod1 (less than two weeks ago, so still fresh), but that's obviously no use at all for the Mod1 itself, except in terms of confidence and relaxation.

I made my mistakes on the way to the Mod1 test area instead - I clattered my helmet on the door post (carrying it, not wearing it), leaving the waiting room, and stepped off the kerb near my bike and did that stupid foot-in-the-air stumble-step thing that you do when the floor isn't where you thought it was when you left it.

So I laughed and swore at myself and I was on the Mod1 - it was all over so fast I couldn't quite make sense of the examiner's instruction to ride slowly over to the gate at the end - I thought he might have ended the test early or something.

It was my Mod2 last week that I had the experience of messing-up during the build-up: I very nearly dropped the bike for the first time ever - standing still, and not knowing where the ground was again (see embarrassing stumble before Mod1, above), but astride the bike on a cambered junction this time.

I also tottered round corners, and trail-braked into bends, and entered roads in strange positions relative to the kerb, and pulled away in 2nd, and did pointless shoulder checks like I was telling someone 'no' all the time, and changed down the box when I wanted to go up a gear, and so thoroughly messed-up pulling away at an angle behind a parked car that my instructor stopped me again and asked if he was remembering wrongly that I'd ever done one of those before.

And I'm not able to tell you I'm one of those people who then went on to clean-sheet my tests, but I 'only' picked up 2 minors on the Mod1 and 6 on the Mod2 - and that's a pass regardless, and you can do it too.

Something I did think to do, 40 minutes before my Mod2 was to eat (essentially inhale) a snicker bar to get my blood sugar up in the hope of keeping distracting nervous rumbles at bay, and I'm convinced it helped.

'Ride for you, not for the examiner', my instructor kept saying, which I think is code for observing that I am more capable and skillful when just riding, or learning, or practicing for myself than I am when I'm being tested, and I'm sure that's true for you, too.

I hope this is some consolation for you, but a couple of days before my Mod 1 I did actually drop my bike. I also made practice mistakes on my u-turns more often than I wanted to. In fact, it wasn’t until the morning of my test that I felt comfortable.

The test pads themselves are perfectly flat, have great surfaces, and are generally far larger than anywhere you’ll be practicing on. I found going through the test less stressful than my practicing, so keep a positive frame of mind, make sure you’re not hungry and don’t need to go to the loo, and I’m sure you’ll be fine.

Basic answer yes.

I had excellent training sessions that went flawlessly, on the first one before lunch time was told by the instructor he really didn’t have anything to say because it was all good. Hurrah you’d think and I did. Then the very last instructor instructed on everything (felt like harsh criticism) and it destroyed me, I then gave quite possibly the most awful ride ever which increased the level of instruction 3 fold. I thought I’m so awful I should just give up. I realised after he said “Come on, you ride everyday you should know this” that he was trying to push me on to the next level, not just to pass the test. He wanted lifesavers done at a very specific points (I felt they were too early and needed a 2nd check just before the manoeuvre) and wanted to see very precise road positioning plus a heap of other stuff, he even cristicised me moving out to the right on a left bend to increase my field of vision because “that’s not necessary on this road, you can see far enough” The other instructor had said on the same road “Nice road positioning I like that.”

I don’t ride every day and when the weathers inclement not even every week. I even told him in an oblique fashion his instruction was too much for me, he tried to cut it down but the damage was done so I ignored him completely and just rode like I normally do because what did I have to lose, I was already going to fail. Passed mod 2 with one minor a couple of hours later. The examiner said I thought that was a really good ride.

I think there’s an element of pressure we apply to ourselves when we want to be successful at something that can create sensitivity to the instructors choice of words or perceived lack of sensitivity when we’re doing our best or having a wobble. I don’t think his comments were helpful but you got past it and you know you can ride (you wouldn’t still be shiny side up if you couldn’t) so ignore the bad stuff and strut your stuff, you’ll be dandy.

Oh I rode like a complete noob for 2hrs on the paddock before I went for my mod1 test.... Both instructors were asking what had happened to me! So when the time came we went the long way to the test center, which seemed to do the trick and calmed me. Passed mod 1 no bother.

I found if I sang a stupid song while practicing I stayed more relaxed. So I spent mod1 singing "we all live in a yellow Submarine"

I finished on a good note at least but im just a bit mopey now. I think it was the perfect cocktail of the worst things: I suffer badly with nerves, I dont gel with that instructor, I didnt have the ride over to relax, the space was overwhelmingly huge (not a phobia but I feel too exposed in large areas!).

Tomorrow will be better. It has to be - its an extra £50 AND then my test is at 7.45am on monday

The main positives: i can recover after a wobble pretty well, my emergency stops were all perfect, i was good at the speed stuff.

Don't worry about it, the worst is a fail, and even then it's just more practice, deep breath forget the past and see how it goes, I hated my mod 1's and hindsight is great but I really don't know why I let the fails get me down because I was passing it no matter how long it took.

Possibly worth pointing out all the slow manoeuvre bits Ive done previously were using the Gladius, and then the SV on the road. I did ask the instructor if this may have made the difference and he did say the SVs offer a smoother ride overall but the Gladius is easier for the slow stuff, something to do with the engine. I guess now Ive had a go on the SV though so i know what to expect and it wont be a surprise!

I've been riding bikes longer than I care to remember......And still have days when you'd think it was my first time on a bike.....it just happens. So, don't beat yourself up over it.....keep your head up and look where you want to go (full bike licence)....

My bike school had two ER6Ns but even those rode completely different to each other. I know as I rode on both.

I did my mod1 training day on the newer one and the clutch felt quite sensitive to me, but was very nice to ride at higher speeds.

It was that I rode on my first test day. Then later on that day (after I had failed) I rode the older one they had whilst me and the instructor were playing in the car park, because like he said since I didn't know what bike I'd be riding on the day I needed to ensure I was happy riding it. The clutch felt heavier, but it was almost like it was "set and forget", you just got it in the friction zone and the bike was very settled and not jerky.

But at higher speeds it felt and sounded rough as

Ended up doing my second mod1 and my mod2 on the older one.

The bike school retired it about two weeks ago and replaced it with two newer ER6Ns.

But see the fact that you're getting experience on a few different bikes as a bonus

I've been riding bikes longer than I care to remember......And still have days when you'd think it was my first time on a bike.....it just happens. So, don't beat yourself up over it.....keep your head up and look where you want to go (full bike licence)....

I'm definitely not in the 'longer than I care to remember' camp, but have had the few shocking days on the bike. I find if I focus on slowing things down (mentally and physically) & focusing on the basics on the next ride it all comes back together again

Hope this is the same for you [mention]elizabethf[/mention]

Remember on the day to take as much time as you need between exercises too and do a quick mental run through of what you're about to do. I think that's especially useful after the manual handling where you need to transition from pushing the bike to doing the slalom!

Your bound to be nervous, we all were, and same as tango says, we all have our off days. I always think "sh1t I hope nobody saw that" when I wobble or something .

Just think sod it, if I fail, no problemo, I'll take it again! And that will take the pressure to pass off.

I had another go today and it was SO much better!

We did a mock test and I passed so at least im going into the test tomorrow feeling a bit more hopeful!

It's amazing how the mind can work against you. I often find if my ridings a bit crappy, I'll stop have a break, get a coffee, get back on and it will be completely different. It's like my brain needs a period to compute what it's doing.

I think that's what it was like yesterday. i knew the things I had to do, Id done them in a different yard before, but as soon as I was at the test centre a weird panic set in and I blanked.

It helped to ride the bike from the training school to the test centre as well.

Good luck for in the morning, Elizabeth - but I'm sure everything will go OK...

Yep good luck girl

Hope you have a groovy experience tomorrow.

I passed!

it was unbelievably smooth! not a screw up anywhere!

Sadly my friend had an accident, she was all ready to also pass but just after doing the avoidance she sneezed, jerked her body and cause the bike to tip never sneeze whilst riding people!

I passed!

it was unbelievably smooth! not a screw up anywhere!

Sadly my friend had an accident, she was all ready to also pass but just after doing the avoidance she sneezed, jerked her body and cause the bike to tip never sneeze whilst riding people!

Well done [mention]elizabethf[/mention]

Been waiting for this update all morning. Well done

Thank you! Clearly just needed a day to get silly screw ups out of my system!

good work! I've sneezed a few times on the bike, not nice when you don't have time to flip the visor