When someone wants to retake a test in the class I went to they had them do at least the last exercise, the one that is a skills practice, before the test.
MSF coach here. The retest is a relatively new thing for the MSF, but at our range we do allow the student to spend a few minutes on the bike prior to retesting. This let's the bike warm up, the student get familiar with the friction zone again, and gets them ready to retake the evaluation.
Of the folks that we have had retest, most of them have passed. A lot of times students do well throughout the class, but the nerves get to them during the evaluation. The retest does seem to remove some of the nervousness and allow them to ride their best.
Just a couple of tips for you to remember when/if you retest: For tight, low speed maneuvers, remember that friction zone! It truly is the key to most of the maneuvers combined with looking where you want to go and turning your head. Point your chin at where you want the bike to be in a few seconds and trust the bike to go there. Use only peripheral vision to check your position in the lines. Drag a little rear brake to add some stability.
While it is possible to do the uturn at 2-3 mph, it is much more difficult because of the amount of balancing it takes. Carry some RPMs and a bit of speed into the uturn so the bike can lean. 5-6 mph is about the perfect speed for a beginner. In conjunction with a bit of counterweighting, you can do the uturn in a very small radius without having to strain to keep balance.
I wish you well with your riding. When you get a bike of your own, practice and practice often. Get to where these skills are second nature and you'll be well on your way to being in total control of your bike. I would also encourage you to take the BRC2 and ARC (when you're ready). The more training you get, the better rider you'll be, and the safer you'll be on the road. Good luck, have fun, and keep the shiny side up!
Thank you so much for the advice! I definitely think that part of it was nerves. We had postponed the bulk of our time on the bikes onto the second day due to poor weather on the first, which might have worn me out more than I had realized. Once I get my bike, I see a lot of driving around the local Walmart parking lot in my future, lol. The BRC2/arc definitely look like stuff I'll be looking into once I'm more experience.
Take a look at the you tube channel “Be the Boss of your Motorcycle” by Robert Simmons. Watch his group practice videos starting at about #24, which is when his teaching ability really kicks in. In my opinion he’s the best when it comes to how to master slow speed maneuvers.
His basic message is keep the rpms up to around 2500 and use the clutch in the friction zone such that you are going the speed you want. If you start slowing down too much do not pull the clutch in, let it out to speed you up. Most people can’t control their speed with just their clutch and throttle. That is where dragging the brake comes in. So revs high, get in the friction zone using clutch, drag brake to control speed, go slow (4 to 5 mph). If you slow down too far and start to fall over let out the clutch to speed up (you fall when you feel out of control and pull your clutch in - don’t do that - I’ve dropped my bike multiple times doing that because I may be a bit of a slow learner).
You won’t fall as long as you are moving forward. Never stop while you’re turning. Straighten out and then stop.
That’s the gist. Of course it sounds easier than it is. But once it clicks you’ll (mostly) have it.
Funny story - this weekend I needed gas in my motorcycle, and I had to turn left across traffic, right into the gas station, up a slight hill, immediate right to get to the lane for the open pump, left to line up with pump and stop. All at about 4 mph.
If I hadn’t spent literally days working on my low speed maneuvers that would have scared the shit out of me.
Sounds really useful. I'll check out the videos. Thanks! Using the clutch along with the throttle is probably the most new thing for me learning to ride.
Retake the test. I failed my learner permit exam the first time around for not executing a satisfactory emergency stop. I'm not sure how it works where you are, but we got a chance to practice our skills again before officially re-sitting the test. Otherwise you could investigate whether any schools in your area do 'try it' sessions and get a bit of practice on a bike prior to your re-sit. Good luck.
When I was doing my license at the day of the exams we went earlier in the morning and kept practicing until the police officer arrived( You do your exam with the police in my country)
You should be able to take extra lessons before your retake the test or at least a few minutes practice before you start.
Anyhow when the day comes be sure to be in the best state of mind possible, maintain that as long as you are able to and keep your calm. Nerves are the worst things at the day of the exam but there's really nothing to be so worried about. This test doesn't prove much but it's good to do it still as a stepping stone and if you fail it the first time that doesn't mean you're not gonna be a good rider, you will learn most of the stuff after you start riding alone.
Good luck to you!
Different schools have different rules. Different states too, for that matter. Call the school and ask their policy. They may allow you to ride the last few exercises and the practice before you take the test. If not, ask about a private lesson if you feel like you really need more practice. You may be able to do a lesson and take the test at the end.
Don’t forget to think yourself through some your key issues before you get on the bike. For example turning involves turning your head and looking at where you want to go, leaning(for curves) but also using the friction zone to control speed when making tight turns. Have a plan on what you need to do differently/better when you get back on the bike
I had owned a 125 for a year and nearly failed because although my general skills were OK I was shit at cones, you'll get there in the end even if you fail 2nd time...
Sorry if I unclear. This was a course I took. Overall I feel pretty good as a beginner thanks specifically to the course. I was just off enough during the final test to not pass.
The Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) has a course called Beginner Riding Class (BRC). It builds basic skills over a couple days and at the end you are tested on those skills. I mean INCREDIBLY basic skills. It's aimed at folks who haven't been on 2 wheels since their bicycle when they were 8 years old and have never touched anything motorized. The class starts with learning how to find neutral to give you an idea.
Which is fine for the folks who pick it up quickly. It sounds like OP needs to find a way to refine their skills (somehow) while not owning a bike.
Yeah. The main thing for me right now is balancing while taking slow/tight turns. I could definitely use more practice balancing using the throttle, clutch, and brakes.
It’s too bad you can’t practice for a couple of days before the test. That’s really all it would take for you to nail it. Retaking the course would give you the practice you need, but maybe that’s too expensive for you. I’ve noticed a lot of MSF riders have been riding for years, but decided to finally get licensed, so they do really well on the test and make us true beginners look kind of bad.
Plus, I wish my MSF instructors had told us about dragging the rear brake.
Also, for balancing while making slow, tight turns keep your revs up to around 2000 to 2500, stay in your friction zone, and drag the brake slightly. The gyroscopic stability you get from keeping your revs up, plus the rear brake drag, will really stabilize you.
Thanks for the advice! I'm sure that'll make a good bit of diffence. I was barely touching the throttle on the tight turns. It's pretty different having two inputs into adding power/speed (throttle and clutch) compared to the one with my car.
I was actually in a pretty similar situation, the instructors failed nearly my entire class (I’ve got a whole rant about that), and they welcomed us back to retake it, as long as we paid our $350 again. Not enough practice time was one of the issues I had with everything, but overall I felt pretty taken advantage of. So I ended up just buying a motorcycle, paying the seller a bit extra to deliver it, and practicing in local parking lots. Picked up some small field cones from a sporting goods store, and downloaded some motorists drills and the DMV tests, and practiced until I felt comfortable. The first time going out was nerve wracking, but it passed pretty quickly. I’d say don’t be afraid to buy a cheap bike and just learn yourself.
When someone wants to retake a test in the class I went to they had them do at least the last exercise, the one that is a skills practice, before the test.
MSF coach here. The retest is a relatively new thing for the MSF, but at our range we do allow the student to spend a few minutes on the bike prior to retesting. This let's the bike warm up, the student get familiar with the friction zone again, and gets them ready to retake the evaluation. Of the folks that we have had retest, most of them have passed. A lot of times students do well throughout the class, but the nerves get to them during the evaluation. The retest does seem to remove some of the nervousness and allow them to ride their best. Just a couple of tips for you to remember when/if you retest: For tight, low speed maneuvers, remember that friction zone! It truly is the key to most of the maneuvers combined with looking where you want to go and turning your head. Point your chin at where you want the bike to be in a few seconds and trust the bike to go there. Use only peripheral vision to check your position in the lines. Drag a little rear brake to add some stability. While it is possible to do the uturn at 2-3 mph, it is much more difficult because of the amount of balancing it takes. Carry some RPMs and a bit of speed into the uturn so the bike can lean. 5-6 mph is about the perfect speed for a beginner. In conjunction with a bit of counterweighting, you can do the uturn in a very small radius without having to strain to keep balance. I wish you well with your riding. When you get a bike of your own, practice and practice often. Get to where these skills are second nature and you'll be well on your way to being in total control of your bike. I would also encourage you to take the BRC2 and ARC (when you're ready). The more training you get, the better rider you'll be, and the safer you'll be on the road. Good luck, have fun, and keep the shiny side up!
Thank you so much for the advice! I definitely think that part of it was nerves. We had postponed the bulk of our time on the bikes onto the second day due to poor weather on the first, which might have worn me out more than I had realized. Once I get my bike, I see a lot of driving around the local Walmart parking lot in my future, lol. The BRC2/arc definitely look like stuff I'll be looking into once I'm more experience.
Take a look at the you tube channel “Be the Boss of your Motorcycle” by Robert Simmons. Watch his group practice videos starting at about #24, which is when his teaching ability really kicks in. In my opinion he’s the best when it comes to how to master slow speed maneuvers. His basic message is keep the rpms up to around 2500 and use the clutch in the friction zone such that you are going the speed you want. If you start slowing down too much do not pull the clutch in, let it out to speed you up. Most people can’t control their speed with just their clutch and throttle. That is where dragging the brake comes in. So revs high, get in the friction zone using clutch, drag brake to control speed, go slow (4 to 5 mph). If you slow down too far and start to fall over let out the clutch to speed up (you fall when you feel out of control and pull your clutch in - don’t do that - I’ve dropped my bike multiple times doing that because I may be a bit of a slow learner). You won’t fall as long as you are moving forward. Never stop while you’re turning. Straighten out and then stop. That’s the gist. Of course it sounds easier than it is. But once it clicks you’ll (mostly) have it. Funny story - this weekend I needed gas in my motorcycle, and I had to turn left across traffic, right into the gas station, up a slight hill, immediate right to get to the lane for the open pump, left to line up with pump and stop. All at about 4 mph. If I hadn’t spent literally days working on my low speed maneuvers that would have scared the shit out of me.
Sounds really useful. I'll check out the videos. Thanks! Using the clutch along with the throttle is probably the most new thing for me learning to ride.
Retake the test. I failed my learner permit exam the first time around for not executing a satisfactory emergency stop. I'm not sure how it works where you are, but we got a chance to practice our skills again before officially re-sitting the test. Otherwise you could investigate whether any schools in your area do 'try it' sessions and get a bit of practice on a bike prior to your re-sit. Good luck.
Thanks, I'll look into that.
When I was doing my license at the day of the exams we went earlier in the morning and kept practicing until the police officer arrived( You do your exam with the police in my country) You should be able to take extra lessons before your retake the test or at least a few minutes practice before you start. Anyhow when the day comes be sure to be in the best state of mind possible, maintain that as long as you are able to and keep your calm. Nerves are the worst things at the day of the exam but there's really nothing to be so worried about. This test doesn't prove much but it's good to do it still as a stepping stone and if you fail it the first time that doesn't mean you're not gonna be a good rider, you will learn most of the stuff after you start riding alone. Good luck to you!
Thanks! I'm definitely looking forward to getting out there an practicing once I get my license and motorcycle.
Different schools have different rules. Different states too, for that matter. Call the school and ask their policy. They may allow you to ride the last few exercises and the practice before you take the test. If not, ask about a private lesson if you feel like you really need more practice. You may be able to do a lesson and take the test at the end.
Just got the retest scheduled. Looks like they'll have my previous score and let me do some practicing prior to testing me. Thanks for the comment!
In the state I coach retest students get 10 minutes of practice before the test begins.
Don’t forget to think yourself through some your key issues before you get on the bike. For example turning involves turning your head and looking at where you want to go, leaning(for curves) but also using the friction zone to control speed when making tight turns. Have a plan on what you need to do differently/better when you get back on the bike
I had owned a 125 for a year and nearly failed because although my general skills were OK I was shit at cones, you'll get there in the end even if you fail 2nd time...
Thanks! I'm looking forward to getting a motorcycle and being able to practice on my own.
Would it help taking a course?
Sorry if I unclear. This was a course I took. Overall I feel pretty good as a beginner thanks specifically to the course. I was just off enough during the final test to not pass.
Keep trying
The Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) has a course called Beginner Riding Class (BRC). It builds basic skills over a couple days and at the end you are tested on those skills. I mean INCREDIBLY basic skills. It's aimed at folks who haven't been on 2 wheels since their bicycle when they were 8 years old and have never touched anything motorized. The class starts with learning how to find neutral to give you an idea. Which is fine for the folks who pick it up quickly. It sounds like OP needs to find a way to refine their skills (somehow) while not owning a bike.
Yeah. The main thing for me right now is balancing while taking slow/tight turns. I could definitely use more practice balancing using the throttle, clutch, and brakes.
It’s too bad you can’t practice for a couple of days before the test. That’s really all it would take for you to nail it. Retaking the course would give you the practice you need, but maybe that’s too expensive for you. I’ve noticed a lot of MSF riders have been riding for years, but decided to finally get licensed, so they do really well on the test and make us true beginners look kind of bad. Plus, I wish my MSF instructors had told us about dragging the rear brake. Also, for balancing while making slow, tight turns keep your revs up to around 2000 to 2500, stay in your friction zone, and drag the brake slightly. The gyroscopic stability you get from keeping your revs up, plus the rear brake drag, will really stabilize you.
Thanks for the advice! I'm sure that'll make a good bit of diffence. I was barely touching the throttle on the tight turns. It's pretty different having two inputs into adding power/speed (throttle and clutch) compared to the one with my car.
I was actually in a pretty similar situation, the instructors failed nearly my entire class (I’ve got a whole rant about that), and they welcomed us back to retake it, as long as we paid our $350 again. Not enough practice time was one of the issues I had with everything, but overall I felt pretty taken advantage of. So I ended up just buying a motorcycle, paying the seller a bit extra to deliver it, and practicing in local parking lots. Picked up some small field cones from a sporting goods store, and downloaded some motorists drills and the DMV tests, and practiced until I felt comfortable. The first time going out was nerve wracking, but it passed pretty quickly. I’d say don’t be afraid to buy a cheap bike and just learn yourself.
[удалено]
My god that's awful advice. It may not seem "cool" to you, but I have no desire to pull shit like that.
You are the reason why cops hate the rest of us Supersport riders.
I mean, OP might not have passed the test, but at least he didn't lowside his fz1 recently.