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1) New Bike Test:-
The new bike test is being demonstrated to all (yes
anyone can turn up - it'll be a big event).
It's happening 1st July 2007
at the Brittania Stadium (Stoke City FC) Stoke-on-Trent.
Hosted by the DSA with the MRTA and
Sponsored by Devitt Insurance, there'll also be side
shows, stalls and displays with Stunt Riders etc. A
fun day out too!
It's EC law and we have to do it.
The DSA have taken a pounding from lobbying groups (including
MRTA) and we're really pleased to say that, to a large
degree, they've taken our concerns on board.
It's still going to be tough, tougher
than the EC Directive requires. The "gold-plating"
is still there but a lot less than they started with.
Speed timing is now only on the swerve and the emergency
stop exercises; specified turn radii have been dropped
and bikes can now use a lot more space (the figure of
8, for example now uses "all the space you need").
It's no longer so prescriptive.
Overall, we've had a good result from the DSA so we're
stopping the fight and coming "on-board".
By 2008 the Government has to deliver
the new test in 4 parts. It's the CBT, the Theory Test,
the new off-road manoeuvres test and then the on-road
pursuit test.
The DSA have agreed that the off-road
and the pursuit test will be taken one behind the other
so it can really be thought of as a 3 part test still.
The pursuit test won't include all
the current "set elements" (u-turn, e-stop
etc.), they'll be in the off-road part; so the road
ride will be longer.
You can fail on the off-road elements and, of course,
it's a given that; the longer you're out there, the
more errors you can make and the greater the chance
of that "silly" event that loses a test.
We're expecting the pass rate to
suffer significantly.
Test fees will be going up to pay
for the new test centres and longer training courses
are inevitable. All in all, it's going to cost a lot
more and be harder to get a bike licence.
There's only going to be a limited
number of new test centres too, with only 68 planned
nationwide (and the number keeps shrinking).
So no more local test centres, maybe there'll
be one in your county?
Tests will be harder, more people
will fail, it'll cost (lots) more, and the service will
be much worse. No we're not happy but the battle was
lost in Brussels.
2) The new Off-Road Test in detail:-
All the areas / elements will be marked out / boxed,
using different colour cones on a tarmac'd yard measuring
40m x 120m.
a) You'll be asked to take the bike
from the parking area to the test start box. (You can
push it or ride it over). You put the bike on the stand,
(sidestand or centrestand).
b) Take it off the stand, push it
backwards in a circle into another box and put it back
on the stand.
c)Take it off the stand, ride the
bike around a row of cones in a slow speed slalom.
At the end of the slalom, you'll go into a figure of
8 around the last 2 cones. You do the figure of 8 twice.
d) Accelerate away, into a sweeping
180 degree 19m radius turn at 30Kph (19mph).
Accelerate out of the turn to at least 50Kph (31mph),
then swerve around more cones and brake into a controlled
stop box.
e) You'll then do a U-turn within
7.5m width.
f) Then it's the slow ride, alongside
the Examiner, at his walking pace.
g) Accelerate away again, repeat the
180 degree turn and accelerate out of the turn to reach
at least 50Kph again. The Examiner will raise his hand
as the signal for an emergency stop.
The Examiner will then check the
speed readouts and if you were fast enough, that's the
end of the off-road test.
If you were too slow on either of the speed measured
elements you'll be allowed to repeat them once more.
If you are judged "dangerously incompetent",
your test ends there and then.
3) Theory Test changes
Can now be booked on the Internet, there's a link
on our Links page.
Do it now, it gets harder (from 35
to 50 questions and a higher pass mark) and the price
goes up as well, to £28.50.
That's happening on 3rd Sept 2007
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