Advice for those trying to pass R-E Test

[thro]

get yourself a CB250 for the test too!

Bought a ZZR and was practicing on that. Its a mad bike to ride when you have your license. But to do your test.....use an instructors CB.

I couldn do O turns for crap on my bike, went for a quick lesson with the instructor before and used his CB for the test and was like a pro. Bike made a huge difference.

Also had a go on a gpx a while back and that was alright for them too.
[/b]

Erm, am I the only one who has a problem with this?

If own, and are going to be riding a ZZR, learn to ride your ZZR.

What good is it passing your test on a CB and then going out riding a bike you're incapable of controlling properly?

You should really learn to control the bike you'll ride at some point - it may as well be before you get your R-E license...

[Spock]

Erm, am I the only one who has a problem with this?

If own, and are going to be riding a ZZR, learn to ride your ZZR.

What good is it passing your test on a CB and then going out riding a bike you're incapable of controlling properly?

You should really learn to control the bike you'll ride at some point - it may as well be before you get your R-E license...
[/b]

+1
And the same goes for the open class licence. If you have bought a Harley Softtail or Yamaha R1 - why not 'learn' on it.

[tigerleo]

Agreed - would make much more sense to have your lessons on the bike you will be riding after your test if you already own it. However sometimes it is also a matter of convenience to use the Riding School's bike rather than having them come past and collect you (some Schools will charge additional for this time). But riding a CB250 is totoally different from a 250 sports style bike - and not necessarily easier to ride if you are used to the pegs set back on the bike compared to the forward peg location on the CB250 - bloddy horrible bike to ride in my opinion

[Hewie]

I did my exam on a CB250 ... and I owned a ZX2R .... I did my big bike licence on a 1700 Cruiser ... I owned a 04 R1 ...

I understand what your saying about learning to ride the bike you own .... however as long as you understand the principles of safe riding then it shouldnt matter what you ride you should be able to apply them riding that bike.

The lessons you do with a school are really to teach the basic prinicples of safe road riding and ... very very basic cornering and handling techniques ... just enough to get you on the roads.

Most people dont really do enough of them to actually get to know their bike anyway .. How many people TRUELY do more than 5 - 10 lessons ?

I ride for 2 hours everyday and me and the R1 are still teaching each other new tricks. I dont think Ill ever stop learning how to ride.

[joneen13]

^^ whs

[Spock]

Most people dont really do enough of them to actually get to know their bike anyway .. How many people TRUELY do more than 5 - 10 lessons ?
[/b]

Aha, but that's the great thing about having your own bike when learning - you can practise on it in between lessons with an instructor. There's no substitute for concentrated, regular practise to get confident doing U-turns, braking, etc - or even just to get the balance and feel of the bike.

[Hewie]

Aha, but that's the great thing about having your own bike when learning - you can practise on it in between lessons with an instructor. There's no substitute for concentrated, regular practise to get confident doing U-turns, braking, etc - or even just to get the balance and feel of the bike.
[/b]

Yes .. agreed ... I used to ride everyday before I got my lic (shadowed of course) .... but again thats time in the seat. It doesnt matter if that time is done on your bike or a hire CB250 ...

If you truely think that your should do your test on your bike then licences should be limited in the same way mitiary licences are.

You are "coded" for that type of vehicle and that one only.

For instance ... if I want to drive a Falcon .. I have to go do my famil on a Falcon .. including a practical drive and handling test.

If I then want to go drive a Landcrusier .. Id have to do the same for the Cruiser ...

That would mean you are taught how to handle a ZZR250 ... you may not ride anything else ... if you then want to ride a Aprilia 2 stroke .. well you have to do a whole new test as the bike is completely different.

If the basic principles of safe riding dont translate across bikes .. then your licence is worthless.

[semi]

exactly, a license covers all bikes (all 250's anyway), so it shouldnt matter. the main reason people choose to use a CB250 or similar is because theyre so much better for doing the u turns, heaps better than a sports bike

[thro]

If you truely think that your should do your test on your bike then licences should be limited in the same way mitiary licences are.[/b]

I think this is getting off track from the spirit of what I was saying.

My point was, that if you already own a ZZR, then do the test on your ZZR.

Spending time on a CB *simply for the purpose of passing the test* is a waste of time.

Sure, if you don't have a bike, use the instructor bike - but imho, time spent learning to simply pass the test on a bike you'll never ride again is a waste of time that would be better spent learning to ride the bike you own.

[Spock]

I think this is getting off track from the spirit of what I was saying.

My point was, that if you already own a ZZR, then do the test on your ZZR.

Spending time on a CB *simply for the purpose of passing the test* is a waste of time.

Sure, if you don't have a bike, use the instructor bike - but imho, time spent learning to simply pass the test on a bike you'll never ride again is a waste of time that would be better spent learning to ride the bike you own.
[/b]

Exactly right. If you have your own bike - ride it and get confident with it from day 1.

[joneen13]

My point was, that if you already own a ZZR, then do the test on your ZZR.
[/b]

i did have my own bike and as i said, its really hard to do u turns on etc which is why i chose to use the cb250 for my test.

its up to the individual, if you feel confident enough to use your own bike, use it, if not - don't... whatever!

[Spock]

i did have my own bike and as i said, its really hard to do u turns on etc which is why i chose to use the cb250 for my test.

its up to the individual, if you feel confident enough to use your own bike, use it, if not - don't... whatever!
[/b]

Hey, no worries. In the end, if you succeeded in getting your licence - that's all that counts. Ride Safe & Merry Xmas!

[Uncle Ho]

In a lot of cases in comes down to practicality.... doing my R-E's I already owned a GV250 but did my lessons and test on a CB250, although I also road the GV250 with a shadow. Felt comfortable with both bikes. It just was not practical getting the GV250 to/from lessons. Now have a Harley and getting comfortable with that bike, but will have a few lessons on a 650 and do test on that bike.

[Hewie]

I spose what Im trying to say is .. that I would hope that once you have got your licence your are a conpetent rider regardless of the bike you are on.

Your licence represents the fact that you should know how to handle a bike .. not your bike .. but any bike of that class. Same with car licences. Sure you may feel more confident on yours .. you may know it a little better than a borrowed bike ..but your rudimentiary skills should be the same.

When I got my R class I was meant to do it on a 02 R1 ... that was the loaner the shop had for me .. unfortunately when we got there to pick it up the bike had been given out by the workshop. So it was either the 1700 or no licence for me ...

At the end of the day I do understand the fact that when your getting your licence your nervous and that being familiar with the bike your going to use can sometimes help .. however I dont think people should worry too much about it .. worry about knowing how bikes react .. understand braking and cornering .. road positioning .. dont worry about which bike you going to use on the day .. cause at the end of the day .. that shouldnt really matter.

[thro]

Your licence represents the fact that you should know how to handle a bike .. not your bike .. but any bike of that class. Same with car licences. Sure you may feel more confident on yours .. you may know it a little better than a borrowed bike ..but your rudimentiary skills should be the same.
[/b]

This I agree with. What I don't agree with though is picking another bike to do your test on because it's "easier to do o-turns" or such

If you can't do o-turns on the bike you own, passing your test on a bike that does them easily isn't going to help you, in my opinion. It might help you pass the test, but if you can't do them on *your* bike (or as you say, any bike in that class), you shouldn't be licensed

[Hewie]

This I agree with. What I don't agree with though is picking another bike to do your test on because it's "easier to do o-turns" or such

If you can't do o-turns on the bike you own, passing your test on a bike that does them easily isn't going to help you, in my opinion. It might help you pass the test, but if you can't do them on *your* bike (or as you say, any bike in that class), you shouldn't be licensed
[/b]

I didnt mean you should pick a bike thats easier to do U turns on ... I mean that you should be able to do them on any bike. Not just yours ...

I didnt use mine because my instructor was in Mandurah and I live in Canningvale .. it was a 45 minute ride down to him .. so I wanst going to pay for him to ride for 90 minutes for the priviledge of using my own bike.

[thro]

I didnt mean you should pick a bike thats easier to do U turns on ... I mean that you should be able to do them on any bike. Not just yours ...
[/b]

Ah sorry if you thought that - my whole point was actually in reference to some people who said "take a CB250 on your test, its easy to do o-turns on" or words to that effect a bit earlier in the thread

[Jonchilds]

I did my test on a CB600 Hornet. I've got a Z500 at the moment, and they're both on par with each other, however I was more comfortable on my bike as far as E-braking and O-turns goes.

Reason I did it on the schools bike - mine would've been laughed off by the instructors, and if you show up on a schools bike, it atleast shows that you've gone to the trouble of taking lessons for the test.

[Debabz]

Thanks heaps for that, will come in handy. I've never been on a bike until the other day jumped on my mates DRZ400, trial bike and took it round the paddocks, just getting used to gear changes was the first hurdle.. got that now.

[k0tter2]

Road Positioning; on well populated roads its best to stick to left tyre track, on suburban/less populated roads stick to the right.[/b]

Can someone clarify that this is correct as I'm being taught the opposite.