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Top Tips For Getting Your Full Motorcycle License
James F · March 15, 2019
There are a hundred and one (thousand) guides giving advice as to how to pass your full motorcycle test available online, and - being truthful - the majority of them do offer some solid advice and contain some fantastic tips. But it can often be hard to filter out the genuinely good stuff from that purely written for the purpose of grabbing the interest of Google rather than the new rider…
So to help you on your way to your full bike license, here is RideTo’s real selection of hints and tips for passing your motorcycle license first time.
Get Your Theory Test Done Early
People often put their theory test off until the last moment - perhaps through the fear of doing something that feels a little bit too much like homework - but we highly recommend making the taking of your Motorcycle Theory Test something of a priority.
Whilst an intimate knowledge of stopping distances might not seem like something that you’re going to make regular use of within your day-to-day riding, there is plenty of value held within the Highway Code and studying it before you take up and onto two wheels can surely only benefit your riding.
We suggest that you pay close attention to the road signs section - you’ll be surprised how often people get the seemingly obvious shapes and icons confused, and that could cost you your chance at getting your license!
Make Sure That You Find the Best Rider Training Available
This sounds obvious, and we know that you’d expect a company like RideTo to say this, but the difference that finding a quality training centre can make isn’t just a question of your future, safe riding adventures, but also one of money saving.
It’s simple really… A quality school will have the skills and tools at their disposal to not only help keep you safe on the road, but also - because of their expertise - they’ll have the knowledge and ability to do it in a more effective manner. So you pass more quickly, more safely and potentially with more money in your bank than you would have otherwise!
Passing Your Module 1 is all About Confidence
The first section of the UK motorcycle test is often referred to as the ‘manoeuvres’ - and simply put it involves you riding around cones and lines in an ‘off the road’ (not off-road, you won’t be going scrambling!) environment.
You will have been taught the exact manoeuvres time and time again during your motorcycle training lessons, and in fact you will have performed similar moves during the time without you even being fully aware of them. The Module 1 ‘manoeuvres’ are designed to replicate real-world scenarios and are there to show the instructor that your motorcycle handling is strong enough to be trusted with the open road.
Whilst this might sound daunting at first, the key to success with your Module 1 - as with all riding really - is to attack them with confidence. There is a difference between being cocky and confident of course, but more often than not, the reason that a rider fails something like the hazard avoidance test during their Module 1 is more to do with not having the confidence to gain enough speed to perform the manoeuvre in the first place!
Getting Your Module 2 is as Easy as Riding a Bike
Most people take their Module 2 on a separate day to that of their Module 1. There are a few reasons for this, and the main one is - of course - that if you are unlucky enough to fail Module 1 then you won’t be able to take Module 2; so allowing a day or so between the two Modules gives you opportunity to retake it rather than losing out on your booking fees.
As we’ve mentioned above, the manoeuvres are their to prove that as a rider you are capable and skillful enough to master a motorcycle on the road, so you should enter your Module 2 test session with the confidence that you have those skills in abundance. So if Module 1 is about bike craft, then Module 2 is about your mastery of the roads.
You will be used to road riding through your previous lessons, and if you’ve chosen a strong, recognised motorcycle license training school then the format of the ride will be very familiar to you. All you need to do is to concentrate for approximately 40 minutes or so, prove to the examiner that you can ride confidently upon the road and that you can do so independently.
Our one, main tip for both Module 1 and Module 2 is to tackle both days as head on as possible, and (as much as you can) to have fun. You’ll be surprised just how much easier a ride can be if you’re confident in your own abilities and how much better your riding can be if you are completely at ease with both yourself, your bike and your environment.