Is the motorbike test too hard?

Question

The motorbike test is currently being revised (again) and we will see riders having to pick up a couple of new skills in order to earn their licence. If you raise the issue of the test with a trainer, many of them tend to feel that the test is being made so hard that it is close to - if not already - deterring riders. Yes, (car) driving standards are not what they should be - particularly with respect to motorbike awareness - and good training saves rider's lives, but even with that in mind, is the test too hard?

The UK motorbike test that is. Of course the American test is easy, have you seen the way that cops drive in the US!

;-)

Thin kaboutit, that's some leap in logic you make there and I have_no_idea how you got there! I'm specifically referring to the UK motorbike test, a test in which a key element is riding a U turn in a confined space; a guaranteed fail for many a rider. And just how essential is that in day to day riding; at the very least you'd pick a wider road!

It's not that the test is too hard, it's that it includes some elements that we could do away with (the u turn) and misses some that are essential for road riding; weather conditions, different road surfaces and so on. In fact precisely what Paul S recommends, a bit more science.

Answer 1

It has long been an accepted fact that the U.K. and European Governments want to get motorcycles off the road. They are a symbol of freedom that the bureaucrats just can't handle

They have tried stupid legislation (airbags), punishing traffic offenders on bikes harder than those in cars, and scare tactics (the ol' B.S. that you're 1,000 times more likely to be injured on a bike, than in car - or whatever).

Now, of course, they are trying to achieve their aims by the back door - make the motorcycle test so hard, that people can't pass it and hey presto! No more motorcycles on the roads...

Answer 2

the test as is is too easy. way too easy. it should be that u take the test on ur own bike...whether it's a 650 shadow, or an ultra classic. what bike u bring on the street is the 1 u should use on the test....because that is the bike that's gonna kill u if a cage does a left turn manuver, and u have no idea how to properly work the brakes, or do a swerve with it.
i see many cruiser wanna-be 'riders' that obviously dont know what they're doing when it comes to parking lots with all the feet dragging.
bikes are nothing like cars. there's idiots in cars that shouldnt be on the road, yet they can cause they managed to pass the test. there's no such thing as a fender bender on a bike. u dont just get to walk away from quite a few wrecks on a bike.....especially not how the squids are dressed.

Answer 3

I took my bike test last year and found it easy though that could have been because I had been driving for 12 years. As you have said the hardest thing for you is learning the gears, listen to what your instructor tells you and you will be fine. I took the DAS course and the test at the end and passed without any problems first time as I say to everyone you are just showing the examiner that you know how to handle a bike safely. Good Luck.

Answer 4

I think now that the test is VERY easy, It sucks because depending on what bike you take it on it may be harder. I have a lot of friends that can't pass it and that because they really should not be on the road at their skill level and there are those that go take the test and pass and say "wow" was that it. I'm all for making it harder because I already passed but the more people that fail the more Riders will be on the road w/o insurance and Licenses, Kind of a catch 22.

Answer 5

I took my test on the south coast just over a year ago, with an excellent local training company.

I took a direct access course learning on a Suzuki 550, and can't fault the company's trainers for the patience and guidance during the instruction.

Net result - passed first time with no minors.

The u turn was only difficult at first, but with practice became second nature.

If only the same amount of effort was required for the car test.

Answer 6

I think both the car and motorcycle license tests may be too easy. I say that judging from the new drivers and riders out there.

You can't test for common sense, but you can test on skills and awareness of the rules and laws. A good training course will teach everything. There are courses that you can take as a novice rider that will allow you to wave the skills test.

Answer 7

I would love to take my test, but the missus wont allow me a bike lol.

but i think a full bike licence should be as hard as possible, you see all these little chavs riding about on scooter like maniacs, i dont think i would trust them on a proper bike tho.

saying that, anyone with good hand eye co-ordination and a fair amount of intelligence should pass whether it be hard or not.

helps to have a full driving licence anyway as you should have the relevant experience of the road to help with a bike test.

I think the main focus of a test should be "responsibility" its ok being able to control the bike etc... but they need to know how to be responsible on it, also learning how a bike or even a car reacts to various surfaces. some science should be included in the test as to weather conditions etc...

Answer 8

They should look at improving the car driving standards, before they start making it nigh impossible for someone like me to pass a bike test.

Answer 9

It's easy. I passed it when I was 19 on a CBR900RR with about 3 weeks riding experience on my permit LOL

Most of the people I know who couldn't pass it ended up taking an MSF course where they give you your license at the end of it.

Answer 10

The motorcycle test is, in a way, "anti-Darwinian": perhaps it should be done away with altogether and we should just let the idiots who think ANY test is too hard crash into stuff and hurt or kill themselves, then the truly dumb ones would no longer contribute to the gene pool.

Perhaps we could apply your logic to food safety, too! If someone eats spoiled food, they deserve to get sick, don't they? So why make the food safety laws so stringent?