Having gone through the experience of obtaining my CBT and the theory test I now have the dreaded role of passing my bike test  today! I am so struggling with my U Turns still I manage to get 7 out of 10 right (A few weeks ago thought I would never do one).    Any last minute u turn advice will be appreciated even at this late stage apparantly I ride really well!! cough cough!! ( the bike I mean. Its just going to be my U Turns that will let me down   I am going in as if its a lesson and trying to turn my nerves into confidence.   Its not an easy road  and I thought there were a lack of threads for Learners to get support and advice or just let off their frustrations. I have created this thread in hopes that Learners like myself can share their experiences and maybe get some support from other members. I am lucky I have had loads of support off Catarapter even though we live miles apart.  Thanks so much Cat xx :- its your shoulder I may need after tomorrow but hope not.!!   Lets all put our success's or mishaps ( I am not going to call them failures) on this thread and get loads of support from each other.   I am sure everyone has a weakness or phobia about some sort of manouver or even the theoy or CBT. I would be interested to compair notes.   Right now I am thinking back at the dreadful u turns i did yesterday and living in hopes that a miracle occurs later today. I can do it , I can do it I will do it !!!! eventually. Lin x                                                                                                                                                                                

Best o BM luck Lin You can do it Em                                                                                                                                                                               

Hi Moonstone

I did the DAS route, on my last day through the morning struggled on the U's, on the 125's and the first day on the 500's had been fine.  In the hour before my test the instructor asked me if I wanted to go over anything - I did go out and do one more which was OK.  Thankfully all was well but my problem was nerves so stay confident - if I was doing it again myself I'd consider a bit of slow speed riding in the car park where you can do turns that tight without a kerb.

The advice I recall was to look where you want to go not let your eyes go to the edge of the road, don't let your revs down too low and of course your observations!

All that aside you're up for your test so you are already up to standard, it's just putting it all together.  You'll be fine

For the u-turn pick a point far up the road and focus on it , the bike will go where you are looking .

A piece of advice one instructor gave me for u-turn , is if you think you are not going to make it , just release the clutch , in most cases the bike will pull it off for you .

Hey Lin you CAN do it !     Like njl says, you are up to standard, so you can do it, be positive!   Some good advice there, I will be usinging this forum a lot i think.   Good Luck!!  xx                                                                                                                                                                               

You know you can do a U-turn. I've seen you do several in a row without problems. You've had good advice from some of the best instructors around and from experienced riders on BM. We're all rooting for you so use your two hours before the test productively, relax and show the examiner and the rest of us how it's done. 

Good luck chuck!! remember not to touch your front brake on those u-turns                                                                                                                                                                             

wooohooo MS - go for it girl - try not to think too much about them effin' U turns & you'll be ok -  as everyone says, look to where you want to go..let us know how you get on   ROACHY where are ya??? you said you were gonna put some tips together about passing your test...me & Kaz & this thread could do with em                                                                                                                                                                              

When we get nervous, our breathing becomes erratic . Taking deep/regular breaths naturally calms us down, just try not to steam up your visor. Good luck.                                                                                                                                                                               

Here's what i do when doing u-turns, and although i've passed, i do still do them, just to keep my hand in. First dont worry about wobbling, its natural. When yr getting ready to set off, put it in first, set yr revs at about 3k, (dont worry about it sounding like its revving its n**s off), keep yr foot gently on the back brake, do your lifesaver and then gently let yr clutch out just to the point where the bike starts to move. Let it out a tiny bit as you are still on the straight part of the u. Start your turn keeping everything as it is. Look over to where you intend to ride the bike too and *do not* look at the kerb. You've set everything up for the bike to do its bit, so you dont need to worry about that anymore, just keep thinking about where you are going. Also dont stop immediately that you come out of the u, carry on for 10 ft or so, (you wont get marked down for it) so the bike is upright when you come to the stop. Yr foot will still be on the brake, so press a bit harder and ease off the revs while pulling yr clutch in. Once stopped, switch to the front brake, put bike in neutral and........bobs yr uncle, fanny's yr aunt                                                                                                                                                                              

Yeah, DC's right, a light/constant pressure on the rear brake, also means your right foots busy so as not tempted to be put down if its a right turn. Once light pressure on rear brake, control speed with clutch, even if it means reeving the stink out of it, your clutch's health is not their concern! All the best for today.                                                                                                                                                                               

I did a word document but it's on Geoff's computer! Doh!   Pretty good advice from everyone, esp DC.   My explaination is as follows but am wary of giving advice here for Moonstone on the day of her test that may conflict with the finer points of how she's been taught but I'm confident the basics will be the same.    I was taught to use the rear brake to control the speed once you've got the revs set and the clutching slipping just past the biting point. The bike will be really stable at this point and you want it stable and balanced before you start to turn.   Look at where you want to go. If you feel your foot come off the peg, put it straight back on. If you're using the brake enough to control the speed then you will have sped up when you took your foot off so pick your gaze up and you will already be round by this point.   You can test if you're using enough back brake by riding slowly in a line, pull the clutch in the bike should stop dead and the revs rise. If it slows to a stop - not enough back brake...don't be afraid to use that back brake.   Another tip I was taught is to lean the bike slightly into the turn.   Don't forget your full over the shoulder look behind you before you set off on your u turn.   The examier will be expecting nerves and will be able to see through them and they will follow at quite a distance so you shouldn't feel pressured by this bike (or car if used) sat on your tail. Remember your observations and your lifesavers before you change speed and/or direction.   And lastly (if I'm not too late) Good Luck, we're all rooting for you!                                                                                                                                                                                     

I forgot to add on to the end of my post - GOOD LUCK!                                                                                                                                                                              

WOW I wasnt expecting so many replies so Thanks you all. Some real sound advice here including the breathing excercise to get myself composed. Its really good that O have all your support and I am sure a thread like this will help others too not just litttle old me.   DC someone eolse mentioned to me about using the rear brake slightly I am going to try this one when i am practising.   My test is at 1.35 so role on 2.35 when i know what I have done.   Right now I am feeling pretty calm I have made myself feel goo Had a nice shower, allowed plenty of time and even put on my best undies with the theory that if you feel good on the inside it will radiate to the outside . I have taken a few drops of Bach Rescue Remidy too and thats going in my pocket!   Well I have to go to get even more ready read up on the pillion questions and bike maintainance ones once more. So next time I am sat at this keyboard will be either with tears of joy or frustration. I will let you all know later. Thanks again all love Ya all xxx Lin xxxxxxxxx                                                                                                                                                                                 

Yr back brake is vital for stablility Lin, ask yr instructor if you can practice a few before your test(if yr having a lesson). I'm sure you'll be fine, just dont do what i did on my first test and fail for speeding! (40 in a 30)                                                                                                                                                                              

Oh, another thing I was told..you're taught to always put your leg down with the right on the back brake but if there's a valid reason to set of with your right foot down, that's ok.   Examples of *valid reasons* are: manhole cover or other slippy surface where you've stopped or a tight right turn. If your right foot is down you're already leaning the bike the way you want to turn and the turn will be easier to make. (assess this with other factors such as incline and if you need your foot on the back brake etc - I look forward to the day I've learnt how to hold the bike on the front brake *and* pull away at the same time!).   The examier will see you've assessed the situation and acted accordingly. Check traffic at lights before crossing their path to make sure no-one is jumping the lights. Show the examiner you're alert and on the ball at all times - move your head and not just your eyes.   It's true what Julie said in another post about learning to pass your test and learning to ride. Every experienced rider I've ridden with rides a different line to *test standard* and doesn't leave the bike in gear when stopped for example with left leg down.   Are they bad habits though?....discuss! (but perhaps in another thread!).                                                                                                                                                                              

Some excellent advice there!  Steph, nice one about the back brake etc, gonna try all that, and Rachel, some good sound advice too, this is gonna be really useful for me, and others too. Its great to hear other peoples advice.   I still need help with clutch/throttle and gears, stopping on hills etc, in fact i need lots of help!  lol ...but will plod along, cant see me doin my test this year, so I should have lots of time to practice.   Lin, go out and give it your best shot, you will be fine... we're all rooting for you!                                                                                                                                                                                 

Yep, gotta agree with DC, that back brake is vital.   One thing I have thought about though and hopefully you experienced and knowledgable people can help with is this...   How much of this technique is required because of inexperience and/or the type of bike?   When I did my CBT there was a young lad there on his brand new Yam 125 which was fuel injected. He seemed to have the slow riding and turns totally licked where as I was struggling and revving the nuts off my poor little bike. My instructor (who ok is a friend) kept telling me he was actually not doing very well at all but his bike was easier to ride because the FI was compensating for him. I then watched him do his next stop in four cones thing and sure enough, his hand didn't roll off the throttle at all - if I'd had no throttle on I'd have stalled.   I also notice when following Geoff in traffic that he appears to have the clutch fully released (sure he'll correct me if I'm wrong) and he's not dragging the back brake yet he's creeping along at walking pace and not wobbling all over the place! Me on the other hand am behind him, struggling with not over revving, too much or not enough clutch/back brake and finding that I'm coming to a complete stop and start again much more. Now I know a huge amount of that is experience... 10+ weeks vs 20+ years lol but how much of it is the bike? Geoff has already told me that a bigger bike is easier to control in a straight line at slow speeds due to it's weight and better balance.                                                                                                                                                                              

Good luck Lin 

Doesn't sound like you need it - just remember to relax.

                                                                                                                                                                             

Roachy, the slow riding with clutch fully released and no back brake just comes naturally through experience. I dont think it has much to do with the bike. I find i can do it now and usually without concentrating too hard. When i first passed my test(not that long ago) I found i was very intimidated by the weight of the bike and thought it would fall over at any given moment. I wont lie and say that its an easy thing to overcome, but eventually it gets easier. Hell, everyone on here knows i have a fear of being watched at parking up/slow speeds, but i'm getting braver and now go places i would never have dreamed of before. I still have days when i feel tense and like a beginner again, but they are getting fewer and further between. Once you get past the point where you are automatically going up and down the gears without thinking, things get much easier. At first it seems like you have so much to think about yr heads going to explode but it does get better. I found that getting out with someone experienced riding behind me helped a lot(my dad as it happened). I didnt really have to worry about what was happening behind me and could concentrate on what was going on in front. We went on a variety of rideouts, quiet country lanes, sometimes only a lap of Leeds ring road, but always with me in front. That way i was in charge of the pace and couldnt be bullied by car drivers. Make sure that whoever goes with you understands what their role is though(am sure Geoff does), you dont want them telling you what to do every 5 mins, you need to make yr own mistakes, that way you'll learn more quickly how to deal with them. Stop when you are tired, even if its just for 10 minutes to give yourself to calm down and regroup. Trust me, it will make a world of difference.