Where to start.

[ALN]

Crash bars been well used on this one lol. Only real positive I can say about the er6n is the display is nice and clear lol

 

[Nicky]

Interesting costings @Alemsee

I was able to get well over the 50kph needed for the avoidance and e-stop. Will see how I get on!

My costs are as follows.

Gear (so far)
Helmet £250
Boots £110
Gloves £70

Lessons
CBT £150
Theory test £23
DAS £899 includes test fees. Total time on the bike is 15 hours approx

I went through a comparison website to get quotes on an new MT07 valued at £7k. I was getting quotes well over £1200 for a year! I'm 38, driving NCD doesn't count of course, so I'm going to say it's down to living in south Manchester and it not being garaged but on private land at the house.

How come you’re being charged separately for the CBT? Surely it’s just completed as part of your lessons?

Mine cost £113.50 (theory test, Mod1 & Mod2 fees), £200 for the 4x 2 hour lessons on an XJ600 (including a 10 minute stint at the start of the first lesson of a CG125 to show I wasn’t going to fall over as soon as the bike moved) and £140 for the bike hire for the tests (£70 for each test which included a brief lesson before each as a refresher of everything) which totals £453.50. The CBT was completed over the course of the lessons and the instructor gave me the feet before I went for the Mod1, but it was at no extra cost.

 

[ALN]

@Nicky for me probably got robbed being a numpty lol. I simply asked the instructor to lay it out for me and that I had zero previous experience on a motorcycle and it was cbt followed but lessons as needed essentially.

 

[ST Colin]

I booked my CBT separately. I didn't have intentions of jumping straight into my DAS at the time. I would have got it for £100 if I booked the whole lot together. Around £800-1000 seems to be the going rate for DAS for most schools over here.

 

[ST Colin]

DVSA have just announced all tests and lessons for drivers and riders are cancelled until 3rd December

 

[ALN]

Balls to that.

 

[ALN]

Been watching RJH Motorbike Training on YouTube. Good for tips for test but also good for the odd laugh like the lad in the video doing the most absurd shoulder checks at 00:36

 

[ST Colin]

That's who I am taking my lessons with. Rob is the owner, really nice guy.

 

[ALN]

That's who I am taking my lessons with. Rob is the owner, really nice guy.

Cool. I really like his videos. He’s the ultimate instructor lol.

 

[Nicky]

DVSA have just announced all tests and lessons for drivers and riders are cancelled until 3rd December

3 of my friends are doing their Mod2 next Wednesday. It was only booked yesterday. I’m working beside Downpatrick MOT centre and seen a few guys doing Mod1 yesterday with all the cones out at the test lane.

 

[ST Colin]

Yea NI is doing motorbike tests, not here. I should be leaving for the test centre round about now

 

[ST Colin]

Rebooked now for mid December with a half day session the day before. Fingers crossed it will go ahead and that the weather will be okay. It's an 0700 start with the test at 0830, so might even still be dark!

 

[ALN]

Did my mod 2 yesterday and I was shocking lol. Surprisingly I didn’t pick up multiple faults but failed on speed. Looking back at it that was the best test prep itself, the actual test, and if I was wiser to it I would have asked the instructor to do a mock test with me. Doesn’t matter now and I’ll get booked again and hope for a cancellation

 

[ST Colin]

Unlucky @Alemsee at least you know what to do for the resit. How long will it take to get a new test?

 

[quattro Rick]

Did my mod 2 yesterday and I was shocking lol. Surprisingly I didn’t pick up multiple faults but failed on speed. Looking back at it that was the best test prep itself, the actual test, and if I was wiser to it I would have asked the instructor to do a mock test with me. Doesn’t matter now and I’ll get booked again and hope for a cancellation

Too slow or too fast? Just curious

Best of luck for next time. Did he tell you when you failed and take you home? Or did you get to complete the test?

 

[ALN]

Too slow or too fast? Just curious

Best of luck for next time. Did he tell you when you failed and take you home? Or did you get to complete the test?

Too fast because I was paranoid about being too slow lol. He let me continue the test and was a good experience altogether.

Unlucky @Alemsee at least you know what to do for the resit. How long will it take to get a new test?

Can’t even get a date atm but I’m hoping to sneak a cancellation

 

[ST Colin]

I've booked my MOD2 now, 7th January, 0830 test time. Going to be a chilling one for sure. I can see it getting cancelled at that time of year. Although the way the covid cases are going, that might all be up in the air again.

 

[ALN]

I've booked my MOD2 now, 7th January, 0830 test time. Going to be a chilling one for sure. I can see it getting cancelled at that time of year. Although the way the covid cases are going, that might all be up in the air again.

Did you get the mod 1 done?

 

[ST Colin]

No, that's booked for mid December. Not very confident it will go ahead all things considered.

 

[ALN]

No, that's booked for mid December. Not very confident it will go ahead all things considered.

Over here you can’t book the mod 2 until the mod 1 is done

 

[Nicky]

Did my mod 2 yesterday and I was shocking lol. Surprisingly I didn’t pick up multiple faults but failed on speed. Looking back at it that was the best test prep itself, the actual test, and if I was wiser to it I would have asked the instructor to do a mock test with me. Doesn’t matter now and I’ll get booked again and hope for a cancellation

Are your lessons not basically mock tests anyway? My instructor took me on the few possible test routes around Downpatrick during each lesson, and that included an independent ride and all too.

I suppose with me telling him I wanted to have the test done within a month of making contact regarding the first lesson, and his approach of “I’m teaching you how to pass a test, not ride a bike like a pro” made sure it was all going to be done at an fairly brisk pace. His teaching methods and direct approach to any issues that flagged up couldn’t be faulted, though a few friends have considered him to be quite harsh as an instructor, but that what I liked about him to be fair.

 

[ALN]

Are your lessons not basically mock tests anyway? My instructor took me on the few possible test routes around Downpatrick during each lesson, and that included an independent ride and all too.

I suppose with me telling him I wanted to have the test done within a month of making contact regarding the first lesson, and his approach of “I’m teaching you how to pass a test, not ride a bike like a pro” made sure it was all going to be done at an fairly brisk pace. His teaching methods and direct approach to any issues that flagged up couldn’t be faulted, though a few friends have considered him to be quite harsh as an instructor, but that what I liked about him to be fair.

Tbh lessons have been a bit of a disappointment. Never been 1 to 1 and always end up out with someone on a very different skill level

 

[Nicky]

Tbh lessons have been a bit of a disappointment. Never been 1 to 1 and always end up out with someone on a very different skill level

Group lessons? **** that. I’d say they’re costing as much as you’d get a private lesson for.

 

[Apis]

Tbh lessons have been a bit of a disappointment. Never been 1 to 1 and always end up out with someone on a very different skill level

When I did my lessons years ago there used to be typically between 4 and 6 of us to one instructor but we always seemed fairly similar in ability. This is near 20 years ago, £30 for a 2hr lesson. We reckoned he was doing all right at 6x £30 for 2hours work.

 

[ALN]

Group lessons? **** that. I’d say they’re costing as much as you’d get a private lesson for.

Yep. I’ll post a full summary of my experience once I get finished as I think it would be useful for anyone else. Defo a few things I would have done differently or a few questions I wish I knew to ask.

When I did my lessons years ago there used to be typically between 4 and 6 of us to one instructor but we always seemed fairly similar in ability. This is near 20 years ago, £30 for a 2hr lesson. We reckoned he was doing all right at 6x £30 for 2hours work.

Think they’re only allowed 2 to an instructor now but still getting £60 and complaining about it lol