Taking your test - the old days

How us old boys learned too ride and passed our tests

Had a year on the mopeds at 16 thru 1974/1975. We rode these little bikes like nut cases like they do today. Fell off a lot and saw a lot of mates fall off. The old hospital in swindon had a ward full of broken limb bikers - Doing this crazy apprenticeship taught you that falling off hurt mainly because you did it at slow speed.

I even took my test on the FS1E. Back then the tester stood beside the road and watched you pass.

I failed for not looking behind when I pulled away..... I still have the original test appointment card.

Well that taught me a lesson to take it serious.

Bought my RD250A new in late 1975 (old stock model - £450) and hit the roads on my 17th birthday.........

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l1...hpXQnh1UAM.jpg

Took my test in April. Pretty sure that I took the mirrors off for the test too make sure that I looked behind. A pretty common thing too do then when you took your test.

The chap stood on the side of the road with a clip board as I rode past. The test centre was next door to the Chippenham fire station and as I came around on the first lap a mate from the station had come out and the tester and him were chattin.

Ten laps later and as I came past I heard a voice hurriedly say "I better go now and he shouted to me too please stop"

The rest of the test was one lap the other way and an emergency stop.

There was a quick flip thru the traffic signs book and I was passed...

took my test a little later superdel 1980/81 but was the same then moped at sixteen, up to 250 on L plates at seventeen,did my test in trowbridge back of the police station i think the old boys name was wesley the bike had no indicators or mirrors so was hand signals and looking back just rode around the block a few times and he stood out in the road with his clip board up for the emergency stop,in fact it wasnt alot different to doing my cycling proficiency at school a few years before.passed 1st time :)

I was the same in 1979. I took mine on a little Honda C50, progressed to Suzuki A100, Honda CD200 then Honda 400/4.
I only went round circuit in Surrey twice, the 2nd time round he jumped out in front of me. PASSED.

I took mine in 1984 on an MZ125 then went home and got the Suzuki GS550 out of the garage. I had bikes before (AP50, SS50 & a CB125).
Then bought a Rickman GS850 followed by a DR750.
Didn't get back into biking until about 4/5 years a go.
Love it now as much as I did then.
The day I passed I stalled the MZ when the examiner jumped out in front of me and only passed because I got off it and wheeled it to the kerb.

I had to tame the awsome power of a CG125 when taking my test. What I recall most vividly is keeping two GPO Telephone Engineers (now BT for those fortunate enough to be young and never heard of the GPO) highly amused by riding past them over and over again, giving a variety of hand signals (those detailed in the Highway Code I hasten to add!).

its interesting how time has varied the skills necessary to pass a bike test i took mine in cyprus in 88 rode up the street, did a right turn, rode at the examiner, did an emergency stop and that was it, paid £5 for the privilege of transferring the licence into UK one

Back in the 70's it was quite common too advance book your bike test for the morning of your 17th birthday.

You borrowed a bike and did your test then in the afternoon you could take to the road on a 900 Kawasaki bought on H.P.

I knew a few that did it! (one was killed on a GS750 a few months later)

Wot stopped most people doing it was the cost of insurance.

I paid £67 to insure my 250 Yam at 17 and that was a lot back then.
I had the chance to buy a 650 bonneville just after passing my test. The insurance quote was over £250.... :o

I look at insurance today and it is dirt cheap in comparison!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by HC8

its interesting how time has varied the skills necessary to pass a bike test i took mine in cyprus in 88 rode up the street, did a right turn, rode at the examiner, did an emergency stop and that was it, paid £5 for the privilege of transferring the licence into UK one

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Explains alot!!! ;D

Andrew - red rags & bulls and all that! HC will chop yours (bulls) off!!

As Oscar Wilde once said "I can resist ANYTHING! EXCEPT temptation!!" ;)