With all the recent changes in the law to get a motorcycle license, I found myself revisiting my own test misery in a recent daydream. Back in the 1980s you did a slalom around some cones to get your certificate (Or Part One as the law called it). Then you were able to apply to do the main test (Part Two), as long as you completed it within two years, or you’d lose the entitlement to potter around on your 125cc bike.
In those days, you didn’t need a CBT to get on a 50cc bike at the age of 16. And at 17, you just sent off your application and could stick on your L plates for a couple of years before even venturing near a test centre for your Part One, but you only had a couple of years to get started.
I managed to waste the thick end of a year messing around with 125s and thinking I’d do it soon. Then I realised I’d better pull my finger out and sign up for a Star Rider course. The only problem was that I didn’t actually have a functioning 125 to use come the test day. However, I did have a Yamaha YSR50 Gag Bike!
Not only was the Gag Bike tiny, but to make things worse, the local test centre was more than 40 miles away in Chelmsford. That meant scary trip up the A12 in Scania-sized ruts, but meant that the actual test wasn’t as scary as dicing with the wheels of 40-tonne trucks. The day started badly with the normal ride, but then it got worse when the examiners gathered around the YSR to declare it wasn’t suitable for the slow speed manoeuvres.
After some argument on my part, one of the testers decided to give it a go around the cones. Not only was it fine, but all the other examiners wanted a go too, which eased any tension.
Later that day I was able to whizz down the A12 with a Part One Certificate in my pocket. Despite horror stories of delays for the Part Two slot, I ended up with just 6 weeks to prepare. And thanks to a nicasil nightmare with my NS125F, I still didn’t have the right bike for the job. Trying to complete the test on a YSR50 complete with Bassini race pipe had fail written all over it.
So on the day, I arrived on a Honda H100 borrowed from my local bike shop. And to complete the Captain Sensible look, I’d also bored a wax oil Belstaff from my brother, complete with Norton badges. Combined with three-quarter-length gauntlet gloves and the swift removal of my earrings, and I was a model of sensible motorcycle riding. Having even turned up early at the Barking test centre, I’d been waiting in the office until my name was called.
At which point I almost failed before the test really began. Walking out with the examiner, he pointed out I’d actually managed to park up in a bus stop. By rights, it probably should have ended there, but the Belstaff and gauntlet combo obviously appealed to his charitable nature.聽 So after some laps of various Barking rat runs and the comical emergency stop on tiny drum brakes, my test was done!
I couldn’t return the H100 quickly enough. I’d already found my first big bike, was rushed to sort the insurance out and put the sleeper back in my ear. In 24 hours I was out on my Yamaha RD350F2 YPVS and I’ve never parked in a bus stop since!
Aaaah, good memories. I did my part one in the car park of the Catford dog stadium on my trusty Yam T80 Townmate (auto clutch made the cone work a doddle!) step-thru. Passed it and send off for my part 2 which was booked in a few months later at Sevenoaks in Kent.
Sadly the Townmate didn’t last long being ridden at full throttle through South London and North Kent and ended in plumes of smoke and a locked rear wheel… but it did lead to a brand new all red NS125R with some crazy repayment terms over a million years, so wasn’t all bad!
My part 2 consisted of removing the Micron pipe on the NS, putting the standard back on and then doing the same – putting on my sensible waterproof Belstaff – having one last quick Rothmans (anyone still smoke them?!) and heading off with the examiner (on foot) for a left-hand circuit, a right hand circuit and a figure of eight combining the 2 with the examiner standing at certain point. This basically meant 3/4 of each circuit was unsighted, so back to full throttle until just before you came back round to sight.
Ened up locking the back wheel in my emergency stop, and not answering a couple of the Highway code questions, so thought I’d blown it, but to my surprise he said I’d passed. I ceremonisly ripped up my L-Plates as he walked off shaking his head and headed off feeling like Barry Sheen…
The elation didn’t last long as I hit a car turning right into a petrol station that afternoon and ended up in hospital! Luckily was only stitches in my knee and a healthy road rash, the NS was pretty bent, but with another 2 years of payments to go was a fairly lengthy repair!!
mmmmmm I passed my test on that bantam 175 borrowed from uncle bung !!! remember the wise words from the old man , wear a crash helmet it gives a good impression with the examiner boy !!!!!!!! he was right twice around the block and one figure of eight followed by a emergency stop a couple of highway code question = license to ride my 650 triton back in the shed I ripped off the stick on L plates forgetting that uncle bung was a learner too
I passed my bike test in 1974 on a brand new DT175 Yam.My test must have lasted all of 5 minutes as it was pi**ing down & the examiner dearly wanted to get back indoors! So even after buggering up my figure of 8 & doing an emergency stop from about 5 mph (I had just turned into the road & the examiner jumped out!) I passed 馃檪 My friend Steve Hayes claimed he was popping wheelies for half his test on his brothers GT250 Suzuki.All very different now……………….