The Driving Standards Agency (DSA) has announced changes to the Module 1 motorcycle test which make the test not only simpler to understand but also easier to perform.  On the face of it these changes are quite minor, however, in practice they form significant differences in how the test is performed and monitored.

The changes of note are;

a. The slow speed ride will now be observed by the examiner rather than them walking along side and controlling the speed.

b. An additional manoeuvre of a controlled stop has been added to enable the candidate to get a “feel of the circuit” and will not have a speed requirement.  This means you will get an opportunity to ride the circuit before moving on to the emergency stop.

c. The layout of cones for the emergency stop and avoidance manoeuvres has changed to allow the candidate to pick their own path to the manoeuvre. This is a big improvement as the previous layout caused a significant number of problems.

d. Most importantly there is now a 5% allowance on the speed requirement of 50kph for the avoidance and emergency stop manoeuvres, this effectively means the minimum speed allowed will be 48kph not 50kph. This may not seem much to you but believe me when I say, the number of candidates who fail the test because of only travelling at 48/49kph is very significant.

In conclusion we at Riding in Action believe these are positive steps towards a fairer test.

These changes are due to take effect from the 16th May 2011. For a more in-depth breakdown and detailed look at the changes to the module 1 test, follow the link below to read the DSA’s own description

http://www.dft.gov.uk/dsa/News.asp?id=SXE570-A783A660&cat=593