Restricted test - experiences and advice

[auvicua]

Can you book the 6R test during the weekend? Or only weekdays will do? And which station should I go since I live in Browns Bay, Auckland! Very useful thread for newbies, BTW.

[Spazman727]

Can you book the 6R test during the weekend? Or only weekdays will do? And which station should I go since I live in Browns Bay, Auckland! Very useful thread for newbies, BTW.

I think you can only do it during weekdays. You can book online here https://transact.nzta.govt.nz/transa...ing/entry.aspx which I find easier so you can see the times and can think about when you want to do it without holding people up.

It also has a list of places you can take the test so maybe you could find somewhere that does it at the weekend if you don't mind a bit of a ride to get there. I needed to do my full car licence sooner than there was a time available in Auckland so I went to Whangamata to do it.

[Old Steve]

Passed my 6R test today in Mt Maunganui. Went from VTNZ up Hewletts Rd, left at the lights into Aerodrome Rd, left into Newton Rd and pulled up opposite the grass next to Brewers Bar and did a pull out into traffic in a 50 km/hr zone. Went through some back streets and back onto Maunganui Rd and then left into Tawa St near the Importer. Did a u-turn in Tawa St, then down oto Totora St, pulled up and did a pull out into 70 km/hr traffic, then back to VTNZ. About 15 to 20 minutes.

Some hints:

Turn up early. Check your bike, do the indicators front and back work, brake lights - both hand and foot brake, horn, current rego and WOF? You have to have your license (don't laugh, I almost left my wallet behind).

Make obvious head movements when checking mirrors and other traffic. Look over your shoulder when pulling out into traffic or changing lanes. Indicate going into and OUT OF roundabouts. Cancel your indicators after you've completed your turn!!!!!!!!! Leaving a roundabout you don't have to indicate for a full 3 seconds.

Listen to the examiner's explanation, he'll tell you what you can and can't do. Don't go over the speed limit, obey the road rules.

[varminter]

Congratulations, your turn to get them in. Mine's a pint of drambue.

[Tink]

Just sat my restricted test, passed WooHoo. Before I went along for it I skimmed through KB to find any experiences only found 1 (Thanks Simpy1 http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...tricted+passed ) So I thought it might be a good idea to have a thread for people to throw in their experiences for people about to sit the test.
So here goes

Browns Bay NSC Friday afternoon nice sunny weather

Tester checks documentation, Licence etc then out to bike, asks to see front and rear indicators, brake light and horn. Then issued with a radio receiver it has an over the ear speaker. This hurts as I put the helmet on and not comfortable when I put it on a second time. A sound check confirms I can hear fine but this is at 0 speed.

When we pull away, me in front and tester following in car the wind noise starts to make hearing a bit difficult so really need to concentrate. When I sit my full I'm going to investigate whether I can wear an in ear piece.

Test itself is really straight forward whizzing around a few junctions traffic light and give way type. Lost him at one traffic light but just pulled over and waited till they cycled green again then continued. Final part was motorway, up to speed zippered into to reasonably heavy traffic so didn't make it above 80. Checking in mirror sees tester on the off ramp. Push helmet to head to hear him shouting "meet you back at the test station" Wind noise had caused me to miss instruction. As it turned out he'd seen enough to pass me so all was good.

Conclusion: Test was nothing to worry about just a scoot round town. If you have a noisy helmet see if you can use in ear pieces or get the volume up a bit more than you think. I do wear ear plugs but didn't use my left ear one I think this would have helped hear the instructions. Take any tools with you that you may need to remove your L-plate when you pass. I didn't and felt heartily pissed off riding with the plate when I didn't need it haha

hope this helps and good luck

Great thread... funny & informative... passed my restricted in April and looking at my full in October... cannot wait... 250 WHAT IS THAT... I had to get the local mender to take to my L plate with her scissors, as I was picking up my bike pants, long story... but all good.

I have been riding at 100km for a while pre restricted ... and got her a bit quicker recently.. thought this is great, when I found out she was running rich, bugger.. back to gurgling down the road .. dang! rock on october.

[st00ji]

Can you book the 6R test during the weekend? Or only weekdays will do? And which station should I go since I live in Browns Bay, Auckland! Very useful thread for newbies, BTW.

i believe they have a limited number of tests available on weekends, and for obvious reasons these are fairly popular - so book well before your 6 months is up, or you'll be waiting without cause.

i did mine on a weekday morning, they start fairly early - 630 or 7 IIRC. roads were reasonably quiet and i still had time to get to work before 8.

[Will the ninja]

I passed today and my only advice is that, even though they say pretend they aren't there and drive 'normal', if they are following in a big ass 4x4, ride at a VERY slow speed - like 30-40k's. I lost my instructor 3 times and spent 10 of the 20 mins trying to find him at one intersection (all up I did about 10 U-turns today and that may have contributed to the pass, but I was also apologetic and sincere as well).

You can't talk back and at times you won't hear what they're saying. It's really frustrating when it happens. And even though I was driving normal, as in accelerating slowly, just keep in mind how much faster bikes accelerate even going easy. My instructor was telling me it's not a race blah blah blah. But in all honesty I was riding at a dangerously slow pace if that makes sense. But it was only for 20mins and I'm so glad it's over.

[Tryhard]

3rd Sept 2010
All good.
Met the guy. Tried on the ear piece for a sound test.
I turned it up one from the norm to counter the motor/ road noise.
The reciever hung around my neck on a cord much like what people use for swipe cards etc.
The test guy wanted me to put it in a pockect but I didnt have one inside my jackect.

We went outside so he could check over my bike indicators, horn and lights etc.
What suprised me was he couldnt work out my WOF! I explained the changes inregards to the now COF and the big number on it for the month but he pretty much blew it off.

He followed me in a car while talking on his radio. It was nice and clear not what I expected.

Got pretty lost went around Papatoetoe.
Did the normal I guess: give way signs, stop signs, round about, stopping at the kurb.
One thing he did do was send me down a side street while he remained on the main road in full view. Then he told me to pull up to the kurb and stop. He then instructed me to do a U turn.
Then a few more busy streets along beside some shops and bussinesses then back to the AA.
I should mention no open road?

Pretty stressless I guess.
Back at the depot I asked him if there was anything I should work on. He said not really.
Gave me mt Temp DL and sent me on my way.

[shagger]

A very awesome thread for all going for their 6R (Restricted) test.

Kinda nervous going for mine...

[PrincessBandit]

R is a piece of weasel's.....

I did mine with no ear jobbie (wasn't even offered, and when I did my full all the ones at Manukau AA were broken so didn't get to use one then either).

As long as you've been riding sensibly, using indicators, doing mirror checks etc., watching following distances blah blah blah you should find the R, like I said, as piece of weasel's p*ss.

[Danny-Boy]

Got mine last week. Easy as! Radio was no problem, loud and clear, although i had to put my helmet on a couple of times so it didnt crush my ear. I honestly think its too easy. If you've done about 1000km you should breeze through.

[shagger]

@ Danny-Boy ... well done mate, will you do the riding course and get your full in 3 mths vs 6?

I'm going for my (R) at the end of October.

[Genie]

Hi ya all, I sat mine last month and was an absolute nervous wreck right up until the moment I sat it. Pissed down with rain, the wind was gusty, so I was so busy riding I forgot about the man in my ear.

Had a super tester that just put me at ease and it was just a matter of riding, not a problem. The ear piece thing was no problem, the ride was just that, a ride and the motorway (lol - this is Nelson) was well a big no brainer. He had mentioned to me to that I was legally allowed to travel at a 100k but that due to the weather I should drive to the conditions.

When we got back to base I coudl think of two things I'd done wrong while out there....think I was too hard on myself as he saw no fault....i now have lovely yellow licence with awful pic....best I hurry up for full so I can get a new pic!

My advice to anyone going for it....relax and ride, you've been doing it already.

[gazmascelle]

on my 6R test i had an asian tester, damn he was hard to understand. 6F test i had a kiwi tester so that made it a bit easier, although my speedo was buggered so was guessing off the RPM lol.

The testers were both very understanding about the hearing thing, and both tests spent no more than 5 minutes in 100k areas.

Did the course to cut time on 6R, was a bit of a time warp (was a group of 16 yr olds except another biker, a police in training, and some maori bloke that was made to do it after a driving conviction). Cant fail, they pretty much give you the answers. Very boring. Oh, and they give you a CD to take home and complete - ask for the alternative to the cd, it looked a lot easier

[shagger]

all great info indeed.

Thanks to all to share their exp.