Bike test online - my thoughts

[cowboyz]

http://www.drivinginstructor.co.nz/tests_scores.php

Saw this in another thread and being as I am bored I thought I would do the test.

Got 71/76 but take issue with the 5 I got wrong.

Question 46:
When riding in groups, it is best to place beginner riders:
in the centre of the group
at the rear of the group to be the tailender
in the front of the group behind the leader

The correct answer is in the front of the group behind the leader

I have been riding in groups for a few years now and the comments I get from newbie riders is that they feel too much pressure. The question is flawed anyway cause I would have said in the rear of the group ahead of TEC. In the centre of the group is a good place to be if the group is well behaved. Newbies can learn a fair bit by watching other riders aroundt hem. At the front of the group will just frustrate the "fast" riders.

Question 50:
If another driver follows too closely, what should you do?
Speed up to get away
Slow down and increase the distance between you and the vehicle ahead
Flash the brake light on your motorcycle

The correct answer is Slow down and increase the distance between you and the vehicle ahead

I said flash the brake. Slowing down will increase the frustration of the tailgater (they are tailgating because they think you are already going too slow arent they?)

Question 54:
Which brakes should be used on a slippery surface?
The front one applied firmly
The rear one applied gently
Both brakes carefully

The correct answer is Both brakes carefully

This is a shocker. I regularly drag the rear brake on dodgey roads. It is WAY easier to catch the rear than the front. Of course it can be argued how slippery is slippery but doing anything with the front brake on a surface that is likely to cause lockup (a slippery surface) is not a good idea.

Question 57:
On a high crowned road, you should reduce speed most for:
a curve to the left
a curve to the right
the bottom of a hill

The correct answer is a curve to the right

I had no idea what this question was getting at so I guessed. Still have no idea.

Question 60:
If you must slow in a curve, how should you do this?
Apply the rear brake of your motorcycle only
Let the engine of your motorcycle brake for you
Use both brakes on your motorcycle but only gently

The correct answer is Use both brakes on your motorcycle but only gently

Shocker number 2. First and formost one should avoid braking while cornering. Have these guys never heard of engine braking? If I do go a bit hot into a corner it will be a throttle down, assess, throttle on and drag rear brake. Of course if it is way too hot it will be a standup, emergency brake, off the brakes and try to make something out of whats left of the corner.

Happpy to hear thoughts on why my theroies are wrong/right or otherwise.

[Motu]

All their answers are correct - you got them wrong.

[Horse]

Question 57:
On a high crowned road, you should reduce speed most for:
a curve to the left
a curve to the right
the bottom of a hill

The correct answer is a curve to the right

I had no idea what this question was getting at so I guessed. Still have no idea.

On a high crowned road, a LH curve means the bike is leaning left, but as you're on the LH side of the road you're on the inside of the corner and the camber of the road reduces the effective angle between your tyres and the road.

On a RH curve you're leaning right, but going round the outside of the corner so the camber of the road increases the effective angle between your tyre and the road.

In other words, a RH corner on a high-crowned road reduces your cornering margin vs a flat road or a LH curve on a high-crowned road.

A good example of this locally is the RH corner at the bottom of the first hill on the Pahiatua track, if you're heading East (from Palmy to Pahiatua), the corner at or immediately past the turnoff to Ballance. Because of the triangle intersection the last part of that corner is effectively cambered the wrong way.

BTW I have no doubt that you know this, but as you hadn't recently read the M/C road code you didn't quite gen what the question was getting at. In the road code they belabour the point so it's no surprise when it comes up in the theory test.

[Mountlocal1]

Some of those are tricky... The high crowned road question answer is the right hand turn because right turn would be off camber.

I think thats right...

Edit..

Damn it! I type so slow that someone bet me to that answer.. And theirs is better too!

[cowboyz]

All their answers are correct - you got them wrong.

so you promote braking mid corner? Is this good practice?

[cowboyz]

On a high crowned road, a LH curve means the bike is leaning left, but as you're on the LH side of the road you're on the inside of the corner and the camber of the road reduces the effective angle between your tyres and the road.

On a RH curve you're leaning right, but going round the outside of the corner so the camber of the road increases the effective angle between your tyre and the road.

In other words, a RH corner on a high-crowned road reduces your cornering margin vs a flat road or a LH curve on a high-crowned road.

A good example of this locally is the RH corner at the bottom of the first hill on the Pahiatua track, if you're heading East (from Palmy to Pahiatua), the corner at or immediately past the turnoff to Ballance. Because of the triangle intersection the last part of that corner is effectively cambered the wrong way.

BTW I have no doubt that you know this, but as you hadn't recently read the M/C road code you didn't quite gen what the question was getting at. In the road code they belabour the point so it's no surprise when it comes up in the theory test.

Oh, I see. I think. It is probably the type of thing I would need to go look at. Probably a no brainer type thing people do automatically anyhow.

[madbikeboy]

Okay, I'm going to get flack for this, but, it is possible to brake mid-corner, it just takes practice.

Now, assuming the bike is nicely balanced, and not on the ragged edge of control, you can balance the bike (front turning grip versus braking grip) between cornering speed and braking speed with the front brake. Try it first on a mountain bike on sand or gravel, you'll get an idea of the concept without expensive repairs (bones mend for free).

The end result is that it can be a way of altering a line mid corner, or it can allow you to scrub enough speed to then get the bike further over (decreasing radius corner which has some hazard on it for example).

You have to be incredibly smooth and balanced - this is not a beginners exercise.

[cowboyz]

the test is designed for learners (you have to get it before riding on the road)

So the test promotes braking mid corner if you *think* you are going too fast.

So a learner is going along. Lets say they hit a 85k corner at 90 and *think* they are going too fast. There licence test tells them to use both brakes to slow the bike down - but only gently. How gently is gently? Lets have all that running through a learner riders head when in the real world they would have been just fine with committing to the corner and trusting the bike.

[Monie]

i have braked in a courner not the best thing to do now i just lean more.. and you must be bored why are you home

[cowboyz]

couldnt be fucked riding to work in the rain this morning. And its friday!

[yod]

get back on your bloody mower....err...kwaka....


same thing

[cowboyz]

fuck its wet.

I spent 2 hours yesterday sitting on the workshop bench smoking. Kinda gave me the feeling it wasnt worth being at work. A plan was hatched and sealed by heavy rain this morning. Anyone who wants to play golf in this weather has more issues than the fairways being slightly long.

[dipshit]

So the test promotes braking mid corner if you *think* you are going too fast.

Why not? It's a good skill to have. Sometimes its unavoidable like on a good twisty road - you are hardly ever upright anyhow if one corner blends in to the next. In fact I love roads like that! Braking smoothly (not in panic mode) while cranking over and heading for the apex is fun!

However for this reason I hate bikes that try to stand up under brakes. An RZ500 I used to have was bad for that. Me SV is very neutral for braking, getting on the gas etc when in a corner and just holds its line. Sweet!

[KingJackaL]

Yeah, the 'where do you put newbies in a group' question is weird. But you have to remember when doing license tests to answer the questions to road law/the road code - NOT what you think.

Road law lags reality by a bit, and it also lives in a theoretical ideal world.

Another example: There's a question in the license tests asking how much of a motorcycles braking comes from its front brake (half / 2 thirds / all / etc). Now, the correct answer when braking close to capacity on a modern bike is all or at least a high ninety-something percent. But the road code correct answer is 2 thirds. This was explained to me by my instructor (when I did my basic handling) as being a legacy rule - back when this was first made road law, it was probably about right. Bikes are a bit different now they have huge front disk brakes .

You get used to it after a while - heh, you should try reading the cycle code sometime. Good for a laugh - practically every second page there's a 'if you think somebody might do something vaguely bad, give way'. Following that book I'd never get to work

[Dave-]

read the fuckin' question properly.

If you must slow in a curve, how should you do this?

as in, if you have to, if you find carrots half way through the bend, if you go in too hot and need to brake in the corner, only if you absolutely have to, no one condones braking in every corner, but, should you have to this is how you do it.

apply both brakes gently

why?

because it keeps the weight on the tires even, applying on back break will move the weight of the bike to the rear and could result in slipping, braking on the front will move the weight forward and could result in the front slipping.

by applying evenly the weight stays level and your grip consistent, of course we all know it's 3/4 front and 1/4 rear power so whatever you put on the back you have to apply 3x less on the front, and we are talking very very light braking here.