Event in Stoke on Trent

[Horse]

Anyone going to this:

http://www.rmif.co.uk/article.aspx?id=1625 ?

If you do, post up a report after - esp. if you have a try (or see others try) the new DSA off-road test. I'd be interested to hear how people get on, particularly those who haven't done any more that the 'normal' CBT/DAS training.

[rlmr]

Will not be going, but I have seen the official DSA test at a presentation by Trevor Wedge the Chief Examiner for the DSA.

Very similar to the old Part 1 test.

Wheel the bike from a start position into a cone garage then wheel it backwards in a semi-circle into a second cone garage... reverse can be to left or right depending on examiner's discretion. The Slalom is OK and the last two cones of the slalom are the ones around which ones has to perform the figure of 8 a couple of times.

The U-turn is performed between two painted lines on the course which is a bit better than the current on-road u-turn as road widths can vary from area to area and examiner to examiner.

The swerve exercise requires a "run up" around a wide arc to allow the bike to reach 50 km/h then there is a controlled stop with front wheel in a cone box after the swerve which is mid straight.

Then there is an "emergency stop."

I do not envisage any great problems other than the fact the off-road test will be conducted at one of 65 centres around the UK and I believe they only have a fraction of these built at the moment. I understand the test centres wil be multi vehicle centres i.e. cars, bikes, truck, buses.

Think that's about it

[Horse]

I do not envisage any great problems

Apart from that DSA have said that some of the instructors who've taken it haven't been up to standard

Are you a DAS instructor? If so will you have space to train riders for the test?

Also, I've heard of concerns about the space needed (Vs space available) for smaller bikes to get up to the required speed.

[rlmr]

Horse,

I am not, and have no intention of being a DAS Instructor. I stopped "L" work a long time ago... to frightening

I can understand some folk not being up to scratch... we all have to practice at things to keep proficient.

Large area... yep I can see that being a problem for some, but most training schools have a good size training area for their current off-road work and unless you have a large chap on a small motorcycle I do not see the "getting up to speed" as being a real problem. Its like any such test, when you have done the course and practiced the manoeuvres several time, it all be comes easier.

Rennie