All about the POINTS

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Points are accumulated for errors made in the test. Everyone starts the test with zero points. Even those who may have failed previously start with zero points though you may be carrying some psychological/embarrassment points. Do not fret, these can be overcome.

To pass, you must incur, over the whole test, 8 points or less.

This is not intended to be a detailed point-by-point breakdown of the number of points for which particular errors. It is important to know what the errors are so you can practise around it, but no so much that you become calculative and focus on the errors. It is preferable to have no errors and with practise and knowing the principles of good riding, it is very much a real possibility.

In rare cases, possibly only 2, I will give a preference for a type of error over another to indicate which is preferred. It sounds strange to say which error is preferred, since the ultimate preference as I have suggested is no errors, but what I am suggesting is prudence to govern the way you practise, giving preference to certain techniques over others. More on that later.

To begin the discussion on what can cost you a point. let us go to the beginning of the test. NO I do not mean the LEFT TURN, I mean even before that. Sure you could fail by crashing the bike whilst trying to line it up on the first white ‘T’, but this is an instant ‘see you later’ as is being drunk, on drugs, trying to bribe testing officers as well as taking too much time, not understanding and not following instructors, crashing, dropping, or following off the bike and these all happen technically before the test has even begun.

The first things to lose points for are Head-checks, closely followed by stalling the engine. These (Headchecks and stalling) are already 2 segments of the 8 you will be tested on. We will go through segment by segment.

LEFT TURN

Putting your foot down and if a tyre touches a painted line or more than one line or the same line twice.

STOP IN THE BOX

Stopping with the front tyre’s contact patch outside the box. (On the line means outside the box)
Skidding either wheel when stopping.

CONE-WEAVE

Putting foot down, hitting a cone, skipping a cone, going to the incorrect side of a cone

U-TURN

Putting foot down, and a tyre touching a painted line.

NOW, here we will revert to the discussion above on the word ‘preferred’. It is better here let us say to put your foot down rather than run wide. A foot down here can be worth much less than a tyre touching a painted line. If you are practising this properly the end goal will be to not do either and if you are practising correctly you can do it. See our videos on why the foot comes down and how to avoid it.

QUICK STOP

Points are based on stopping distance compared with your speed. Your speed is measured and stopping distance allotted for that speed. You can incur 8 points fairly quickly if you are as little as 1 metre beyond your specified maximum braking distance. No points are lost for skidding either wheel when stopping. Be careful here of stalling due to forgetting, or pulling in too late, the clutch lever.

What about speed?
Well if you are under-speed this is not points off, but you MAY (let us emphasise that word MAY), have the option to have one more go and re-do that segment. Likewise if you brake or setup brakes too early. (again underline the word ‘MAY’ – it is not a given) you may get another chance to redo. If you crash, it is an immediate fail.

OBSTACLE TURN

This one is fairly simple. IF you do virtually anything wrong – You are DONE.

You will earn 9 points an immediate fail if you: hit the obstacle or ride through it; hit the exit lane or DO NOT ride through it, go wide and hit the blue lines; or turn to the incorrect side. What is the correct side you ask? Check out the overview of the test.

Regarding speed, a similar condition applies as per the quick stop above. If you are under speed yet make the obstacle turn, you MAY (again emphasise ) get the option of one more chance to re-do the segment. Yes, this also applies to turning too early, provided again you still make it through the obstacle.