a Little Extra...
The Practical Skills -Motorcycle License in South Africa
Once you have your motorcycle license you will need to take your K53 BEFORE 18 months, otherwise your learners will expire.
BUDGET ON SIX MONTHS FROM THE TIME YOU MAKE YOUR FIRST BOOKING TO THE TIME YOU ACTUALLY TAKE AND PASS YOUR TEST.
Not all testing grounds have motorbike testing facilities, and those that do only test on Fridays, as long as ground is dry as testing on a wet surface is not allowed. Arrange to be on the testing grounds atleast 3 - 4 hours on the day of your test, even although the test will probably take less that 30 minutes (the administration and qeues take ages). Arrive on the day with the following items:
4x Black and White ID photos, or R25 and use one of the vendors on the grounds.
Your ID document
Your Learners License
a Certificate from your optician, or be prepared to take another eye test.
About R100 cash pre test fee.
About R120 cash should you pass.
Your motorbike (must be roadworthy, lights will be tested) and your helmet.
a Pen to fill in the form you will get before the test starts.
The Test Grounds
The entire test ground is done on a hard surface about a quarter the size of a rugby field. It has painted lines on it which should you ride over it with either tyre, you will be failed. In this very confined space you have to quickly pull off, change into second gear, reach 25 km/h (15m from the starting point) and then start the task outlined e.g. stopping, swerving, changin lanes etc. Your speed is checked by a speed trap and if you are too slow you have to re-do the excercise (faster is OK) Guys with large heavy motorcycles will find the excercises more difficult than those on a smaller bike as a result of the confined spaces.
During the test you will probably loose points for minor errors but that is OK, as long as you pass. More serious errors however will result in an immediate fail e.g. going over one of the fail lines, rolling backward or falling off your motorbike!!!
When doing the excerices you will be required to wear your helmet and have your headlamp on at all times.
NB!! Before each and every excercise you must check your blind spot before pulling off i.e. look over your left shoulder, look in your left mirror, look in your right mirror and look over your right shoulder. Make big, exaggerated head movements to clearly show what you are in fact doing.
Also note that at all times during the test your bike is not allowed to roll forward or backwards (even when mounting or dismounting) therefore get into the habit of using the brakes to keep the motorbike totally stationary until you open the throttle.
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