Failed my m1 exit test, m1 about to expire... | GTAMotorcycle.com

Failed my m1 exit test, m1 about to expire...

Hey everyone, I'm new here and have come looking for guidance. So I'm a dirt rider who wants to finally make the move to the street (have recently moved back to Canada and the city). So I got my m1 and booked one of the safety courses. Only available date was near my expiry but I figured it would be fine. Fastforward to the course (this past weekend), the instructor kept telling me I was going too fast. I was riding a cbr125 that was totally stripped - no gauges/lights/etc. So I'm in 2nd, on a 125, not passing or riding up on any other students, but I was going too fast. Okay... I explained to him I was having trouble staying in the sweet spot for speed, seeing as how I had no ways to tell my speed. He told me better safe than sorry and to just keep it slow. Sure. Frankly I can't pinpoint the differences between like 12, and 15 kmh for example. Honest to goodness I was there to learn though, so better safe than sorry it is. Slow and steady wins the race right? And I definitely don't consider myself a Rossi on the street, he pointed out other bad habits I had and I was happy to fix them.

So now comes test time. We had 5 courses laid out and they demo'd them with a rider and explained everything. Only mention of speeds are for the emergency stop course. If you're too fast and complete it you can redo it. Too slow and you can redo it. If you're either and don't complete it it's an auto fail. I think to myself, "okay I'll make sure to stay slow for all the other courses to be safe". My group is up and 2 courses in I see the instructor walk up to me, tells me I've failed the test for going too slow. We're allowed 17 demerit points. I was given 6 the first course and 13 on the second for being too slow. I was totally confused. I'm not an argumentative guy but I explained to him how they didn't mention speed during the explanations, how given the past two days I was trying to keep it slow, etc etc. Told me I was supposed to match the demo rider's speed, I told him there was no mention of that. We went back and forth for a bit but in the end I was just basically told a fail is a fail and that I can schedule a retest with the office for the next weekend. I hate to blame others for my failures but it just seemed like this guy wanted to make an example out of me, bad experience with dirt riders maybe? He kept making half assed jokes about it, who knows. Just seemed ****ing planned given the circumstances. There were people who could barely keep their bikes up that got a pass...

TLDR So now we come to my current problem. I called said office for the retest and they told me there is nothing available this weekend (14/15th) and my license expires the 16th. No available road tests in my area before then either. So what are my options? I've read on the drivetest site that there is a temporary license that can be granted for expired m1 holders, and that if your m1 hasn't been expired for more than 3 years you may not have to wait the 60 days before getting your m2 (this is what I want to avoid btw, I want to get out and ride!). Given what I've read I would expect that I could - schedule my retest, call drivetest for my temp license, then when they get the results I go over to an m2? Or will I have to rewrite my m1, then do my test and I jump to m2, no 60 day wait? Or worst case scenario I have to start totally from scratch, new m1, test, wait 60 days, receive m2?

Does anyone also have experience getting your money back from one of these safety courses? I thought I was doing the smart thing in taking a course but I just feel scammed now. I wish I had just gone to take the test with the ministry.

Sorry for the long post guys I am just in heartbreak and wanted to explain the situation. Sorry if this is in the wrong subforum as well.
 
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Its always better to book your m1 exit test first then go write the exam so you don't get crunched for time like this. I always recommend this setup to people asking for info.

I don't know specifics of your situation so i won't comment, best of luck though!
 
Its always better to book your m1 exit test first then go write the exam so you don't get crunched for time like this. I always recommend this setup to people asking for info.

I don't know specifics of your situation so i won't comment, best of luck though!
Thanks for the comment. Since I just moved back to Canada (left as a teen) I have no G license. They wouldn't accept my license from the country I was living in. So I needed a license to get started, I prioritized my m license first since I didn't anticipate all this hardship lol. Definitely wish I had just booked with the ministry though, I would be out riding this week man.
 
In the past, when you booked an exit test before your expiry date that couldn't happen until after your expiry date, they gave you an extension (until the test, if you failed it you were walking home). Again, a while in the past, you could skip the wait on your second time through (eg. you could pass M1 test and immediately take M1 exit test). It's been a long time since so who knows what stupid system they are running now. Best to call (hah, good luck) or visit a testing centre for an answer.
 
Write it off as a lesson learned, but learn from it, make an appointment for a test somewhere else :| anywhere else.
You absolutely need a speedometer and signals and lights on the bike and be comfortable and smooooooth riding it.
You're totally worried about riding the way you think THEY want you to ride, sounds to me like you know how to ride,
just ride :cool: have fun with it next time and you probably will do way better.
 
Here are your options.

You go in at 7 AM when the Drivetest centre opens, you do the M1 test. It isn't expensive (all things considered) and it will allow you to continue riding since you'll be able to get it right away.

You no-longer have to wait the 60 days because you've already had your M1 before so you can book the M2 test right away or you can do another M2 Safety course.

The temp license is only good for one day and its designed to allow you to ride your bike to the test and back home, regardless if you failed said test.

You're pretty much left with only those options and riding around with an M1 is not as bad as most people would think. ;)
 
Yeah...I saw some people who could barely keep the bike upright also pass..multiple drops/crashes etc..

(Logic being apparently if you drop it during practice 'Its all good?')

Who did you do your test with?
 
I did my M2 Safety course with Riders Training Institute. I was able to get a 13% discount because I did my Introduction to Motorcycle Riding with RTI a year before. They were awesome and the course was worth every penny. I strongly recommend them to anyone considering a Motorcycle safety course.

EDIT: If you drop it during practice, it doesn't affect your actual test during the 3rd day.

Also, RTI offers a free re-test if you fail. (Forgot to mention that).

And they discuss your test in detail if you ask (at the end), what points you got, where, and a bunch of feedback where you can improve.
 
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Yeah...I saw some people who could barely keep the bike upright also pass..multiple drops/crashes etc..

(Logic being apparently if you drop it during practice 'Its all good?')

Who did you do your test with?

no it's: 'if you don't occasionally crash in practice you are not trying hard enough stuff'
 
The instructors don’t fail students because they feel like it. They are there to help you learn and give you every opportunity to practice all of the components of the test during the weekend.

Figure out your M1 issue and re-book the test. It is probably included in the price or a small re-test fee.

Go back there with a positive attitude and learn what you have to do to pass. You don’t have a speedo on the bike? Neither did I but I asked questions like...

What gear are you in for this “section”? How much time do I have to complete this “section”?

Also, when the “section” was demonstrated, I counted in my head so I knew how long the instructor took.

On test day, I recall that we practiced each segment at a speed slightly faster than the test required just so when we did the actual test, we knew we could already handle it.

Did they give you a copy of the form showing where/how you lost points?


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Thanks all of you for the detailed and thoughtful replies. I'm headed to bed but I'll call their office again tomorrow to get a set date for the retest, and call the ministry to see if I can get this fabled extension haha. If not then it's plan B and I can ask about having to rewrite the m1.
 
OP, total WAG here: Did you go into the class wearing your dirt bike experience on your sleeve? Did you give off a feeling of "I know all this coz I've been riding for years." or so on?

One thing that pisses off instructors is the unteachable student; the one that goes in thinking they already know it, that this beginner stuff -- "I mean, learning how a side stand works, pushing bikes around, putt-putting around on these lousy 125s learning the friction point? Really??" -- is beneath them and they're just there going "Yeah yeah, whatevs, gimme my M1X and I'm outta here..."

Instructors don't generally make an example of someone unless there's reason to.

If there was any "attitude" on your part you might be better served next time to not even mention the dirt biking, listen to what they say and demonstrate superior skill by nailing the tests.
 
OP, total WAG here: Did you go into the class wearing your dirt bike experience on your sleeve? Did you give off a feeling of "I know all this coz I've been riding for years." or so on?

One thing that pisses off instructors is the unteachable student; the one that goes in thinking they already know it, that this beginner stuff -- "I mean, learning how a side stand works, pushing bikes around, putt-putting around on these lousy 125s learning the friction point? Really??" -- is beneath them and they're just there going "Yeah yeah, whatevs, gimme my M1X and I'm outta here..."

Instructors don't generally make an example of someone unless there's reason to.

If there was any "attitude" on your part you might be better served next time to not even mention the dirt biking, listen to what they say and demonstrate superior skill by nailing the tests.

Wise man once said...The nail that sticks out...gets hammered.
 
"they didn't mention speed during the explanations"

IIRC, the explanations provided during the test are specific and exact. As required by the MoT.

If there was a specific instructor picking on you and you did not speak to any other instructor about this, it may be very difficult to try to claim a refund.

You might just have to suck it up and re-write the M1, and ideally get onto a re-test at the school or pay again to do the ministry test.

You don't mention insurance. This is the frequent question of M1 riders, with frequent stories of insurors not covering them unless they have completed a course and have their M2. If you want to do the ministry test, you'll need to have your own bike (plated and insured). Unless you try one of those kijiji deals...
 
Think about it as a series of simulations of what you'd do on the road in a residential area in traffic. You make a right turn. Do you putt putt along to the stop, or get there briskly? Do you ride up on the curb or into oncoming traffic or stay in your lane?

IF you were written up as a retest and not a retrain, then the instructor must think that you have some ability that just didn't show during the evaluation of what you'd learned.

Don't forget that a pass means that you can ride on the highway, with a passenger, at night, with their life in your hands.
 
Don't forget that a pass means that you can ride on the highway, with a passenger, at night, with their life in your hands.

If thats what a pass means, then they should test you, with a passenger, preferrably at speeds greater than 15 km/h
 
If you're an experienced rider and failed at a rider training course, one of two things happened: 1) The instructors felt you were a danger to yourself or others, or 2) You had an autostrike (dropped the bike, missed a stop).

Chances are the instructors felt your approach was to cavalier and that you needed a week or two to digest road safety and defensive tactics.
 
Coming from somewhere else and failing on points, my guess is there are some bad habits that need to be unlearned (eg. walking the bike/dragging your feet, putting your foot out dirt style in corners etc.).

When I saw people fail in the past, IIRC it was relatively cheap and easy for them to come to the next test session and try again.
 
Coming from somewhere else and failing on points, my guess is there are some bad habits that need to be unlearned (eg. walking the bike/dragging your feet, putting your foot out dirt style in corners etc.).

When I saw people fail in the past, IIRC it was relatively cheap and easy for them to come to the next test session and try again.

Yes, 50$ to do a re test I believe, its a much shorter day I believe.
 

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