K53 license licence skills

 
The Practical Skills - K53 motorbike licence in South Africa
    

 

Once you have your motorbike learners licence you will need to take your K53 licence before 18 months otherwise your learners will expie.. 

Budget on six months from the time you make your first booking to the time you actually take and pass your test! No jokes!!

Not all testing grounds have motorbike testing facilities and those that do, only test on a Friday - as long as the ground is dry as testing on a wet surface is not allowed. The equipment is also quite fragile and can be out of order for months.

Arrange to be at the testing grounds for 3 to 4 hours on the day of your test even although the test will probably take less than half an hour (the administration and queues take ages). Arrive on the day with the following items.

• Four black and white photos (or R25-00 and use one of the vendors at the grounds)
• Your ID document
• Your learners licence
• A certificate from your optician or be prepared to take another eye test
• About R100-00 cash pre test fee
• About R120-00 cash should you pass
• Your motorbike (must be roadworthy - lights will be tested) and helmet
• a pen to fill in the form which you will get before the test starts

Before you actually demonstrate your skills on the motorbike you may be asked to do the two K53 motorcycle pre-ride checks i.e. The 'Off the bike' list and the 'On the bike' list. These lists are to be found on the page called 'The Ride'  as they are part of everyday safe riding.

The Test Grounds. The entire test is done on a hard surface about quarter the size of a rugby field. It has painted lines on it which, should you ride over with either tyre, you will be failed. In this very confined space you have to quickly pull off, change into second gear, reach 25kph (15m from the starting point) and then start the task outlined e.g. stopping, swerving, changing lanes etc. Your speed is checked by a speed trap and if you are too slow you have to re-do the exercise (faster is OK) Guys with large, heavy motorcycles will find the exercises 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 exercises you will be required to wear your helmet and have your headlamp on at all times.

NB!! Before each and every exercise 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.

 The practical exercises you may be required to do will be similar to the ones outlined below.

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Objective. Speed control. Bringing the motorbike to a halt at an exact point. (This is not an emergency stop)

Check blind spot, pull off from the start position, change into second gear, accelerate quickly to 25 kph and keep between the lines (about 75cm apart).  Then gradually slow down and finally bring the motorbike to a halt with the front type exactly over a mark on the road.

The tyre may not deviate to the right or left of the mark.

Objective. Emergency stop. Bringing the motorbike to a stop as quickly as possible

Check blind spot, pull off from the start position, change into second gear, accelerate quickly to 25 kph and keep between the lines (about 75cm apart). On a given signal, using both brakes, bring the bike to a stop between the lines and within the area marked by the circle.

Do not lock the wheels or loose your balance as the bike stops.

 

Objective. Swerving. Sudden swerving from one lane into another to avoid an obstacle.

Check blind spot, pull off from the start position, change into second gear, accelerate quickly to 25 kph and keep between the lines (about 75cm apart). On a given signal swerve into an adjacent lane and enter the box through the marked openings and come to a halt parallel to the outside of the rectangle.

Do not anticipate in this exercise. Wait for the left or right signal and only then turn in the correct direction. If there is no left or right signal, remain in the same lane and stop.

Objective. Changing lanes. The examiner will be looking for two blind spot checks during the exercise and the appropriate use of the indicator

Check blind spot, accelerate, check blind spots, indicate intention to change lane, check blind spot on one side only, change lane, arrive in the box through the opening, stop and turn off indicator.

There is a lot to do in this exercise within a confined space and is therefore the most difficult.

 

Objective. Travelling in town.

Check blind spot, pull off from the start position and change into second gear. Keep between the lines (about 1m apart). Check blind spots and then indicate your intention to turn left. Check blind spot again, turn left and stop before the line. Check blind spot, indicate, turn left again, accelerate and turn off indicator.

This exercise is done at your own pace.

 

Objective. Taking off on an incline without rolling back

Check blind spot, pull off from the start position, go up the incline and stop before the line. Pull off again without rolling back and proceed down the slope.

Rolling back constitutes a fail

 

Objective. Turning in a confined space while maintaining your balance.

Check blind spot, pull off from the start position, go up the ramp, turn around the top of the ramp without allowing your feet to touch the ground and proceed down again.

 

 

Objective. Left and right hand turn

Right hand turn. Check blind spot, pull off from the start position, change into second gear and turn smoothly between the two painted lines. Your speed should be somewhere between 15 and 20kph.

Left hand turn. Repeat the exercise from the other side

 

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