Ok haven't posted anything for a while and now I can finally update!
Last Friday morning was back for the rescheduled last two hours of the schooling. Two hours riding just doing both course 1 and 2 back to back to practice for the test the next day. Don't recall which bikes I was on during this time. One thing I do remember that may have screwed me up in the end was that it was another pair lesson and they had me on the end following. Which kind of sucks as you have to stop and wait for the other to finish but during actual test you won't be stopping for that. So going into things like the slalom normally you would already be at speed and in second but since I have to stop I had to start it from a stand still and change gears when I wouldn't be normally. But these two hours at least no real issues. I did fall off the balance beam once but the rest of the times were ok.
Saturday morning! Test day! Bright and early 9am at the school. There are a ton of people including that young guy from before that I had been paired with most of the lessons. Maybe 10 or more just for the bike test mix of large and medium riders. They have us all watch video for safety and guidelines etc. Then go out and wait your turn. Test bike for the day was a newer red/white one. There is no warm up you just get on adjust the mirrors and go (test course 1 this day). Also to note for whatever reason dear god this day was hot. High was 31c near summer weather. Hop on adjust the mirrors and off you go. For these tests one of the instructors follows behind in a car watching for errors. Also you have everyone else there for the test watching.
Oh boy the stars were not aligned for me this day. 😂 Keen readers may remember
a post I did up on this page about having issues with one of the bikes and keep stalling it? Dear god I think this was the same bike. I don't know what it is about this one but for whatever reason I just can't get the clutch/accel feel for this one. I stall it on one of the first stops. From then it was just a series of errors. Stall it again on the incline stop/start test. Fall off the balance beam. The crank which I never once had issues during practice I felt I was going to lose balance and put my foot down once. It was not to be my day and there were just too many errors that I did not pass.
They had me come back next day for another practice hour and also I rescheduled for next test date which was today Thursday the 9th. One of the teachers that I had become friends with asked what happened and I let him know the issue I had with that red/white bike previously (come to find out that one is #10) he lets me know they rotate the bikes for the tests so next one would be different (silver). Also would be course 2 if that day was 1.
Sunday morning was back and just one hour practice. I was on Silver bike #3 and as I posted before for whatever reason (carbs?) silver one just feels easier to ride for me. No issues at all this practice hour. Never fall off the balance beam, never stall. Practice course 2 most of the hour though they had me do 1 once as well.
Today this morning I was back for test try #2. Compared to Saturday there's barely anyone here. 4 students for test in all, I'm the only one there for bike the other three are there for truck license test. Watch the same safety video as Saturday.
Finish and go out to test course, since I am only one there for bike license just me. Today's test instructor was also different thankfully (Saturday one I barely knew) today was that funny Elvis looking guy. Today's bike is the same silver #3 I did practice on on Sunday. Also course is #2 that I practiced mostly (to note I preferred 2 over 1 due to how certain parts were grouped together). Since no one is there I ask if I can take the bike on a quick run around the outside of the course to get my feel for the bike before the test. At first he was 'eh! no need!' but then agreed and said sure go around once so I took it for a quick spin then back.
Then off for the test! Also to note it rained all last night and was still sprinkling as I did the test and course was wet (first time riding wet course). Also for the breaking test where you need to stop changes since the course is wet which I had never done before. Since it's the silver bike never stall once today. In fact no real issues at all. I probably almost did fall off that balance beam again but managed to keep it on. Also I almost goofed the time (no faster than 7 seconds) there is a clock on a pole to the left that times your slalom and balance beam times (sadly I didn't see my slalom time). But on the balance beam towards the end I looked at the clock and realized I was under so hit the breaks before getting off at the end which got me right to 7 on the dot. 😂 But jeez once that balance beam was cleared and I didn't fall off this time I knew I was in the clear. For course 2 balance beam is at the end nearly just the high speed passes and the break test at the end was left. But that was it! Finished! No stalling, no errors that I knew of today.
Was told to wait outside didn't say what for. Turns out for truck test (as well as car tests here in Japan) they need a rear passenger for whatever reason so Was told to hop in the back of a truck (the cabin, not real back hah). Driver was a cute young girl which made me laugh why the heck is she getting a truck license. Unlike bike test trucks they do go out on the real roads outside school! That was an interesting experience.
After her test was finished we go back and wait for the results and the two of us wait together and get talking. Find out she's actually half Japanese and Half Philippine but has been living here her whole life. Her dad works as a truck driver which gave her the idea.
Results are in and we both pass! Yay! done with the medium license! Have to do a bit of paperwork and pay a fee for this. Since there were so few people for the testing it finished soon. Ended up going out to lunch with the girl after and exchanged contacts so we can go out again sometime so maybe having failed the test last Saturday wasn't such a bad thing in the end? 😂😂😂
Also now I am not so sure about going straight into doing the large license. That was my plan but... I would need to shave a second off the balance beam and slalom times while doing it on a bigger/heavier bike. Also having failed the test last Saturday I do think I may be better off just getting a 400cc bike like the Ninja and practicing on my own to get a better feel for riding. When I was there on Sunday for the practice hour there was a guy doing large bike training and talking with him he did just that having got the medium license the year before and has been riding a 250cc bike the last year. Also he said the school does the discount campaign every April anyway. With rainy season around the corner as well and it continuing to get hotter each week I'm leaning towards taking a break and doing large license later.
But that's it finally finished with medium license at least! I need to go to a license center to get my license updated first (will go next week) but then I'm free to ride anything up to 400cc!
I did actually go to the Kawasaki dealer last weekend and they said they could get me bike in June so I put a request in (not confirmed to buy just name in the queue).
Can't wait to ride on the real road and not just the test course. That's going to be an interesting experience I'm sure.