Ok folks , here is the whole Burlington M1 exit test as I took it last Friday and passed. Now I'm a new rider , been only riding for a month. My first bike is a 2007 GSX-R 600. As long as you believe in your self, you will pass highly.
So to start off, try not to be nervous and psyching yourself out. When I arrived there, the 3 level pylon course is located beside the cinema in the same vicinity as the drive test center ( not hard to find). If you get there at least an hour early which I suggest you to do, you can practice the course. Do not worry you are allowed too as the instructor even mentioned that to our group after the tests were done.
So here we go...
1st) You have to walk your bike around a couple of pylons in a figure eight motion. Don't worry, you do not need to walk it through the whole course. For the 600cc and bigger bikes, you are allowed to stop and back up if you come close to the curb and correct yourself. So if you have a chance to practice, I suggest you to go to an empty parking lot and start walking the bike and getting the feel of it
2nd) Oh yes the dreadful serpentine test. Now how I've been practicing this was setting up the course in an empty parking lot and doing this for a few hours. Yes it is boring but as what my friends said to me practice , practice, practice. Here's the course set up... you have 2 pylons beside each other 1 meter apart and the pylons ahead are 15 feet apart.
" each dot is a pylon" remember you go around both pylons in a serpentine motion not just around each pylon. Trust me me a few people did get a little confused while practicing . Once you hit the end, you do a U turn , without putting your feet down or try not to come close to the curb and repeat the course. Now when I was practicing before my test time, I was starting the course with motion. When you do the test, the instructor will tell you to start off right at the pylon. It is a little tricky but if you have very well throttle and clutch control you should be fine ( remember to ride the rear brake and don't use the front). Now I have nothing to hide, I did put my foot down numerous of times as well as other riders. Its not a terrible thing just make sure you correct yourself and be calm. Don't give up if feel you are doing horrible on it.
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3rd) Straight line through the pylons another U turn but this one the instructor says its ok" you can go wide on it". Then you come back down around 30kmph and in second gear and do an emergency stop. Here's some tips I got from my friends. Try not to skid, always look up and when you come to a complete stop, look both ways and proceed.
4th) Last part is the mini road test. After you all made it , you drive your bikes to a corner in the mall lot (yes the drive center is located in the same lot as the mall). So you all meet and he/she discusses what the final test is. Now to me this was the easiest test. The instructor will stand on a rock near the garden and observe your riding skills. What the test consists of is very basic riding skills. You first need to leave the mall lot, even while passing the open lanes where cars come out , make sure you meticulously check your mirrors and also lots and lots of shoulder checks. So you first make a left on North Service Rd to leave the plaza. You will be obviously in the left lane. Make sure you shoulder check and change to the right lane lane safely. The instructor doesn't care about riding positions as in protecting your lane. He cares about your shoulder checks and mirror checks. So you go through the light. If you do get a red light, just be tedious with shoulder checks and be in gear. Don't take your hands off the bar and be in neutral. Be in first gear while going through the intersection then shift gears. I was told that by an experience rider. So now that you went through the intersection , you need to pull in a costco plaza and make a u turn to get back on the same st as you started on. Don't worry the instructor cant see you at this time. Now once you make a left back on North Service, when you get to brant st you make a right. The instructor at this time can see you, so yield properly, signal, shoulder check and accelerate with caution. Then once your back on brant st, you turn into another mall lot which will be on your left, and make another u turn ( instructor cant see you at this time) make a right get back on brant st , yield onto north service ( at this time you are right in front of the instructor) head up back to the mall entrance , and proceed back to the instructor. Very simple and easy to do. I really saved my self a lot of money by doing the test through the ministry. If you have help through friends or anyone you know who is an experience rider, I suggest you ask them all the questions in the book and let them teach you. They were great help. Remember to practice , practice and practice. There's lots of times to ride in a straight line, but you are good rider when you can maneuver your bike in a slow motion.
So again ... be calm, be in control, use common sense, ride safe and have a great summer everyone.
Good luck to all
