Is the Module One test the same in both directions?

I had an interesting mail from Gordon Kemp last week in response to my analysis of the reported Module One “incidents”. He sent me a couple of photos which appear to be of an official DSA Motorcycle Manoeuvering Area, with the cones laid out both for a right hand and a left hand circuit.

I’d always assumed (I know, I know…) that the test required symmetrical manoeuvres in both directions.

From Gordon’s photos, it appears not. Because the U turn is always done the same way (clockwise) there appears to be a different offset from the end of the “bend” to the speed measuring apparatus.

As this is the point where the rider has to accelerate from the approximately 20mph required to get round the bend to the 31.5mph-plus to pass the speed trap at the minimum speed, the fact that this is done on a slight curve as the rider realigns themselves between the two sets of cones is not entirely evident from the DSA’s diagrams you can download from the website.

Now it seems that one direction requires a much bigger realignment than the other.

Have a look at the photos and judge for yourself.

Seems pretty clear from these photos – the offset of the speed trap is much more pronounced in the top (left hand circuit) picture.