Car to learner bike?

mcweasel05

Hi all,

What a year eh? And it's only March!

Ok, here's the situation... January 1st 2011, found my Y Reg, 1.8 Focus had been vandalised :mad:, insurance wrote it off.
Got a 02, 1.5 Nissan Almera and policy doubled :eek:. I know I have to stay with them until October when the policy expires, but I am moving property. Having checked the new address, my policy will go up a further £200 (nearly £2k as it is!). Also, my new route(s) to work will have me sat in traffic
As an additional comment, my current route I car-share, once I move, I won't.

So, would my insurance company allow me to switch my policy to a bike now?

What am I entitled to ride?
I passed my car test August 2006.

What are the costs associated in getting a bike?
I'm happy to pick one up 2nd hand, though I know helmet will have to be new.

Is it a good idea to ride a scooter/motorbike in winter?
I don't mind turning up places wet, it's more cold/icy/fog/snow conditions I'm unsure of.

Any help you wonderful people could pass on would be appreciated

Rolandtheroadie

Gandalfthesecond wrote: »

A moped without going through a CBT and 'L' plates.

Think that changed (they passed in 2006) so they'll need to do a CBT and use L plates.

mcweasel05

scotsman4th wrote: »

Think that changed (they passed in 2006) so they'll need to do a CBT and use L plates.

That's my thought, when I had a provisional I could ride up to 125cc with a CBT, now looking on my licence and trawling government website, I can only ride 50cc. But, dealers are offering 125cc learner bikes! I'm getting really confused with the whole thing

Rolandtheroadie

mcweasel05 wrote: »

That's my thought, when I had a provisional I could ride up to 125cc with a CBT, now looking on my licence and trawling government website, I can only ride 50cc. But, dealers are offering 125cc learner bikes! I'm getting really confused with the whole thing

If you do your CBT, you'll be able to ride up to 125 with L plates as well. There may be other restrictions on power outputs though.
As I passed in 1992, I could have jumped on a moped without a CBT.

Kilty_2

Although I passed in 2008, if I were to do a CBT I was under the impression I could ride a 50cc moped sans L-plates, and not have to do the CBT again when it expired.

King_Nothing

Kilty wrote: »

Although I passed in 2008, if I were to do a CBT I was under the impression I could ride a 50cc moped sans L-plates, and not have to do the CBT again when it expired.

No, you'd have to show L plates, and need to pass a moped test before the 2 years or retake the CBT.

paddedjohn

King_Nothing wrote: »

No, you'd have to show L plates, and need to pass a moped test before the 2 years or retake the CBT.

i was about to write that until i found this............
Riding a moped if you have a car driving licence

If you already have a CBT certificate when you pass your car test, your full moped rights will be confirmed straight away.
A CBT certificate confirming full moped rights on a full car licence lasts for the life of the licence. So, it's important that you keep your certificate safe.

Kilty_2

If you have a car licence...

If you obtained your full car licence before 1 February 2001 you are automatically entitled to ride a moped without L-plates (D-plates in Wales).
If you obtained a full car licence after 1 February 2001 you must first complete a CBT course and obtain a DL 196 certificate to validate your entitlement.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/LearnerAndNewDrivers/RidingMotorcyclesAndMopeds/DG_10016249

forgotmyname

CBT lasts 2 years and the price seems to be creeping up, brother in law paid £40 the 1st time and the last time it
was over £100

Some companies wont transfer the insurance from car to bike, But you also need to watch out if you need to transfer
the insurance back to a car.

Mate got stung when he transferred his car insurance to a trade policy, Couple years later he wanted to go back to
a private policy they would not transfer it back and nobody would give the full discount.

Some are not as cheap to run as you may think. I had a diesel rover metro which did more to the gallon than my
scooter.

King_Nothing

Ahh right, so I can ride a moped without L plates, and without having to take another CBT when mine expires? That's good to know.

Also OP, I wouldn't bother with the rigmoral of attempting to swap NCB from car to bike, I'd just start a moped/bike policy on no NCB and build one.

paddedjohn

i think the op may be trying to protect hi ncb that he has already earned with his car insurance.