How to get a motorbike license?

Jamopy

I passed my car driving test earlier this year but the insurance quotes i'm getting are absurd, so i've decided to shelve buying a car for a while. I live in London, and getting around in London is usually easier and quicker with a bike anyway, so i was looking at getting a bike license too. This is the bit where it gets confusing.

I've spoken to several different people and looked at some of the sites online, and they give conflicting advice. Some say that since i've got a full car license i automatically qualify for a provisional moped license. Others say i still have to do a CBT, but then once i've done it it will last forever and not need to be renewed. Others say it makes no difference if i have a car license or not.

Some also say that no matter what test i do i will still have to wait 2 years before i'm legal to drive a super bike, but others say a direct access will make it legal for me to drive any bike.

So if anyone has recently passed their tests, or is in a position to give advice, could they let me know which, if any, of these is correct and what would be the most efficient way for me to proceed.

Regards,

Matt

Premier_2

Jamopy wrote: »

I passed my car driving test earlier this year but the insurance quotes i'm getting are absurd, so i've decided to shelve buying a car for a while. I live in London, and getting around in London is usually easier and quicker with a bike anyway, so i was looking at getting a bike license too. This is the bit where it gets confusing.

I've spoken to several different people and looked at some of the sites online, and they give conflicting advice. Some say that since i've got a full car license i automatically qualify for a provisional moped license. Others say i still have to do a CBT, but then once i've done it it will last forever and not need to be renewed. Others say it makes no difference if i have a car license or not.

Some also say that no matter what test i do i will still have to wait 2 years before i'm legal to drive a super bike, but others say a direct access will make it legal for me to drive any bike.

So if anyone has recently passed their tests, or is in a position to give advice, could they let me know which, if any, of these is correct and what would be the most efficient way for me to proceed.

Regards,

Matt

Does your current driving licence have provisional entitlement to drive a motor cycle on it? If not, you'll have to apply to have it added.

Whether it does or doesn't, you will need a valid CBT before going on the road. (but you won't get that without a valid provsional licence)

More details on how to get a motor cycle licence here:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/prod_consum_dg/groups/dg_digitalassets/@dg/@en/@motor/documents/digitalasset/dg_198666.pdf

Trebor16

If you have a full car licence you need to look at the paper counterpart under the provisional entitlement section. If you see a group A listed then you already have the provisional motorcycle entitlement and you are ready to go ahead and obtain a motorcycle licence.

If you are under 21 this is what you will have to do:-

Complete your compulsory basic training (CBT)
Take the motorcycle theory test
Take the module 1 motorcycle test
Take the module 2 motorcycle test

To get the A2 licence you will need to take your test on a bike with an engine capacity of between 120 and 125cc with a maximum power output of 15bhp. The bike must also be capable of a top speed of at least 62mph/100kmh.

If you take your test on a bike that doesn't meet the above criteria you will only get a A1 licence which will only entitle you to ride up to a 125cc bike.

If you obtain the A2 licence then you will be restricted for two years to a bike that has a maximum power output of 33bhp. You can buy more powerful machines but they would need a restrictor kit to bring them down to 33bhp.

If you are over 21 then the direct access route is available to you. The process is the same as above but the difference is you take your test on a bike that has a minimum power output of 47bhp.

The laws change on the 19th January 2013 and for those under the age of 24 a much more long winded process will be introduced so I would get your test done before then to avoid that process.

Jamopy

Premier wrote: »

Does your current driving licence have provisional entitlement to drive a motor cycle on it? If not, you'll have to apply to have it added.

Whether it does or doesn't, you will need a valid CBT before going on the road. (but you won't get that without a valid provsional licence)

More details on how to get a motor cycle licence here:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/prod_consum_dg/groups/dg_digitalassets/@dg/@en/@motor/documents/digitalasset/dg_198666.pdf

No it doesn't. I passed a CBT a few years back but it had lapsed by the time i passed my car driving test. Back then i used the provisional license that i handed in when i got my full license. Is there a specific provisional i need to get for motorbikes? Also on the graphic you linked it says that if i go DAS then i bypass the need for a provisional and take the CBT directly?

Jamopy

Trebor16 wrote: »

If you have a full car licence you need to look at the paper counterpart under the provisional entitlement section. If you see a group A listed then you already have the provisional motorcycle entitlement and you are ready to go ahead and obtain a motorcycle licence.

If you are under 21 this is what you will have to do:-

Complete your compulsory basic training (CBT)
Take the motorcycle theory test
Take the module 1 motorcycle test
Take the module 2 motorcycle test

To get the A2 licence you will need to take your test on a bike with an engine capacity of between 120 and 125cc with a maximum power output of 15bhp. The bike must also be capable of a top speed of at least 62mph/100kmh.

If you take your test on a bike that doesn't meet the above criteria you will only get a A1 licence which will only entitle you to ride up to a 125cc bike.

If you obtain the A2 licence then you will be restricted for two years to a bike that has a maximum power output of 33bhp. You can buy more powerful machines but they would need a restrictor kit to bring them down to 33bhp.

If you are over 21 then the direct access route is available to you. The process is the same as above but the difference is you take your test on a bike that has a minimum power output of 47bhp.

The laws change on the 19th January 2013 and for those under the age of 24 a much more long winded process will be introduced so I would get your test done before then to avoid that process.

I dug out my counterpart and i have provisional entitlements for A, BE, and GH, so i already have a provisional motorbike license by the look of it! I'm over 21, so the process now is:

CBT
Theory test
Module 1
Module 2 (on a more powerful bike if i'm doing direct access)

Correct?

Trebor16

Jamopy wrote: »

I dug out my counterpart and i have provisional entitlements for A, BE, and GH, so i already have a provisional motorbike license by the look of it! I'm over 21, so the process now is:

CBT
Theory test
Module 1
Module 2 (on a more powerful bike if i'm doing direct access)

Correct?

Yes, that would be the process. Module 1 would also have to be completed on the more powerful machine if you are doing direct access.

thenudeone

Jamopy wrote: »

Is there a specific provisional i need to get for motorbikes?

No. A provisional licence is a provisional licence. Nobody will have two separate documents showing provisional entitlements at the same time.

My daughter's provisional licence photocard shows the moped group valid from the date of the application and the motorbike and car categories valid from her 17th birthday. There is no separate document for them.

Once you gain a full entitlement in any category, the photocard will only show the full category entitlement. The counterpart contains any remaining provisional entitlements.

Jamopy wrote: »

on the graphic you linked it says that if i go DAS then i bypass the need for a provisional and take the CBT directly?

You always need a licence.
Just because it's missed off a flowchart doesn't mean you don't need a licence.

paddedjohn

OP, with your car licence you can ride a moped upto 50cc without the bother of a cbt, you can ride upto a 125 if you complete a cbt and this lasts for 2 years before you have to renew it.

pendulum

paddedjohn wrote: »

OP, with your car licence you can ride a moped upto 50cc without the bother of a cbt, you can ride upto a 125 if you complete a cbt and this lasts for 2 years before you have to renew it.

I am quite sure you're wrong about being able to ride a 50cc without a CBT. The advantage of a car licence is you can do the CBT, then you can ride a 50cc moped without L plates, and can take a pillion etc with no further tests - http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/LearnerAndNewDrivers/RidingMotorcyclesAndMopeds/DG_10016249
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.


---


The OP clearly says they passed the car test earlier this year, so would need a CBT to get the moped licence.

OP

If you just want to get on the road on a bike, do a CBT, buy a 125cc, get insurance and L plates and off you go. You can ride around by yourself and take your Theory, Mod 1 and Mod 2 whenever you like. If you intend to get a car after a year or two you might decide not to take the Theory, Mod 1 or Mod 2 at all, you can just retake the CBT after two years.

Jamopy

thenudeone wrote: »

No. A provisional licence is a provisional licence. Nobody will have two separate documents showing provisional entitlements at the same time.

My daughter's provisional licence photocard shows the moped group valid from the date of the application and the motorbike and car categories valid from her 17th birthday. There is no separate document for them.

Once you gain a full entitlement in any category, the photocard will only show the full category entitlement. The counterpart contains any remaining provisional entitlements.

Good to know, cheers.

You always need a licence.
Just because it's missed off a flowchart doesn't mean you don't need a licence.

It wasn't missed out though. In the flow chart it says i could either get a provisional and the do a CBT OR instead do a DAS and bypass the need for a provisional altogether. Luckily it appears i have a provisional already, so this is just a moot point.

paddedjohn wrote: »

OP, with your car licence you can ride a moped upto 50cc without the bother of a cbt, you can ride upto a 125 if you complete a cbt and this lasts for 2 years before you have to renew it.

You're not the first person (or website) that has said this. This flow chart, which i've seen on a couple of sites, appears to say i don't need a CBT as well:

http://125hq.com/125-motorcycle-9.jpg

Hence the confusion.

Jamopy

pendulum wrote: »

OP

If you just want to get on the road on a bike, do a CBT, buy a 125cc, get insurance and L plates and off you go. You can ride around by yourself and take your Theory, Mod 1 and Mod 2 whenever you like. If you intend to get a car after a year or two you might decide not to take the Theory, Mod 1 or Mod 2 at all, you can just retake the CBT after two years.

If i do need to do the CBT i've been told that i'll get a better deal if i do a direct access course as doing the tests separately will cost more and take longer. Also, i think until i pass my mod 1 i won't be allowed on motorways?