How to get a motorbike license?

Trebor16

You won't be allowed on motorways until you have passed both module 1 and 2.

You may well get a better deal by doing direct access, but I would strongly urge you not to book both your module 1 and 2 on the same day. If you fail your module 1 you have to wait three working days before you can retake it. You will also lose your module 2 test fee which at £75 is a fair bit of money to lose.

Do your module 1 on one day and then have the module 2 booked for a later date.

pendulum

Jamopy wrote: »

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.

That flow chart supports my view not his!
You don't have a full motorcycle licence
You have a full car licence
You passed on or after 1st February 2001
Therefore you need to complete Basic Moped Training as the flowchart calls it (CBT) before being allowed to ride a moped on the road

"If I do need to do my CBT, I've been told I'll get a better deal by doing a direct access (DAS) course" -

Generally a DAS will cost more. And it's a way for someone 21+ or more to get a Full Licence without a power restriction straight away. But you're talking about riding a moped here - so I can't see how DAS is a sensible option here! That's carried out on 'big bikes' which isn't what you appear to be wanting to ride.

If you just want a cheap to run & insure scooter or a 125cc to commute for a year or two, it is silly to do a DAS. All you need to do is a CBT for about £100 and you're on the road after buying a bike, insuring it, etc.

The cheapest way for me was to do my CBT, buy a 125cc bike, get it insured (was £109 for me at 26), and then you can go out on the road and practice as much as you like, commute to work etc, you can ride on the road for 2 years before the CBT becomes invalid, after the 2 years you can redo the CBT if you want to and carry on. You can do the tests in your own time, but you need to think about whether its worth it, if your long term aspiration is to get a car, and getting a moped or 125cc is just a temporary thing for a year or two. If your not going to become a proper biker why do the tests at all? You don't have to.

What do you see yourself riding or driving in a year from now?
Two years from now?
Three years from now?

pendulum

I would go over to http://www.bikechatforums.co.uk and post there, there's a lot of good info

PS I would strongly recommend a 125cc over an underpowered scooter -

patman99

As you have a car license, why not go for a Piaggio MP3/400 ?. These are classed as trikes as they have 2 front wheels which are more than 480mm apart.
I looked into getting one when I got a local job on an industrial estate notorious for long delays when leaving work, but my job changed. These have a good rep amongst bikers as they are very hard to tip over and stick to the road better than a fireblade (according to one biker who replied to my thread asking for info and opinions on the bike).

No need to mess around with a bike test and they only cost the same to MOT/Tax as a bike as well.

Macdara

Ive had the same concerns regarding riding my MP3 125 so today, whilst driving, I passed a police check point where they were checking tax, tyres, etc. I pulled over and asked if there was a traffic policeman there and one duly come to the window of the car. I explained to him there was alot of people unsure about if my bike could be driven on a car license, without doing the CBT and not having L plates attached.
This officer told me the center of one front wheel to the center of the other front wheel has to be 410mm plus wide to be classed as a 3 wheeler and can be driven with car license, no L plates and no CBT. My bike measures 420mm wide, so according to this officer it is legal. He was quite sure the width was 410mm center to center of the tyres and also informed me I could even ride it without the helmet, though advised me not too for obvious reasons.
I see some people stating 480 mm as the width, but according to the police themselves 410mm is legal.

Trebor16

I think the correct distance is 460mm. The MP3's that are registered as tricycles would have tricycle showing on their road tax disc.

robster1964

listen Guys, with your full car licences, you have provisional categories..
Eg cat A..
Howver, to validate that Cat A, you need Cbt... You cannot ride on the road without it legally... And then you can only ride upto a 125, for a max of 2 years, with L plates... ( you are only a provisional licence holder, you have not yet been tested!)... This rule is for all of you... The only time this changes is for people who ride mopeds... If you got your car licence before 1991, some of you have moped entitlement (not all!)... But anything bigger , you have to do CBT... Also if you want to stick with 125's or moped's. Direct Access (Das) is of no concern to you.... At the minute... However, if you want to get a motorcycle licence.... It's about to get a whole lot tougher and more expensive.... From 2013, no more young kids on big bikes!

Trebor16

robster1964 wrote: »

listen Guys, with your full car licences, you have provisional categories..
Eg cat A..
Howver, to validate that Cat A, you need Cbt... You cannot ride on the road without it legally... And then you can only ride upto a 125, for a max of 2 years, with L plates... ( you are only a provisional licence holder, you have not yet been tested!)... This rule is for all of you... The only time this changes is for people who ride mopeds... If you got your car licence before 1991, some of you have moped entitlement (not all!)... But anything bigger , you have to do CBT... Also if you want to stick with 125's or moped's. Direct Access (Das) is of no concern to you.... At the minute... However, if you want to get a motorcycle licence.... It's about to get a whole lot tougher and more expensive.... From 2013, no more young kids on big bikes!

The relevant date for mopeds is 1st February 2001. Anyone who gained a full car licence before this date has a full moped licence on their licence. For those who gained their licence after this date they have to complete a CBT to validate the full moped entitlement on their licence.

Jamopy

Cheers for the answers everyone, and cheers for the suggestion of the bike forum by pendulum that has been very helpful as well. Sorry for the late reply but i've been up north for a few days.

I've looked up some of the paperwork as well, and since i have a full license then once i've done my CBT it is valid for the life of my license and i don't have to repeat it after 2 years. So the plan now is to pass my CBT then pick up a bike and some equipment.

On that note can anyone recommend a good place in or around London to do it?

Rover_Driver

Jamopy wrote: »

I've looked up some of the paperwork as well, and since i have a full license then once i've done my CBT it is valid for the life of my license and i don't have to repeat it after 2 years.

Only for a moped.

For a motorcycle a CBT is only valid for 2 years, and you will still need 'L' plates until you pass your test.