Steps to ride a motorbike

wannabecyclist

I am totally confused. I want to learn to ride a motorbike, I have had a car licence since 2006. I do not have category a on this. I believe rules have changed recently, what do I have to do to learn to ride a bike first, some websites say I need a provisional licence, some don't. Direct gov website is as clear as mud.

monkimark

With your car license you just need to do a CBT (compulsory basic training) - that gets you a provisional license to ride up to 125cc, no pillion passenger, must show L-plates. The CBT isn't a test, it's a days course and it runs out after a year.

After that it gets a bit more complicated - you can just keep renewing the CBT every year and ride a 125 on L-plates. If you want to get a full license, you'll need to do a theory test and then 2 parts of a practical test - one off road manoeuvres and one on road observed ride.

Depending on how old you are you can get straight on a 125cc (A2 category), 500cc ish (A2 category) or unrestricted (A category).
Full category A direct access course will probably be an additional couple of days training than the lower category restricted version - I think I did a 4 day course to go from CBT to full category A a few years back (when the rules were simpler) but I'd been riding a 125 for a couple of years by that point. The riding school arranged the 2 practical tests for me at the end of the training period and supplied the bike to take the tests on.

You don't get category A on your license until you pass the test - mine came with category p (moped) because I passed my car test in 1995. I guess you'll have a category P with a 122 code next to it (meaning you need a cbt)

wannabecyclist

That is great thanks. Direct gov sent me round in circles, this makes a lot more sense!

secretsam

On a serious note, is any part of the training focused on teaching you about the appropriate protective gear? It shocks me to see folk zooming round on motorbikes wearing shorts and a t-shirt :shock:

monkimark

It was when I did mine.
The first hour of the CBT was classroom based, including a bit about wearing suitable gear. Reiterated in the DAS and they can refuse to take you out if not suitably attired. That said, a couple of pizza delivery guys turned up in fleece jackets and fleece gloves when I did my DAS (it was December) - I was freezing in full winter bike gear - and they still got taken out (they had to stop after an hour, I saw them stood by the bikes visibly shivering in a petrol station forecourt).

I always wear top to toe protective gear on the motorbike, armoured boots, leather jacket, Kevlar jeans etc - even though I'm often commuting to work doing max 35mph. But, at the weekend, I wore a 1/2mm thick lycra shorts & t-shirt, and topped 70km/h down the surrey hills on the road bike.

matt@theforce

I've started down the route of getting a motorbike. I did my CBT last month & CBT's now last for 2years before you need to re-take the day's course or upgrade to a Full License.

As said by others, the 1st 1hour takes you through the clothing, the next 30min-60min takes you through the basic's of the motorbike & how to manovure/mount/dismount etc, then its only learning how to start/stop (depending on your experience) & the rest of the basic skills.
During your CBT, your instructor will keep an eye on you and advise at the end of the day what they believe you need to complete your Full License. Mine recommended a 7day DAS course but I'm happy for now gaining more experience on the road with a 125 and putting what I've learnt into practice.

I have never ridden a motorbike and really enjoyed the day and now split my commuting between my purchased Yamaha YBR125 and my pushbike

monkimark

I loved my 125 for nipping around town and if I'm honest, a 125cc is probably more suitable to the riding I do most of the time but as soon as I opened the throttle on a 500cc on my first lesson, I knew the 125cc was getting traded in

whoof

You may need to consider the amount of free time you have. Took my full bike test in 2003 and had a couple of Suzuki Bandits 600 and 1200s. Problem was if it was good weather I would go cycling and if it was raining there was not much enjoyment riding a motorbike. A couple of years ago I only did a total of 1000 miles on the motorbike so sold it as it did not warrant the expense. Having said that the last years insurance on a 1200 was only £58 which was ridiculously cheap.

monkimark

My motorbike is my main transport when out of bicycle range, I don't have a car so it gets a fair amount of use and in summer I use it to visit family back up in Lancashire (I'm based in south London).

Now I have a 1 year old daughter and the car's getting picked up next week so maybe things will change but I can't see myself taking the car for solo journeys, driving in London traffic is incredibly frustrating when you're used to filtering straight past the queues.

DeVlaeminck

I remember when I did my test the tester stood on the pavement and told you to ride round the block - he could probably see you for about 25% of the time you were actually riding. First one he failed me for not keeping up with traffic - yeah because the traffic was breaking the frigging speed limit and as I was taking a test I thought I'd better stick to it ! Thankfully I passed it next time because I'd already offered a girl a lift down to Brighton that weekend. My other memory of the test was the part one when the biker doing the training thought it hilarious I should turn up in a pair of desert boots and I must have thought I was going dancing. Happy days !

meagain

Sounds awfully complicated these days! I also simply had to ride around the block, with my car licence acting as a provisional licence. The examiner simply said "you've been driving and riding a long time - must be OK!"

What is ridiculous and dangerous is that I still have a licence for any size bike.

monkimark

My license let me drive a 7.5 tonne truck with a trailer the day after passing my driving test in a ford fiesta!

IShotYou

Consider CBT as essential skills to stop you becoming a casualty quickly, rather than an attend course that you just have to do. As far as licensing goes, I don't believe a fairly recently issued car licence comes with many provisional entitlements these days. So it's worth checking you have A1 or A2 on it - not P(or AM as it is now). I expect they don't come with it, as DVLA can then charge you more to have it added to you licence.

Its important to differentiate between Mopeds and Motorcycles.

monkimark wrote:

With your car license you just need to do a CBT (compulsory basic training) - that gets you a provisional license to ride up to 125cc, no pillion passenger, must show L-plates. The CBT isn't a test, it's a days course and it runs out after a year.

Pretty sure the above is wrong.

You can ride a moped without L plates and without taking the full motorcycle test if either:

you have a car driving licence and a compulsory basic training (CBT) certificate
you passed your driving test before 1 February 2001
You must complete a CBT course to confirm your full moped licence if you passed your car driving test on or after 1 February 2001.

Your CBT certificate for riding mopeds is then valid for as long as your car driving licence.
Mopeds have a maximum engine size of 50cc and a maximum speed of approximately 31mph.

It is a test:
A CBT1 or DAS qualified instructor has to be satisfied that you meet the standard to ride on the public roads. So yes, you can fail, or fail to be issued with a CBT certificate (Although you'd have to be a right nugget to get this wrong, and it would be an indication that you'll be a statistic very quickly if you were allowed to skip this step). No certificate=No valid provisional entitlement.

When you complete compulsory basic training (CBT) to at least the minimum standard, you’ll get a certificate of completion – also called a DL196.

Your certificate of completion lets you ride a moped or a motorbike up to 125cc on the road with L plates for 2 years (L or D plates in Wales).

The certificate of completion is a legal document. It proves your right to ride as a provisional rider. The police may ask you to produce it.

https://www.gov.uk/ride-motorcycle-moped
https://www.gov.uk/cbt-compulsory-basic-training/overview

You must get a provisional licence and then a compulsory basic training (CBT) certificate to ride on public roads.

You must take and pass the theory and motorcycle tests in 2 years. If you don’t pass both parts of your practical test within 2 years of taking theory test, then you’ll have to start the process again.

Ultimately, the Highway Code sums it up pretty clearly.

monkimark

Well if it's a test, it's a bloody easy one. This specifically says it's not a test, as did the instructors both times I did CBT.
http://www.geton.co.uk/motorcycle-train ... c-training

It also explains the provisional entitlement that you get for having a driving license

To start your journey you need a provisional Category A licence, either included in your full car licence or as part of a provisional licence. If you don’t already have a provisional driving licence you can apply online.

IShotYou

Well if it's a test, it's a bloody easy one. This specifically says it's not a test, as did the instructors both times I did CBT

I'm saying nothing!!

I'm a former CBT1 instructor, and issuing a DL196 was conditional on meeting the required standard. Failure to meet the standard results in no CBT certificate being issued. Sounds like a test to me.

oldbazza

DeVlaeminck wrote:

I remember when I did my test the tester stood on the pavement and told you to ride round the block - he could probably see you for about 25% of the time you were actually riding. First one he failed me for not keeping up with traffic - yeah because the traffic was breaking the frigging speed limit and as I was taking a test I thought I'd better stick to it ! Thankfully I passed it next time because I'd already offered a girl a lift down to Brighton that weekend. My other memory of the test was the part one when the biker doing the training thought it hilarious I should turn up in a pair of desert boots and I must have thought I was going dancing. Happy days !

On one of my lessons there was a copper coming the other way in a car wagging his finger at us as we were 'making progress' over the gogs near Cambridge


For the op if you go through with it to a full test I would recommend having some further advanced instruction;I did a bikesafe course in London*(think other forces do them as well) and one with these guys;

http://rapidtraining.co.uk/

All current or ex coppers and they won't patronise or bullshit you;the track days they do are good also with a bit less machismo and wannabe racers about.

*It was particularly good riding(again ' making progress')making behind a copper in full livery with lights flashing on the outside lane of the north circular 8) Was a bit unnerving at first riding along with a copper in your mirrors all the time.