slash920

been looking up on this. as im 26 ill go for a direct access course.

seems i need to do; a cbt, a theory test and mod 1 and mod 2 course.

only thing thats bothering me it says i can use my full car license if i have cat a approval, thing is what is cat a??

thanks.

JDM_Stig

iTrader: (3)

when did you pass your car test ?
depending on the date then on the photo card at the bottom you will see a list of codes, your could have A.M or P, this is for moped status not for a big bike though,

Direct access using their bikes is £675 - £900 depending on their prices and also if you gamble on doing Mod 1 test and Mod 2 test on the same day, it`s a gamble because if you fail Mod 1 you have wasted the Mod 2 on that day.
hth

slash920

YEAH I WOULD DO MOD 2 ANOTHER DAY. THE CBT IS ABOUT A HUNDRED AND THE THEORY IS EASY ENOUGH, SOMETHING I CAN SORT ON MY OWN BACK.

GOT MY CAR LICENSE ON 16.06.04

MY CODES ARE B,B1,f,k,p

Chip

Just means yours licence is valid for a motorcycle really.

http://www.licencecheck.co.uk/category_codes

Steve's Sti

iTrader: (2)

when i did mines i just re-did my CBT, completed theory, had 1 hour lesson before mod1, then 1 hour lesson before mod 2, passed first time i found it cheaper that way, cost must have been under 250, depends on how confident you are etc, if you ride bikes already its a doddle

slash920

fab link. so basically (without sounding dumb) i can go for cbt, theory and direct access 1 and 2 without my license i currently have restricting me.

slash920

thats my problem i will need extra tuition. only ridden a few off roaders when i was younger. so im a complete beginner.

Steve's Sti

iTrader: (2)

no worries go for it, just watch out for the usual people who cut you off and try to kill you, you'll be fine lol

pimmo2000

iTrader: (6)

Did you know, if you did your CBT, then completed your car test within a year, the CBT stays on your license forever, without having to redo it every year.

Steve's Sti

iTrader: (2)

when was the law changed? as even with a full car license you still need to do it as it expires every two years, well at least where im from it does

slash920

..

Steve's Sti

iTrader: (2)

your license will have a provisional entitlement for motorcycles, check when you do your CBT if you are unsure, ask instructor to make sure

mart360

Provisional entitlement for motorcycles is cat A, if you held a car licence before a certain date, it acts as a perminant provisional, no need to apply

CBT, only lasts 2 years, unless you pass you motorcycle test witin that time .

Mart

ditchmyster

iTrader: (7)

Blinkin flip, it's complicated and expensive these days, I did it in the days when the instructor stood on the corner and if you made it round the block, did an emergency stop and a U- turn jobs a good un.

AndyC_772

iTrader: (2)

Yes, it is - last thing I read was test passes are down by about 50% since the new 2 part test came in. The bike industry is hurting and it's only going to get worse.

I would, however, add that learning to ride a motorcycle was one of the best decisions I ever made. I took the 2 part test about 3 1/2 years ago not too long after it had come in, and although the logistics are indeed a PITA, the test itself is nothing to be afraid of as long as you've had some training. If you're old enough to do Direct Access, that's the way to go.

slash920

yeah direct access is the route i plan on going down with extra tuition. something i have always wanted to do. my mates have started getting bikes recently too.

ditchmyster

iTrader: (7)

I think the way the roads and fuel prices are going more people will be turing to bikes in the future just like in so many other places in the world.

I do however disagree about direct access, I think they should actually change the law and scrap it and make people ride a 125cc for a couple of years along with proof of them having done so, I think it's really dangerous putting a novice rider on a powerful bike and letting them lose after a couple of weeks training regardless of car driving experience, two totally different games bike riding and car driving.

I was lucky enough to have sensible mates when I first got into bikes that forced me into getting a dirt bike with the reasoning that once you learn to ride a bike properly off road there won't be much that the road can throw at you that you won't be able to deal with.

This approach saved my **** on many occasions, most memorable being my first proper ride out with the lads on my brand new Ducati Monster 900, going into a bend a little too hot, car coming the other way, I dropped the revs in panic, with it being a V twin this really unsettled the back end, I was on the white line and there was a lot of dusty gravel type road surface debris and the back end started to come round and I was about to "high side" it into the path of oncoming traffic, but my off road instincts came in and I put one foot down and gave it some throttle back wheel span caught some traction and up went the front wheel and all was well, it was a bit of a wobbly wheely and took a bit of controlling but was just like i'd done hundreds of times on the dirt, there is no way I would have survived if i'd not learned to ride off road first, and indeed how the hell I survived still amazes me to this day.

Main point being on a bike it's a fraction of a second between life and death/very serious injury, which is why they call bikers organ donors, I always advise anyone who gets into biking to go off road first that way any mistakes you make are not punishable by death for the most part, far too many new or born again bikers die through lack of experience and trying to keep up with their mates that are.

stuart2008sti

iTrader: (1)

Had my mod 2 last week ,took six weeks in total from start to finish. You will have to do your cbt irrelevant of when you passed your car test and anyone under the age of 24 cannot do the direct access.cost me all in inc theory £750.

AndyC_772

iTrader: (2)

Yours is a point which is often made, but I think it would be a mistake.

I started riding on a 125, but very soon found that the small size and light weight were a liability. It was easily blown around by side winds and large vehicles, and the lack of power meant I often found myself in situations that were far more dangerous than they needed to be. There's nothing inherently safer about not being able to keep up with traffic on a dual carriageway.

Needless to say, as soon as I passed my test I swapped my little 125 for a 600cc bike, and never looked back. The power I can control with my right wrist, but the size, weight, stability and ergonomics of the bike are fixed, and they need to be right.

A few years on, I now ride a 1000cc machine, and it's even easier than the 600 was. The availability of torque in every gear makes it supremely forgiving, and although I don't doubt it could encourage some bad habits in that respect, you'd have a very hard time indeed convincing me that it's inherently dangerous because of the power that's available.

Paulo P

iTrader: (42)

We need to get out for another ride mate My confidence is back again now.

I started a thread in the bikers section last year about what I had to do to pass my test, it might be worth a read if you can find it. I don't think I've started many topics since then.

daz031178

iTrader: (1)

Prices have gone up since I did mine in 2004. Pased car licence in 1996 and has a bike symbol on the back but still had to do cbt. I totally agree with the comment 'what age you are you should HAVE to ride a 125' id say for 12 months. A modern day 600 will **** all over most things on the road and my 2011 R1 does **** over everything on the road while scaring the **** out of me. My dad redid his licence at 50, 20 years after he last road a bike. Didn't listen and went out and bought a ZX9R saying 'it won't be a problem I road 1000cc bikes for years. I still **** myself laughing when I go round his house and see the marks in the tarmac where he flipped it, all he had to say as fookin hell thats powerful
Also it should be law that you have to wear leathers/textiles. The 25 year old dick heads round here that try and keep up with us when they see us on our bikes in jeans and tea shirts are bloody idiots hence the reason we leave them for dust because we don't want that on our conscience. But bike riding is bloody awesome, no car comes close

Steve's Sti

iTrader: (2)

Tbh age shouldnt matter as much above 21, i passed my test with little tuition because i had been on the road previously before then, i go out with my mates most are 35+ i even go a run with my dad, everyone has theyre bad points restriction wont work, its more dangerous with an undersized bike as everyone tries to pass you head on or takes no room getting past you, a restriction would be more favorable on a 500cc, ive had my zx6r since i passed 2 years on and i have no intention gettin a 1000cc, if you pass your test from 17 to 21 you cant go over 33hp which is ideal

slash920

i have been looking at a zx6r ninja. did look at hondas but they are so expensive. an old cbr 400 would be fab. i dont want nothing fancy a 97 model would suit me fine with a basic safe leathers and boots.

on the dvla there is a list of bikes that are cat a which ones you can take your test on.

Steve's Sti

iTrader: (2)

Ive a 98 g1 zx6r it is plenty on the road, my older mates had the limited ed rizla gxrs and they couldnt use the full potential on the road

slash920

what does the g1 and all etc.. mean?

Worlasshasansti

It's just the model number mate, I've got a 2000 zx6r J1 just been out on it tonight, I've been riding for 4 years and I still can't do what the bike can on the road and still have the odd moment from time to time.

Steve's Sti

iTrader: (2)

Heres my G1 before i collected it 2 years ago, loves to give tank slappers haha, theyre just the model, like v1-v9 etc, its very light on the front end but you can get some good progress done with a light 600

ditchmyster

iTrader: (7)

I agree to a point, and maybe the bhp/restriction needs to be raised so the bike has the power to hit say 80mph in a controlled manner with the gear ratio's playing their part, it should be easy enough to do with modern ECU's on bikes instead of the old small washer in the exhaust to restrict the flow of gasses and essentially strangling the engine.

But I am still very wary of letting a novice rider lose on a 600cc and above bike just due to the sheer speed that the world can begin to go by at, after all we are talking super car performance here and you wouldn't give a novice car driver who passed their test after 2 weeks training a lambo and say off you go enjoy, pretty much guaranteed to end in tears for 9 out of 10 people.

JDM_Stig

iTrader: (3)

But thats what does happen, I am a bike rider and think it`s down to the individual if they ride a big bike or not,
at least on a bike it is only themselves that they are likely to kill,
the same cant be said about a 17yr old in any car, they have the capability to kill more then themselves,
Bikes are nick named organ donors for a reason.

Worlasshasansti

Without wanting to get into this debate, the way I look at it if you're going to go and buy an R1 for your first bike and drive beyond your ability then its likely to end in tears but you take your chances.....

I passed direct access and purposely bought an sv650 as it was highly recommended as a first "big bike" plenty of grunt to keep me interested but topped out just over 140 if pushed.

If you are intelligent enough to pass the direct access then you should be intelligent enough to decide what bike you can afford to buy, insure and ride sensibly on the road.

IMO if you end up in a bad way due to riding too fast/being a dick on a big bike then its your own fault and tough *******.