Getting a licence?

Craig321

Craig321

Craig321

Soldato
Joined
2 May 2004
Posts
19,950
Hi,

I would love to get my bike licence & would like to take a crash course at some point as I think that'll be the cheaper and, of course, faster route to getting the licence done and out of the way.

I am 20 in July and have no biking experience, but have ~3 years driving so luckily don't have to learn the rules of the road etc. again.

As I see it the best way would be to get my CBT, get used to riding a bike, then take a week off work at some point when I'm confident to do the intensive course, get my licence & keep the 125 until I can legally ride something bigger which would either be 2 years, or I take the larger bike test when I turn 21.

Is this a good way of going about things? Is there any better/easier/cheaper option?

I would probably get the CBT at Rugby Rider, but not sure if they do intensive courses yet. I have enquired. Can anyone recommend any places in Warwickshire to get this done? I'm about 15 miles from Rugby and that seems to be the closest I can find at the moment.

Thanks,
Craig.
 
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better of waiting till july and just doing the full test straight away.
Also wouldn't bother doing a separate cbt, just do a full week, they will do cbt on first day.

But check out training centre, some are much better than others. Some also offer as much free training as you want, should you fail.
 
I missed out some crucial words there! I'm 20 in July :p

Could just do the full week straight off but I've read those are recommended if you have ridden a bike before? Or should it be ok as I've been driving for a while?

Also, as I understand it if I get a licence now I have to either ride for 2 years before I can ride something bigger, or take another test when I turn 21?
 
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Craig321 said:
I missed out some crucial words there! I'm 20 in July :p

Could just do the full week straight off but I've read those are recommended if you have ridden a bike before? Or should it be ok as I've been driving for a while?

Also, as I understand it if I get a licence now I have to either ride for 2 years before I can ride something bigger, or take another test when I turn 21?
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I have recently passed my bike test. I did the DAS course which took me about 8 weeks from never ridden a bike before to passing the test.

You can do the whole lot in a week, particularly if you have a talent for it which you wont know until you try. I wasn't particularly gifted but i enjoyed it and ploughed through all the many hoops you have to go through in order to get your licence.

Having prior driving knowledge is nice but don't be over confident with your road sense (like I was). No doubt you have picked up some bad habits which you will have to be mindful of. There is the whole "life saver" blind spot checks which you will have to learn to become second nature. I failed my first bike test because I was travelling a little too close to the car in front on a 40mph dual carriage way. It wasn't too close, but I got complacent with the "two second rule" thing and I failed.
 
I set out to get my bike licence a couple of years ago. I'd never had any sort of previous motorbike experience but had been driving for ~5 years.

Did my CBT course on a Saturday and passed. Couple of weeks later did my theory. Couple of weeks after that did a 3/4 day DAS course with a local training centre. Despite not touching a bike since the CBT we started on Monday morning on CB500s, sat my test on the Thursday. Passed with 1 minor.

During the DAS course we were doing ~5 hours a day on the bike Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, then about 2 hours on the Thursday prior to the test.

It's a bit scary when I think people who would have had no previous knowledge of the road could have done exactly the same thing!

I'd go straight for the week long course if I were you. The worst bit will be in July 2012 when you turn 21 and have been stuck on a 250cc 33bhp machine for 18 months. You'll be wanting to get on something bigger but will have to justify the retest costs for 6 months riding ;)
 
paddy said:
I'd go straight for the week long course if I were you. The worst bit will be in July 2012 when you turn 21 and have been stuck on a 250cc 33bhp machine for 18 months. You'll be wanting to get on something bigger but will have to justify the retest costs for 6 months riding ;)
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I'll no doubt want to get on something bigger ASAP. If I was to get my licence now, fortunately I'd only have to wait for ~5 months after my 21st birthday to ride a bike of any size. I'd rather wait those 5 months than re-test on or near my 21st birthday.

I suppose in some ways getting your bike licence is easier than a car. Firstly you don't have an instructor sitting right on top of you staring at you making sure you check your mirrors all the time, and secondly as I've been driving for a bit I know the general rules of the road (although I know it'll be very different on a bike).

Glad to hear I should be OK going straight for the week long course. Means I don't have to roam around with L plates! :D

What kind of prices should I be expecting for the CBT, week course & test all together. The places I've looked at (all too far away at the moment) seem to be about £700 or so for everything.

I have a week off work in December so should hopefully be able to do it then providing I've got everything together and have my research done! Saying that though the Friday of my week off is the 24th. Are the test centres open so close to Christmas?
 
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Craig321 said:
What kind of prices should I be expecting for the CBT, week course & test all together. The places I've looked at (all too far away at the moment) seem to be about £700 or so for everything.
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Prices seem to vary greatly by region. I did mine in Mansfield (2 years ago) here, costs were (I think):
CBT: £100 (price now £110)
Theory: £35
4 day DAS: £500 (price now £530)

Craig321 said:
...Are the test centres open so close to Christmas?
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My office is open Christmas Eve, I'd have thought it was a standard working day for most
 
paddy said:
Prices seem to vary greatly by region. I did mine in Mansfield (2 years ago) here, costs were (I think):
CBT: £100 (price now £110)
Theory: £35
4 day DAS: £500 (price now £530)


My office is open Christmas Eve, I'd have thought it was a standard working day for most
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Yup, it's a standard working day for most, but you never know with these government centres!

That comes out to £795 for me at that centre, so it does look like that range or thereabouts is what I should/will be paying. Thanks.

Best Christmas present EVER if I go for it on that week & pass.

Now, what do you guys reckon to a first 125CC bike? Bearing in mind I need to keep it for 2 years, needs to be cheap to insure and I'll probably be using it most days to get to work unless the weather is stupidly bad. Work is 4 miles away down country roads so not too far at all. Also, I'll be getting some insurance quotes, what do you guys reckon I'll pay taking into consideration my experience & age?
 
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Craig321 said:
Now, what do you guys reckon to a first 125CC bike? ...
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Honda CB125. Will cost you new nowt to buy, ride it for a year then sell it for the same amount. Will do about 100mpg, insurance will be cheap to. It's on old bike though.
Various newer options available, Yamaha YZR 125 seems to be very popular with the younger guys at work. No idea what it's like as a bike I'm afraid though
 
I like the look of the Yamaha YZR 125. What's the size of it like? I'm 6'1 and don't want anything too small that's going to make me look silly!
 
gillywibble said:
Yes, they do.
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Cool, thanks. Think I'll give them a call tomorrow and ask about pricing. They haven't got back to my email.

Wonder if they'd be willing to do me a deal and put me through the CBT, then at a later date put me through the intensive course for the usual cost minus CBT charges. I just think I'd have more chance of passing if I get the feel for things on the road before I take the test.

I would just hate to take the week off work, do the intensive course and fail resulting in me having to take more time off and paying for additional lessons & tests.
 
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