Soldato
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Yep, it'll have 79(tri) or similar against it, just means she has a provisional bike licence. the 79(tri) means limited to trikes (which you can ride/drive on a car licence).
*** How to obtain a bike license ***
- Thread starter Fireskull
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Associate
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Haven't used these forums in well years but I saw this and wanted to contribute.
I took my test (A2) in 2014 shortly before my 23rd birthday.
I'm restricted to 47hp on my Iron 883
(however I'll be riding unrestricted as of next month)
My DSA examiner said it's a stupid restriction because you can turn yourself into road salsa on a 125cc.
I'll admit that the restriction has given my larger bike a false sense of power, as my restriction only allows up to around 4.5k revs (slow climb), uncapped it's 7.5k's this may not sound huge but on a cruiser that's a big cut, even with my restriction I've hit 100mph so I'm assuming the A2 deems me being able to come off at 100 safe.
Then comes my car license, last car was a V8 landy, now my insurance for most cars between 200-500hp is generally £350-900 these days, (I'm still only 24) absolutely no restriction.
figure that one out.
I took my test (A2) in 2014 shortly before my 23rd birthday.
I'm restricted to 47hp on my Iron 883
(however I'll be riding unrestricted as of next month)
My DSA examiner said it's a stupid restriction because you can turn yourself into road salsa on a 125cc.
I'll admit that the restriction has given my larger bike a false sense of power, as my restriction only allows up to around 4.5k revs (slow climb), uncapped it's 7.5k's this may not sound huge but on a cruiser that's a big cut, even with my restriction I've hit 100mph so I'm assuming the A2 deems me being able to come off at 100 safe.
Then comes my car license, last car was a V8 landy, now my insurance for most cars between 200-500hp is generally £350-900 these days, (I'm still only 24) absolutely no restriction.
figure that one out.
Soldato
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It does sort of make sense - yes as a 19/20/21 year old you can go and buy a 500bhp car, but for most people that age it's out of reach due to cost and/or insurance. However, at 19/20/21 with a full unrestricted A licence you can buy a bike capable of doing 0-60 in 3 seconds and hitting 150mph+, that's pretty much the equivalent of a 500+bhp car, for £2000 or less.
Hell, my little CB400 with a lowly 50bhp is as fast as a VW Golf R with 300bhp 0-60mph.
Of course you can get very hurt on a 125, as they will do 60-70mph. But, if you sneeze and accidentally grab a handful of throttle, they won't have you on the back wheel at 100+mph and spearing into a brick wall at a crazy speed.
Like it or not, the restrictions are there to prevent young, inexperienced riders getting killed. Obviously a 24 year old isn't necessarily any more experienced than someone 2-3 years younger, but you'd hope that they're a little more mature and less prone to acting like ***** and showing off to their mates, like a lot of people in their late teens/early twenties are.
I would say a Harley probably isn't the best bike to have restricted, it's not as if they're fast to start with
Hell, my little CB400 with a lowly 50bhp is as fast as a VW Golf R with 300bhp 0-60mph.
Of course you can get very hurt on a 125, as they will do 60-70mph. But, if you sneeze and accidentally grab a handful of throttle, they won't have you on the back wheel at 100+mph and spearing into a brick wall at a crazy speed.
Like it or not, the restrictions are there to prevent young, inexperienced riders getting killed. Obviously a 24 year old isn't necessarily any more experienced than someone 2-3 years younger, but you'd hope that they're a little more mature and less prone to acting like ***** and showing off to their mates, like a lot of people in their late teens/early twenties are.
I would say a Harley probably isn't the best bike to have restricted, it's not as if they're fast to start with
Associate
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I concur, it just frustrates me they don't take power/weight ratio into factor as one of my younger friends (21) rides an ER6F which is constantly speeding pass me, is also restricted to 47hp (it's not that I want speed it's just the principal.)
When I take exactly the same test that I've already done again and pass on either my bike or a schools 600cc it means on paper I'm qualified to ride a Ducati 1199, I won't be gaining any more experience from doing so, just the ability to be able to.
When I take exactly the same test that I've already done again and pass on either my bike or a schools 600cc it means on paper I'm qualified to ride a Ducati 1199, I won't be gaining any more experience from doing so, just the ability to be able to.
Associate
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not. any. more.
I turned 24 (Direct access) before (progressive) 2 years and over 21.
GOV
I believe this is how it works, had a very confused DSA examiner who wasn't 100%
If you take the test under 24 you MUST take the exact same test again to get a fully unrestricted license.
A 20 year old friend took his test on his KTM DUKE 125cc (full test) when he was 17? so he went from that to waiting 2 years then the restriction was lifted.
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Soldato
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Yeah you have to re-take the mod1 and 2 now, no more 2 years restricted then automatically becoming unrestricted.
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Fix'd
They do take power to weight ratio into consideration but only as an upper limit, it was your choice to run a big old tractor restricted
Associate
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They do take power to weight ratio into consideration but only as an upper limit, it was your choice to run a big old tractor restricted
Haha right there pal, however I'm removing the restriction real soon.
It just baffles me;
I need to take the same test I've already done before,
only this time on a bike I've ridden for almost two years,
to prove I can ride a larger bike,
which will be my bike,
qualified to ride cbr1000rr.
Soldato
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Haha right there pal, however I'm removing the restriction real soon.
It just baffles me;
I need to take the same test I've already done before,
only this time on a bike I've ridden for almost two years,
to prove I can ride a larger bike,
which will be my bike,
qualified to ride cbr1000rr.
What you have is a bit of a loophole that lets you turn up on an A2 restricted bike, unrestrict it and take your test on it to get a full A licence.
For the full A licence you have to do the tests on a 600cc or more bike with at least 53bhp. You could take your test on a 200bhp superbike, but no training centre will buy them.
It is a little backwards but the idea is there... gone are the days of taking your test on a 125cc and 2 years later being able to ride any bike regardless of power. You actually have to prove you can ride a 'big' bike now.
Haha right there pal, however I'm removing the restriction real soon.
It just baffles me;
I need to take the same test I've already done before,
only this time on a bike I've ridden for almost two years,
to prove I can ride a larger bike,
which will be my bike,
qualified to ride cbr1000rr.
I heard occasions of which the restrictor just falls out.
Its not really a larger bike, I'll be using exactly the same bike as I did for my A2. The only difference is, that'll have 94bhp instead of 47bhp which you can't even use during your A2 Mod1&Mod2... stupid law. Why can't the 1 year and 21 points be introduced into the UK? I swear EU just brings the worst laws over to the countries instead of bringing all the laws. It would make life so much easier, if the law was the same in all EU countries.
Edit: BTW I like your nickname
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I need a bit of advice on the best/cheapest way to get my wife a licence please.
She passed her CBT and has been riding a 125 scooter for the last year. She's wanting to ride something bigger eventually and we don't want to have to keep forking out for a cbt every 2 years. (We can't afford a new bike at the moment but I'm planning on dropping a bigger cylinder on her scooter for now).
There's a few local places doing direct access courses that are ~£7-800 all in. This is probably the simplest way but it's a lot for a lump sum at the moment. Are there alternative ways of doing it a bit cheaper or is that still the best option?
She passed her CBT and has been riding a 125 scooter for the last year. She's wanting to ride something bigger eventually and we don't want to have to keep forking out for a cbt every 2 years. (We can't afford a new bike at the moment but I'm planning on dropping a bigger cylinder on her scooter for now).
There's a few local places doing direct access courses that are ~£7-800 all in. This is probably the simplest way but it's a lot for a lump sum at the moment. Are there alternative ways of doing it a bit cheaper or is that still the best option?
That price sounds about right, all in. Just make sure you confirm if they allow for any re-tests within that price, or if you have to pay further for another test.
Also, those prices normally include CBT, so you can hopefully decrease that a little as she already has it.
The alternative and hopefully cheaper way would be to do it like a car licence. Take lessons every x days/weeks, then book the tests yourself.
Only problem with doing it yourself is you'll wait a while for a test slot, whereas these DA courses that run over x days normally have pre-booked slots that they assign your name to, so you don't wait nearly as long.
Also, those prices normally include CBT, so you can hopefully decrease that a little as she already has it.
The alternative and hopefully cheaper way would be to do it like a car licence. Take lessons every x days/weeks, then book the tests yourself.
Only problem with doing it yourself is you'll wait a while for a test slot, whereas these DA courses that run over x days normally have pre-booked slots that they assign your name to, so you don't wait nearly as long.