So I booked my CBT...

andrewdodd13

andrewdodd13

andrewdodd13

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Joined
26 Jan 2009
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848
Location
Amsterdam
Long story short, my mate was like "you live in the city, sell the car, get a bike, I'll even re-take my CBT with you". So after driving for 5 years, selling my car in November, I'm now taking my CBT a week on Tuesday.

And suddenly I've realised I've no idea what I'm doing! To make matters worse, my mate booked his on the Monday and it was full when I tried to book mine. (Oops) As far as I'm aware I just turn up at the place with my two-part licence and they give me everything, but do I need to put anything special on, e.g. boots, or will I get given those at the time (or does it depend on where I go?)

Any other tips so I'm not a complete noob when I show up? I've had a gander at the clutch/gearbox, braking controls and they basically look the opposite from a car (everything that you do with your hand in a car is with your foot on bike, and vice-versa). I should be ok with this though.

Next up, once I've done my CBT I'll need a practise bike. I'll probably end up with a 125 CBR, quite like the look and I've heard they're good (plus my mate works at the Honda bike garage...) but what I'm worried about is it getting nicked. It'll need to be parked outside in a hidden-from-the-main-road parking area, so how easy are these things to steal?

Cheers!
 
Well you need a bike.
Helmet
Boots
Gloves
Trousers
Jacket

Get yourself an alarmed disk lock for security so it goes off if someone tries to move your bike.

Also, do you like the cold?
 
You can very probably hire a bike from the place doing the CBT, and they may be able to loan you the appropriate kit but obviously you need to confirm/arrange this before turning up in a T shirt and trainers.

That said I wouldn't be particularly keen to shove my head into a helmet that been absorbing sweat/dandruff/cooties from numerous different people.

You are quite brave choosing the coldest time of year to start your biking experience, but there's nothing like a baptism of fire (or ice as the case may be!).
 
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They will give you the basic gear needed, that is helmet, gloves, possibly a jacket (some do, some don't), possibly boots... it really all depends on the training school, some are one man jobs and u ride in what u turn up in, others are a bit more professional.

So basically go well wrapped up, if u don't have protective boots, make sure you are wearing very sturdy normal boots, don't wear trainers or similar, you still can do a CBT in normal gear but it will be cold and not ideal. IF you have thermals wear them. I redid my cbt this time last year, and it was just as cold, so it may not be ideal, but just make sure your wearing enough layers, you will be cold, but the more layers u can get on comfortably that is the better.

You really don't need to go prepared as you will be taught how to ride the bike, as if you have no clue about it.

Gear box on bikes are as follows if you want to know before hand.

5th
4th
3rd
2nd
Neutral (down for first, up for the other gears).
1st

But don't worry about it, don't over think it, you will be shown and given plenty of time to get used to it, at first for some clutch control with your hand is abit alien especially if your used to doing it with your foot, but you soon get the hang of it quickly enough.

Just go in with an open mind, ask as many questions to the instructors as you need to, trust me they prefer u ask then to not ask, well any half decent instructor is like that. You won't be an accomplised rider after it, far from it, but once the cbt is out of the way, you can then practice more in your own time, but legally lol.

About bike security, no bike is ever free from the possibility of theft, but brake disk locks, decent chain/lock combined with a ground anchour will deter most theives as most are opportunists rather then professional thieves.
 
Excellent news, The more bikers out there the better. :cool:

My advice is to chill your beans & don't get worrying or stressing about it as a CBT is not a test it's Training as in Compulsory Basic Training. ;)
The instructors will take you through everything you'll need to know at a pace that suits you.
You Will walk out at the end of the day with your CBT.

Things to take with you are Thermals/Warm clothes/Gloves/2 pairs of socks & Boots even if they are only work boots.
Take whatever you can muster & then have a rustle through the clothes at the CBT place to see if there are any Bike jackets/Gloves/Boots you can borrow. Dress warm though & don't rely on the center having what you need.

Most of all Enjoy the day & stay up the right way. :D
 
Good luck!

Oh and don't stop there, get your full licence when you turn 24 (you need to be 24 to do the DA course to get a full unrestricted licence). Get yourself on a 600, you won't regret it :)
 
Thanks for the advice guys. I got a letter from the place I'm doing the CBT (Two Wheels, if everyone knows Edinburgh) telling me that everything I'll need is provided - I've to just wear "not trainers" and wrap up warm. I have to admit I was getting a wee bit worried with the snow and whatnot, but it seems to have avoided Edinburgh almost entirely and it was actually kinda warm today.

Craig321 said:
Oh and don't stop there, get your full licence when you turn 24 (you need to be 24 to do the DA course to get a full unrestricted licence). Get yourself on a 600, you won't regret it :)
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I had intended to do this straight away as I was under the impression that the age was 21 and not 25! In the meantime I'll no doubt do the full practical test in the "A" category as I will probably be living in Amsterdam from May-April.

One last thing, I gather from here that since I've already got my full driving licence I won't need to sit the theory test again, but am I still going to be required to produce the certificate number? If so... that's going to be a long search!
 
andrewdodd13 said:
One last thing, I gather from here that since I've already got my full driving licence I won't need to sit the theory test again, but am I still going to be required to produce the certificate number? If so... that's going to be a long search!
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Not so sure on that one, have you done a theory in the past? ie. for yr car test.. Reason I ask is I did my bike test.2yrs ago and needed to do a theory...although I passed my car test way back in 1987. Probably different to your scenario tbh, as the theory didn't exist back then.
 
I did my car theory the year it was first introduced. I had to do a bike theory regardless. Unless something's changed with these new rules? :)
 
the_r_sole said:
how did it go?
looking at booking mine for a couple of weeks time and have the choice of edinburgh or glasgow... interested in how you found it
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Turns out I'm not so great with two wheels as I thought I would be; and I didn't really enjoy it much either...

I fell off and damaged the bike a bit, so whilst it was being repaired the usual 2pm Scottish darkness set in and there wasn't going to be enough time for the 2 hour compulsory on-road training, so I just gave up -- going back is free if I'd wanted to do it, but I don't have any off time between now and going to the Netherlands (where I've been for the past week...) to get the second part done.

I would still recommend Two Wheels where I went - the guy doing the training was really into bikes, was good at giving instructions; and they have a helmet/jacket/gloves/bike that you can borrow included in the cost.

Still, I would say do a taster session first if you've never ridden a bike! I really should've done this - I would've saved like £120, but ah well.
 
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