grey-beard
Orange 🍊 Fan
So even though I rode a 50cc then a 125 back in the good ol' 80s, with no test, I can't do that again without at least a CBT? Shame. What's a das?
How should I get a motorbike licence?
- Thread starter doctor-bond
- Start date
No unfortunately you need a CBT now.
Direct Access Scheme- Go straight to big bike. Do not pass go. Do not collect £200.
@grey-beard
Direct Access Scheme- Go straight to big bike. Do not pass go. Do not collect £200.
@grey-beard
Yes, you can still ride a moped, 50cc on a car licence without a CBT or L plates if you have had it long enough. And the CBT is just an easy training course, not a test, that you only have to go through every few years.
Chopper the ex Copper
Alpinestars Fan
I did mine in the day, one of the last tests in the 80's before the examjner would start following behind with an intercom.
Well, the part 2 got off to a good start when the examiner asked me to read the numner plate of my own motorbike. Things got even better when i fell off, because fortunately in those days you had to ride round the block while the examine stayed on foot and watched and I managed to lay it down out of his sight. I remounted and passed, and these days just bimble about on my 1953 350 beesa.
Funny thing is I love motorbiking but im hopeless, not a natural at all (I'm very careful as a result.)
Conversely, I'm an ace wheelman, police class 1 driver, done some short circuit stock car racing, but hate driving to the extent that I dont even own a car.
Well, the part 2 got off to a good start when the examiner asked me to read the numner plate of my own motorbike. Things got even better when i fell off, because fortunately in those days you had to ride round the block while the examine stayed on foot and watched and I managed to lay it down out of his sight. I remounted and passed, and these days just bimble about on my 1953 350 beesa.
Funny thing is I love motorbiking but im hopeless, not a natural at all (I'm very careful as a result.)
Conversely, I'm an ace wheelman, police class 1 driver, done some short circuit stock car racing, but hate driving to the extent that I dont even own a car.
Yes, you could get a 125 with just taking the CBT course which lasts for a few years and have loads of off road fun, cheap to run and hold their value well, so though they seem expensive you wont lose out when and if you move on to a bigger bike in the future.
If you passed your car test before 1st February 2001 you can ride a 50cc moped as stated above. After this date you need a CBT
CBT lasts two years
Generally used 125's hold their value well so you are likely to get most, if not all, of your money back if you decide to move it on.
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grey-beard
Orange 🍊 Fan
I passed my car test in 1987, so I could get a 50cc or the electric equivalent? Interesting.
Nabeaquam
BoTM Winner
Start out small, go up. My first bikes were an underpowered 1940s 200 cc DKW, then a 1965 125cc Jawa. I borrowed the DKW and used around town. The next year I bought the Jawa and toured 6000km around Europe on it. Yes, like the man said, I dropped it 3 times. Then in 1966 I bought a new Triumph Bonniville and never dropped it. I still own a 1950s and a 1960s Triumph and they feel much bigger to my old body than they did in the 60s. I would go lighter weight and modern. The bran new ones tend to have expensive chip failures. Probably I would buy a 10 year old bike. Remember, with age, your reactions, sight and hearing aren’t like they once were. A more modern bike has superior braking and handling compared with a vintage machine. In my 30s I had a 100cc Kawasaki oil injection two stroke. This was a fine highway machine, but lost speed on long hills. It was much more powerful than the Jawa, got amazing mileage economy and there was no pre mix oil and petrol as it was oil injected. Basically I could cruise at 95km an hour for 200km trips. I also used it on bush trails. On steep sand hills I put it in low and ran along pushing the running machine. It was geared too high for bush running but I made it work. This was the most practical all round and fun motorcycle I have ever owned. Not very cool though, lacking there, but the other positive stuff helped make up for it. There are much better smaller and mid sized motorbikes now. Here at home in Michigan, you can get real nice modern used mid sized bikes for $1500 USD tops, every day.
novocaine
Old School Grand Master
Yes, but don't. A CBT is going to give you enough information and a enough experience to not be outright dangerous. Be sensible.
