Pass the test with flying colours and you’ll be on your bike in no time
If you want to make the move from pushbike to motorbike, a few obstacles stand in your way – paperwork, practical tests and motorbike insurance.
But with Confused.com’s guide to getting your motorbike licence, you won’t need those trainer wheels any longer.
The pros of riding a bike
Learning to ride a motorbike has one distinct advantage over its four-wheeled counterpart.
Once you have a provisional licence and a set of L-plates, you can ride solo on a 125cc machine anywhere you want - except on motorways.
Completing the basic training
Before you head for the open road, however, take your provisional licence to a motorbike training school and ask for a Compulsory Basic Training (CBT) course. It costs around £70-100. You’ll spend a day riding around cones learning the basics of motorcycle roadcraft. It’s not a test, it’s training, and what’s more, you can’t fail.
The CBT ensures every learner rider has some competency before hitting the highway and is valid for two years. You can even hire a bike and riding gear from the training centre for the course. That way, if you fall off, it won’t be your bike that gets scratched.
Once completed, you can practice to your heart’s content, until you feel ready to take the full test. Be leader of the pack with Confused.com’s Motorcycle Safety Tips.
The theory test
Before you’re eligible for your full licence, you need to take a theory test, which costs £28.50. It’s a two-part test on Highway Code knowledge and hazard awareness using video clips. Practice tests are available from the Driving Standards Authority. Once you’ve passed this, you can book a date for your practical test.
Going direct to a full licence
If you’re over 21, you qualify for Direct Access. This intensive course, usually completed in a week, uses a 46bhp bike, such as a Honda CB500, Kawasaki ER-5 or Suzuki GS500E.
The cost of a Direct Access course ranges between £600-£1,200, depending where and when you take it. Winter is the cheapest time of year.
The practical test
In April 2009, a brand new practical motorbike test was introduced.
The EU wanted a standardised European test that included faster and more complicated manoeuvres. The UK has around 50 super-centres where you can take the test and more are being built. Find your nearest centre at Directgov.
The practical test has two parts:
Part one: The off-road manoeuvres consist of cone-dodging, low-speed handling assessments, an emergency stop from 32mph and the all-new brake and swerve test, designed to replicate real-world hazard avoidance, like a dog running out in the road.
Prove you’re competent off-road and you’ll get a module one pass certificate.
Part two: The 30-minute on-road assessment can only be attempted once you’ve passed part one. An examiner will trail you - either in a car or by bike - then ask you a few simple questions about your motorbike.
Pass both modules and you can ride away from the super-centre on a bike without L-plates.
See Confused.com’s Guide to Choosing the Right Motorbike.
The restricted route
The restricted licence is designed for anyone under 21, who can’t take Direct Access, or for those who don’t want a more powerful bike just yet. You can take the test on the same 125 you’ve been learning to ride on. If you pass you’ll be restricted to a 33bhp machine for two years.
You can also take your test using an automatic motorcycle or scooter. However, you’ll be restricted to these types of machines.
