The complete n00b

[F1GTRUeno]

Hi all,

I've loved bikes since I was a kid and wasn't trusted to learn on one as a teen (quite rightly, I'd have died). I've never ridden a motorbike.

I know you have to do your test and you start off on smaller cc bikes but aside from that I know absolutely nothing about anything.

How long does the CBT (is that what it's called?) take? Do you just hop on a bike in one day and do it or do you get lessons like you do in a car?

Ideally of course I'd love a superbike eventually so what's the route you take to get to it?

Assume I know literally zero and help me map things out if you could, I defer to you guys and your knowledge.

[ssray]

When I started (it was black and white) it kinda went 50cc,125cc restricted then anything you want.
Now it's more structured depending on how old, full car licence (gawd knows why).
I'm currently about 75-80 bikes down the road, all bikes can be fun not just superbikes.
C90's were a right laugh until the clutch blew up doing wheelies

Even a old cbr600 will scare the crap out of you if you're not used to it.
Get training, take it steady and have fun

[snagzie]

Reddit has a good guide on r/motouk

https://www.reddit.com/r/MotoUK/comments/188f1tk/z...

[JR1979]

So, I did my cbt yesterday at age 45 having never ridden a motorbike before, thats basically your first step, mine cost £199 and lasted from 8am until 3.30pm. This was classroom for around an hour, training ground for a few hours to learn bike controls, and a 2 hour road ride.
I'm now entitled to ride upto a 125cc geared bike, on L plates. The cbt is valid for 2 years.

I've already done my motorcycle theory test which you will need to do if you want to move on to do a full licence to be able to ride a larger bike.

I've opted to do a DAS, which stands for direct access scheme, this is done on a larger capacity bike, usually around 600cc, and involves 4 half days (4hrs per session) training, a MOD 1 (slow speed work and manoeuvres) test followed by a MOD 2 test (road ride)

Best thing for you to do is give your local bike school a call and get the information from them, see if they do a taster session to see if you enjoy being on a bike at all, i was a bit nervous at first but now can't wait to start my DAS next week.

Best of luck

[Sycamore]

CBT - one day, they'll lend you a bike for it. Difficult to "fail" unless you're that Mojoo guy on here.

Most then do a Direct Access course (assuming you're older than 24, this will let you ride any bike).

So you'll need to do your theory test, and then covered under a DA course will be your Module 1 (on a test pad, manouvres, ride around cones) and your Module 2 (on-road test with an examiner following you). Most DA courses contain a particular number of lessons etc to get you through the Mod 1 and Mod 2, and they'll give you the bike too.

I'd ridden before so just did lessons on a pay as you go style, and booked in my Mod 1 and Mod 2 through the training school when they reckoned I was ready and it saved me a fair bit of money that way.

[Freakuk]

As others have said CBT first, this allows you to ride legally on L-plate for 2 years upto 125cc.

You will need to then take tests (theory/practical) to gain a full license on the current capacity, or you can go for lessons on a larger cc bike, over 500cc from memory. You can either do this as you would do with a car, or do DAS (direct access) which is a compressed series of lessons to expedite your training and test. Your instructor will identify an available test date and work backwards from there, they will also let you know how many lessons you will need based upon what they have seen from your CBT, i.e. how quick you picked it up/prior experience etc.

[Krikkit]

F1GTRUeno said:

How long does the CBT (is that what it's called?) take? Do you just hop on a bike in one day and do it or do you get lessons like you do in a car?

CBT is somewhere between half a day and a day course depending on numbers in groups, efficiency of instructor etc. Nothing to do with cars.

It starts as an introduction to bikes in a car park (or similar off-road environment), then some brief road intro with the instructor who will assess you for being safe enough to learn. It's important to remember that a CBT is about as little as you can possibly learn to ride a bike on the road, there's a stload more to learn.

F1GTRUeno said:

Ideally of course I'd love a superbike eventually so what's the route you take to get to it?

Assuming you're over 24 you can do a CBT then a course called DAS (Direct Access) - this would let you buy whatever you want. If you do you should treat the whole thing like learning to drive - after you pass your test there's still plenty to learn, and imho if you have the Duning-Kruger in your mind and avoid overconfidence then you could ride just about anything.

That said, a litre bike will be very fast indeed very quickly and you need to be very restrained until you have the confidence and skills to keep it in check. You're only a couple of seconds of throttle away from really getting into a sticky situation (e.g. overtaking before a bend).

I'm not saying don't buy one, just that you must keep yourself in check and be sensible when you do.

Have a look with the search for the thread "CBT and buying a desmo" - chap on here who did a bike licence to immediately spend £50k on a crazy rare Ducati.

[TurboHatchback]

As already stated:
CBT: 1 day, £200ish, can be done on an automatic scooter, qualifies you up to 125cc & 11kW on L-plates.
Theory: Same as the car theory with some bike specific questions, trivially easy.
DAS: Usually 3-5 training days (depending on ability) plus test day. Costs about £1000 including MOD 1 & 2 test fees.

At every stage the training school provides the bikes, you are only allowed to ride a class of bike you aren't qualified for yet with an instructor (not like a car where you can go out with almost anyone). The CBT qualifies you for a geared 125 regardless of whether you do it on a geared bike, which is bizarre.

[TWODs]

Can someone clarify how age impacts 125cc if you got your car license back in the early 90's (pre-feb 2001) as I have seen different advice.

Then how does it work with automatics, if my end goal was either a 300cc lambretta/vespa gts or even a honda rebel 1100 dct as "automatics" do I need to do the tests on a manual or can you do them on these bikes?

[Sycamore]

TWODs said:

Can someone clarify how age impacts 125cc if you got your car license back in the early 90's (pre-feb 2001) as I have seen different advice.

Then how does it work with automatics, if my end goal was either a 300cc lambretta/vespa gts or even a honda rebel 1100 dct as "automatics" do I need to do the tests on a manual or can you do them on these bikes?

Pre feb 2001, you don't need a CBT but you can only use a 50cc moped.

You need CBT like everyone else to ride a 125cc, with L Plates.

Auto/Manual on a CBT makes no difference. You can do your CBT on an auto and jump onto a geared bike, and the other way round.

I think you can do an automatic or semi auto full licence, but I'm not sure why you would. I doubt training schools would even have bikes for it

[towser44]

Is it 24 for Direct Access now?

I did my restricted licence in 2000 aged 18, as of course I was too young to do a Direct Access which was 21. Passed that on a Yamaha SR125 and then when I reached 21, back then that automatically entitled me to ride anything at that point when the restriction lifted. Madness really, as I went from a 125 Aprilia scooter to a Honda Hornet 600 at that time. I could have gone to a Hayabusa, but the insurance cost was off putting ha ha!

[TWODs]

Sycamore said:

TWODs said:

Can someone clarify how age impacts 125cc if you got your car license back in the early 90's (pre-feb 2001) as I have seen different advice.

Then how does it work with automatics, if my end goal was either a 300cc lambretta/vespa gts or even a honda rebel 1100 dct as "automatics" do I need to do the tests on a manual or can you do them on these bikes?

Pre feb 2001, you don't need a CBT but you can only use a 50cc moped.

You need CBT like everyone else to ride a 125cc, with L Plates.

Auto/Manual on a CBT makes no difference. You can do your CBT on an auto and jump onto a geared bike, and the other way round.

I think you can do an automatic or semi auto full licence, but I'm not sure why you would. I doubt training schools would even have bikes for it

Thanks, very helpful, well having learned to drive a manual car, now after 30 years of manuals having a auto, unlike those who spout that manuals are the only way to "really" enjoy driving, I am quite happy driving an auto, I assume on a bike the same translation applies, just the involvement in the process of riding a manual is higher, but the actual ability to enjoy the ride is subjective, it is the same reason I only have single speed pedal bikes, gears make it a more involved process, keeping your cadence up, where as a single speed for me is more about the enjoyment of the ride rather than the process.

My local school has prices for using their or your own bike, so assuming you can get insurance and get it to the centre/test centre without riding it then I guess you are good to go?

Also I would hope that learning all the new skills for motorbike test would be simpler without having to learn gear changes and combined hand and foot braking whilst doing manoeuvres.

Edited by TWODs on Tuesday 13th August 10:10

[carinaman]

What a palaver.

At the weekend a young man who#d just got off an XSR125 started chatting to me while I was looking at a GSX-8R outside the supermarket. He said he'd just done his DAS course and was exhausted.

I've made some poor and questionable life choices. Getting my motorcycle licence when I was young wasn't one of them.

[Speed addicted]

TWODs said:

Thanks, very helpful, well having learned to drive a manual car, now after 30 years of manuals having a auto, unlike those who spout that manuals are the only way to "really" enjoy driving, I am quite happy driving an auto, I assume on a bike the same translation applies, just the involvement in the process of riding a manual is higher, but the actual ability to enjoy the ride is subjective, it is the same reason I only have single speed pedal bikes, gears make it a more involved process, keeping your cadence up, where as a single speed for me is more about the enjoyment of the ride rather than the process.

My local school has prices for using their or your own bike, so assuming you can get insurance and get it to the centre/test centre without riding it then I guess you are good to go?

Also I would hope that learning all the new skills for motorbike test would be simpler without having to learn gear changes and combined hand and foot braking whilst doing manoeuvres.

Edited by TWODs on Tuesday 13th August 10:10

Due to a ruined left knee I’ve had auto cars for quite a while now, I wouldn’t consider a manual.

However I’ve never had an auto bike. For me bikes are for fun, I don’t have a commute or need to ride in traffic much.
Part of the enjoyment of the bike is involvement, so control of the gears, being in the right rev range for what I’m doing etc is all part of the whole thing.

If I was using it for a slog through heavy traffic every day I’d consider buying a bike just for that so I could keep the fun bikes.

Yes it’s more to learn (hand clutches are weird at first) but it gives you more options and for me a part of the experience I’d miss.

[Sycamore]

TWODs said:

Thanks, very helpful, well having learned to drive a manual car, now after 30 years of manuals having a auto, unlike those who spout that manuals are the only way to "really" enjoy driving, I am quite happy driving an auto, I assume on a bike the same translation applies, just the involvement in the process of riding a manual is higher, but the actual ability to enjoy the ride is subjective, it is the same reason I only have single speed pedal bikes, gears make it a more involved process, keeping your cadence up, where as a single speed for me is more about the enjoyment of the ride rather than the process.

My local school has prices for using their or your own bike, so assuming you can get insurance and get it to the centre/test centre without riding it then I guess you are good to go?

Also I would hope that learning all the new skills for motorbike test would be simpler without having to learn gear changes and combined hand and foot braking whilst doing manoeuvres.

Edited by TWODs on Tuesday 13th August 10:10

Subjective indeed. Cars lost their appeal once I passed my test and I've just ordered an EV to work as an everyday run around.
Part of the fun for bikes for me is indeed that involvement, which gears only increase imo, but each to their own.
My stepdad has one of those Honda NC750 automatic things and I was just bored while riding it.

If your local school are happy for you using your own bike then you do indeed just need to be able to get insurance, and then get it to and from the centre.

I'm not sure how you'd define simpler. The very act of having gears and a clutch makes especially low speed bike control easier. You don't even think about it after a while.

Personally I'd suggest at least trying to do manual on the bike and you can always then just get whatever bike you want, but horses for courses good luck

[Krikkit]

TWODs said:

Thanks, very helpful, well having learned to drive a manual car, now after 30 years of manuals having a auto, unlike those who spout that manuals are the only way to "really" enjoy driving, I am quite happy driving an auto, I assume on a bike the same translation applies, just the involvement in the process of riding a manual is higher, but the actual ability to enjoy the ride is subjective, it is the same reason I only have single speed pedal bikes, gears make it a more involved process, keeping your cadence up, where as a single speed for me is more about the enjoyment of the ride rather than the process.

You may find that buying a modern bike with a blipper and quickshifter gives you the half-way experience you need. You use the clutch when starting/stopping, otherwise you don't need it and just nudge the lever.

[TWODs]

Thanks may see how I get on with the cbt on a manual.

[Krikkit]

TWODs said:

Thanks may see how I get on with the cbt on a manual.

Definitely try it and see how you get on