What’s the best way to go about getting a licence? Been quoted a grand for everything, should I do the CBT first then re-evaluate? Or will that cost more? Should I do my theory first?

Bit unsure of what to do? Feel like £1000 is a bit steep, but maybe not?

Where are you based?

I only know what I did.

CBT, 2 yrs on a 125 twist’n’go

Rather than renew my CBT I decided to do by DA. Did 3 days of lessons, followed by 2 days of the tests. I think that cost about £5-600. Passed no problem with only one “minor” about not going fast enough when hitting the dual carriageway 🙂

I love riding on the motorbike, even a short run like today to town and back.

Glasgow

That’s too much!

I did my direct access 18mths ago and paid £550 all in. That covered theory test, CBT, 3 days intensive lessons and both tests inc. hire of bikes/kit for the duration.

The direct access is good I think if you already have road awareness and driving experience. I think it could be a bit overwhelming to do it in one bounce otherwise as it’s pretty full on. I passed with no minors 1st time but I’ve been driving and riding on the roads for 20 years already.

Some do CBT and theory then re evaluate but I didn’t want to do that as wanted to be unrestricted.

£1000 seems like about double what I paid two years ago.

I’ve ridden a tiny bit off-road, maybe a dozen hours before booking a direct access course.

I spoke with a nearby instructor in Norfolk and we did the CBT in a day, mainly by riding around cones on an old Thor missile site. Being on the real roads in the afternoon was bloody scary, mind!

After I passed that (and, if you are a reasonable driver and can handle a mountain bike, you’ll be fine) I simply hired a 125 from him for a day and rode it to get a few miles under my belt.

The following week, we had a full day on a 600cc Honda. Was actually *much* easier to ride than the 125! Returned and did the MOD1 test one afternoon.

Another day on the 600cc bike with the MOD2 test in the afternoon and I walked away with a full motorbike licence!

So, about 4 days total sat on a bike to pass.

Then I rode, fully laden, with girlfriend as pillion, up to Le Tour at the Dales Bike Centre!! She was brave…

The GS has gone. Now got a spangly S1000XR.

Rachel

Oh Stoner – snap! I also got minor for too slow at one point. Made up for it since, mind…

I was holding back as my tester was following me in a car and I didnt want to lose him 🙂

Mmmnnnn seems I may be getting de-breeked right enough then. Really difficult not to sound pompous but I too have ridden a bit, driven for 20 years I hoped I would pick things up fairly quickly rather than three days of lessons.

I may well be wrong, but my gut instinct is its doable for alot less than £1000 I would travel if it meant saving £500!

I did a CBT/DAS for ~£600 in Aberdeen coming up for two years ago (prices were just about to increase though, probably by ~£50.

First thing first: book your theory. You can’t get your licence until you’ve passed this.

I had one day CBT (done as part of a larger group) then a week or two later (had to pass my theory) did three days with another guy under an instructor. I managed to put my foot down on my uie so had to resit. This screwed up my part two. I had an additional £75 to cover part 1 retest and additional lesson the night before my part 2. As per saddles, all bike hire/kit was provided/inc’d.

The above was based on the fact that a) I had ridden bikes in my (dim and distant) youth and had been driving for knocking on 30 years. If you have no prior bike or road experience you’ll probably have been quoted for 5 days training.

If it’s only the CBT, parts 1&2 and 3 days (i.e..what’s been described above) then yeah, £1k is steep.

ETA: Here’s who I used (in Aberdeen), they’re quoting £580: http://www.biketec-motorcycle-training.co.uk

Rachel, you’re approach sounds ideal. I don’t suppose they have a Scottish branch? 🙂

They might be giving you the 8 day “never seen a road before” course.

Worth checking, cos if you’re a confident and experienced road user and good on 2 wheels, you might be fine with much less.

Shop around, and get on some mainling lists, some places do occasional offers 5 days for price of 3, find a buddy and it’s 2 for the price of 1, that sort of thing.

re course length, CBT is usually a fixed cost, so ask if you can do the CBT and decide (with input from examiners) how many days to go for after that.

Think you’ll need your theory test before you start (??) but that’s a fixed cost to DVLA anyway, you can find a centre and book it for a lunch break or before work.

Whatever you do. commit, and get it done, most expensive option is stringing it out and having to start again because something ran out. 😳

Iirc I took my CBT without a theory, but had to delay the DAS until I had it.

Oh, I’d agree with Rachel, I found that a 600cc is easier to ride than a 125.

On my first part 1 I managed to hit 54kph (in the rain) for my avoidance. I did however manage to take 2 wrong turns (I still maintain the examiner didn’t give me the right instructions) and he made redo my angled start…. I was sure I’d failed.

and agreed re: small v big bikes. riding my CBT (again!) on a CG125, I was struggling to remember why the whole thing seemed like such a good idea.

onto a 600 Hornet after that – “aha!” Much more like it!

Good grief, I’m glad I did mine 20 years ago, sounds like a right faff these days. Think I did about 30 ms in a car park swerving around like a knobber then half a day or so pootling about on a cg125. Test, pass. Only advisory was to get a helmet that wasn’t black. Which I ignored being 22. Obviously.

I rode around the block while the examiner hid behind a car. I didn’t run him over when he jumped out. Job done. £30. 😆

Actually learning to ride consisted of buying a used bike from a bloke and figuring out how to ride on the way home.

Either way, learning to ride a bike *will* change how you drive your car…

I did my cbt rode for two years on a 125 then did another cbt and finally did my direct access in 2009. Was £350 when I did it. Two days training and test day.

Looking at local company West pennine motorcycle training in Blackburn it’s £810 for six days including cbt or £485 for three days including cbt.

Personally I found the time on a 125 helped me more than jumping straight on a big bike.

If you want to get straight on a big bike get some sensible like a Kawasaki Er6 or Honda Cb500

Either way, learning to ride a bike *will* change how you drive your car…

+1

I’ve never really understood the idea of “get something sensible”. BEING someONE sensible is a far better idea – the throttle doesn’t open itself, you know…

Mind you, I went out and got an f800gsa as my first bike, so I may be a little biased.

Rachel

I’d consider breaking it down into smaller segments and doing 1 step at a time (less pressure than having to pass it all in go)

CBT and then 6 months riding around on L plates
Theory
Mod 1
Then Mod 2

If you’ve had your car license a while and ride on the road it shouldnt be too much trouble.

Dont forget to factor in the price of kit.

Buy the biggest fastest bike you can. No point riding a bike sensibly, you might as well take the car.

You’ll be amazed how quickly you get used to the performance and need (well, want not need if the truth be told) more.

Though I’d argue being on a 125 is a hell of a lot more dangerous than a big bike – you’re unable to travel in the flow of other traffic, you’re physically a smaller target to see, you’re often much less well lit.

Getting on a 125 now, even after 21000 miles on big bikes in the last two years, would scare me.

edit for zanelad – the new bike rev restrictor comes off the s1000xr on Thursday – can’t wait!!!! 😈

Rachel

Oh, I’d agree with Rachel, I found that a 600cc is easier to ride than a 125.

Plus another one here!
I did mine about 8 years ago. Cbt one week then 3 days a week or 2 later. I’d never ridden a bike before but if you have driven a car and know how roads work its half the battle. Being a cyclist helps a bit with balance “you’re supposed to put your feet down when you stop”.. but turning at speed took some adapting to for me…I’m leaning but the bikes not following wtf do I do…oh I lean the bike not me, glad I sorted that out before the road ran out!

I think I paid £700 5 years ago so it’s ballpark – but that didn’t include the test fees- they kept that quiet! Ha ha.

I found it pretty hard, my instructor was a sadistict tosser to be honest, and I don’t mean that in a “cruel to be kind” kind of way. I turned up the first day in a diesel car and he went off on this anti-diesel tirade, things like that rarely bother me, but he started to make it personal, being as I drove a diesel I was a combination of a biker hater (deep uncover it seems) and an idiot so I bit and made him look a bit stupid.

Anyway the other 3 lads turned on on their own 125s and I had my card marked for me, he’s lucky the radio was only one-way.

Despite that turd I enjoyed the lesson/test process – failed my DAS1 because I locked the rear in the pouring rain and instead of lifting the brake and reapplying I leaned out of it and straightened up whilst locked – passed the next day fault free and my DAS2 without a single fault despite old Soppy Bollocks saying I had no hope and his little pets all failing 🙂

Anyway old man story over, rode a couple of times over the next 12 months, decided it wasn’t for me and haven’t bothered since – it’s a lovely way to travel, but it’s not really a time saver and there are too many idiots on the roads.

As Chew, and others above, it’s do-able far cheaper. I did CBT, picked up a CG125 and commuted on it for a couple of months, then after theory just booked the tests. I think it cost about £130 for theory, Mods 1 & 2. That was before the rules changed though, and I didn’t pass on a big bike so my license was restricted. You could probably get a lesson and a lend of a big bike without paying DAS money though.

Buy the biggest fastest bike you can. No point riding a bike sensibly, you might as well take the car.

I’d disagree with this in the strongest terms! Just because you’ve passed your test doesn’t mean you can actually ride your bike, just that you’ve passed the minimum standards….

In all honesty I’d say it took me ~5k before I actually could ride properly. And most of that 5k was done in the company of at least one IAM instructor, so I was getting feedback as well as practice. Knowing what lines to take, what speeds you can scrub on engine braking, ‘positive’ steering and general road-craft all take time and practice.

There are a lot of people who pass their test, buy a *fast* bike, scare themselves shitless almost binning it on a corner, and the bike is left to rot quietly in a corner of the garage. All within 500 miles, the thing not even run in! Get a 2ndhand middleweight, learn to ride it properly (and you’ll not be precious when you drop it). I did 7.5k post-test on a DL650, it was a hoot. It didn’t take long to get over the initial fear (I binned a GS750 as a yout, didn’t even look at a bike for 25 years) to get used to it, then understand its limitations, and know I was ready for the step up. Having to work that overtakes also speeds up your road craft 🙂

However zanelads bit about getting used to the power pretty quickly (and wanting more) is soooo true…. 😳

I really should do my DAS, I’ll be coming up to my fourth CBT next year!

*not doing it may have something to do with having a two stroke 125…

I’d disagree with this in the strongest terms! Just because you’ve passed your test doesn’t mean you can actually ride your bike, just that you’ve passed the minimum standards….

+1

Far better to start small/slow and move upwards – at least this way you’re only learning about roadcraft, braking and handling and not spinning rears, wheelies and severe speed.

IMO you’ll be far more confident/able once you do move ‘upwards’.

Some really useful info here. I was about to start looking into this after getting some informal sign-off from the other half..

She is dead against motorbikes, however, after getting an itch for some 4WD four-banger turbo fun, I threatened to buy a white Evo 6 and I think her response was something like: “No chance, I wouldn’t even have it on the drive never mind drive the bloody thing, horrible charva car, disgusting, would rather you had a motorbike”. Good enough for me! 😀

Was going to just do my CBT first and get a little Suzuki Van Van or similar.. but some of the different routes to a full license up there ^^^ have got me thinking.

Indeed, thanks all. Lots to think about.

Theory first.
CBT shortly after.
MOD 1 (twice) 😳
MOD 2 thereafter.
All in about three months beginning to end and used Bike It in Paisley.
Really enjoyed the whole process and getting lessons helped after I passed.
Even though I could ride anyway it helped to get pointers to make me a better rider.

When I passed mine many moons ago I did an intensive course over several days that included 1.5 days of riding out and about with the instructor in a small group before the tests.

For me this part was the most important, not only did it give some real experience but I learned a heck of a lot from just riding in a ‘safe’ group. I’m sure it made me safer than learning the basics and practising the test. It was also bloody good fun.

Several others on the CBT didn’t do this and around half failed the test while everyone on the intensive passed.
So passing the test isn’t everything IMO – you want to be a better, safer rider.