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A friend of mine just told me she's doing her CBT tomorrow. This puzzled me as she already did her CBT two years ago and has been riding (a 125 scooter) ever since. I asked why, she said it's because she can't afford lessons / tests right now. She believes you can just retake your CBT and carry on riding for another two years.
Now, back in the early 90s when I took my car test, I'm reasonably sure that if you didn't pass your test in two years your provisional expired and you had to wait a period of time (a year I think maybe?) before you could reapply.
Is that not the case? Who's right? It seems madness to me if you can ride indefinitely but by taking a CBT every two years and never passing a test.
I think she's right. Your provisional entitlement lasts til the licence itself is no longer valid for some reason - You as a motorist probably have a permanent provisional entitlement to a 125cc yourself, but still will need to take a cbt yourself to ride a 125 (possibly not a 50cc moped). The CBT is only a 2 year thing - you must take a test to upgrade to a full licence or renew the cbt.
Think she's right - CBT expires but you can just redo.
Yep, she is correct - a CBT lasts two years - and you can then just do it again. And again. Etc.
Your provisional entitlement lasts til the licence itself is no longer valid
Thinking about it I might know where I'm getting confused. I [i]think[/i] that back when I passed my car test, provisional motorcycle entitlement was an option that had to be added extra and it was time-limited. I've half a memory that it became standard at some point a few years ago. I'd potentially muddled this into misremembering that the provisional itself expired.
For clarity - she doesn't hold a full car licence, just a provisional, if that makes any difference to anything.
You as a motorist probably have a permanent provisional entitlement to a 125cc yourself
I don't - I have a full Class A motorcycle licence. (-:
The Internet would suggest:
[i]The provisional driving licence itself lasts for 10 years but you have 2 years from the date you pass your written theory test to take your practical test. So once you do your theory test you have 2 years to complete your practical otherwise you have to redo the theory test.?[/i]
Cougar - I think you were right, but I don't know if the situation has changed. When I did CBT, I had a full car licence, but I think the situation described to me for people with provisional only was that the provisional bike licence was valid for 3 years and the CBT for two, but (this was around 2000/2001) you had to wait a year after the 2 years had expired before redoing CBT.
I get the impression your friend is right, now, but the CBT provider should be able to confirm (and should refuse her attending the course if she isn't eligible).
She can renew it every two years repeatedly (and it has been that way for a long time at least). She's not found some loophole in the system until she passes a test there are various things she can't do: ride on M-ways, carry a pillion pass, upgrade beyond 125 cc, etc; and she must display L plates, tell her insurer she is a learner etc. There is plenty of incentive to sit a test, and I'm surprised if retaking the CBT is a much cheaper option for someone who has been riding on the roads for two years so presumably fairly confident.
I think the situation described to me for people with provisional only was that the provisional bike licence was valid for 3 years and the CBT for two, but (this was around 2000/2001) you had to wait a year after the 2 years had expired before redoing CBT.
That sounds about right actually. (I passed my bike test in 2000 also).
I'm surprised if retaking the CBT is a much cheaper option for someone who has been riding on the roads for two years so presumably fairly confident.
She's confident and a good rider for her experience levels, but hasn't had any lessons beyond what pearls of wisdom I've been able to impart. Whether she can ride in a manner appropriate to pass a test or not though, that's a different question.
I'd have thought she'd need a couple of lessons to iron out any bad habits, at least. But you're right, the cost of the tests aren't vastly greater than the cost of CBT. I'd guess maybe time might be a factor too, if she's left it too late to get around to it (she was suffering from a long-term illness which hasn't helped) and her CBT is about to expire.
I did a couple of CBTs when I rode a scooter, before I got a full bike licence - I thought it was a pretty good system, as you have to have a refresher every couple of years. Now I have a full licence, I'm on my own - not so sure that's any betterer...
Look here. Explains it all [url= http://http://www.geton.co.uk/motorcycle-training-licence/ ]Here[/url]
The problem is passing your bike test is pretty expensive - lessons tend to be full day things. She may need less after a couple of years of riding a scooter but my DAS course was £700 if you passed every part first time.
If all She wants to do is ride a 125 without a pillion and not on the Mway there's not much point spending the money - there's a whole market devoted to "learner" riders.
The photocard lasts for 10 years, on either a provisional or full licence. You just have to pay the fee to update the photo and get a new card, you still keep the same licence.
I've had a provisional licence for 13 years now...