@murray.

Yeah. Those WERE the days. I did mine in 1987. Same for part 2 test. Some bloke watching you go round the park. Once clockwise. Once anti-clockwise. Hand up for emergency stop.
Unless you were really stupid. Bike test passed.
None of this following you around on s bike with intercom stuff
Part 1 of the test was round bollards in a car park. Slow bike control. Easy peasy.

No hp restriction either.

Well that was and absolute blast. Passed of course. Not everyone on the course did.

Getting the handle of slipping the clutch and controlling the bike needs more time for me to be really comfortable in traffic; but on the open road…what a hoot.

From changing position around corners to smelling the outdoors and feeling the wind was sooo cool. Still buzzing today.

My mates want me to get a Hanway scrambler 125 and they do look really cool. Just need to start hawking loads of crap to make some funds.

Cool, glad you had good fun 👍 I really enjoyed doing my CBT – the sensation of riding a motorbike is just fantastic.

I pootled around on a 125cc for a year or so before doing my DAS and think it helped me loads and they’re great fun to ride.

But if you’re hooked then get the theory & hazard perception tests booked and get cracking on the DAS. And start saving 🤣

Well done – isn’t it great? 🙂

Excellent.

There was no theory test either whole thing was 4.5 days, just rock up for 4 days on a 500 and on the am of the 5th day you sit ride your test.

Theory test came in in 1996 (I just looked it up. When I did mine they waived that requirement as I already had a full car licence.

I didn’t do it in one block like you, I did regular lessons over a period of a few months. Can’t remember why, presumably I couldn’t afford it.

I’ll never forget the day I did my CBT, around 6 years ago on a cold, windy and wet day in March. Coldest day of my entire life bar none.

Great fun though, paid for by my employer at the time (perks of working at JLR was they offered a bit of cash each year for any sort of training) and I was the only student.

Clutch was my weak point, very stiff and I ended up cramping up mid ride. Pulled over to rest and nearly fell as I managed to line up perfectly with a small ditch on my left side. Had to pull up quick as the cramp pain was getting rapidly worse!

Lens steaming up so open it up and face felt like it froze solid.

I understood why a mate of mine has incredible amount of peripheral vision after being on bikes for many many years, you feel so exposed but free whilst out on the road.

Needless to say I never rode a motorbike again but maybe one day.

I did DAS years ago, over a weekend I think it was. We had Yamaha RXS100’s to ride. The actual test back then was so easy as well. Go down there and turn right, keep on turning right till you get back here. go down there and turn left, keep on turning left till you get back here, emergency stop then some highway code questions and that was it – then off to the shop to buy a Fireblade!

Well, I’ve just ridden my first ever motorbike home. Swindon to Newbury and I’m still buzzing yet still rather nervous.

I picked up a Derby Terra 125; other than a few knocks and scratches it seems to be in good working order. Other than the faulty fuel gauge and yes I did run out of petrol 😂 but there was only a short walk.

I’ll see if I can post some pictures later.

Nice one.

https://revtothelimit.co.uk/index.php

A few Newbury locals on here, I’m 6 miles north.

Excellent. I got my licence three years ago and have not looked back. I’ve hired a Harley and I’m riding from LA to San Diego next weekend on a work trip.

I wonder if this guy completed his CBT Oh Sweet Jesus!

Enjoy it,nothing beats that feeling of your first bike!

Yep, that first bike feeling is great 👍

I remember going out on my 125cc for the first time. Exciting and utterly terrifying in equal measures 🤣

Other than the faulty fuel gauge and yes I did run out of petrol

Fuel gauge? Luxury!

Does it not have a reserve tank? Do they not do that any more?

I did my test in 84, Pt1 was easy enough as I had been riding bikes for years. Pt2 was done with a normal car examiner who walked around a set route watching for key things like position down a one-way street where you will turn right at the end.

The best bit was my mate and his cousin and his friends all did the same route, so he helped me practice it for a weeks before, pointing out all the issues and where the examiner might be next on the route. I then showed my best mate who also passed 🙂

I didn’t do it in one block like you, I did regular lessons over a period of a few months. Can’t remember why, presumably I couldn’t afford it.

My instructor advised against doing it all in the same week simply because if you arse up your MOD 1 you can’t do your MOD 2, and you’re too close to it to reschedule or get your money back. But that’s just one thing to bear in mind, doesn’t mean it’s a bad idea to do it in one go. I booked my MOD 1 at the end of my CBT, then had a couple of hours on the MOD 1 test area beforehand to practice. Then booked MOD 2 for a few weeks later and had a day out getting familiar with the test routes and where the quirky roundabouts etc. we’re. Just waiting to do my IAM test now but there’s a shortage of examiners.