I have a month off work this summer and we can’t go away so I thought I might do my motorcycle test. Did CBT 20 years ago but never followed up.
Know I have to redo CBT plus the theory test which should be easy enough.
I see that the DAS courses local to me last 3-4 days – would I generally able to then do the test at this stage. Will give them a call just looking for a bit background first.

What sort of thing is best to ride once I’ve passed. Want to commute 15miles to work and nip out locally etc.

For instance like the look of Yamaha XJR 1300 or should I limit myself to something smaller?
I know nothing about bikes – probably obvious.

Depending on age if you do the trst on a big bike you can get a big bike straight away. The big bikes are easier to ride so no reason not to. I’d get a slightly smaller cheaper bike to drop in the car park first off a 600 orcwhatever might be easier to pick up before anyone sees!!

Get what you fancy. You’re old enough not to get over excited.*

*probably

I went straight from DAS to a VFR750…

DAS includes the mod1 and mod 2 test so as long as you are over 24 and pass thats it.

I did DAS then straight on a daytona 675.

Jumping up to a big bike it’s not the speed you need to worry about but the additional weight and at slow speeds and and little experience this where you’ll be at risk. Once rolling big bikes aren’t any hard work than a smaller bike.
Most muscle bikes like the XJR1300 tend not to be too tall in the seat so you can get both feet on the ground unless you’re a short arse.

Do it. It’s the best thing I’ve ever done.

You need to do the parts of the course in sequence so I’d recommend getting the CBT and Theory out of the way now. The theory can have several weeks of waiting for a slot unless you’re flexible. Plenty of apps to practice on.

Do Mod 1 and then book in for Mod 2. If you book them together it’s a pain if you failed Mod 1.

If you’ve been driving and cycling for many years you won’t have any issues.

I commute most days by Bike and its miles more fun than being stuck in the car. Maybe 2/3 weeks a year when I’ll take the car instead.

Bike wise I have a 600 Fazer. More bike than I’ll ever need.
I’d get something upright so it’s easier to see over and around traffic and also something with a fairing to shield you from the weather.

I recommend shaft drive for safer maintenance

I recommend shaft drive for safer maintenance

But you can’t wheelie a shaft drive bike 😀

But you can’t wheelie a shaft drive bike

I’ll offer my usual advise: get a medium weight bike and ride it for 5k before you think about something bigger.

Just because you’ve passed your test doesn’t mean you actually know how to ride a bike, just you’ve met the minimum standards. It took me 5k before I could say I could actually ride (and most of that was purely ride outs, usually 200-400 miles runs) with guys who were IAM qualified.

Some people pass then get a big/fast bike and overcook a corner and shit them selves. Usually why you can find bikes with sub first service mileage for sale!

I got a DL650 with a massive 66 bhp. It was fast enough to be scary (you can exceed 100 if you’re that way inclined) but not scary fast. In some respects it was more fun than the DL1000 that replaced it (it’s better to ride a slow bike fast than a fast bike slow).

Good luck!

Ridden motorbikes for 35 years (scarily!).

I’d say Triumph Street Triple. Small, lightish, easy to ride, fine for a beginner but enough power and ability to grow into and not get bored as you gain experience.

I did DAS last year, but it doesnt teach you real life things. Honestly how to corner is a major thing but it’s skimmed over, the emphasis being on observation. I learned more about riding (and the numerous ways to screw up) from watching twist of the wrist on YouTube. I bought an MT-09. 847cc of mentalness in low and mid range. Got through the early few thousand km before I ‘started’ to understand how to ride. tbh I wouldn’t change the bike I got. It’s midweight, fast but now I feel its taught me my limits and is bringing me on. Need to be carful on the first few weeks though.

Dont go too big with your first bike, you will stall it at some point and its a dead weight to deal with. Learn your road skills on something you can handle easily.
And its more fun riding a slow bike fast than a fast bike slow!
Have fun and enjoy commuting for a change!

Smaller lighter bikes have their own handling joys. Don’t overlook them for headline “speed”.

You’ll be surprised at the performance of a 500cc commuter bike when you do the CBT – until you get prepared for it, the throttle especially if it’s a bike with any appreciable “power band” will send the horizon hurling towards you in a way you didn’t expect. And thats the cooking models.

A well sorted SV650 is a good start. Cheap to buy, easy to to push round,cheap to drop and just a hint of more handling/performance than the 500 learner models.

I went straight onto a BMW r1200 Adventure. Upright riding position (great form commuting visibility and comfort), shaft drive for ease of maintenance, plenty of oomph to get you out of trouble, large fuel tank and plenty of luggage capacity. It’s a big bike but I’m a big chap and frankly it fits me well, whereas smaller bikes felt too cramped. It’s funny how pedal bikes come in various sizes for each model, but motorbikes are one size fits all with limited adjustment. Don’t overlook fit and comfort in your considerations.

As has been mentioned, a big bike is only as fast as your right hand twists, but will be inevitably heavier handling at slower speeds. I maintain that in responsible hands a big bike will be safer than a small bike. More road presence, more power to escape trouble, and they do handle with more stability.

Pass your test (which isn’t as easy as it sounds!), take some IAM lessons and/or attend the local Police Bikesafe course, buy whatever you fancy and get used to it. I appreciate the advice to buy something small and work up, but if you have already been riding bikes for a while on your CBT, you will probably find that you quickly want to trade up, and buying twice will be more expensive in the long run. Just buy what you fancy from the start, go easy, get used to it and then open it up more as you gain confidence.

Best of luck with the test and above all, whatever you end up with ride safe and enjoy!

depends how tall you are ..but I rode a sv650s. Lovely sound and great handling. Forget the bhp and enjoy the ride.

Thanks for the advice – I’m 6ft and don’t really know what would suit me. Would prefer to get it right at the start (if possible). Not wanting to go mental with speed at all, quite happy to poodle around, get used to cornering – favour stability, bit of protection (possibly) and safety. It just an itch I’d like to scratch – bikes seem a little exciting, cars not so much. I’d like to get something relatively dependable without spending a fortune. I have been surprised how well bikes seem to hold their value.
Will look at the various suggestions.

Buy a bike that you feel comfortable on – that’s the best way in my experience. Doesn’t particularly matter if it has 60hp or 160hp, just get used to riding it, gain some experience and move on to the next one. Don’t be too precious about your first bike, assume it’ll fall over one day on the drive when you’re washing it, chains are easy to clean, lube and adjust on most bikes. If you’re 6ft you should be able to get your feet down flat comfortably on most bikes, big trailies excepted. There are lots of bikes around for about £1,500 – CBR600s, SV650s, Hornets, Kawazaki ZX6s etc. Pick one that you like the look of and enjoy it!!

If you want cheap an reliable an ER6 kawasaki is great as a starter bike. It comes as Naked (ER6N) or fairing (ER6f). 650cc and handles really well for a beginner but also great fun when wound up a bit.

The Hornet’s a good suggestion. I loved mine and sometimes regret selling it. I think the Triumph Speed Four is a better package, if you can live with its quirky looks.

I keep looking at a Hornet or Speed Four for a track bike. I think I need a more upright stance as old age makes its presence felt.

I did DAS in April and went for a Yamaha FZ6 Fazer.

I’ve covered 3000 miles since then and agree with some of the advice above that you really don’t learn much about handling a bike until after the test.

Majority of my riding is a 26 mile commute (mixture of country roads and busy city riding). Definitely happy i went with a smallish, lightish bike as it makes filtering and negotiating traffic easy. Still got enough power (98 bhp) to be fun/exciting/scary on the country roads and nice neutral handling.

If you’re planning to spend most of your time commuting in traffic I’d say a big heavy bike would be hard work.

I’ve got a naked sv650 and I would recommend a vtwin 650 to any beginner or anyone looking for a comfortable ride where you don’t have to touch the brakes or manually engine break by dropping gears for normal riding. Super easy and light to handle and sounds good… and cheap!

Work on the principle it will get addictive…

Rachel – 3 years since DAS, currently sat working somewhere in Bulgaria having ridden round most of Europe on her BMW S1000XR…

I’d avoid the ‘pass in a week’ places.

At best you’re rushed through, at worst you end up £600 in the hole with a rubbish school.

I did it, first time it snowed which wasn’t their fault, but it was obvious i’d not be riding a bike let alone doing the test that week, yet I still had to turn up and sit in a shipping container every day for the week, including finding a lift across the Chilterns (and 2ft of snow + drifts) to their other site in Oxford. So that’s a weeks wages lost but at least the let me re-book it.

Second time, weather was perfect, but every bloody morning was 2+ hours late starting as they were short of instructors, and the bikes were barely working. Managed maybe 2 hours of riding each day, then inevitably failed.

Third time, phoned up a one man band instructor, explained what the situation was, he charged more for half a day than the first school did for full days, but we we’re on the road by 9am, and didn’t stop until 1, so were doing more riding than I’d probably done in a week the last time, and he was a much much better teacher.

Basically I’d pay a day or half day rate, one day a week until your test in say 4 weeks time. You can always book more lessons, or swap instructors if things aren’t going well then.

I did my DAS training at FBS in Rhyl, north Wales.
I have nothing but praise for them.

http://www.bikeschool.co.uk/

Not so expensive and very very good. I am not associated with them.