How should I get a motorbike licence?

[Braggard]

I took the DAS route in the 90's. I had ridden bikes off road for sometime. My reasoning for going Das was that I had some level of experience and confidence so I wanted a licence that allowed me to choose whatever cc bike I wanted.

Took my test, passed first time and the same evening got a ZZR1100. On the first ride down the A12, I discovered cause and effect. The amount of buffetting that came at me whilst passing a hgv at a progressive speed nearly had me into the central barriers.

I only mention that because as experienced as I was off road, on road das gave me very limited road experience. I signed up for one of those bike safe police days shortly after and learned quite a lot.

 

[Once A Hero]

Took my test, passed first time and the same evening got a ZZR1100. On the first ride down the A12, I discovered cause and effect. The amount of buffetting that came at me whilst passing a hgv at a progressive speed nearly had me into the central barriers.

I only mention that because as experienced as I was off road, on road das gave me very limited road experience. I signed up for one of those bike safe police days shortly after and learned quite a lot.

I agree, in all my training, there was very little time spent at speed. Only once in the practise session for my Mod 2 did I get up to 70 and that was on a quiet dual carriage way. For my test I didn't have cause or opportunity to go above 50 due to either speed limits or traffic. Lots of time spent at 20mph - due to that being the speed limit around most of the roads in Oxford!

 

[Markybeau]

I agree, in all my training, there was very little time spent at speed. Only once in the practise session for my Mod 2 did I get up to 70 and that was on a quiet dual carriage way. For my test I didn't have cause or opportunity to go above 50 due to either speed limits or traffic. Lots of time spent at 20mph - due to that being the speed limit around most of the roads in Oxford!

I heard this a lot when I took people out for post test training, and from picking up students who failed with other schools.

Unfortunately it's a business, and some training schools focus on the instructor's customer service experience and not on the quality and content of the training.

One of the (many) things that spurred me setting up on my own was being dragged over the coals for doing 'too many miles' and using too much fuel: having maximum mileages imposed on me. Also being encouraged to waste time off the bike - effectively ripping the customers off.

I fired a couple of instructors who insisted on following this method, and who consistently didn't hit minimum target mileages that I'd set. For an instructor to cover every topic effectively you need bum on seat time - that seat needs to be attached to a motorbike, and you need to be holding the bars.

I worked for a couple of schools who wanted the candidates to have a good time but the teaching element wasn't that important. Many people confuse a good instructor with someone who was nice to them: get lucky at test and think the person that trained them is a genius. When it couldn't be further from the truth.

As an examiner you get to know who does the job properly and who doesn't. We had a saying as examiners, and it was told to me when I was starting out as an instructor: 'You can tell whether or not they are likely to pass by who's brought them up for test': because we knew who would do a good job and who wouldn't.

I cannot tell you how many times I've had to grit my teeth through a test debrief because the smarmy creep of an instructor, who, for whatever reason, brought a totally unprepared beginner to test and led them to believe they were ready, just to take their money. They can then hit them again in two weeks for a retest fee. On occasion, as I'm walking into the car park at the beginning of the test, pulling me to one side asking me to make sure I brought the bike back because it was needed for another test later on! And no, you are not allowed to say anything.

Unfortunately the customers don't know what goes on 'behind the scenes' as it were. Many think all training schools are the same: I've seen both sides and they are not, but unless you are a conscientious professional you would never know.

 

[Once A Hero]

I can relate to the above @Markybeau!

For my DAS, I had 4 different instructors.
1st for the 'Road Rider' 125 elements, nice guy, Polish, a little hard to understand when he was trying to explain certain situations as his english was just off at key times. Also always seemed to give the radio instructions too late in my opinion!
2nd for the Mod 1 training, and a Mod 2 test prep session - now this guy was the type that liked to tell a story off the bike. Come to think about it I can't remember him giving much in the way of guidance other than to use slow control...
3rd for a Mod 2 training session - very clear in his instructions and guidance, I'd say he was a pretty good instructor, and probably my preferred.
4th for the final Mod 2 test prep session - didn't say much at all, and not much in the way of banter.

There was a customer who had been trying to get the training school to commit to him having the same instructor and bike for all his sessions so that he had continuity in his instruction, which based on my experience was probably not the best way to go, as hearing how to do the same thing from different instructors helped me more. As did adapting to different bikes with different degrees of bent foot pegs and mismatched clutch / brake levers and mirrors!

 

[Tootyred]

I assume you now have to do the part 1 training before you go on the road with a 125cc? Is that right?

I did part one in a car park, but i had been on the road for almost a year at the time! The "new" system seems to make much more sense to me as it was far to late to learn basic GOOD roadcraft after 12 months of screaming about!

As for part 2....that was a joke.

 

[Peachy!]

Going back to the learning in winter, I agree with @Markybeau
I had lessons in the winter of 92/93 & passed my full test back in January 1993 (having buzzed about on 50 & 125’s since 1984 so I was possibly a little over confident)
That instructor taught me so so much about defensive winter riding I never had an accident since.
Although given the choice I think I’d have skipped taking (& passing) my full test whilst it was snowing… Christ it was cold!

 

[Chopper the ex Copper]

Yes, but don't. A CBT is going to give you enough information and a enough experience to not be outright dangerous. Be sensible.

You may recall days of yore before common sense existed where you could ride any bike as a learner if it had a sidecar. Cue the Sidewinder, a plastic shower tray with weighed half an ounce and had a wheelbarrow wheel stuck to the side.

Most would be 250 owners caught out by the new learner laws outlawing their steeds, but some took the extreme pith. Over the years I saw a Gold Wing and a Gixxer 11 with such contraptions attached, L plates proudly displayed.

 

[The History Man]

AP50 first bike when everyone else got ss50 or fs1e. 16 I was. Bought it off a bloke on his driveway. He explained gears. I left.

A week later I stuffed it through a hedge. My bicycle skills weren’t enough other than I knew how to bounce. Bike survived as did I. I still have the scar on the back of my hand where the lever went through minus ball end.


Get some instruction. Ride in all weathers on known routes with known hazards. Defensive riding I think they call it these days is essential. Learn to read the road ahead and the level of grip different surfaces and moisture levels, not just rain, afford you.

Enjoy it.

 

[DrGooGoo]

First bike (1982) 65cc.
Current bike (2022) 650cc.

 

[ibbz]

I was an instructor and ATB (bike school) owner between 2004 and 2014. I taught: CBT, A1, A2, DAS for category A, ERS - DVSA post test / advanced riding, IAM, Rospa, and occasionally on trackdays at Snetterton, Brands and Silverstone.

In 2014 I turned to the dark side and became a DVSA Examiner - meaning i went from poacher to gamekeeper. I changed career in August 22 and completely moved away from the motorcycle industry, after being a professional motorcyclist in one way or another since the mid-90's, but I think most of my knowledge is still relevant.

In the UK: The process is the same for all of the full licences.

If you want to 'dip your toe' get yourself a CBT and razz around on a 125cc for a few months and see if you get on with it. It will be your cheapest option...but make sure you ride. Make excuses to go for a ride, not excuses why you can't!

Without splitting hairs, obtaining a full licence will be a similar cost no matter which category you take, unless you provide your own bike. In which case it's makes more financial sense to go straight in and do DAS (big bike) - if you can handle the weight and size of the bike. After you pass you can ride whatever you want.

If you want to understand a bit more about the process of getting a licence then below is a repost of something I put on the 'Show us your motorbike ' thread a few months back.

If there's anything else you want to know just ask.

The best advice is that which you don't take!

Thank you!