Why I Have To RETAKE My Bike Test!? UK Motorcycle Licensing Rules & Laws Explained. 

What I find ridiculous is if you do a Bike Safe day with the police they’ll try and teach common sense roadcraft to unlearn all the bad training you pick up doing the UK bike test.

I passed my test at 16 in 1970. You could ride a bike up to 250 or up to 650cc with a sidecar on a provisional licence ie L plates. After passing the test, which amounted to correctly identifying a few road signs, then riding twice round the block followed by an emergency stop when the examiner stepped out into the road and held his hand up, the world was your oyster. Still riding bikes, happy days. !!!

As a 59 year old ' Road Warrior ' and having passed my ' Test ' back in 1981 on a Yamaha DT175 my sympathy goes out to all you guys and girls trying to navigate your way up to a full licence today ! 😮

And this is why the average age of a UK motorcyclist is 57 year's old!!! You would have to be a real dedicated to motorcycle's youngster to put yourself through all that hassle and expense! Bloody ridiculous!

I'm so glad I took my test when I did. I was an instructor in the '90s, but quit when these draconian rules were being phased in. There was no way I could in good conscience be part of it.

50cc law is completely daft. You have enough power to get into trouble, but not enough to get out of trouble. Bike licensing laws are actually discriminatory in the fact that the same restrictions aren't applied to car licences. If you pass your car test there is no law stopping you buying a Lamborghini or Ferrari, if the same restrictions were in place you'd be limited to a ford Ka for 2 years.

Your comment about "Putting people off" seems to be exactly what the intention was, I did my test in the 80's - full licence after 2 laps of the block and correctly identify a few road signs, on an Yamaha RD250... Still riding 42 years later :)

As someone who passed their test over 40 years ago I have watched as the licensing legislation has worked in a completely counterproductive way as to what it was initially intended. The stepped licensing at the bottom end doesn’t incentivise passing the tests or taking training beyond the CBT as passing the tests doesn’t allow you to ride a bigger bike and taking a pillion or riding on a motorway isn’t really what a 125 is about.The original reason for the CBT running out after two years (with a one year delay in being able to take it again)was to incentivise people to take both training and pass their test and stop them riding forever on a provisional license this was for me a positive thing. When I passed my test I could have gone from a 125 any bike but what stopped me was insurance which even in the eighties was expensive for the young my first big bike a 500 was over £300 (my niece is paying over £2000 for a VW Polo ) this would be very much the same now . Personally I would like the A1 and A2 license to be combined as this would give a 17 year old some incentive to pass the tests and 47 hp is about the same as my 500 had when I was 20. The direct access A license at 24 and the ability to take the A license after 2 or 3 years of holding the A2 should stay the same but with possibly a streamlining of the tests so you only did one.

Crazily restrictive licence rules. When I passed back in 2013 I thought it was awful having to stick with 33bhp for two years, but this is another level. After two years I'm sure people are plenty experienced enough to ride a larger capacity motorcycle. It sometimes feels like they're actively trying to kill off the industry!

In late 1972 when I turned 16, I got my provisional license and purchased my first ever motorized transport, a pale blue 125cc Lambretta. Then in 1973, the British Government in its wisdom introduced two new laws. The first made the wearing of crash helmets compulsory on motorcycles (except for Sikhs) and a new age restriction was introduced for learner riders. Up to that time, the limit for someone on a provisional license was 250 cc but the new regulation upped the minimum age for that displacement to 17 and limited 16 year olds to 50cc which forced me to park up my scooter for about six months until my next birthday. (Thanks a bunch Mr Heath!) However, it didn't end there. For some odd reason that nobody has ever understood, the new regulations made it compulsory for 50cc bikes to be _mopeds,_ that is to say they had to have bicycle pedals fitted rather than footrests regardless of whether they were Honda Cub-type step throughs or a proper motorcycle like the Honda SS50 which looked just plain weird. Why? No-one has ever explained this uniquely British quirk to me. All I know is that it is a strong contender for stupidest motorcycle regulation ever.

Sadly, I feel it's designed to limit the numbers of new riders. For some strange reason we seem to be part of the modern transport problem as opposed to the opposite being true, that we're part of the solution. The other bit I don't get is why someone who passed a cbt and rides a 125 continuously needs a retake every 2 years even though they can demonstrate continual riding throughout 🤔

I’ve been a biker since the 80’s. And leaned on wet grass with road tyres off road with no brakes as a kid before in 70’s. Best advice I can give is ride as though you are invisible and there is a diesel spill at every corner. Stay safe but have fun! 😊

Very informative…thank goodness I took my full license test back in 1979……crazy thing is, I had a hiatus of 42 years….since a drunk driver almost ended me….now I am 61 and enjoying riding my big bike…..amazing just how much I remember…..for me it’s so important to look ahead, have good stopping distance and life savers a must…..funny thing is…..you don’t forget these….oh and practice very slow riding…it comes back for sure…..crazy UK nanny state laws…

I was a bike instructor for over 10 years, a rider from 16 years old and now in my 60s and still riding. I can see why the CBT came into effect as at 16 I had very little road sense, machine control or experience, just a learner who was lucky not to be in an accident in the first months of riding.

My GF was surprised to see I'm not the only one who stops and talks to cows. Your softail sounds great btw!

As a 58 year old with a FULL Car, Class 1 HGV and Bike license.. This sounds completely INSANE.. It's clearly and purely, a DVLA or now a DSA moneymaking issue and not a safety issue.

Its exactly the same here in Belgium. Its completely ridiculous. I took a test at 18 (theory + driving) then again at 21 then again at 24. Everytime i needed to pass the exams again and do atleast 4 hours of certified course. I think overall it costed me atleast 3000-4000€. (I failed twice) . Its stupid, overpriced... and thats putting it nicely.

Good luck! Its a nightmare to get your motorcycle licence in the UK. But worth it in the end. 👍😀

Agreed, the process is far too expensive and unreasonably staggered, I rode first as a teenager, no CBT required just road legal, 2 stroke's we're fun and affordable, practicality dictated I had a car for family life, finally this year at 54 and a handful of suckass life events threw myself into getting it done and passed, hopefully getting my son to get it done very soon too, but it's not designed to be easily accessible without substantial cost, especially with the multiple stages of category which oddly aren't applied to power restrictions on car's.

These extra licences that have been introduced since I got my bike licence in the 90s are insane. A better way to reduce biker injuries and fatalities is to raise the age limit on driving and insisting that all new drivers must have passed at least 1 of these bikes licences. Just my opinion.

Passed my test in early 80's , when I say test it was laughable. Ride up the road , turn left , then left again . When examiner raises his hand do emergency stop . Well done sir you've passed . Took all of 15 mins

I did my A licence in Poland in 2001 when I was 18. There was no other category, you could ride any bike you wanted. I had a bike for a year, crappy MZ 250 which I repaired more than I rode. Now I'm 40 living in UK and finally looking to buy my second motorcycle, I think it will be Vulcan s 650

I consider my greatest achievement in life, getting my full motorcycle licence. My car licence, degree(s), marriage, house ownership...... everything else pales into insignificance.

Agree it will put a lot of people off. I passed my bike test before my car test at 17 on a tzr125. No CBT. One practical test like mod2. When done I could ride what liked. Now I wasn't stupid and got a tzr250 and rode that for a while. Then life happened bikes went away and I am now 30 years later getting a new one. Again not stupid so getting zx4rr probably. Not mental but fun. Also will do my advanced riding course and test like I did my car one. Always keep learning, keeps you safe. Interesting video on the process these days. 👍

Thanks for sharing this, much love to you both. There is little incentive for young riders nowadays, thankfully I got my full bike license when I was 19 in the early 90s. A lot of my parents' and grandparents' generation never bothered with car licenses. They used motorbikes in good weather and drove around on their bike license in Reliant 3 wheelers in autumn & winter. It was cheap motoring. Motorcycling seems to be an overlooked solution to congestion, imagine our cities with far more people commuting on 2 wheels. Why the ship is being steered towards traffic jams made up from 2 ton EV SUVs is beyond me.

I re done my bike test at the age 60 all parts and the theory passed all so iam now been riding agian for 8years happy man .wife worries but still ride with a smile 😊

You Brit’s need to rise up and throw these tyrants out of office

I understand the safety aspect of your licensing system, but yeah it's so much easier over here in the US. I went last year and took a written (computer)test and received a 45 day permit with little restrictions like no night riding etc. I then bought an Interceptor 650 and used that a few weeks later to take my parking lot cone test, the entire process took under an hour and cost me less than $75....

The whole licensing system in the uk is discriminatory against Motorcyclists, it puts people off getting into motorcycling and the cost some of the training schools charge is prohibitive , varying between £900 to £1250! The government and some of the greedier training schools need a kick up the arse!

Us oldies who passed the old test can ride any size bike even if you havent ridden for decades. After just car driving for decades I am a born again biker with two bikes - a 1200cc and 1800cc - must say it was nerve racking getting used to them but survived!

From what I've read, with test fees and training courses, to progress through CBT, A1, A2 and A tests would cost almost as much as I've paid for all the bikes I've owned in my life. I'm so glad I passed my test when I did (1974, total cost £3.50, I think).

Thank you ! Im 52 and past my bike test in the uk back in the late 80`s. ( when it was easier ) . When im out on my bike, people ask me " How do I get into motorcycling?" I didn`t know what the new laws are ! Thank you Mr Darcy for making it clear. I may not remember all of it , but I will recommend your channel to everyone. ❤

Very well explained, glad I passed mine thirty years ago, lol. The Harley sounds and looks epic! 👏👏😀👍. Good luck with the test! 👏😀👍🏍

After your first year on a CBT (i.e. when you turn 17), you can just go for the A1 test, there's no requirement to be accompanied by the instructor, so it's a fairly cheap way of taking the L-plates off if you want to do that.

Thanks for explaining that. I'm 57, riding for 20 years. Knew it was complicated now but the situation you've outlined is mental. I totally get taking folks up in steps - safety is good but WHY so bloody complicated???? Oh yeah - £££ 😡😡😡 I work on a tree nursery and the number of tests we have to do for fork lifts, tele-handlers, pallet trucks, spraying with a back pack, tractor mounted spraying blah blah (a lot of these tests then have to be re-taken after so many years... Ker-CHING!!!

Id love to get into motorcycling but clearly theyre just trying to make it as painful as possible. Why cant they simplify it like car tests? One thorough test and done.

Just as ridiculous over here in Belgium. Thinking of buying my first motorcycle at age 31 and now going through all the hassle of the theory-exam, the practical lessons and the practical exam. Getting the license costs around 1300€ over here. No wonder nobody rides anymore.

I passed a direct access course when I was 21 giving me a full licence (didn't realise the age had changed) im now 45 and getting back into motorcycles. Great video and channel.

It's similar to this in Germany. We don't have that CBT thing though, as far as I know. You can get the AM license (50cc) at 15, A1 (125cc) at 16 (not sure if you can easily "upgrade" from AM to A1), A2 at 18 (you only need to take the driving test if you've owned A1 for at least 2 years) and then A at 20 if you've had A2 for at least 2 years (only need to take the driving test in that case) or at 24, if you're new to bikes. There is also an "A mit Schlüsselzahl 80" license which you can take at 21. It's like A2, but you automatically get A as soon as you're 24, without a test. For some reason people who get into bikes at 18 need to take the test though and have no way around it, which is bullshit.

Wow! There are some things about Europe and other parts of the world that I wish we did better in the US, but the motorcycle licensing system isn't one of them 😂

I took my test in 2005 at the age of 18. At the time I think the two worthwhile options were 'Restricted Access' at 17 or 'Direct Access' at 21. Taking the path with restrictions meant a power limit of 33hp/25KW for two years and then you would attain full Category A automatically afterwards. Having completed the restricted test, I bought a 600cc bike at 19 years old and still have it now 🙂

Love the footage from the rider's perspective! I was writing a huge comment on the laws and my experience in Greece but I decided to erase it. Just ride safe and enjoy and be responsible. Cheers! :)

I'm 46 and did a CBT for the second time in my life last year & a theory test even though I've had a full car license forever. At some point before the CBT expires I'll do a Direct Access, but that requires 2-3 days of expensive instructor time & bike hire for most people in addition to the two tests. It'd make a lot more sense if I could get my A1 on my own & then ride an A2 class bike on L plates & pass a test on that, then the same deal again for full A license...

The licence system is the way it is to put people off altogether .its so convoluted.

I had no idea what it had become. I passed my test sometime in 96 - so I did a CBT - but took my test before the direct access thing came in. It was also pre theory test. My daughter is 12 and rides a dirt bike on private land - she’s actually ridden since 4 years old, so I watched this to get an idea of what her route to getting a licence may look like … And I’ve come to find out that it’s ridiculous…

If you've passed A2, you should be put on a A2 to A conversion course which should be a CBT style day riding a 650cc to 'get used to it'. At the end of the day you either complete the course or you don't. Redoing Mod1 and 2 again is mean!

Can vividly recall my test. The instructor talked me through the route that l was to take, a route where he'd never see me on, then on my return he'd step out into the road & l'd do an emergency stop. Couple of questions and bingo no more moped, 250cc's of fun at 17! Failing your test was a great shame & you'd be viewed as borderline retarded.😂

I don't think people bought big bikes and killed themself at great numbers and the government has told that story to make you guys pay so much. Out death toll is low here in America and you can buy a Bussa, the day after the weekend course. Just saying. But you guys do get to lane split

I am so glad I got my bike Licence 40 years ago just a CBT and test . on my 100cc then I waited to pick which bike to have trying some out and finally when for a 750 a GPZ 750 Turbo LOL which was one of the fastest bikes on the road at the time. now some years later Im changing my zx12r to a slower bike H2sx se LOL what no test teaches you is that every car driver is trying to kill you and most dont know what they are doing as they have their thoughts someplace else. the key is to stop the risk and take action just in case. ride with your fingers on the brakes. good luck with the test I hope you have not forgotten too much

yeah i am new rider(in italy) so i have just taken the A3 licence so i can tour all europe no problem... but the old generation has to redo their test of you want to go outside your country in europe... now the only difficult thing for the new test it that most schools us sports naked bikes and their are hell like not comfy at all🤣🤣 amd yeah... pay 500 € ....plus you have to wait 24 years old to do the A3 test without doing the A2 which is insane

50 cc and max 28 mph speed limit is plain dangerous and stupidity!

All this sounds like crazy. Fly to US and get lic for motorcycle and use US lic over in Europe. I am sure I am an idiot. But they make it way to long and to expensive . I think a weekend course is around 150 dollars and pass the class and get endorsement. Crazy

We've got mostly the same licensing debacle across the river, in Norway, except we can't even ride around on L plates. No such thing for bikes, unless you're out riding with an instructor. I waited until 23, rode an old Tempo Corvette "cruiser style" 4-speed moped, which I can do on my car license, for a year to get familiar with all the controls, then got my A license. The corvette is also old enough it's only limited to 2,5 HP instead of a strict speed limit, so it could legally do 55km/h on the straights, which helped a lot. 😂

Passed my motorcycle test at 16 in 1971 on a Vespa GS160. Not long after that I bought a BSA 650 Thunderbolt. Had a few close calls on the BSA and looking back I’m surprised I survived my teenage years. I do think now that the test needed stiffening up but it’s gone from one extreme to another.

Motorcyclists have been victimised since the early 80s. Motorcycles can play a significant role in reducing congestion

Hi Darcy, in France the CBT (BSR in french) is at 14 years and the 125cc at 16. At 18 the A2 and at 20 the A. If you are more than 22 you can go straight to A without having to go through the previous levels, however, difficult to get assured if you go directly to a super-sport or a Hayabusa (even impossible). So even if you have your A license, you have o have at least 2 years of experience prior to get assured for a super-sport

I passed my test in 1961 when I was 17 and rode an AJS 350cc the law changed to 250cc a bit later but by then I had bought a Norton 600cc Dominator. Happy days !

Good luck Darcy! 🤘😎

I've no doubt you'll pass but it's a pain in the bum and unnecessary. I mean you can take your car test in an Aygo and then buy a BMW 330i. I passed on my own 125 and had to stick to 33bhp for two years but then I could ride anything. I don't feel like riding a 125 or 600 is much different. I mean they only go as fast as you twist the throttle. Seems pointless making you take it again. The two year bhp limit seemed fair enough to me.

Thank you from the US to see what a crazy (DMV) department of motor vehicles makes you guys jump through. Control!

What a carry on! I think I was probably the last person in Scotland to do old old test back in mid-1982. Twice round the block and three questions. A-licence. Mad as a box of frogs and not dead yet!

Well presented. Your bike sounds amazing n looks amazing. Good riding too.

When I moved to the U.S from England back in 2019 I had to retake my car and bike test. The bike test was 2 day course on a playground and people who'd never ridden a bike in there lives went from no experiance to test pass in 11 hours. Anyone who passed the test and they all do even those who fell off a lot could go out and buy any bike after that. The car test was even easier. It's crazy how little training you need out here to ride or drive and it shows when you are on the road.

Bit different when i was young. Did my Part 1 (now a CBT i guess) in a carpark, borrowed a 125 from a mate and passed my test to get a full license. Rode 125 back to my mates house and after a quick call to my insurance company, hopped on the GPZ900R i had in my garage. 12 BHP to 115 in half a day! Weirdly, after 40 years where the smallest cc bike i had was 865, i have now bought a CRF300L which at 27BHP is A2 compliant. Just as much fun especially in Wiltshire!

Ok. Very informative. Keep it up. Good luck with your test. 🤙🏽🏍️

Im glad I took my test back in the 1980's. Straight to A license. Been riding for 39 years. still totally love it.

Great video mate. I'm a fan of the channel. Nice little ride through the backroads near Uppingham I see.🤘🏻 I have a K4 SV650s restricted. Great fun. But I'm just as frustrated with the UK licensing as you are 😅 got to do the same test again myself very soon.

DVLA didn’t add motorcycles to my license when it changed from paper to plastic, contacted them, they said they would look, but no guarantee they would find it and could cost up to £15,000, I re did my test, knobheads.

Thank you so much for this video. Sorted a lot of the faff out, a friend has to go through, who is UK-based.

Hi Great vid I'm an old git now but thanks for letting us old gits know what you young whipersnappers have got to go through, respect to you foe going through the mill Keep up the good work And keep it rubber side down

Quite interesting. I am certainly closer to "Ol' Man" vintage. I started riding in the UK in 1978 at 17 years old on a 150 cc Lambretta Scooter which would do about 60 mph downhill with a tailwind but the vibration was intolerable so 45 mph was reasonable practical limit which was okay for around town. At 18 I passed my test and got my full licence and a few months later I bought a new RD400 which was shall we say a tad faster than the Lambretta especially after a few mods to the ports, intake air filters and reed valves. In 1981 at the ripe old age of 19 years old I entered the Motorcycle News Star Rider competition which was all about safe riding and came joint first place in the regional final and ultimately came 12th out of 30 in the national final held at the NEC in Birmingham. Despite being a two stroke hooligan I was aware that you needed to ride safely at least on busy roads. I emigrated to Canada in 1990 and converted my car licence but as I had sold my motorcycle in the UK a couple of years earlier I never bothered to convert my motorcycle license (probably a mistake). Fast forward to 2021. My wife persuaded me to get back into motorcycling. The system in Canada is "graduated" like the UK but with a few key differences. I did my M1 test (written) and then signed up for an M1-M2 course with a reputable local training organization. This was a 2 day training course that can take anyone from raw novice to having an M2 licence which allows you to drive on the road (insured - very important). The training was very good however certain things taught were factually incorrect - e.g. tires maintain the same level of grip in the wet as in the dry (which is total BS) but they were saying that so complete newbies would not get nervous. The training was very good and pretty well everyone passed the test at the end giving them an M2 licence. In Canada with an M2 you can basically ride anything you want provided you can afford the insurance. As my son (who took the test with me and is about your age) was also going to be riding I end up purchasing a Ninja 400 - couple of reasons - 1. light and fast enough to have fun but not so fast you will get into serious trouble and 2. my son liked the look of sports bikes. A year later I bought an FJR 1300 as the Ninja was simply not appropriate for taking passengers (at least in any type of comfort) and my wife wanted to go touring. The FJR is a great bike - took a bit of getting used to its weight more than anything and in 2023 we went from Toronto down the Blue Ridge Parkway to the Tail of the Dragon and Cherahala Skyway in Tennessee (great trip). To get a full (M) motorcycle licence in Canada you need to wait a minimum of 16 months from getting your M2 to being able to get a full licence but I signed up for the M2-M course in Sep 2023 with the same organization I had trained with before. This experience was totally refreshing. It was run by the lead instructor (not a young guy) and he had been riding many years. He basically told us he was concerned only with our riding safely and safely meant that if the traffic on the highway was going 10 kph over the speed limit we were to ride at that speed - not adher strictly to the speed limit and he would not fail us for that. This was music to my ears and honestly the best training course I had attended because it was focussed entirely on the right thing which is all to do with staying alive and avoiding being involved in other peoples accidents. I passed the test with minimal errors. Our instructor said he would be happy to have me join their organization as an instructor and this type of teaching is making me want to sign up to do this. Anyway - how this relates to what you are saying here. My opinion is that learners at least once they reach the age of 17/18 should be allowed to ride bikes that can do 80-90 mph. Irrespective of the motor power output, being able to cruise comfortably at 70 mph is essential and the differences in weight and aerodynamic drag of different motorcycle configurations. Slower speeds can be downright dangerous so maximum speed and not outright power is important although power to weight ratio also needs to be considered as you can accelerate into trouble very quickly even at speeds well below the legal limit. Next I think no government bureaucrats or politicians should be allowed to have ANY involvement in legislation pertaining to motorcycles unless they have held a full motorcycle licence and have been actively riding motorcycles for at least 10 years (keeps the Karen's out of the mix). Congrats on getting your full licence. My son who is insured to ride my FJR prefer to ride the Ninja simply because its smaller and lighter and still quick enough to have fun on. Keep safe . . .both of you!

Bit of a bike training story for you. My missus, (Chinese) never having ridden a bike in her life, did her motorcycle course in Shanghai on a beaten up local 250 and that involved compulsory 6 lessons (in a group - one hour each ) and then a test which was basically just riding around a training road and doing some stop and starts and some cone weaving. With her Chinese licence she converted to a Hong Kong licence which allowed her to get an international driving permit and go anywhere on any bike. Literally 2 weeks after starting she was in South Africa with me preparing to ride around the world to Shanghai on a 1000cc enduro bike. The reality was she didn’t really know how to ride and had a total of a few weeks experience. The same for millions of bike riders across Asia and Africa - which is why there are so many bikes compared with Europe. She got on her new KTM 990 Adventure in Cape Town and rode everyday on every road surface , condition and weather planet Earth has to offer - including some of the worst urban riding in places like Cairo, Rome, Chong Qing, Bangkok and the M25!!! ……and finished two years later in Shanghai. She learned along the way while riding along side me - sort of like a 10 hour a day - 700 day - permanent one on one riding instructor. When she dropped the fully laden bike - which she did often in the sand and gravel trails in early days - I never helped her pick it up. She did it and is now a master bike “picker upperer” My point is the U.K. system is a joke. It’s not training riders effectively and it’s not encouraging youngsters to take up motorcycling. It’s not safe either - look at the little shits in the U.K. on their thieving scooters!! I am not sure how old “the old man” is but he may have started like me on an unrestricted 50cc moped at 16 years old and borrowed a 250 bike on his 17th birthday to do some cones for the test. Not a single day’s instruction … and then immediately after astride a RD 350 or Suzuki X7 to charge about at full throttle and on the back wheel to impress the girls. Unlike some I survived and I did end up riding a motorcycle for a living in the Royal Hong Kong Police and doing the police advanced motorcycle courses, etc.. unfortunately seeing in my time in Traffic division some horrific bike accidents and so the main point of this story is I am a strong proponent of excellent motorcycle training. However I think the U.K. system is not good training. Nor was mine in late 70s which is why many youngsters ended up as organ donors. If I was to devise training it would not be based on age, but on skill, road craft, and a compulsory visit to a mortuary. Amen! www.bigbiketrip.net

Retook my bike test and the theory at the age of 60 all passed all 4units cbt theory mod 1mod2 but had been driving riding for 45/ 50 years but the wife wanted me to make sure I was safe and kept all tickets but it was a learning experience.

It's almost the same here in Switzerland except you must have a A2 (Motorbikes up to 35kW) license to pass the A unlimited (at least 2 years of driving experience in the cat. A2 are required.) regardless of your age.

Got my first bike AJS Safire 250 in 1970 on my 16th birthday paid 74 pounds for it great bike very heavy for a 250 rode it home, crashed it on the way, no helmet in those days, luckily had a mate with me helped me get the bike of me, straightened a few bent bits, off again got home Dad gave me a few pointers. He never wanted me to have a bike though he’d ridden for years, so he knew how dangerous it could be, but I was determined, over the next year or so I had several spills but I was always lucky. Passed my test after a couple of try’s graduated to a 650 pre unit triton, one of the fastest bikes around in those days, luck and experience means I’m still riding @ 69 still got my Rocket Gold star from the old days, but I ride a 650 Royal Enfield mostly cause it has brakes “that work”! In my day you were just chucked in at the deep end and sink or swim, I can see the sense in some restrictions but these uk Regs seem over the top, I live in Australia now and rules here are much more sensible 🤔

I got my licence not long ago,it was a very expensive and cumbersome process.Wish I had done it years ago when you literally rode round the block,if came back unscathed you got your licence...

The stuff of nightmares. When I went from one state in Australia 🇦🇺, I had to go through the whole thing again. One lap of the City cemetery,ending with a right hand turn into the car park. I practiced my figures of 8, never got asked to do 1. At one stage I was told to speed up as the cop had a big heavy 650 Kawasaki with a batwing fairing.

I ought to inform you, sir. You have got a very beautiful motorcycle.

Back in early 80's I took and failed my bike test but rode a Honda 250 (K5 ?) on L plates, then I had a go on a Yamaha LC250 which then caused L plate to only be upto 125, which I down sized to then eventually ar 25 passed my car driving test first time and not been back to bikes since. My experience of bikes was very useful as you become acutely aware of what's going on around you. Had some a couple of narrow escapes on bikes due to bad car drivers

took my motorcycle license in the UK in 1978, where we could ride up to 250 cc at 17 then any cc above after passing the test .Took it again in the States in 2018 after i moved across the pond, the 1978 test was still more stringent than my 2018 USA test, which once you pass you can ride any cc.

I started on a moped back in the 1970s and did my test on a 125cc Honda, when I moved to Australia 20+ years ago I had to go and take a test much like the mod1 you mentioned, I hired a 250cc Honda for that, I past that and the instructor then got me to ride the course again on my HD Roadking i had ridden there on to demonstrate to the yougsters who had failed that day that the course was passable on any motorcycle. I live not to far from one of Australia's iconic bike roads and see some truly dumb riding and accidents most weekends, more education and training can't be a bad thing.

I'm going to post something on here that I thought I would never ever do. This is about something I believe to be fundamentally wrong. Designed by those that have no knowledge, those that, I believe, have no real world life experiences but have a computer and a desk. I started riding motorcycles in 1966 on a 200cc Triumph Tiger Cub. Once you passed your test you could ride anything. TBH it wasn't a big deal because even the ubquitous Triumph Bonneville was not so greatly fast in those days compared to today (although tyres and frames were dubious) and I learned a lot about roadcraft, riding skills and handling (or not) on that little Tiger Cub. I learned about icy roads, oily roads, gravel roads, muddy roads, motorists, tractors, manure, how to control punctures etc. etc. .... I moved on at 17 or 18 to a BSA Golden Flash. Fast forward a few (well quite a lot) of years and many motorcycles I have 2 grown up sons that have left home and set out on their own lives. Each of them , seperately, at nearly 30years old surprised me by turning up unannounced on modern day 600's both having undertaken 'Direct Access'. Elder son had a GSXR600, Younger son had a CBR600RR. I, since riding in Fred Flintstones era had some great rides with them on my Honda Blackbird (which I still have). I now have one son. My younger son died without apparantly any external infuences. Inquest says unknown loss of control possibly a 'tank slapper'. If that is the case (and of course I'll never know) then someone who was experienced enough to know how to deal with a 'tank slapper' might have recovered it, who knows. I loved my son and I miss him so. The point I'm trying to make is that from the day it was introduced I never ever ever believed in motorcycle Direct Access which allows people after a certain age to pass relatively simple tests and then legally ride some of the fastest vehicles on the planet when they actually have no real life skill. (Equally applies to 4 wheeled vehicles for which there is no graduation scheme at all. 'I'm rich I can pass my test in a Ford Ka then drive a Bugatti Veyron on British roads....wrong). IT SHOULD NOT BE AGE DEPENDANT. Whilst I believe, more than ever today, there NEEDS to be a graduation process given the power of today's motorcycles and cars, neither the current scheme for motorcycles or the total lack of one for cars is appropriate and it needs someone (a team) with intelligence, to look at sensible revisions to this. Errr I think I got a bit carried away there as I was possibly on a rant. How could I ever think that the UK could come up with something sensible when it's run by clown school!!!!! but I believe in what I said.

Here in New Zealand we have the LAMS scheme which I feel is a sensible halfway house between Europe and the US, after passing a basic handling skills test the rider then must pass a theory test before getting a learners licence. At this point they can ride a LAMS approved bike, the primary criteria of being between 251cc and 660cc, and less than 150 kilowatts per tonne. You do have restrictions of an L plate, zero alcohol no pillion and a curfew. As a sixteen year old you must have your learners for 6 months before you can sit you restricted test, once passed you loose the L plate. 18 months after this you take a full licence test and on passing you get your full licence and can ride any bike. For older riders you can take your restricted as soon as you feel confident to pass after getting your learners and then only have to wait 12 months to go for your full licence.

I was so over the moon when i passed everything last year, it felt like the whole process went on and on. CBT, theory, mod1 and finally mod2 along with all the training. Ive been driving artic lorries for over 10 years and that dragged on probably more than the bike but the bike felt a lot longer process.

I fell foul of the then new laws in 2012 and basically did my test 0n 125 to get the A1 licence. Then in 2014 retook the test (DAS) when funds would allow to get the full A. I had a driving licence since 1985, a bus licence in 2000, I feel your pain!

I did a Direct Access test and got my A1. I had previously done an A2 which allowed me up to 400cc but automatic so I had a Suzuki Burgman AN400. Which is a great commuter tool but I wanted a bigger bike. So while my CBT was still valid I bought a 125 trail bike and rode it around a bit. I was over 40 at this time, passed car test 22 yrs earlier. So I used a school bike passed test eventually then bought 660 cc Yamaha. Then a ST1100 Pan European. And remember all this started from a Korean 125cc scooter. Its an addictive thing. I guess it was a mid life crisis thing for me . Anyway I know how tough it is doing a bike test later in life so well done mate.

Im 49 now, i had a prov with L plates at 17 but i was broke and it expired before i could do my test, so just as i turned 20 i saved up and did, the then, a direct access 3 day course. From cbt to fully licensed rider in less than a week. Cost me £550 back then, but it was, well worth it.

I took my motorcycle test in 1980 and have not taken any other tests since. I even went 20 years between 1997 and 2017 without riding or owning a bike. Once you pass your test, your good for life in the state of PA anyway. Got a bike again in 2017 and just rode it off dealers lot, no questions asked.

Thanks for explaining the modern rules to the bike license, any bit of wonder there are fewer bikers out there, the 50 cc rule is badly outdated now, modern traffic moves too fast for a 50 cc bike, things were a lot simpler when i started at 16 on a Yamaha Fizzy, was a bit scary on the carriage ways when Scania 141's and 142's went past you doing 70 or 80 mph before they had speed limiters introduced. I then did the car licence at 17 and when i was 21 I did the class 1 HGV licence on a Friday and did the full bike test the next morning, i still ride bikes, drive artics and cars, it makes you very very aware of each other when you hold three full licences.

I started in 1977 with Honda C50. Means of transport. You learnt roadcraft, but was flipping scary trying to get across some junctions, lack of power. But survived.

i done my cbt test in 1991,passed my motorcle test in early 1992 ,full licence ,aged 34 ,im now 66 ,things have changed so much since then,not for the better ,motorcyclists do seem be discriminated on,compared to car drivers,but probly will allways be like that sad to say ,im still enjoying motorcycling and the fun and freedom it gives me ,unbeatable ,ive a 1600 triumph thunderbird now which is amazing ,❤ mick

Still beats the gun madness of Murca....

Passed my test on a Honda 50 semi automatic in 1964 when i was 16 which entitles me, and still does, to ride any bike irrespective of size. Recently came into possession of a Kawasaki 650. My, how bikes have changed, it scared me to death!! Ride a Tuk Tuk now, far more civilised. Reminds me of the 60s. No helmet, no seat belt, no doors. Brilliant!!

I’m just a little confused as to when you filmed this as it’s just not stopped raining this year lol good vid 😅 I passed 24 years ago have a class licence just wish it would stop raining lol

YES!!! I FULLY AGREE with the 50cc speed restriction STUPIDITY!!! 😠😠 OH LONG GONE are the days (like I did at 17 in 1989) where there was a Part 1 to become a road legal Learner on a 125cc, then a Part 2 to ride whatever sized bike you wanted... I did that, and then hung around with the Training School and became a ROSPA/DSA trained instructor (for CBT and Part 2) AND Restricting a 16 year old to a 45 KPH 50cc ped IS STUPID! The Govt/Ministry of Transport NEED TO UNDERSTAND that it's NOT ALL about 50cc riders in cities, but ALSO rural areas too!! I have witnessed 50cc riders who live 10/15 miles outside towns riding their peds into towns to go to schools/colleges/work etc that HAVE to ride on A roads... Where BIG VEHICLES thunder down on. A teen on a 50cc bike STUCK at 30MPH on an A road where Buses/Coaches/Trucks/Car drivers pass them at 50/60MPH (sometimes more) IS DOWNRIGHT POTENTIALLY LETHAL! IF peds were restricted to the speeds they COULD go at - 45/55Mph (pretty much stock motor), THEN the situation WOULDN'T be as bad! Because they WOULD be able to keep up with the flow of traffic! THEN, you think about the 'ages', JUST 1 year, JUST 365 days older, a learner can ride a 125 that CAN do 65/80MPH!!! THAT'S JUST A YEAR OLDER! So, NO, PEDS/50cc bikes for 16 year olds SHOULD NOT be restricted to 30odd MPH. It was a F@CKING STUPID DECISION my those policy makers in the Ministry of Transport!! 😒😠 😎🇬🇧

I have a blanket "M" on my license, which allows me to ride 2,3,4 wheel vehicles. But took a class on 3 wheeled motorcycles about a month ago and found out the have a 3 wheeled license. 99. Dollars for the class to ride a Can-am here in the states.

I got my full bike license when I was 17 (had a moped at 16, a CB250 at 17 and traded up to a T140 Triumph as soon as I passed my test - which was a simple affair of a testing bod standing in a back street watching you drive around - the biggest issue was making sure you looked over your shoulder even if you had mirrors - lol). This was in 1977 mind you.

Glad i passed my test in 1986, rode my yamaha RS100 around the block, the examiner showed me about 8 different road signs i guessed what 2 of them meant and got the rest wrong, he said don't worry you'll pick them up with experience and then told me I'd passed my test, 100 yards down the road my bike broke down, small end bearing collapsed, i pushed my bike home, took engine apart and replaced bearing and went out for a ride and continued to constantly go out for rides for another 30 years before finally getting bikes out of my system and hanging up the lid, great times. ❤️🇬🇧

I think I got off lightly compared to now. The test I did in 2006 was on a 125 bike. That was CBT, theory test, then test on the road with an examiner. I was restricted to 33bhp bikes, then automatically got full A licence after two years.

At last . Someone who no s the facts about a bike license . Thank you . Pete , 2 months passed 👍🏻