How do I get my Motorbike Licence is a common question we are asked.
If you’re looking at getting a motorbike you might be a bit unsure about how you get your license and what motorbikes you can ride. It all sounds a bit tricky at to understand with all the different levels, restrictions, practical’s and theories but we are here to clear it all up for you!
CBT
First of all you need to get yourself a CBT (Compulsory Basic Training); this is such an easy test you pretty much can’t fail! The CBT certificate lasts for 2 years letting you ride up to a 125cc motorbike with L plates and without a passenger. It usually only takes a day to complete your CBT, it includes 3 modules teaching you about touch, balance, practical riding skills, a pre road briefing and then a compulsory 4 hours of on road driving. Once you have your CBT you’re all set to move on to an A1 license!
A1
If you’re 17 years old or over you can take your A1 test, again this test is taken on a 125 and once passed you can ride bikes up to 125cc and with maximum power of 11KW. Now you can shed the L plates and have passenger on board as well! The best thing about getting your A1 is that you don’t need to go through the hassles of taking CBT every two years, plus you get to lose the L plates and feel more like a “real biker”. Next up in the ladder of motorbike licenses is an A2 license…
A2
This is where things start to get interesting! When you’re 19 you can take your A2 license on a motorbike of 395cc or more but the power cannot be any more than 35 KW. The A2 license lasts for 2 years after that you can get an A license. There are two ways you can get this license, if you’ve got 2 years of experience with an A1 motorbike you can just take another practical test OR you can down the Direct Access route which combines the practical and theory into one. Some popular models in the category are the Yamaha MT-07, Kawasaki Ninja 300 and Honda NC700S, but if you can’t find a bike in the category that tickles your fancy you can restrictor kits for higher powered bikes that will make then ridable on an A2 license.
A License
The final license, gives you complete freedom to ride any bike you want with a passenger and luggage. Like the A2 license there are 2 different ways to get an A license, first if you are over 21 years old and have had the A2 for at least two years you can take another practical test to move on to an A1 or if you’re over 24 years old you can take CBT, practical and theory tests to qualify for your license through the Direct Access Route.
So there you have it, the very basics of motorbike licenses it might seem a bit confusing at first but don’t let it put you off, getting any form on motorbike license is one of best and m most freeing things you can ever do. If you’re still unsure check out the DVLA website for more specific details about each license before you take the plunge and become a biker!
