I want to get a bike license

[spencer_foxwell]

My Mrs has told me I'm allowed to get a bike, I have had a full car license for years and I'm wondering if I need to take another theory test?

Also does anyone have any tips/videos for a new rider?, I won't start until at least Summer if it ever appears

Cheers

[DLowe]

Best thing I did last year was my Direct Access

[SULPHUR]

yes you need to take a theory, a hazard perception and the riding test its self, which is split into 2 parts... its easy
if you got good balance..

[Johnny]

The hardest part is buying a crap bike at the end .... So don't do that ... Get a big 1000cc and just be a grown up

[Ron Jeremy]

Best thing to do is find a good school. You need a cbt, theory test and your mod 1 and mod 2 tests.

All in, you'll need roughly 600 quid dependi g on how many lessons you need.

It's great when you pass though

[spencer_foxwell]

Thanks guys. I've been looking at this school http://www.lets-ride.co.uk/ which is only a couple of miles away so that's ideal One thing though, it seems to me that all the riding you actually do in order to learn and take the test is all done pretty much at once? With a car the tutor comes to your house and lets you drive about and such, they can't do that with a bike so how do you practice?

[DLowe]

for my test I....

Did theory first, then booked and did CBT.

then had 1 full day lesson, then the following day did another full day lesson with my mod 1 test mid afternoon (lesson inc. drive to test center and back)

that was the monday/tuesday then had test on the friday, did half day lesson that inc. drive to test center, then afterwards the instructor pulled the L plates off, took my green hi viz, told me I had paid to hire the bike all day and to "enjoy" the long way home

all in it was about £550 but the guy did winter discounts (passed in Feb) and I think he had some arrangement with the test center as I got my test within a week of ringing the school. I did however arrange with the bloke I will be doing the DAS at the time I did my CBT with him, and at the end of the CBT we discussed the number of lessons etc I would need

[arry]

How old are you? The new rules around licencing and progressive access are a massive PITA.

[spencer_foxwell]

So, you only ride there then get the bike after for the rest of the day if you pass. My mate told me it would take 8-10 months to get it all done from start to finish. He passed in 2003 I think so maybe it's different now? I assumed from what he said that you do a lot of lessons just like in a car

I will need to rent one of their bikes as I won't be buying one until I have a licence.

[spencer_foxwell]

How old are you? The new rules around licencing and progressive access are a massive PITA.

I'm 29

[arry]

So, you only ride there then get the bike after for the rest of the day if you pass. My mate told me it would take 8-10 months to get it all done from start to finish. He passed in 2003 I think so maybe it's different now? I assumed from what he said that you do a lot of lessons just like in a car

I will need to rent one of their bikes as I won't be buying one until I have a licence.

Na nothing like. Even with the split test you're still only talking ~5 days rider training in total. In can be done in less than a couple of weeks assuming you go straight through your tests.

At 29 you'll be able to get a full unrestricted A licence, ie ride what you like

[spencer_foxwell]

Great

I'd absolutely love an R6 after seeing this video

http://youtu.be/GmvamF6CH8Q

Bound to end in tears though for a first bike... I was thinking a Ninja 250?

[Jonny Wilkinson]

There are three basic things you need to get.
1. Bike control skills.
2. Road Sense (i.e. when to stop/go, judging distances and road speed etc).
3. Road Craft (i.e. how to avoid giving yourself and others the opportunity to kill you).

If you've never ridden a bike before and you have access to a field or off road area, get an old snotter of a bike (CG125 or trail bike or something) and learn how to operate the controls first. It will help massively as, coupled with the road sense you have from driving a car, it will allow you to concentrate on learning to stay alive on the road.

When you budget for a bike, remember to add the cost of insurance and kit to the cost of the bike.

The value of the kit I use is around 35% of the cost of my last bike. Insurance for me is relatively small as I'm an old git but for you, I'm guessing an R6 would be about 40% of the cost of the bike. Based on that, a £4K bike is going to cost you around £7K to get up and running with.

[Prior]

There are three basic things you need to get.
1. Bike control skills.
2. Road Sense (i.e. when to stop/go, judging distances and road speed etc).
3. Road Craft (i.e. how to avoid giving yourself and others the opportunity to kill you).

If you've never ridden a bike before and you have access to a field or off road area, get an old snotter of a bike (CG125 or trail bike or something) and learn how to operate the controls first. It will help massively as, coupled with the road sense you have from driving a car, it will allow you to concentrate on learning to stay alive on the road.

When you budget for a bike, remember to add the cost of insurance and kit to the cost of the bike.

The value of the kit I use is around 35% of the cost of my last bike. Insurance for me is relatively small as I'm an old git but for you, I'm guessing an R6 would be about 40% of the cost of the bike. Based on that, a £4K bike is going to cost you around £7K to get up and running with.

I wouldnt say it'd be that bad. Insurance on an oldish 600 is around £200 with no NCB depending on the area its kept in. Kit can also be had for not a lot at the trade shows. Safe kit rather than safe & comfortable kit. Biggest cost for me was constantly buying newer kit until I found stuff I liked riding in and convincing myself I needed a new bike instead of admitting I just wanted it.

[voodoo_melon]

If you've never ridden a bike before and you have access to a field or off road area, get an old snotter of a bike (CG125 or trail bike or something) and learn how to operate the controls first. It will help massively as, coupled with the road sense you have from driving a car, it will allow you to concentrate on learning to stay alive on the road.

This I failed my first test and bought a cheap 125 (the shit Chinese one that I melted in less than two weeks) to get into work on before my next test. The extra practice is invaluable

As for insurance I paid £135 TPFT for my FZS600, 0ncd, on the day I passed my test. Kept in a garage in a good area.

Oh and if you get a 250 you'll want something faster after a week

Something my examiner asked me when I passed... what does a pikey get for his birthday?


Your bike Make sure you get some decent security

[spencer_foxwell]

To be honest I've yet to have a decent look at kit because I've been too excited looking at bikes

I will be keeping it on the driveway, it's a double driveway but I don't have a garage. I was thinking I might dig a nice deep hole and fill it with concrete then pop a nice thick metal hoop or something in it for something to chain it to.

I'm thinking a 125 now so I can actually practice as much as I like after the CBT

[Monkey]

I will be keeping it on the driveway, it's a double driveway but I don't have a garage. I was thinking I might dig a nice deep hole and fill it with concrete then pop a nice thick metal hoop or something in it for something to chain it to.

Ground Anchor fit 2, one at the back and one at the front.

[DLowe]

I am 29 too,

For my first bike I had a M600 Ducati Monster - £116 TPFT to insure,

Now 12 months on I have a CBR954RR Fireblade - £230 TPFT

I looked at R6's for my first bike and you should be looking at around £250 TPFT but the price will go up massively for FC, and when you look at the excess it won't make much sense for anything worth less than about 3K..... which you probably don't want to spend on a first bike.

don't go anymore than 600cc in a sports as the insurance is silly for a first ride (my blade would have been around £900 TPFT) and although its very easy to ride I think I would have ended up doing something silly on it with no real experience.

If you go for a cruiser however its daft cheap across the board. I looked at a Yamaha V-Star 1100 (that wouldn't fit on my drive) and it was £68 TPFT

[The Big Yin]

I was looking at getting my licence as well. Looked at the ktm superduke. Insurance for a rider with 1 month of passing test 9 years car NCB. I got a quotd of £300 odd fully comp.

[Stidi]

99% of bike schools have bikes that will be ideal for learning on (as long as they're maintained) i probably wouldn't bother with a 125 to learn on if i'm honest.
I did mine as a CBT, then forgot about bikes completely for 2 years then a week or two before my cbt was due to expire went and did a 3 days A2 license (full license on a 125 which let me ride 33HP + anything after 2 years)
things have changed so that route isn't available, but if you're going to be doing a big boy license (which you are) then you want all of your practise to be on the bike you'll be taking the test on. no point learning how to do perfect u-turns on your own 125 if it feels completely different to the 600 you're passing your test on

for a first bike avoid sporty fairings as they're expensive to replace and put the insurance up. off road / naked bikes are the way to go.
so hornet 600 / z600 / bandit 600 etc. all good first bikes and plenty around
if you prefer the sound of a twin over an inline 4 (I do) then the sv650 / monster are also good options