How To Get A Motorcycle Licence

Before you can legally roll a wheel for the first time on a public road, there are two licencing requirements: a CBT (Compulsory Basic Training) certificate and a provisional motorcycle licence.





* CBT is designed to test basic machine handing skills. Click on images for larger versionsCompulsory Basic Training

CBT courses are run by DSA (Driving Standards Agency) approved training schools. CBT is entirely practical, carried out on site and on the road, and is designed simply to ensure you have adequate basic motorcycle handling skills. At this stage it doesn’t affect what full licence you can get later if you take CBT on an automatic (scooters are automatic, motorcycles have foot-operated manual gearchanges), but most training schools use small manual motorcycles, and unless you plan only ever to ride scooters, it makes sense to ride a motorcycle from the outset.

You cannot legally ride any powered two-wheeler on the road on a provisional licence without a valid CBT certificate.

* TO FIND YOUR NEAREST CBT AND TRAINING CENTRE, CLICK ON THE DSA LOGO Please note the postcode and city search don't appear to work. Clicking on the alphabetical town and city list is laborious but it does work.



* A provisional licence with CBT gets you onto a 125 scooter or motorcycle, such as this Derbi Cross CityThe Provisional Licence

A full car licence should automatically include provisional motorcycle entitlement – category A on the licence – but do check your licence as this is sometimes left off. Note too that motorcycle entitlement on provisional licences issued before February 1 2001 expires after two years, but now you can apply to have this extended to your 70th birthday using licence application forms at the Post Office.

If you have no licence, at 16 you can only apply for a provisional moped licence (up to 50cc with a 30mph top speed). You must be 17 or older for a provisional motorcycle licence. Make sure when you apply for the provisional licence that you specify motorcycle entitlement: on older application forms in Post Offices you need to tick this box, but with the newer forms this is included automatically.

With a provisional licence, a CBT certificate and appropriate insurance cover you can now ride any motorcycle or scooter up to 125cc with no more than 15bhp (11kW) power rating, fitted with L-plates. You are not allowed to carry a passenger unless they hold a full motorcycle licence and you are not allowed on motorways.


* The Full Licence

It says full licence but in fact there are three options, depending on your age. In each case you must also pass a theory test and hazard perception assessment, and subsequently take the practical test within two years of getting this.

* Before you go for your licence you must make a decision about your future motorcycle or scooter riding – click here!

Kawasaki's Ninja 250 produces 33bhp and will just top 100mphCategory A1 licence –
This is a full licence known as the light motorcycle licence, restricting you to any bike up to 125cc and a power output of 15bhp (11kW). This kind of machine will have a top speed of around 65mph, although it will be slower into headwinds and up hills. so it’s suited only to occasional fast A-road and dual carriageway use. You can ride these bikes on motorways, if you’re brave...

Category A licence, standard test –
Take your test on a 125cc machine (legally between 120cc and 125cc with a top speed in excess of 62mph) and for the first two years and not until you reach the age of 21 you are restricted to bikes of up to 33bhp (25kW), and with a power-to-weight ratio (the power output divided by the manufacturer’s claimed weight of the machine) of no more than 0.01bhp/lb (0.16kW/kg). In practice this means machines up to around 500cc, but you can ride larger ones as long as the power doesn't exceed 33bhp - many bikes can be modified by dealers to keep the power down to this level, meaning when your two years is up you need only to remove the modifications to release the full power and don't have to change bike.

The Harley-Davidson Electra Glide is only a licence away...Category A licence, Direct Access test –
This is available only to riders aged 21 or more and must be taken on a motorcycle producing 47bhp (35kW) or more. For the on-road instruction you are always accompanied by an instructor, you must wear a reflective bib and you are in radio contact with the instructor. Direct Access is usually taken as roughly week-long intensive courses, sometimes residential, after which you are entitled to ride a motorcycle of any capacity and power. Do note though it is usually very expensive or impossible for a complete novice to get insurance cover for a high performance machine, regardless of the rider’s age.

There is a version of Direct Access called Accelerated Access for riders who reach the age of 21 before their two year probationary period is complete.

* Note that a full car licence where the car test was passed before February 1, 2001 also provides full moped licence entitlement, but for licences gained after this date, a CBT certificate must be obtained first.
* Note too that if you take your test on an automatic, usually a scooter, your licence will restrict you to riding automatics. There is currently only one automatic motorcycle, the Aprilia Mana.