Rarotonga - Full Licence

[Scooby Mike]

Hi there,

I've heard a few people on here mention that it's possible to get a full motorcycle licence in Rarotonga quite easily which means you can then come back to NZ, sit the full test straight away This obviously means that you don't need to wait through the learners and restricted licence periods.

Has anyone get any experience of this? Is it as straightforward as it sounds?

Any information would be fantastic.

Cheers
Mike

[McJim]

Send a PM to ArcherWC - he did it.

[Karma]

How long you been riding for Mike?

[Scooby Mike]

How long you been riding for Mike?

I've been riding since the start of April so only 4 months or so.

[90s]

I did it.

You can pm me too, or read in this old thread (there are several about).
http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?t=35666&page=3&highlight=rarotonga+cook

For me, I came to NZ and had not been riding motorcycles for a long time. I had lost my European licence, and got a NZ learner after some bad advice.
I was going to petition Transit to take the full test (which I hear you can do on experience) when I read about the CI licence conversion process, and did that as I had one hanging about anyway.

Test in CI consists of:
1. practical riding about on a scooter in a carpark for 15 mins.
Cost $10.

However, as I had my NZ 6L on me I did not even had to do that.

Now I have been riding motorbikes since '88 (I thought '87, but when I found my old licence turns out it was '88), and had done the basic NZ tests and riding.

But there is nothing to stop someone who has never been on a bike getting on in 1/2 hr for $10 then being allowed to take the full here the next week, then go out and get themselves an R1.

[Karma]

I've been riding since the start of April so only 4 months or so.


Ah, so you honestly think your skill level is that of someone with a full licence?

Depends what you're gonna do with it I guess, but as with most things, skipping stright to the end means you often miss out on a lot of the lessons you're supposed to learn on the way.

There's a lot of fuckups you can get away with on a 250 that will bite hard on 600s and 1000s.

[Scooby Mike]

Ah, so you honestly think your skill level is that of someone with a full licence?

Depends what you're gonna do with it I guess, but as with most things, skipping stright to the end means you often miss out on a lot of the lessons you're supposed to learn on the way.

There's a lot of fuckups you can get away with on a 250 that will bite hard on 600s and 1000s.

I'll be honest, I don't believe having a full licence has anything to do with skill level, all it is is a bit of paper that allows you to ride a bigger bike etc. Skill level is about the individual, how controlled they are, how restrained they can be and their attitude to learning.

I don't doubt for a second that a bigger more powerful bike could get certain types of people into trouble quite quickly but I know myself well enough to know that I just don't put myself into situations that I don't feel capable of dealing with. Everyone has a comfort zone and I don't believe in exceeding this, especially on a bike.

I'm old enough and responsible enough to be able to resist the temptation to wind the throttle to the stops whenever possible. It's just not the type of riding that I do.

Lets not start the same old debate on here about big bikes for inexperienced riders though. I'm just looking for the information at the moment.

[Karma]

I don't doubt for a second that a bigger more powerful bike could get certain types of people into trouble quite quickly but I know myself well enough to know that I just don't put myself into situations that I don't feel capable of dealing with. Everyone has a comfort zone and I don't believe in exceeding this, especially on a bike.

I'm old enough and responsible enough to be able to resist the temptation to wind the throttle to the stops whenever possible. It's just not the type of riding that I do.

That's exactly how I felt, but in the real world you just don't notice it, and all of a sudden there's blue and red lights flashing at ya :(


Lets not start the same old debate on here about big bikes for inexperienced riders though. I'm just looking for the information at the moment.


From what I know the raro system it's a case of going over there on holiday, riding a bike around the policemans front lawn and then being given a licence... as they only have one class it's a full by default, so you come back here, go into the AA, do a scratch and win test and you can ride on your raro licence for a year.

Before that year is up you need to get it converted to a NZ licence, this will involve a practical test, (and perhaps another scratch and win test but not sure) then you're full licenced with a NZ licence.

You can of course convert the full raro to full NZ before that year is up.

That's as far as I know, others may know more though.

[McJim]

There's a lot of fuckups you can get away with on a 250 that will bite hard on 600s and 1000s.

Mind you there are 600s out there that aren't as fast as 250s. Look at mine for example. My bike gets it's arse kicked for straight line speed by zxr250, cbr250, RS250, NSR250, RGV250 and RD250 bikes. :)

[Kornholio]

Hmm I need a holiday.......

Shit, do I need a passport to go to Rarotonga??

[Maha]

Hmm I need a holiday.......

Shit, do I need a passport to go to Rarotonga??

Anne and me will be there in on the 7th of next month, come on over Rick (you can bring O as well ) we can do the Raro GP...its 42s kms long with some of the most stunning scenery and heaps of Resort stops...if ya know what i mean....:drinkup::blip:

[Maha]

I'm just looking for the information at the moment.

Got mine last time i was there, its more of a souvenir really cos it expires at 12 months...dont think its recognised here in NZ as anything more than that. In Raro you pay your fee...(mine was $25) ride around the block and away you go...

[fergie]

we will be there next saturday for 9 days! yippee! have every intention of doing the bike thing, apparently they have had a few road accidents(bikes) lately.
i am sure the bikes are more in the scooter class ie gutless.

[avgas]

I've been riding since the start of April so only 4 months or so.
How much do you like your bones, they good as they are or do your feel you lack in joints and pivoting points?
Dont worry cos for 2 simple payments off ACC you too can have an extra knee joint in your tibia.

[avgas]

Mind you there are 600s out there that aren't as fast as 250s. Look at mine for example. My bike gets it's arse kicked for straight line speed by zxr250, cbr250, RS250, NSR250, RGV250 and RD250 bikes. :)
Yeh but put things into context here, say a complete munter, comes into a nice 25kph corner, engine doing 3,000 rpm, coming out of the corner he gives a fist full of throttle, cbr250/vtr250 takes off as slowly as uni student to cleaning....what would your bike do?
Mine would turn me into a puddle with teeth

[avgas]

Lets not start the same old debate on here about big bikes for inexperienced riders though. I'm just looking for the information at the moment.
So a guy with 4 months riding experience is telling us he is 10ft tall and bulletproof.....sorry man, nothing against you - but you sound like how i was. And that theory sucks when your world slides down the road.
Let me put it this way......for many years i was a munter....just like you - 4 months is not experience, its an introduction.

[Mr Merde]

....Let me put it this way......for many years i was a munter....just like you - 4 months is not experience, its an introduction.

After having my full licence now for 35 years, having rideen for well over 1 million km, I still consider myself a learner.

I have picked up some bad habits through accidents and such and am still trying to stop doing them.

I have never had a car licence so all my km's have been on two wheels and everyday I ride I am still learning.

As to someone's earlier arguement that learners getting a Raro licence then comming over here and riding big bikes is dangerous, yes that is a problem, but in all my years of riding I have lost two mates on motorcycles and both were on 125cc bikes with no power to get outr of the situation they were in.

My nephew went the Raro way to get his car licence. No problems. Full car licence in 1 year. No learner or restricted and fully insured all the time.


Mr :shit:

[Scooby Mike]

Big thanks to all who took the time to reply to this thread with the information I was looking for. Much appreciated.

[avgas]

As to someone's earlier arguement that learners getting a Raro licence then comming over here and riding big bikes is dangerous, yes that is a problem, but in all my years of riding I have lost two mates on motorcycles and both were on 125cc bikes with no power to get outr of the situation they were in:
125 has plenty of power to get out of situations. But skill dictates that, not engine. The advantage of a smaller bike is you get in less situations.
But using your theory, we should allow automatic weapons, 400hp turbo cars ant 1000cc 150+bhp bikes to 18 year olds (or younger if your smart enough).
New Zealand, where china, africa, italy, japan and usa meet as one mess.
mabey im just feeding trolls.....but im concerned that people feel its ok to put people on the road in NZ....after a few months on a bike....on something above 250cc.
I dont like the term Temporary NZr's, and there is only one reason why people say that in NZ.

[Little Miss Trouble]

If I could afford going to Rarotonga, then I would bring the islands license back and convert it. In all honesty I wouldn't go out and buy a bigger bike straight away, I love my GPX:love: I would be stoked though not to have to go through the waiting game all over again though. After all getting a NZ license IS mostly a waiting game with the 'tests' being a very easy thing to pass and not a true indercation of skill level at all - just take a look at the standard of regular drivers let alone that of most taxi drivers!:shit:

[breakaway]

So what is the total cost involved here? Incl Airfare, boarding and licence?

Ballpark figure anyone?

[Delphinus]

Just stay in a backpackers, If you got flights for 800 ish if you time it right you could get away with only spending about 200-300 there. just over a grand return trip.

[delusionz]

A full license would be nice just to be legal after hours, I wouldn't go from 250 to 600 tomorrow if I did it today, Maybe the next day :motu: