How the English get their Licences (check this out!)

**Insanity_rules** · 26th May 2006, 21:23

Well I thought we were hard done by but take a gander at this link http://www.motorbikestoday.com/featu...ke_licence.htm .
It shows how the Poms structure their licences moped, light bike and full bike.

How in hell do they do it? Must be really comitted. Comments?

**Karma** · 26th May 2006, 21:26

I took DAS... had a full license in two weeks

**Bob** · 27th May 2006, 03:14

Right now, pretty simple. As long as you're not young enough to have capacity limits applied, you do your CBT to prove you are safe enough to ride unaccompanied (max capacity 125cc).

Then you have two years to pass multiple choice theory test and also a practical test on a bike of no more than 125cc - unless you do direct access like Weasel (bike of no more than 47bhp, so something like an ER-5).

If you do practical on a 125cc bike, then you're limited for two years to no more than 33bhp - so puts you on something like an XV250 or somesuch. Then you can ride anything.

But if the European Parliament gets it's way, it is going to get SO much more complex and expensive. Main changes proposed are:

a. The introduction of three motorcycle categories:

A1 - Light motorcycle less than 125cc/11kW
A2 - Intermediate motorcycle less than 35kW
A - Unlimited motorcycle over 35kW

b. For Progressive Access in the UK, the minimum age for riding bikes and scooters over 125cc rises from 17 to 19.
c. Direct Access to machines larger than 35 kW only after age 24 (currently 21)
d. Introduces extra two-year ‘steps’ between bikes of different engine power
e. Riders will be required to complete extra riding tests between ‘steps’.

So imagine having to do a practical road test for each capacity 'step'. You are going to have to take something like four tests with two year gaps between each one. So start at 17 and you won't be able to make a genuine full licence until you are the best part of 21. And you'll have had to pay for intial CBT, then theory test and three more practical tests on the road.

Or you can do a car test as soon as the law allows and drive anything that you (or Daddy assuming he is rich enough to afford it) can insure (we don't have state-provided insurance, we have to pay for our own and it is a legal requirement).

And people keep telling me this ISN'T a threat to the future of biking?

**popelli** · 27th May 2006, 05:00

the poms have one advantage though

direct access to a full licence, no being stuck on a 250 for what ever length of time

nz is trying to discourage bike licences hence there is no direct access option

**ZeroIndex** · 27th May 2006, 06:40

I like the fact that people need to buy a moped license.. and that honda in the pic after the scooter looks extremely similar to my Kinetic..

**mdb** · 27th May 2006, 07:11

Having lived in London for 4 years it would seem they have a similar system to us. The focus is on revenue gathering and not producing decent riders/drivers!

**betti** · 27th May 2006, 10:20

the one bonus of the english system is that because you cant drive a cage til 17, most 16 year olds buy scooters, they have to do a cbt, which puts them out on the road in radio contact with an instructor for a minimum of two hours.
Havin worked as an instructor over there for a few years, that experience of bein out there without a cage round them, even if they buy a cage at 17, in my humble opinion makes em generally better drivers, and hopefully increases their awareness of bikes in general.
Gotta be a good thing.
The rest of the draconian shite that the Eu is tryin to put in place is expressly designed to kill off biking by making it too damn hard and too expensive for teenagers to get into it.
Compulsory third party insurance at around £300($900) for a 125 for a start!!!

**The Pastor** · 27th May 2006, 10:32

I think driver education is lacking in nz, I like there system.

**jafa** · 27th May 2006, 11:48

Mmmm. I remember the old days. My sister and I took our bike licences in the UK just before all the sillyness was introduced. I think we did a 2-week intensive course from CBT -> full licence. The week after passing we both hired bikes and went to Wales for the weekend - me on an FZR1000 and her on a Virago. What an awesome, awesome experience!

Yes, I know I'm being utterly hypocritical, but I'm thankful no-one can do THAT any more...

**The Pastor** · 27th May 2006, 12:13

I'd like to do a system like germany, sure it cost 7 grand, but its pretty damn awesome.

**Karma** · 27th May 2006, 12:20

Originally Posted by jafa

Mmmm. I remember the old days. My sister and I took our bike licences in the UK just before all the sillyness was introduced. I think we did a 2-week intensive course from CBT -> full licence. The week after passing we both hired bikes and went to Wales for the weekend - me on an FZR1000 and her on a Virago. What an awesome, awesome experience!

Yes, I know I'm being utterly hypocritical, but I'm thankful no-one can do THAT any more...

Urm... yes you can..

If you're over 21 and held a car licence for a couple of years or something.

I sat CBT one weekend, then did 4 days of intensive training the next week, took my test and theory... done and dusted, easy as.

I only got one minor fault on my test as well... indicating too far before a turn

But I could have, if finances permitted, hired whatever I wanted and rode whereever I wanted.

**XTC** · 27th May 2006, 12:29

Originally Posted by ZeroIndex

and that honda in the pic after the scooter looks extremely similar to my Kinetic..

Do ya reckon honda copied the design from your kinetic?? Cheeky japs!

**ZeroIndex** · 27th May 2006, 13:32

Originally Posted by XTC

Do ya reckon honda copied the design from your kinetic?? Cheeky japs!

nah, hyosung copied/recreated the design (since the hyosung engineers used to work for honda), and kinetic is an indian made bike company that collaborated with hyosung..

**Rincewind** · 27th May 2006, 17:09

Originally Posted by mdb

Having lived in London for 4 years it would seem they have a similar system to us. The focus is on revenue gathering and not producing decent riders/drivers!

Well done that man,the DSA is a multi million pound buisness run by the state,they love faiure it has a metalic taste "CHING"
I once did an instructors course but failed the law section by 2 marks after getting 100% in all the other modules. The exam room held 200 people all sitting the same paper and 85% were resits "Kerching" £80 each x 200 luvverly

but it's all about road safety really !!!

**myvice** · 27th May 2006, 18:21

I like the power to weight rule that they have in some parts of Australia, you can go and get a 600 Monster if you want but not an Aprilla RS 250.
Makes more sense to me but I'm just an idiot on a bike, what would I know?
Why don’t the people who dream up these laws talk to the people its going to have an effect on or have been through the system already?
Or even review the laws every 5 years or so to see if they have made any difference?
We seem to make all the mistakes other countries have made but implement none of the good things that they do…
16 year olds on scooters for a year sounds like a great idea!