Motorcycle and Moped licence laws

Many people find the licence regulations confusing, so hopefully, this will help you figure out what you can ride, and what you need to do to ride the bike of your dreams.

First, a couple of definitions:-

Moped. This is a machine with a maximum speed limited to 50 kmh (approx 30mph) and no more than 50cc engine size.

Learner Legal 125cc This is a motorcycle or scooter with a maximum engine size of 125cc, limited to 14.6bhp or 11kw maximum power. (These are usually capable of about 65-70mph top speed, but must be able to reach at least 100kmh, or 63mph to be eligible for the standard Motorcycle Practical Test)

Compulsory Basic Training ( also known as CBT) This is the training course to get you started, and it includes lots of on-site training and at least 2 hours on-road tuition. You MUST do CBT before riding any Moped, Scooter or Motorcycle on the road. (The only exemption from CBT is Full Car licence holders who passed their car test before 1/2/2001, who can only ride a MOPED without CBT, but it's a really good idea to do it anyway!) Once you have completed CBT, the certificate is valid for 2 years, and if you haven't got a full licence by then, you will need to renew it.

Motorcycle Theory Test. This is in 2 parts,50 multiple choice questions, then 14 video clips where you must spot the hazard at the right time. Even if you have a full car licence, you will need to pass the Motorcycle Theory Test to be able to take a full licence test.

Motorcycle Practical Test. This takes around 47 minutes, of which at least 30 minutes will be spent riding on the road. It involves general riding on a variety of roads, some set-piece exercises, and a few questions. It's easy if you are well prepared, and a nightmare if you're not!The test format is the same forall classes ofmotorcycle and moped, but the bike you ride on test decides what licence you get.After 1st October 2008, the Practical test gets more complicated, with a series of handling excercises before you go out on to the road.

Getting on the Road

First, if you don't already have one, you need to get a provisional licence, or if you have a full car licence, this usually has a provisional motorcycle licence included. You can apply for a provisional licence at the Post Office, or on the DVLA website.

Once you have a provisional licence, you will need to do CBT.

Once you have completed CBT, you can ride a MOPED (see definition above) at 16 years old, or a learner legal 125cc motorcycle or scooter at 17 years old and above, for a maximum of 2 years from the issue date of your CBT certificate.

Getting a Full Licence

If you want to ride bigger bikes, carry passengers, or ride on motorways, you need a full licence.

To get a full licence, you must take CBT,the Motorcycle Theory Test, then the Motorcycle Practical Test.

At 17 years old, you can take the standard Motorcycle Practical Test. Once you pass you can ride any size bike, provided it is limited to a maximum power output of 33bhp or 25kw. Once you have held your full motorcycle licence for 2 years, the restriction is lifted and you can ride any bike you want, without limits. If you have your 21st birthday during this 2 year period, you are still restricted to 33bhp, until the 2 year restriction expires.

At 21 years old, you can take Direct Access (DAS), which means that you can take the Motorcycle Practical Test on a large bike, which must be OVER 47bhp or 35kw. (usually 500cc or over). You can only practice on a large bike if accompanied bya Direct Access Approved Instructor. (Ask to see his/her instructor card, it should be Blue, not Yellow.) Once you pass your test under the Direct Access (DAS) scheme, there are no limits and you can ride any bike you want.

All licences are split into Manual and Automatic, just like cars, so if you take your test on a manual bike, you can ride automatics as well, but if you pass your test on an Automatic, you can only ride Automatics.Any power restrictions apply in each case.

For more information check out the Driving Standards Agency website(dsa.gov.uk), where there is a list of all the training schools in the country, or if you are in the Surrey/Sussex area, contact us at ART Motorcycle Training.