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What license/test to drive a 125cc motorbike?
Jasper - 17/9/09 at 10:35 AM

My wife want to be able to ride a 125 scooter. She's got a full car driving license, so what does she need to do to be legal? (I've got a full bike license, but can't remember what the regs are).

alistairolsen - 17/9/09 at 10:49 AM

CBT and L plates

miikae - 17/9/09 at 10:51 AM

Dont you need a CBT first as i think my lad had to get one some years , in my time you just got a provisional and rode what you could afford then a quick test and orf you went.

Mike

Mr Whippy - 17/9/09 at 10:56 AM

CBT and L-plates till she passes the full test. Oh yeah and her car license must have provisional motorbike on it too, not all do.

scooters are cr^p tbh she'd be better of with a second hand CG125 or CBR125. Much better handling and better in the wind. Missy used a scooter for a while but kept being blown off it in gusts, looked like a junk heap after she had enough.



[Edited on 17/9/09 by Mr Whippy]

marcjagman - 17/9/09 at 11:10 AM

CBT and L plates unless you passed your car driving test before 1986 then you just need L plates.

Mr Whippy - 17/9/09 at 11:15 AM

dvla linky

it does say - If you obtained your car licence before 1 February 2001 you do not need to complete a CBT to ride a moped.

but fails to point out that to do no CBT would be totally nuts and even very experienced car drivers should do it.

I was a bus driver when I did mine and to be quite frank utter sh%t on a motorbike as it’s a totally different way of driving to that of a car or bus. I’ve now done over 5k on my cbr and its amazing how much my riding has improved since I started



[Edited on 17/9/09 by Mr Whippy]

Triton - 17/9/09 at 11:18 AM

Also those that have got full bike license beware when sending off your license for things like change of address etc as the goons at dvla have deleted a few. Make a copy of your license before sending it off, I have and will be a tad pissed if comes back without full bike license which I have held for 20 odd years!

miikae - 17/9/09 at 11:43 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Triton
Also those that have got full bike license beware when sending off your license for things like change of address etc as the goons at dvla have deleted a few. Make a copy of your license before sending it off, I have and will be a tad pissed if comes back without full bike license which I have held for 20 odd years!


Your certainly not alone on this one as i have had my full bike licence since 1963 an dont intend to loose it due to those plonkers at the DVLA, plus i still ride my 1960/65 T100ss.

Mike

[Edited on 17-9-2009 by miikae]

tomprescott - 17/9/09 at 11:51 AM

CBT, L plates, no motorways, no pillion passengers. CBT is only valid for 2 years though so unless your wife takes a full test afterwards she will have to retake her cbt every two years!

After the CBT she will need a new theory test (£31 atm) and then take some form of practical test, of which there are three - one for moped (A1 i think), one that will allow her to ride any bike but be limited to a 125 for the first two years (A i think) and finally the DAS which allows her to ride any size bike straight away

[Edited on 17/9/09 by tomprescott]

motorcycle_mayhem - 17/9/09 at 12:39 PM

A 125cc will require a CBT and L plates, she's then got 2 years to do something with it.

My wife didn't do much with it, so her bike(a mint CG125) is for sale now in MCN. She should ride a CG125 or YBR125, not a scooter, but that's my own opinion, worth nothing as usual.

Mr Whippy - 17/9/09 at 12:53 PM

^ ditto buy a bike not a moped

matt_claydon - 17/9/09 at 12:59 PM

quote:
Originally posted by tomprescott
CBT, L plates, no motorways, no pillion passengers. CBT is only valid for 2 years though so unless your wife takes a full test afterwards she will have to retake her cbt every two years!

After the CBT she will need a new theory test (£31 atm) and then take some form of practical test, of which there are three - one for moped (A1 i think), one that will allow her to ride any bike but be limited to a 125 for the first two years (A i think) and finally the DAS which allows her to ride any size bike straight away

[Edited on 17/9/09 by tomprescott]


Good advice, but:

It's not 125cc limit for the first two years, it's 25kW (~33bhp) engine power.

The 'A1' category licence lets you ride up to 125cc. 'p' is the category for mopeds only.

[Edited on 17/9/09 by matt_claydon]

Jasper - 17/9/09 at 01:23 PM

Thanks chaps - how about riding in Europe on 'L' plates with a CBT?

02GF74 - 17/9/09 at 01:24 PM

quote:
Originally posted by motorcycle_mayhem
A 125cc will require a CBT and L plates, she's then got 2 years to do something with it.

My wife didn't do much with it, so her bike(a mint CG125) is for sale now in MCN. .


my first bike was a red cg125.

I rode for days and days and days, pull in at petrol station t to find I still had half a tank full !!!

GrumpyOne - 17/9/09 at 01:50 PM

quote:
Originally posted by 02GF74

my first bike was a red cg125.

I rode for days and days and days, pull in at petrol station t to find I still had half a tank full !!!


Get her a motorbike, scooters and mopeds are dangerous things, no guts.

First bike I had was a Gilera 50 Enduro, 16 years old thought I was the business
Used to love going in to the petrol station and telling the attendant to fill it up. It only took a gallon and a half. Petrol was 35p per gallon

I think I am getting old

Jasper - 17/9/09 at 02:42 PM

It's only for occassional use on the back of a motorhome when we're away, so a 125 will be fine.

Mr Whippy - 17/9/09 at 02:43 PM

quote:
Originally posted by 02GF74
quote:
Originally posted by motorcycle_mayhem
A 125cc will require a CBT and L plates, she's then got 2 years to do something with it.

My wife didn't do much with it, so her bike(a mint CG125) is for sale now in MCN. .


my first bike was a red cg125.

I rode for days and days and days, pull in at petrol station t to find I still had half a tank full !!!


I still have my now refurbished CG125 which currently lives in the house while I decide what to do with it.

When I first got it I chickened out after 2 weeks and went to the petrol station as I was sure it was about to run out, thank god the cbr has a gauge.

Not thinking about what I was doing I then filled it in about 2 nano seconds and blasted fuel all over the place totally sh%t myself now drenched in petrol and then the woman behind the till refused to let me into the shop to pay as I was soaked in fuel so had to pay through the night slot Did dry off quite quickly though

just about to go home now on the bike, I love it pure traffic jam buster bye

[Edited on 17/9/09 by Mr Whippy]

Mr G - 17/9/09 at 05:49 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Jasper
It's only for occassional use on the back of a motorhome when we're away, so a 125 will be fine.


There are some pretty quick good looking 50's out there - If its just for pulling off the back of a motorhome for occasional use.

Full car license passed before 2001 then no need for CBT or L plates.

MikeRJ - 17/9/09 at 06:18 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Mr G
quote:
Originally posted by Jasper
It's only for occassional use on the back of a motorhome when we're away, so a 125 will be fine.


There are some pretty quick good looking 50's out there - If its just for pulling off the back of a motorhome for occasional use.


Depends on use though...for popping down to the local shops for a bit of grub a moped might be ok, but for day trips where you are doing a reasonable distance a 125 would be a better bet (a decent sized bike and a full licence better still!).

Mr G - 17/9/09 at 06:33 PM

I was refering to a 50cc bike - something like the aprilia RS for example, you could take someone as a passenger on the back as well