Under 24 and want to ride a bike?

Why you should take your bike test this summer!

READ THIS NOW…The DSA have at long last announced full details of how the 3rd European Driving Licence Directive will affect motorcyclists.

The new rules for motorcycle tests will be introduced on January 19 2013.

Category A1 MOTORCYCLE licence: At 17 you’ll be able to take the motorcycle test (after first taking CBT and passing the theory test) on a machine:
* of at least 120cc and no more than 125cc
* with a power output not exceeding 11kW (14.6bhp)
* capable of a speed of at least 90km/h (55mph)

This will get you an A1 licence, which will allow you to ride a similar machine to the one the test was passed on, in other words a 14.6hp 125.

Category A2 MOTORCYCLE licence: After two years if you already hold an A1 licence OR if you are 19 and have a provisional licence, CBT and Theory Test pass you can take the test again on a machine:
* of at least 395cc
* with an engine power of at least 25kW (33bhp) but not exceeding 35kW (46.6bhp)
* with a power to weight ratio not exceeding 0.2kW/kg
* that is not derived from a vehicle more than double its power

This will get you the A2 motorcycle licence, which will allow you to ride a bike up to 46.6bhp.

Category A MOTORCYCLE licence: The final step to a full power and unrestricted category A licence can be at 21 but ONLY if the rider has held an A2 licence for a minimum of two years OR at 24 if the rider has a new provisional motorcycle licence. The test will have to be taken on a machine of:
* at least 595cc
* engine power of at least 40kW (53.6bhp)

So, from next year the situation is this:

• if you pass your motorcycle test on your 17th birthday, you will have a full A1 licence, but for two years you’ll be restricted to riding a 14.6hp 125. After that, it’ll be at least your 19th birthday before you can take the next test to get an A2 licence. Two more years and you’ll be able to take the final test to get a full category A licence to ride any bike. In other words, you’ll have to take and pass TWO MORE motorcycle tests [* SEE NOTE 1 BELOW] before you can gain a full, unrestricted category A licence and the earliest you could gain that licence would be your 21st birthday.

• If you are between 19 and 24 next January,you’ll be able to take the A2 motorcycle licence test and that will give you a full A2 licence to ride a bike with no more than 46.6hp [* SEE NOTE 2 BELOW]. This restriction will also last for two years (unless you reach 24 first), but you’ll still need to take and pass ONE MORE motorcycle test before you gain a full, unrestricted category A licence .

• If you are 24 or other, you can do just the one ‘Direct Access’ test and get the full unrestricted category A licence right away. The only difference is that now you’ll have to take the test on a 600cc machine with at least 53.6hp rather than the current ‘DAS bikes’ that training schools use, and you’ll have to wait till you’re 24 rather than 21 as it is at the moment.

• You could of course take the A1 test at any age, but just like a 17 year old, you would be restricted to a 125 for two years and would have to take and pass TWO MORE motorcycle tests to gain a full, unrestricted category A licence.

But if you take your test on the 125 (which you can still do), if you do it now you’ll get a 33hp licence which automatically upgrades to a full licence two years after the date of the test. If you you leave it till next year when the new licence system is in place, you’ll only get a full licence to ride a 125, and you’ll have to take at least one MORE test to get a full, unrestricted licence.

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That’s the bad news.The good news is that the legislation will NOT be retrospective, so if you have a 33hp restricted licence BEFORE the new rules come in next January, you won’t have to take any more tests – the existing rules will apply right up to January 12:

• if you take your test on a 125, you’ll get a 33hp ‘restricted’ licence that will automatically turn into a full power licence after two years
• if you are 21 or over, you can take ‘Direct Access’ on the existing scheme and get a full, unrestricted licence with no delay

So don’t hang about. Although bike schools and test centres haven’t been busy for the last couple of years, there WILL be a rush to beat the new licence rules… and the longer you leave it, the more difficult it will be to schedule the Module One and Module Two tests. Also expect courses to be more expensive, to reflect the extra outlay training schools will have to meet to have THREE bikes for training, rather than two, and for there to be fewer schools around, meaning further to travel to do the course and less choice.

If you’ve got any questions, don’t hesitate to reply here or drop me a line!

NOTE 1: The DSA press release holds out hope for for the second and third tests to be replaced by a ‘training’ option – the DSA are currently “looking into the feasibility” of such. But don’t hold your breath would be my advice – once the tests are introduced, expect them to stay.

NOTE 2: The exact classes of machine are as follows:

• A1 – up to 125cc and 11kW (14.6hp) with a power-to-weight ratio not exceeding 0.1kW/kg
• A2 – up to 35kW (46.6hp) with a power-to-weight ratio not exceeding 0.2kW/kg and not derived from a vehicle more than double its power

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