driving test/scooter

[yid64]

i was wanting to know if you can do the direct acess on a 98 ,t5 classic thanks

[Lan]

no chance lol, cat A2 mate with 2 years restricted licsnce

[guppstah]

Can you please explain what was said in those two posts? went right over my head.
What is direct access and what is A2?

As I am soon to embark on my test(s) you have confused me.

[Spence]

Once you've passed your CBT, there are two tests you can take to get a full bike license - Restricted Access and Direct Access. (If you don't start getting bogged down with Accelerated Access that is).

Restricted Access is taken on a 125cc motorcycle (or a Vespa T5/LML, the only 125 scooters with an official top speed fast enough). It costs less, but from the date of your test pass you are restricted to a motorcycle of 23kw or less for two years. After that you can ride anything. (Ball park figures for 23kw is a 125cc motorbike or a 200cc scooter).

Direct Access is taken on a motorbike with a power output of 35kw (which I think is 250cc in old money). It costs quite a bit more, but you can ride any sized motorbike you like as soon as you've passed. You must be aged 21 or over to take this test.

So you can see why the Restricted Access as very suitable for anyone that just wants to ride scooters.

If you take a bike test on a 125cc scooter that isn't a T5 or an LML, you will only have an A1 license, which means you are restricted to 125cc scooters until you die, or take a proper test, whichever comes soonest.

[guppstah]

Thaks for that Spence, I will be having words with my instructor on Wednesday, I am currently taking lessons (all beit quite casually at the moment, only a lesson now and then) all he has said to me is that I will have a changeover lesson before my test to get used to the 500cc bike I will be taking my test on. None of the options you have just mentioned have been explained to me at all.
I have my theory test on 7th June

[nat]

Confusingly I did my test on my PX125 as I wasn't aware of any restrictions. The test sheet I got back was labelled as A2 and my driving license says Category A for motorcycles so I assume I'm ok riding my new 150 as its over 2 years since I took my test. All I can think is that the examiner got confused or something. Not complaining though!!!

[bryno]

^ that was lucky then!

It's all a bit confusing to me, my licence says category A, & expires in 2036, but I am on a restricted licence until next year, so how would anyone know that just looking at the licence

[nat]

I think it shows the date that you passed your test so 2 years after that you can ride anything. It is all a bit confusing!!

[bryno]

Yep it does, but how does it differentiate between full and 'light' entitlement? or is just A the light one ?

[dto79px]

in the old days (1988) all i had to do was ride around the block watched by a bloke on foot with a clip board , result a full bike licence to ride any cc bike

[nat]

I think A1 means you are restricted to under 125 cc until you take your full test. A means you can ride anything after 2 years. Not sure about full, might mean you can ride anything right away, presumably after the Direct Access Test.

[guppstah]

Right I have the book in front of me, here is the letter of the law

Category P : a moped under 50cc, weight under 250kg and top speed no more than 31mph ( 50kmh)

Category A1: a motorcycle with engine capacity 75cc to 125cc

Category A: a motorcycle with engine capacity 121cc to 125cc and capable of 62mph (100kmh)

Category A Direct Access: a motorcycle with a power output of at least 35kw (46.6bhp)


If you passed the category A test on a 125cc motorcycle you are restricted to two years with a bike with a maximum power output of 25kw (33bhp). Once the two years are up you can ride any bike.
If you reach the age of 21 during the two years you can take a further test under the accelerated access scheme, passing this qualifies you to ride any bike.
If you pass the direct access test you can immediately ride any bike.

Thats what the DSA book says about it all.

[bryno]

Sorted!

[Devo McDuff]

Think it is confusing as - Category A: a motorcycle with engine capacity 121cc to 125cc and capable of 62mph (100kmh) - is sometimes called A and sometimes A2. Doesn't help.

[Lucia]

It's the A2 test - when you book it, use the telephone and explain you're taking the A2 test or they'll book you in for the wrong one. And use a T5 or a school's motorbike, not a PX!!! This is the one restricting you for 2 years - A2

[fatboy]

been trying to get my head round this for months (my cbt's up in a few months) and this thread has almost sorted it for me... one final Q...

If I take the A1 on my px or whatever then I am restricted to this size FOREVER - it's not two year till it bumps up to proper grown up license?

I rode on sunny sundays for a year and then have ridden 25 miles a day (town, country roads and dual carraigeway everyday) for 6 months and consider myself fairly compedent. the motorbike schools recon I'll need 3 days instruction (@ £150 a day!!) to get up to standard for the A/A2 test - on one of their bikes cos of the aforementioned power issues.

this sounds a bit OTT to me - anyone have any thoughts? i hoped i'd be near test standard by now...

[Devo McDuff]

Yes, you'll be restricted to the 125 and will have to do another test (with whatever new hoops they add in) if you wanted to go for something bigger in the future. Personally, I'd rather get it all out of the way in one swoop.

Sounds OTT to me too, hardly surprising though considering it's in their interest. With that much experience I reckon 1/2 a day to a day or even just an hour might be useful just to make sure that you are doing the things the examiner will be looking out for.

[fatboy]

huzzah. I got there in the end. thanks Devo.

the tea leafs may have done me a favour - think i'll replace my stolen px with a t5 and do the grown ups test.

also might just chance my arm and book a half days tuition and have a crack at teh test then...

[llew]

I know quite a few people that have booked the A2 and turned up on a PX. Passed the test and got an A2 licence!! When i took mine he just asked me if it would do 62 MPH I answered yes (it is a T5) and that was that. He asked me this after the test!. I dont think alot of the examiners know what scoots comply and what dosent.

But theres always the danger that you take the risk the examiner knows the score and you lose your slot and fee

[retrogirl]

;D ;D When I took my test bout 8 years ago I did it on a t5 because my px125 had gone tits up!! I had the same thing tho, asked me if it would do 62mph and I said yes, that was at the start of my test! but we never got over 40mph in my test! my examiner also said if it continued to p*sh down he wouldnt test my emergency stop cus it would be too dangerous, but he would watch my braking skills and pass me on that! as it was it stopped raining and I had to do it anyway! ;D

[jetex]

Oh dear me ! A long time ago, I sold my scoot and got a car. It was announced that the bike test fee was going up from 30 shillings ( £1.50 ) to £3.25, so I applied for my test in case I ever got another bike/scoot. Put my mates Li series 3 back together the night before in his mum's kitchen using a Cornflakes box to make gaskets. My mate put throttle cable in wrong, and it revved up when you turned the handlebars. Still passed the test though. Happy days !!

[peterwatson]

when i started on scooters you could ride upto a 250 machine,and without helmet.i bought a t5 recently and all the red tapes a pain,but suppose you just have to follow the rules.years ago i never bothered doing a test woe is me

[Ironduke]

Fatboy - I took the test not long back on an LML and got an A2 pass so can pretty much ride any scooter up to 33HP (I wish there was one) until the 2 years is up then I can ride anything (scary). I did a year of riding about on my 125 then booked a whole day with an instructor who ironed out my rough points and crucially took me on the possible test routes. This gave me a good heads up on what to expect.

[Ian]

I took my Direct access test last year having not rode for 15 years and had about 6 lessons on a 500cc bike including my test. It was 45-50 quid per 2 hour session and i'm not really sure where some of the expensive prices mentioned here come from.

Although riding a scoot gives me great pleasure the 500 cc Kawasaki was much easier to ride than any 125 bike as it like Mini compared to Mercedes, everything was more just so -seat , power , brakes etc... Go for the bike and then ride anything you want.....

Not singing bikes praises here too much I hope..........Oops

[Ian]

Devo your Avatar is x-Rated, and will probably scar me for life..... I sat there watching the horror unfold.............

[Devo McDuff]

ianfitch said:

Devo your Avatar is x-Rated, and will probably scar me for life..... I sat there watching the horror unfold.............

[reverandfunk]

Could I tell my instructor that my PX125 is a T5? When I put the kit on it will easily do 60+

[Devo McDuff]

I wouldn't tell him that it's a T5, just tell him that it's a PX well capable of doing over 60. I took mine on the same setup with no trouble and didn't have to lie about it.

Other people disagree on this one though, seems to vary depending on the centre. Would be useful if you knew what the score was at your local centre.

[reverandfunk]

Thanks for that Devo, the guy I did my CBT will do it and he was sound so can't see it being a prob.

Just out of interest what did you pay to do it?

[Devo McDuff]

Can't remember exactly now, as I had the test bundled with a day's lesson. But I think the test by itself is around the 50 quid mark.