Size Of Motorcycle And License Required

[Rockrose]

It used to be if you passed your test before a certain year - you could ride up to a 125 ( Ithink) before taking a test.
Is that still the case or do you need a licence to ride anything bigger than a 50cc regardless of when you passed your test?

[retrocop]

When I started biking 50 years ago we could learn on a provisional licence up to 250cc with L plates and/ or a motorcycle combination of unlimited capacity with L plates.
The motorcycle licensing regs have changed quite a few times since for the good of the riders.
I believe you start at 50cc depending on age and go up in stages with a motorcycle approved school. I have lost track now what the sequences and age restrictions are.

[Kathyan]

You need a CBT to ride a motorbike these days before you even pass a test.

[kvalidir]

I'm pretty sure you take a CBT and then you can ride up to 125 on a sort of Grandfather's rights thing, it's so complicated about bikes.

[Rockrose]

looking at the back of my licence it says this
Category A

You can drive:
•motorbikes with a power output more than 35kW or a power to weight ratio more than 0.2kW/kg
•motor tricycles with a power output more than 15kW

You can also drive motorbikes in categories A1 and A2.

So A1 and A2 say this
Category A1

You can drive light motorbikes with:
•an engine size up to 125cc
•a power output of up to 11kW
•a power to weight ratio not more than 0.1kW/kg

This category also includes motor tricycles with power output up to 15kW.

Category A2

You can drive motorbikes with a:
•power output up to 35kW
•power to weight ratio not more than 0.2kW/kg

The motorbike must also not be derived from a vehicle of more than double its power.

So does that mean I don't need a CBT then?

[kvalidir]

TBH I've no idea RR, as I said everything about bike licenses is over complicated, could you ring DVLA licences bit and ask maybe, because it's so complicated I'm almost sure there will be duff google advice if you google it. x

[ToraToraTora]

there's a link to a useful flowchart here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-routes-to-your-motorcycle-licence
if you have a full car licence you can ride up to 50cc without L plates. Up to 125 you need a CBT and L plates and provisional motorcycle entitlement on your licence (if over 16, see page 2). Let me know how old you are and what licence you have and what you want to get to and I'll work it through for you.

[ToraToraTora]

Sorry just see your answer above. If you actually have category A then you can ride any bike. Not sure if you are just reading out the categories A includes A1 and A2. You will need a CBT ride anything over 50cc regardless of anything else. Can you clarify what is actually in column 9. on the back of your licence.

[SparklyKid]

My licence shows on the back AM A1 A2 A plus all the other car/van stuff.

I am over 70, passed my test in a three wheeler with no reverse donkeys years ago.

Can I get a 1300 c Kawasaki or similar

[SparklyKid]

Just to add, a driving licence is a noun and spelt with a C. The DVLA will license you to drive, ie a verb, simples.

[ToraToraTora]

is that addressed to me sparkly? I cannot see where I have used the word licence/license incorrectly but whatever, we don't nit pick minor grammatical slips here. An error is no indication that the writer knew no different only that they bashed out a reply to be helpful.
Yes you have A usually it does not mention A1/2/M if you have A you can ride any bike, even my ZZR1400.

[Rockrose]

On the back of my licence it says A 19/01/13 to 28/7/21 and then in the last column it has 79.03there are no dates in A1 or A2.
I am 46 and held my licence since I was 17.

[SparklyKid]

Not at all, I went past a lake yesterday and a notice said you needed a rod licence, but they spelt it with an S. I googled and found that with a C is nounn, and with S is a verb. Just thought it was interesting,lol.

[ToraToraTora]

sparkly, A means you can ride anything, you appear to have passed the test in 2013 by direct access when you were 40. The end date of 28/07/21 seems odd though, I assume your Birthday is 29th July, so the A entitlement should run until you are 70 so I'd expect it to say 28/07/43 assuming DOB 29/07/1973.

[SparklyKid]

Never passed a bike test. Passed in a three wheeler when I was 16 in 1961. As the three wheeler had no reverse it was in the same class as a motor cycle. Passed in a car a year later when I turned 17, strange eh, can ride a super bike but hardly ever been on anything bigger than a mop[ed.

[bhg481]

Licences expire when you are 70 and every 3 years for each renewal after that - Sparklykid was born in 1945 (same as me), so his licence will expire in 2021 and must be renewed (free).

[SparklyKid]

Yep BHG

[Rockrose]

Tora, birthday is not July and was born in 72, also passed my test in 1989

[ToraToraTora]

ok well I was dealing withj rock rose not sparkly kid. Rock rose, You said you where 46, I assumed now, the end date of the entitlement is usually the day before the 70th birthday. So I tool 28th of July from your post above.

[ToraToraTora]

sorry about the confusion my answer at 15:09 was for rockrose not sparkly.

[Rockrose]

Birthday is September so not sure what’s going on.
Do I need a CBT test?