Motorcycling and getting a licence. Caution: 46 yr old man talking

[Welly]

In my youth I rode bicycles for leisure for 12 years including 3 years of BMX trials, then Cycled to/from work for 2 years so lots of varied experience albeit on push bike.

Motorbikes in general were a family 'no no' since my Cousin was paralyzed in a motorbike crash at 19. All of my friends had motorbikes though and I would have a cheeky ride of them from time to time and, when away on Holiday, I would hire a small motorbike for most of the time including a 250cc trial bike once..oooh get me I know how to change gears and sh*t

Clearly I'm an experienced motorbike rider and need to get a Suzuki GSX-R1000 as soon as possible

My closest friend has continued to have sports bikes ever since and regularly comes to visit on whatever his latest acquisition is...hnnnnnnggggg

Last week my "John Major" neighbour burbled past on his new 67 plate Triumph, I never knew he even like bikes this got me thinking, why can't I have a motorbike? I mean WCPGW?

So, where does one start on the journey to get a Licence? and I don't own a motorbike btw.

[steve_earwig]

I've no idea what the license-getting involves now, it's all changed since I did it. The last time I looked I think you had to first pass compulsory basic training (CBT) to prove you're not a complete gimp before they'd even let you on the road, there will be limitations for what you're allowed to be a learner on (25cc, less than 2hp?) then I think it goes in stages limiting cc and hp until you've got a few years under your belt, and only then can you ride something suicidal.

Advice given to me by my dad (former biker nutter himself) - if you're in a car and you make a mistake, you pay. If you're on a bike and somebody else makes a mistake, you still pay.

This is probably pertinent - https://www.gov.uk/ride-motorcycle-moped

1What kind of vehicle do you want to drive?
Motorbike (categories A1, A2 and A)

2How old are you?
24 or over

You can apply for a provisional licence then learn to ride any size of motorbike

So there you have it, due to your age you are deemed sensible enough to have L plates on a bike capable of 150mph


I always enjoy them calling trikes "Motor tricycles"


Btw what would you be using it for? Commute, fun, bank robbery?

[PeterN]

I past my motorbike test in 1955 on a 125 Vespa but I hardly think it qualifies me to ride a modern bike. Much as I like the idea of two wheels, with the level of traffic we have to day and the ignorant way some people drive I wouldn't take the risk, unless I lived in the far north of Scotland perhaps.

Have a look at some of the camcorder footage on Youtube if that doesn't put you off nothing will. There was very little traffic when I was on 2 wheels but even so I had several cases of gravel rash, but if you want a fun filled but short life - give it a go.

Peter

[Doggy]

No one over the age of 45 should attempt to pass a driving test of ANY description!
Borrow the De Lorean, Mr McWelly and pop back to 1990 (when we all still knew everything).

Seriously though, I've never ridden a motorbike and don't intend to try anytime soon. I have a keenly honed sense of my own mortality. I get how attractive/addictive it could get but there does seem to be a high liklihood of 40-something new or newly returned bikers smearing themselves all over the scenery.

Get yourself a track day car?

[caprixpack]

No one over the age of 45 should attempt to pass a driving test of ANY description!
Borrow the De Lorean, Mr McWelly and pop back to 1990 (when we all still knew everything).

Seriously though, I've never ridden a motorbike and don't intend to try anytime soon. I have a keenly honed sense of my own mortality. I get how attractive/addictive it could get but there does seem to be a high liklihood of 40-something new or newly returned bikers smearing themselves all over the scenery.

Get yourself a track day car?

+1 get a super 7 style car and wear a helmet, while not the same rush you'd get from a super bike it's still great fun.

[mjb]

My brother rode motorbikes for a few years. It took several "accidents", and at least 2 visits to hospital in the back of an ambulance before he had his big off. Air ambulance, spinal board, and yeah he broke a couple of vertebrae about a month before his wedding. His wedding photos all include a neck brace and a grimace. Idiot.

Thankfully, after threatening to get himself a new bike, he's gotten his driving license and a car, but only after I told him in no uncertain terms that if he got another bike for any reason other than track riding, I would make him record a video telling his nephew why he wasn't around any more.

Motorbikes are simply too vulnerable to be even remotely considered anything but suicidal on UK roads nowadays. I find it absolutely insane to think that the only relatively safe place to ride a motorcycle nowadays is at high speed on a racetrack, but if you have an off, your ragdoll body is unlikely to hit anything at speed other than the tarmac or gravel - no trees, buildings, kerbs, potholes, parked cars, oncoming traffic, etc. Plenty of videos of bikes having whoopsies on the Nürburgring with the bike being utterly destroyed, but the rider walking away - sans a patch of leather and skin.

TBH I always wanted to get a motorbike, and the thought still keeps popping in my head. But I know I'm worse than my brother and I know I'd push it too far and kill myself.


+1 for a fun car. Get something silly without a roof, it doesn't have to cost much or be practical in any way.

[trufflehunt]

I've owned various bikes, from a BSA C15 250cc on a provisional licence in 1971, through others, took my
test, passed first time, in 1981. My last bike was a Suzuki DR650 single in about 1992.

When I took my test, there was virtually no training readily availabe for learners, apart from that operated
on a voluntary basic, I think, by the ACU ( Auto Cycle Union). I took the test after 10 years of riding 250's on a provisional,
and a good reading of the highway code.

Nowadays, the training is there. I say if you want to learn to ride a bike, do it. It's something new, something learned.
Get a cheap reliable bike, see if you want to progress on to something else.

Me ? I'm 66. Last summer, I decided to start properly looking after my health, getting fitter, eating less, and more healthily, shedding
some weight. I didn't want to be the subject of that horrible old joke, about 2 guys walking past the crematorium, as a big black belch of smoke
comes out the chimney..., and one turns to the other... "There go's another fat b**tard.."
I walk in the countryside. I use the exercise machines that the local council has installed at the recreation ground in the village 2 miles away.
Right now, I'm considering buying an electric conversion kit for my bicycle, so that I can enjoy cycling a distance , without it being an absolute slog.

[Welly]

Hmmmmmm, I thought this'd stir up various reactions.

I mentioned getting a bike to Mrs_Welly who said: "A f*cking MOTORBIKE NO f*cking WAY YOU IDIOT THEY'RE DEATH TRAPS" or something, I wasn't really paying attention.

A 'Caterham' type thing would be fun I guess but you can't really go hooning around the roads like a twat for long without drawing attention to yourself, you might have guessed I like speed erm I guess it would be a laugh though but costly to get something half decent?, could go on track days though if I fancied doing that.

Maybe I need to chill out and get an old MG Spridget and a picnic hamper

[caprixpack]

.

A 'Caterham' type thing would be fun I guess but you can't really go hooning around the roads like a twat for long without drawing attention to yourself, you might have guessed I like speed erm I guess it would be a laugh though but costly to get something half decent?, could go on track days though if I fancied doing that.

That's what the helmet is for.

Another option is something that handles well rather than something that's very fast. My 924 is nowhere near the fastest thing on 4 wheels but you try keeping up with it on the country roads around the lake district. Some tart in a civic type r couldn't keep up in the twisty stuff but had to show he was the man by speeding past me on a straight part only for me to catch up with him in the bends, and you could tell he was really trying.

[dirtydirtydiesel]

Welly,

I've had bikes all my life, my first was a 1970's Fantic caballero. Great fun at eight years old at the back of my house.
I progressed through all manner of bikes including a Suzuki GT550 & a RM 380 before the age of sixteen
When I got my first ped, after the first ride of 30mph restricted hell. Me & my old man set about tweaking it
After about £400.00 & one Malossi 75cc race kit later it'd cruise happily at 50mph & top out at 65mph
Happy days at sixteen.
I had a RD 125 LC III YPVS at seventeen , I loved that bike 105mph derestricted with a Allspeed expansion
Passed my test by eighteen & bought a brand new 1991 RD 350 YPVS FII, I still have that bike

Over the years I have had a whole manner of crutch rockets heres a sample,

Suzuki RG 500, Sold that to help pay for my wedding ( silly boy) my old bike came up on MCN website for 15k
& I've seen them for as much as 20k . In case you didn't realise, I really regret selling that.
Anyhow.
Kawasaki ZX10B
Yamaha FZR 1000 EXUP
Kawaski ZX9R E1
Suzuki GSXR 750 SRAD
Suzuki GSXR 1000 K5 ( fastest thing I've ever owned bar none)
indicated 195mph on the auto routes in france to & from Le Mans grand prix.

I've been riding bikes on the road now for over 30 years, I might be very lucky but I am a very defensive rider
Who treats all other road users like suicidal maniacs who are out to kill me.
As a consequence I'm still here to tell the tails, I had accidents but mainly through my own error or stupidity
I have had freinds wiped out
But I have many more that are still here & still riding.

You get a sense of freedom riding a bike that Nothing else can match.
You just need the relevant training and take it easy start off with something with say 60 - 70 bhp
It'll feel like a rocket ship.
My best freinds dad has been riding for over 65 year's & still loves it to this day.

[Welly]

Thanks for that, a nice little story to be fair. Something important you said was 'being careful' and that's me, even as a car driver I assume everyone else is not paying attention and I'll drive ready to react and leave lots of room.

[DaiRees]

I'd love to but I couldn't, inherent distrust of everyone else

[teamster1975]

I've been riding for 20 years, I couldn't be without a bike. You get a whooe new sense of freedom, and most definitely a sixth sense for plonkers on the road!
Easiest way to get a license is via "Direct Access", you train on a bike over 33bhp and once test is passed you can ride what you like, I'd stick to something no bigger than a 600cc though.
Tbh I've had my CB500 since new and it's still doing me proud