I think I am coming to the time in my life that is the mid life crisis, and with having three young kids and a misses of 14 years I don’t think the ■■■■■ twenty year old blond is going to financially be an option…
Anyway a motor bike is going to be my option of choice, so I have just been checking my licence and I seem to have class AM on it until the 20/04/43, this I take it to be my moped entitlement…I have nothing next to A1 or a2 which are obviously motorbike entitlements… so my question is before I go and book my theory and CBT and bike course do I need to apply for some sort of provisional entitlement to do so or does the fact I passed my car test in 1990 give me this cover until I pass my bike test…going on from that obviously I am driving and am required to carry my licence at all times sso if I have to send it away to get provisional entitlement for a bike on there how do I stand with the rozzers if I stopped in the mean time?
You don’t need to send your licence away for provisional motorbike licence. You DO have to pass a CBT (Compulsory Basic Training) which will give you entitlement to ride up to 125cc on the road whilst displaying L plates (that remains valid as long as your driving licence)
After that is gets a little more complicated with the new(ish) Mod 1 and Mod 2 system. You can do a Direct Access course and gain your full unrestricted licence, or do it in stages. Best to ask a riding school at that stage.
Hope that helps
soI should be ok to book my theory and my CBT I suppose I can then ask the Cbt people about whats next
Yep that’s the best way. Book those and the school that you take your CBT with will be able to give you the proper details on what’s next 
cupcake1973:
You don’t need to send your licence away for provisional motorbike licence. You DO have to pass a CBT (Compulsory Basic Training) which will give you entitlement to ride up to 125cc on the road whilst displaying L plates (that remains valid as long as your driving licence)After that is gets a little more complicated with the new(ish) Mod 1 and Mod 2 system. You can do a Direct Access course and gain your full unrestricted licence, or do it in stages. Best to ask a riding school at that stage.
Hope that helps
how things have changed, when I took my bike test in 1976 it was a 15 minute ride around the block, with the examiner hiding in shop doorways 
Took mine in 1990 before rule changes. Examiner followed me in a car and lost me in traffic for most of it. Easiest test I’ve ever done!
cupcake1973:
You don’t need to send your licence away for provisional motorbike licence. You DO have to pass a CBT (Compulsory Basic Training) which will give you entitlement to ride up to 125cc on the road whilst displaying L plates (that remains valid as long as your driving licence)
No it doesn’t. Once you have passed CBT your on-road entitlement lasts for two years unless you pass the test. If you don’t, you have to re-take CBT.
The only exception for this is if you wish to ride a moped and passed your car test after Feb 2001; car drivers passing before that date automatically had full moped licence. In that case, you only need do the one CBT and can ride the moped on L-plates for as long as your car licence lasts.
Whitey2104:
obviously I am driving and am required to carry my licence at all times sso if I have to send it away to get provisional entitlement for a bike on there how do I stand with the rozzers if I stopped in the mean time?
Never heard that before, my belief is that you do not have to have your driving licence with you when on duty as far as the law is concerned, (I do know you must carry your digicard and cpc card when on duty).
Sidevalve:
cupcake1973:
You don’t need to send your licence away for provisional motorbike licence. You DO have to pass a CBT (Compulsory Basic Training) which will give you entitlement to ride up to 125cc on the road whilst displaying L plates (that remains valid as long as your driving licence)No it doesn’t. Once you have passed CBT your on-road entitlement lasts for two years unless you pass the test. If you don’t, you have to re-take CBT.
The only exception for this is if you wish to ride a moped and passed your car test after Feb 2001; car drivers passing before that date automatically had full moped licence. In that case, you only need do the one CBT and can ride the moped on L-plates for as long as your car licence lasts.
My bad, yes it’s the Moped thing that’s valid for as long as car licence 
It’s a long time since I did mine and I don’t tend to keep up with all the details of the rules these days 
You say Midlife Crisis, how mid life late 40’s early 50’s?
Do your CBT then it is either Direct access, A1 Restricted Licence or A2 Restricted Licence, its flipping complicated, made more so by the f@@@@@g EU.
premier-rider-training.co.uk … icence.pdf
I passed mine, on a 125cc, a few years ago after riding all sorts of bikes for years, achem officer! Then waited for it to be upgraded and am now on my third Ducati.
Depends how long you want to wait before getting a bigger bike, you can pass on a 125 and buy a big bike but just have it restricted to be able to ride it.
Cheers
Mark
If you take your test on a 125cc bike now that’s all you can ever ride.
Rew:
If you take your test on a 125cc bike now that’s all you can ever ride.
What? Are you sure?
the maoster:
Rew:
If you take your test on a 125cc bike now that’s all you can ever ride.What? Are you sure?
Yes absolutely sure. Rules changed again on 19 January 2013.
(Edit to add date of change)
That’s ridiculous imo. Is that only with 125’s or does it apply to all sizes? Ie you pass on a 600 and can only ride up to a 600 etc?
the maoster:
That’s ridiculous imo. Is that only with 125’s or does it apply to all sizes? Ie you pass on a 600 and can only ride up to a 600 etc?
You now need to take a test every time you want to get a bigger bike. Unless you are 24 then you can go straight for your A licence.
You can take your A test at 21 if you passed your A2 test at 19 and have held the licence for 2 years, but you still need to take the practical test for it. (Mod1, Mod2)
Apparently…
Full Unrestricted Category ‘A’ Licence
To obtain a Full Unrestricted Category ‘A’ Licence you must be over the age of 21. You must first complete your CBT. You must then pass the Motorcycle Theory Test, undertake training and a Practical Test on a machine with a minimum power output of 47bhp. Once you have passed your Practical Test, you will have a licence to ride any machine without L-plates and be able to carry a pillion passenger.You can only ride a large machine when accompanied by an authorised Direct Access Instructor.
Not an official .gov site but…
gdbrown.com/what_can_i_ride.asp
Rew:
the maoster:
That’s ridiculous imo. Is that only with 125’s or does it apply to all sizes? Ie you pass on a 600 and can only ride up to a 600 etc?You now need to take a test every time you want to get a bigger bike. Unless you are 24 then you can go straight for your A licence. The
You can take your A test at 21 if you passed your A2 test at 19 and have held the licence for 2 years, but you still need to take the practical test for it. (Mod1, Mod2)
Thank God I did mine way back when. I wonder what sort of outcry there’d be if for example a 17 year old past his/her car test in an 800cc car and then got told they couldn’t drive a 1000cc until they’d passed another test?
Get your test passed,get a big bike,all the leathers,noisy exhaust annoying everyone,hit the open road with a big grin. Don’t fall off and crash it will scratch your new love.
.
alphonsohall:
Never heard that before, my belief is that you do not have to have your driving licence with you when on duty as far as the law is concerned, (I do know you must carry your digicard and cpc card when on duty).
It IS the law to carry your driving licence whilst driving - however no action will be taken if you can produce it within 7 days