This is a really useful site that covers everything from getting your provisional licence to advanced training. http://www.begin-motorcycling.co.uk/index.htm                                                                                                                                                                             

Interesting reading for those of us who did it years ago, it's so much more complicated now! I don't understand why they now say you have to learn on a 125. I passed my test on a GP100 which had as much power as a restricted 125 anyway.This intrigued me too:6. - Read The Highway Code and other books - Voluntary The test used to include questions based on the Highway Code, and I'm assuming that it still does in some form. So surely this is compulsory?                                                                                                                                                                             

  This intrigued me too: 6. - Read The Highway Code and other books - Voluntary The test used to include questions based on the Highway Code, and I'm assuming that it still does in some form. So surely this is compulsory?       Not sure Gary, but what also gets to me is  WHY we have to do theory test, when in my case I've held a full driving licence for over 25 years?                                                                                                                                                                               

the confusion thickens....... quoted from 'DirectGov':   If you already have a driving licence you might not have to take another theory test if you want to start driving a different vehicle.   Then further down it says   You will need to take a theory test if you want a licence for a new category of vehicle, for example, if you have a car licence and you want a motorcycle licence you will need to take a theory test.                                                                                                                                                                                 

  WHY we have to do theory test, when in my case I've held fully driving licence for over 25 years?   Kaz, that's cos in 25 yrs + a driver can pick up a lot of bad driving habits. It's probably just to check that long-term drivers aren't a liability on the road (and there's a lot who are, judging by the amount of offies bikers have courtesy of cage dwellers)   OR   it's cos it's a money-making scam                                                                                                                                                                                     

Sandi.. that can't be the reason, because there will be people doing their theory who have passed a driving test, but maybe not been driving quite as long.    I think the theory test lasts 2 years, so if we have to take it every 2 years (if we don't pass the bike test, thro one reason or another) I really don't think thats fair.   Surely if I'm capable of driving X amount of years then I should be able to do a Motorcycle test without the theory...  Especially when I've already covered a lot of that in my CBT as well!                                                                                                                                                                                 

The theory test is sligtly different for bikes to that for cars it asks bike spacific questions, it also covered signs etc that would have been asked on highway code before. It also covers hazard perseption from as if you were riding a bike not in a car, it's only valid for 2 years if you don't pass test in that time and that's the same for cars too.

Now on your mod 2 test you get asked 'show me, tell me' questions ... Show me how you would test your breaks on this bike, tell me what you would say to someone you were going to give a pilly to, how would you check the oil levels on this bike etc.

Your instructor will go through those with you before your mod2

Thanks for that Shell. I do understand that the bike/car theory tests differ slightly, but why cant we just have it drilled into us on the CBT .. after all, once we have that certificate we are allowed on the open roads on our own!   Also, the bike theory should definatley be incorporated into the car theory and vice versa, ALL road users  should be aware of each others capabilities ... perhaps even inlcude some HGV awareness elements.                                                                                                                                                                             

  I think the theory test lasts 2 years, so if we have to take it every 2 years (if we don't pass the bike test, thro one reason or another) I really don't think thats fair.   LOL tell ME about it Kaz. I took my *test 4 times and obviously my theory and CBT expired so I had to pay FOUR times as well as take it four times!!   * for those who DON'T know, test nerves got the better of me   I asked that question, many times, if I'm good enough for a CBT certificate, which certifies that I'm safe on the road, then how come I can't get a test pass? lol Positive proof that the theory test and CBT are just money-making scams.                                                                                                                                                                             

Sandi   -    yep... money grabbing, thats all it is.. makes me sick                                                                                                                                                                              

I found the hazzard perception harder the second time round,As I had been driving the car for 2 years I found I was seeing the hazards too early !! Madness                                                                                                                                                                             

Have to agree with AJ (god help me!!!!!) hazard perception test is aimed at new road users not old gits like me !!!                                                                                                                                                                             

I can't see why I need to another theory test or why in fact if you have just passed your driving test why you would then need to do another theory test for a bike if the gap between is not long. I passed my driving test in 2003. 

The hazard perception test is load of rubbish, just another way to get money out of us. I never did the hazard perception the first time, missed it by just under a year i think. 

If its all about picking up bad habits, as soon as you pass and get out the test centre you will almost straight away pick up bad habits as you don't have the instructor there going on at you and you will find your own way to drive/ride comfortable which may not be how it is said in the books to drive/ride. 

Adz                                                                                                                                                                              

The hazard perception test is totally unrealistic.You're sitting at a PC knowing that something is about to happen within the next 30 seconds, and that it's going to occur within the confines of the small screen in front of you.That's nothing like what happens in the real world.

                                                                                                                                                                             

Talking of money grabbing ... Wait till they do away with the auto right to ....

1. Ride restricted after passing your test on a 125
2. Ride unrestricted after riding restricted for 2 years

will be seperate tests for seperate power levels ...