A2 test changing?

[edd]

My younger brother will be taking his test next year, and at bikesafe in Durham last weekend, someone told him that the test was changing, so that you were no longer restricted to 33bhp, but to 250cc or something along those lines. Has anyone heard anything about this, or is it just rumour?
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Bluespark Automotive - Diesel Tuning for Performance and Economy

[Gazdaman]

Sounds like bollocks to me.

33bhp means any bike, but the same power, similar characteristics, no surprises. Restricting to 250ccs, could still mean ~70bhp with a vicious powerband that is definitely not learner friendly.

Having said that, I wouldn't be at all surprised if it became harder to gain a motorcycle licence.

Gaz

[cestrian]

When completing my CBT a few weeks ago, I was told that a new 3 hour bike test to be introduced and the cost of obtaining a license would cost over £1000. This is to fall in line with other EU countries.

g)

[alliamc]

They are changing the test, not the licence. I think they're adding another section to the practical test. I'm so glad I have my licence!!!
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Alli x
https://www.bikepics.com/members/alliamc/

[ISLAND GIRL]

so glad I got my licence when I did as I too got told by my instructor that come October this year things are gonna change to do with the learning or the test but I dont know what
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Live on the Isle of Wight and ride a CBR600F

[kawakid]

There's been so many stories in MCN, I don't know whats true.

I think one of the things mentioned, is emergency stop from 45mph and some sort of off road training.

The major change will be in 2012, where you will need to pass 2 tests, (under 24s) you are restricted to a 125 for 2 years (so can give pillion, motorways etc), then you have to pass another test, then your 45bhp for 2 years, then your any BHP.

DAS will raise to 23.
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I've a twin and a 4.

[davidimurray]

From what I've heard the new test will require the rider to undertake an 'off-road' riding section before they are allowed onto the road. This will require a tarmac area the size of a football pitch and will need to display things like U-turns, slaloms, slow riding skills etc.

Cheers

Dave

[magpiemale]

davidimurray has it right!
when I took my test only a few weeks ago 2007 will be the last year to take your test based on the current system.then after in 2008 you have to do a two part test and I think depending upon your age you are restricted to maybe a 500 then if you want a bigger bike you may ? have to take another test and so on but you will be on probation on a 500 for 2 years I think this is why mcn,and all other bike people are worrying as this new EU ruling wil turn people away from biking..so that will be off road testing bit like cbt with a few new things in it.not just one but a few and then you will go on the road but the good news if once you have done the off road things you do not do them again once you get out on the road,maybe it's just to see how you ride in traffic ?
magpiemale
p.s erm I recall liverpool has this 1st site constructed and some people are being allowed to test it but only examiners and some high profile instructors and journalists

NOW THIS IS THE TEST! 2008
The 2008 test has supposedly been laid out for any size of bike from 125 to Gold Wing. The DSA line was 'How many people do scooter tests?' I don't know what they'll do when a scooter turns up.

The test starts by riding (you can ride or push) 20 yards into a box simulating a garage, stopping the engine and putting the bike on the stand. (Side stand or centre stand). There is a choice of 2 'garages' which are positioned alongside each other. The candidate must then wheel the bike backwards from one 'garage' into the other. (Imagine that with a Gold Wing, no you can't use reverse gear, the Pan was heavy enough!)

The candidate is then expected to take 'effective' rear observations, ride out of the garage, complete a slalom through approx 10 cones and then do 2 complete figure of 8's around the last two cones. I just about got through the slalom, missing the cones by inches (luck not judgement), and then did the widest figure of 8 possible. (The examiner did say that it was down to their discretion whether the exercise had been completed properly.)

The next exercise is to enter a bend, either left or right handed depending on the layout, at 30KPH. (whatever happened to MPH?) The bend is nowhere near as sharp as it looks and should be negotiated with ease by a competent rider.

On leaving the bend the rider must accelerate to 50KPH (32mph - this is why you can't do it on the public road!) and perform a swerve which simulates a vehicle pulling out of a side road. At this point there are speed measuring devices to ensure the rider has reached the required speed. My first attempt was a miserable failure as I only reached 47KPH. I understand that on test, candidates will be given one more attempt. After the 'swerve' the rider must carry out a controlled stop within a box denoted by 4 cones.

The candidate then must take rear observations again, ride out of the box and carry out a U-Turn, again, I just got the Pan round. (I'm sure that's narrower than the roads used for the current U- Turn.)

As I had messed up the swerve by not going fast enough I was sent round the bend again to have another go. This time I entered the swerve at 57KPH, what a difference 10KPH makes. I was countersteering as hard as I could and just made it without hitting the cone.

Somewhere along the line the examiner got me to do an emergency stop, but, to be honest, my brain was so confused by all the manouevres, I can't remember where it came in.


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Note: Since the Emergency Stop and U-turn have been done during off-road part of the test, they will not be done during the on-road test.

The two parts of the test are done in one go, the off-road part will be done first. If the Candidate passes the off-road part they will then be taken on the road. If they fail the off-road part, that's the end of the test


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The test isn't too bad, the swerve is nowhere near as sharp as it looks on the DSA video. My only complaint would be that from leaving the bend it is very hard to get upto 50KPH. The rider is busy looking at his/her speedo, the cone they have to swerve around and the box they have to stop in. There is too much to take in all at once. I'd like to think I'm an experienced rider, but I did struggle with the speed aspect. First too slow, then too fast. The examiner said that candidates would be better at 52KPH than 48KPH as 50 is the minimum speed. I would suggest that they shouldn't hit 57KPH as that was scary.

The site at Cardington is huge. However it's still not big enough. I feel there should be more space for accelerating out of the bend to 50KPH. I've no idea how someone on a 125 will manage. God help the scooters!

Like most ATBs, I am not in a position to buy/rent a training site big enough to carry out the manouvres so I guess we'll have to improvise.

We can get trainees to practice pushing the bikes backwards, we can do a slalom and figure of 8 on-site, we can find a bend to ride around at 30kph, we can practice emergency and controlled stops but I've no idea where we can practice the 'swerve'. That is going to be a real problem.

The test has been tried out on Examiners, Instructors and willing members of the public, all of whom have, presumably, more than one brain cell. The DSA have timed the test at between 10 and 12 minutes. This begs the question, what will happen when the examiner has to deal with the likes of a customer I had last week. It took me 15 minutes to explain the press to cancel indicators on a CB500! I can see the timings falling apart and so delaying, or even resulting in the cancellation of the following tests.

As usual we have been dictated to by the E.U. or whatever it's called these days.

I fail to see what impact the test can have on accident figures.

We have had two part testing before and it was scrapped as it was found to have no valid use.

If anyone else has ridden through the 2008 test I'd be glad to hear your thoughts.

Martin Curran
Kickstart Rider Training
St.Helens

[Dark]

Boy oh boy am i glad i did my test when it was easy

I do sympathise with all the people having to sit one nowadays, in some ways i agree that more training is needed, but i'm not sure i agree with the way they've gone about it.
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My Bikes in order:- Yamaha RXS100 / Suzuki X7 250 / Yamaha RD350LC / Kawasaki
KR1S 250 / Kawasaki ZXR750 H2 / Honda C50 / Kawasaki ZX7R P5 / Kawasaki ZX10R / Suzuki GSXR 400 / Honda CBR1100 Blackbird & Yamaha FZR 600

[strobeone]

ahh what this is that euro motocycle directive, its way to make the tests last longer cost more, and take loads of tests too.

ok this is the EU motercycle directive (www.mag-uk.org)

As the proposal stands: -

The age limit for riding a moped (AM) licence will be 16. (Access may be from 14 or raised to 18).

The minimum age for riding a light motorcycle (A1) licence not over 125cc/11kw will be 16 (could be raised to 17 or 18).

The minimum age for riding motorcycles (A2) licence not exceeding 35kw will be 18 (Depending on age limit for an A1 Licence this could be raised to 19 or 20 years).

For progressive access, there will be rigid two year steps between categories.

Riders will be required to take either a minimum number of hours of training or a practical motorcycle test to progress from each category.

For Direct Access, where riders can train and test to qualify for unrestricted motorcycles, the minimum age will rise from 21 to 24
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A honda vision rip off (50cc) >TGB 202 Classic (50cc) > Honda CG (125cc)

[ram_doom]

I heard th test is changing in 2008 to include some difficult coned off area type manouvers bet it'll be a real barsteward...
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TL1000s, KDX200

[suzi_bandit]

I'm almost sure that Sadie made a post about this ages and ages ago?
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I want a big boys bike, preferably a Speed Triple. To date I have ?7:42p stashed away to put towards one. Need to get it in the bank & earning interest asap.

[Jack_Cheese]

The new test doesn't sound hard at all. All the slow speed control stuff is easy, and if you have a good instructor on your CBT, you will learn all the skills in one day. Having a smaller yard turns out better riders, too.

Jack
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www.bikepics.com/members/jackcheese <--- NOW FOR SALE! 51 Plate Cagiva Planet 125
Quacker_boy: "Jack, you really are a dick!"

[Jebus]

So if i dont do my big test by dec 2007 i going to get a much harder one, id better get it sorted, should be this year if i ever get the bits im waiting for, its been 2 bloody weeks and still not got em
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2nd time around CBT: 8/9/11
125 Varadero

[alliamc]

This test sounds harder than the institute of advanced motorists test!!
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Alli x
https://www.bikepics.com/members/alliamc/

[strobeone]

Its not so much making it harder, its making it more expencive.
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A honda vision rip off (50cc) >TGB 202 Classic (50cc) > Honda CG (125cc)

[edd]

The only logic I could see in making a 250cc restriction was that it might actually work. I think about 5% of the people I know have stayed restricted for the full 2 years, because its impossible to check at the roadside. As for all the other stuff, Im glad my test was over and done with a while ago.
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Bluespark Automotive - Diesel Tuning for Performance and Economy

[Dazbo666]

It was partly because of the rumours regarding the test changes that I did my DAS last year.
I'd been planning to do the test for quite some time, so I finally got myself together and made sure the job got done before the rules changed.

Never even sat on a motorbike until the morning of my CBT, and still managed to pass the DAS 1st time [smug grin]
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1st bike (Sept'06 - May'10) : 1991 GPZ500S / Current bike (since Nov 2009) : 2003 Suzuki Bandit 600N
Word of the day : DILLIGAF

[veeeffarr]

[veeeffarr]

Glad my test is booked for Aug 30th

[The#Doctor#]

Why is there an off road part of the test as where and when am i or anyone else ever going to have to ride off road legally when being a road rider i understand that it may improve certain skills although for road riding see it being pretty useless !?

The swerve is a good idea as most accidents that i have escaped from have invovled me seeing the twat early and avoiding them rather than braking, although having a cone there isn't really simulating someone pulling out rather showing good machine control.

Glad i've done all my tests though
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CBR125R - CBR600Fy
'140 mph officer thats impossible the bike is 33 bhp restricted'

[Crash125]

For the bit of test where you have to swerve at the set speed, they had better have a lot of ambulances standing by and a lot of spare parts for the bikes!!!

I thought i was under pressure to pass before my theory test runs out in April now i got even more reason to get me licence
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*SV650s* 7th time lucky, finaly passed me DAS

[Jack_Cheese]

[veeeffarr]

[Jack_Cheese]

Him and Eddie are great guys, i'd have reccomended them to anyone He's a former copper, not Sure about Eddie though. Their advice is spot on

Jack
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www.bikepics.com/members/jackcheese <--- NOW FOR SALE! 51 Plate Cagiva Planet 125
Quacker_boy: "Jack, you really are a dick!"