16 year old..17 soon - what to do?

[grantp]

Right..

I'm 16 now, have a 2 year CBT to ride a 50cc automatic motorbike.

I'm 17 soon, was looking at getting a car but insurance prices are silly! They want £3,400 to insure a 1.0 Corsa C. So I'm just wondering where do I go from here, I now want a bigger bike! I'm just wondering what I'm limited to at 17. What's the biggest bike (cc) I can get? And also what bike test I have to do to be able to ride it?

Sorry if I come across abit stupid, just not really clued up on how the licences work.

Cheers!
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[johnsmith222]

[Frost]

as above 125 on a CBT, or any size, but less than 33bhp with a bike test.
Car insurance is cheaper than that, but corsa's are expensive to insure as so many get smashed to hell. i'd expect to be paying around £1000 for someone like you. A bike will of course be cheaper but then you're lacking the ability to carry things and you'll get cold & wet. So maybe get a 125 for the summer and save up?

[fireyphoenix1...]

your best options

yammaha
R 125 racer style
dt 125 crosser
ybr 125 commuter
honda
cbr 125 racer
cg 125 commuter
xr 125 crosser
kawasaki
ninja 125 racer styled
kx 125 crosser

aprilia
rs 125 brilliant 2 stroke racer

those are all the good 125s i can think of ...dunno what type of bike your in to so theres your best options
ALL can be ridden on a CBT but i think you need to do it on a geared bike for the cbt to be valid

the CG and YBR are piss cheap to insure as well
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2014 Aprillia dorsoduro 750 factory.

[ms51ves3]

[Blau Zedong]

[johnsmith222]

[G]

fireyphoenix1989:
The KX125 is a motocross bike. The XR125 is a trail bike. Very, very different bikes.

Poor show offering advice with seemingly little knowledge behind it .

For the OP: I believe there's a sticky at the top of the section that I have moved this to that explains a lot of useful stuff.

[Truzo]

I would wait untill you are 17 and get a 125cc bike. (unless you want all your wages to go on insurance)

Get a nice little plucky two stroke bike. people will say to you that 4 stroke bikes are better but for a small bike they are all wrong !

I would advise a tzr, rg, nsr 125 or similar for a sporty bike.

KDX, SX or dt 125 for a crosser/enduro

Or a rxs 100 or RD 125 or similar for a road bike.
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Current Bikes: RXS 100, RD 125lc3, RD 350 F2

[Teflon-Mike]

If you were going to get a car.... you'd be looking at doing some lessons, normally a First Driver Course, around £300ish for maybe ten one hour lessons. You'd then be looking at doing the test, for £100ish... THEN thinking about the car you could afford to drive on newly won licence.
Good plan..... TRANSFER it to motorcycles......
You can ride ANY bike you like (Near enough..... you cant ride mine.... I wont let you!) ONCE you have a licence.
You MAY be allowed to ride a 125 without taking a test.... but its really NOT a great idea. And trying to pack everything you might want out of a machine into such a compromised little machine, well you cant do it.
Bigger bikes, give you a lot more choices, and you can usually find FAR better compromises, that trying to do to much, looking at 125's as a 'long term' (and at 16, a girlfreind that lasts all summer holiday, seems like 'marriage'!) means of transport.
So back up, start where you were, and think about that LICENCE, it is the key to everything else falling into place.
Think TRAINING, just like you'd have planned for a car, to help get you that licence, BUT, more importantly, get you riding SAFE right from the start.
FACT. Motorcycles are dangerous. and the stats say you are something like 9 times more likely to be killed or seriousely injured on one than in a car, while as a 'young' (under 25) male, your three times more likely than that, and on L Plates three times more likely even than THAT... ie... HUGELY at risk........ I mean its amazing any of us are alive to be honest.....
But, no, it IS dangerouse..... lots of things are dangerouse, skiing, rock climbing, hang cliding, horse riding...... actually the most dangerouse persuit according to the stats is actually household DIY (Which is why I try to avoid it!), and for under 25's, one of the biggest risks of seriouse and permenent injury, is possibly just 'doing the town' on a Friday or Saturday night!
Thing is, Motorbikes, as everyday transport, its something you do EVERY DAY, where stuff like Skiing, well, you might only do it once or twice a year, if your lucky, so the exposure to risk is higher, once you commit to it.
You've been on a twist and go, you know what its 'about' to some degree.
But, getting a bit 'smart' you can do a lot to minimise the risks, but as a young, male, inexperienced rider BIGGEST way to reduce the risks for you is to get trained, and get qualified, and use those advantages to get GOOD experience, rather than learning the hard way, when it hurts!

So, lets stick the horse infront of the cart and put getting a LICENCE ahead of getting a bike..... and lets chuck some hay in there for it, by way of TRAINING, so its a happy horse!

Lots of ways to a full bike licence. But, where you are standing now, first of all check your CBT certificate and see IF the instructor that trained you DID actually apply the 'Automatic Only' restriction box.

If you did your CBT on a Twist and go, 'Technically' he should have done, so when you reach 17, provisional licence matures and allows you to ride a bike UP to 125cc and 14.5bhp, BUT if your CBT has the Automatic Only restriction on it, it will have to be a twist and go 125.

If Auto Restricted, then to get your 'Full' motorcycle licence, really you'll have to 'repeat' CBT on a 'geared' motorcycle, to carry on. If not, thank the abscent mindedness of your instructor, becouse you might only have to learn gears, and save a course fee to move on.

Now, entirely possible to start with an 'Intensive' rider course, on a School bike, JUST like you would do if you took a course of driving lessons. Probably cost you around the same money too £300ish.

That would train you up, and get you through test, NO NEED to buy your own bike. You would probably be using a geared 125 commuter bike like a Yamaha YBR125 or Honda CBF125.

By learner standards, not inspiring. Both are regulation 'street bikes', with 10bhp. They are not that fast or inspiringly styled, but they have a couple of very endearing features. They are cheap, and they are Easy to ride

You would be training for your A2 'Restricted' licence test, on a 125, which comes in four parts.

First is the Compulsary Basic Training, to validate your provisional licence entitlement (which if you dont have Auto restrict you might already have)

Second is the Theory Test. which you can take any time, so if I were you, I'd get a DVD tutorial disc, and start boning up for it.

Third is the Module 1 off road manouver Test. Basically a few CBT 'cones' manouvers, with an emergency stop and a swerve manouver in it.

LAST, is the Module 2, 'Practical Exam', on the road, followed about by an examiner assessing your riding, by way of machine control, road possitioning, adherance to road law etc. Wobble about for an hour, avoid killing any one, and too many papped horns, pretty good chance you'll pass.

That will give you a FULL Uk 'Driving Licence' with the A2 motorcycle catagory entitlement.

Wont qualify you for a car or anything else, bar perhaps a moped. But its a Full bike licence, that will allow you to ride any motorcycle of any capacity, provided its Taxed Testes Insured etc, pretty much for life, or until you clock up enough 'points' for legal infringements they take it off you! But bit of common sense, pretty easy to avoid that.....

As a Newly Qualified 'Driver' you are subject two two year probation from date of obtaining licence, which means you are only allowed 6 points before loosing it, rather than the 12 you might accrue after your probation expires.

THAT applies to ALL new licence holders. Clock starts the moment you obtain your 'Full Licence' doesn't matter what catagories are on it, or what test you took to get it...... you could have taken the tractor test at 16, to start the clock if you wanted..... If a year or so later, you take a car test, that 'group' gets added to your licence, but ot does NOT restart the clock on your probation.

Only ONE other proviso, having obtained A2 'Full' Motorcycle licence, for 24 months from pass date you may NOT ride a motorcycle with more than 33bhp. Once that probation has lapsed, anything goes. You dont have to take another test or anything.

So, ALL the more reason to get this test done, dusted and out the way..... BUT if you want another one, in two years time they are changing teh licence system and passing your test then, will only get you HALF the licence. You'll have to do two tests and ride for two years between them on a resticted bike, to get on anythng bigger, and in all liklihood jump through a whole load more hoops in the process.

So, transferring car driving plan..... Book Course of riding lessons, do the tests, get licence, go look for bike, up to 33bhp. All good.

BUT, to provisional you ARE allowed to ride a 125 on L Plates unsupervised on CBT.

IF you want, it can be useful to do a few months, perhaps three to six, on a tiddler. Taking training weekly, rather than in a crash course, and practicing between lessons.

You take more in in smaller chunks, and it makes more sense, having a bit of experience to go with it, and you can get more and better training for your money, becouse you can do all your training on your own time, rather than paying an instructor to look over your shoulder.

Having your own bike, will normally save about £100 on the course fees too.

PURELY as a training tool, to get you your licence, get a bit of experience, and get rid off..... FORGET 'Posey Bikes' in the learner legal market.

The Race Bike styled sportsbikes, or knobly tyred Dirt bikes of in Chav speak 'CroSSaZ'..... and DEFINITELY chopperish 'Cruisers'!

Dirt bikes are fun, I have to admit. But, high centre of gravity and compromised knobly tyres, not the bike I would want to be doing my e stop infront of an examiner on.

Cruisers..... even slower than slow, heavy, cumbersome, and awkward to manage, they are REALLY hard work to hustle through cone excersizes.

Sportsbikes. Reletively speaking they are often a 'little' faster than a commuter... but we are talking like walking speeds here! 5mph more RIGHT at the top! Fairings are vulnerable to the inevitable 'drop' practicing manouvers, while the crouched riding possition and 'racy' steering can make them a bit cramped and often limits steering lock.

The humble Learner Commuter EXCELS at doing what it says on the box! They are EASY EASY riding, and the best mount to make test excersises 'easy' on you. They have propepr road tyres that grip for the e stop. Decent steering lock and geometry for the cones. Are 'just' about fast enough for road work.... and they dont have as much fancy plastic to get broken when you fall off.

Starting with the right approach and attitude, focusing on the LICENCE, that will let you have all the style, performance or fun you can handle afterwards..... they REALLY are a 'good' bike.

So what, they aren't stylish or trendy or sporty...... don't matter, you only intend having it for six months tops, then you go get the bike you REALLY want, which can have everything you want.

And, advice is, buy the bike you would rent. Yamaha YBR125 or Honda CBF125.....

New both are about £2200. CBF's only been about a couple of years and has held its value well, Botom books about £1500. Second hand, YBR is THE bike to look for at the moment. Its been around about five years. There's plenty around, and young enough to be in reasonable shape. £1000 gets a pretty good one.

Beneath that price, you are looking at older bikes that are likely to be pretty well used and more than a little over abused, in the learner market.

My advice is try and buy high. £800 to £1200, should secure a decent YBR125. In six months time, test sorted, licence in your pocket, you should be able toget back within £100 (saving on hiring bike fro training!) what you paid for it. It will have cost you little more than petrol and insurance. (Ins probably £250ish) Which you'll have six months left of to cash in or transfer to the 'big bike' you buy with money from sale.

THAT's how to get started.....

IF after test you 'only' want a 125 for cheap wheels, then fine, they still have that advantage, though insurance tends to be loaded against the catagory as a whole, and moving up 'moderately' to something just over 125, in the 150 to 300cc range, can actually see a big saving on the premium, as well as 'just' enough more performance for it to not be quite so frustrating.

But its putting that horse INFRONT of the cart, and looking at the LICENCE first... get that, opens all teh doors bike wise.

Put the cart infront the horse, as so many do, looking for as much as they can get without breaking the 125 limit.... well an awful lot spend a lot of money on bikes that dont do much, or dont spend a lot of money on bikes that dont do ANYTHING..... and wast a heck of a lot of time on a tiddler NOT getting all they want out of biking... ALL for the sake of a little training a subjecting themselves to a couple of hours of exams that cost less than £200!

That £200? NOT a lot of money these days, and spread over the life of your licence, pretty good value, I'd say! And SOONER you get it, more value it gives!
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My Webby'Tef's-tQ, loads of stuff about my bikes, my Land-Rovers, and the stuff I do with them!
Current Bikes:'Honda VF1000F' ;'CB750F2N' ;'CB125TD ( 6 3 of em!)'; 'Montesa Cota 248'. Learner FAQ's:= 'U want to Ride a Motorbike! Where Do U start?'

[chris-red]

Fucking hell Mike
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Well, you know what they say. If you want to save the world, you have to push a few old ladies down the stairs.
Skudd:- Perhaps she just thinks you are a window licker and is being nice just in case she becomes another Jill Dando.
WANTED:- Fujinon (Fuji) M42 (Screw on) lenses, let me know if you have anything.

[Glenben92]

[G]

CBR125 is worse .

[Paulington]

To correct Teflon-Mike, you do not have to 're-do' your CBT.

A CBT passed on an automatic motorcycle allows you to ride geared or automatic motorcycles up to 125cc (14.6bhp) at 17. Whether you obtained your CBT on a geared or automatic motorcycle, you can still ride either, you don't have to do your CBT again.

.
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"Four wheels move the body, two wheels move the soul."
Current Vehicles: '89 Kawasaki KDX200, '99 Yamaha XV535, '00 Honda ST1100 Pan-European, '08 Suzuki GSX-R1000, '08 Mitsubishi Lancer GS4 2.0 TDCi, '15 BMW 1 Series 116d Sport Turbo.
CBT: 27/08/08. Theory: 04/09/09. Module 1: 16/09/09. Module 2: 01/10/09.

[Rogerborg]

I'm minded to agree with Paulington, I don't recall the D196 (CBT certificate) having anything about capacity or automatic on it. I could be misrecollecting though.
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Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[Mount_Man]

[Teflon-Mike]

Re Auto Restriction.... It was definitely on there when I was instructing. And we had a polave checking with DSA as to whether a C50, with automatic clutch and crunch box 'qualified' as a geared bike or not.....
I was checking snowie's paperwork, ready for her tests, and the CBT cert she had, which had only just expired, had tick box for Auto Only restriction. But, certificate could have come from an 'old' book.
I have no idea when this kid passed CBT..... presumably in the last year.... I don't know whats on his CBT cert, I suggested he 'check', which is ultimately the bottom line.
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My Webby'Tef's-tQ, loads of stuff about my bikes, my Land-Rovers, and the stuff I do with them!
Current Bikes:'Honda VF1000F' ;'CB750F2N' ;'CB125TD ( 6 3 of em!)'; 'Montesa Cota 248'. Learner FAQ's:= 'U want to Ride a Motorbike! Where Do U start?'

[Glenben92]

No it's been the case for many years now... CBT is CBT, regardless of what you do it on, you have the exact same entitlements. I did mine at 16 on a zip 50 and it allowed me to ride my geared 125 the day i turned 17. It's the EXACT same cert, age is the only restriction. I'm 100000% sure of this and would happily bet betsy, my left testicle on the matter.
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57 Huoniao HN125-8 - , 97 Kawasaki GPZ500S -
99 Yamaha FZS 600 -
Mod 2 Passed - 01/10/2010

[P.]