Original CBT laws.

[90s biker]

Hi all, and apologies if this has been discussed already.

As my username suggests, I used to ride bikes in the 90's. I stopped for a few years, and now want to start riding again. As I understand it, a current CBT licence only lasts for two years. However, I passed my CBT shortly after they were first introduced, in 1991. As I remember it, at that time there was no expiry date on the license, which would mean that my licence is still valid.

I've been trying to find out if this is the case because I don't fancy going through the whole thing again, but I can't find the information anywhere.

I also have a full D/licence from 1990, which allows me to ride a 50cc moped, but I want to get a 125 and eventually take a full test, for which I need a CBT.

Is my CBT from 1991 still valid? I've lost the original licence BTW.

[Nexus Icon]

I'm pretty sure it isn't, tbh. It's a bit moot if you can't find the certificate anyway as you're bound to need it sooner or later.
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Greetings from Shitsville!

[90s biker]

[Burnside]

The Direct.gov.uk site is a good place to start, loads of info about driving licences.
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I started out with nothing and I still got most of it left.

[Nexus Icon]

Get it done again and get a DAS done while you're at it. I left it far too long and my only regret is that I didn't do mine back in the 90s.
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Greetings from Shitsville!

[90s biker]

[nowhere.elysium]

[90s biker]

[yambabe]

I don't recall there EVER being a time when the CBT had unlimited expiry.

Quite the opposite in fact, when it first came in if you hadn't done the full test by the time it expired you lost your provisional bike entitlement for a further 2 years and had to start all over again.

Are you sure you did CBT and not Part 1 of the old test?
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Sod falling in love, I wanna fall in chocolate.

[Muscle Bike Rider]

[Teflon-Mike]

CBT has only EVER been valid for two years.
If you did CBT, and got a CBT cert, then there is no way that it was valid for any longer.
PRIOR to 1990, the two year 'restriction' for provisional entitlement was by time banding the actual licence, and if you didn't pass test within two years you were disqualified for re applying for provisional entitlement for a year....
Only certificate NOT time bounded was the 'Part One' motorcycle test, in effect from 1982 until CBT came into force from 1990.
IF you took 'Part One' it was accepted as an equivilent of CBT when you came to do the 'main' practical exam...
HOWEVER, if you had lost provisional entitlement between taking a part one test, and CBT being introduced, when you re applied for provisional entitlement, licence would clearly have stated, 'Validated only by current CBT cert'.. so you may have had open ended part one pass cert, but your licence wasn't valid without a 'new' cbt.

If you want to ride a bike, I think you need to do a CBT, whether on a 125 or as part of a DAS course, up to you.

If you took CBT back in the early days, nope... was still time bounded, and if you didn';t get picked up for riding umpety years on an expired one... well, count your blessings... but it wasn't legal, and you ought to have had a new one.

If you took Part One...... there may be some connundrum, over its validity, especially if you have open ended provisional entitlement provided by passing a car test prior to 1990 (I THINK)....

However, its likely, that no one has a definative answer, as to how that would place you 'now' picking up where you left off.....

And its as likely as anything, that when they changed licence groupings, on the variouse occassions they have in teh last twenty years, and the licence system, and with changing to photo licences, and possibly surrendering your licence on more than one occassion to change address or remove points or what have you.... its utterly untraceable, what entitlement you MIGHT be able to claim by 'grandad' rights anyway.....

And the short and simple answer is to simply start over, clean sheet of paper.....
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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?'

[90s biker]

[90s biker]

[Teflon-Mike]

I took my car test in Feburary 1988, strategically to avoid two year provisional restriction on bikes, given the length of test waiting lists in those days.
I took my practical exam in 1992, presenting the Part 1 cert I gained in April '88, in lue of CBT, but it was my car licence that gave me provisional entitlement, NOT the part 1 cert.

Its likely, that you were 'OK' on producers by similar dint of full car licence granting provisional entitlement without time limit.....

WHETHER or no pre 1990 driving licences STILL carry provisional motorcycle entitlement without CBT is something I am not too sure off, but I DONT think they do, even if it hasn't been removed by a licence re-issue.

Start from fresh; play it safe, best way on bikes.

You'll enjoy CBT and are bound to get something from it anyway. I went along and sat in on some of my G/F's CBT a month or so back.... I USED to be a CBT instructor..... still learned 'something'.... so dont presume its beneath you or a waste of time.... its a bit of a laugh, and a good way 'back' into the persuit, wither way.
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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?'

[ThoughtContro...]

Just redo the CBT, it'll save hassle which you'll inevitably get at every stage of the test process, when they ask for your CBT cert, and you have to argue that the one you did in 1990 is still valid.

The test is a good idea to get out of the way in the next 12 months or so, since the licence rules change, and sitting it on a 125 and having a two year 33bhp restriction, stops becoming an option. No problem if you were just going to do a DAS, but a pain in the bum if you were doing it on the cheap on a 125.
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Prize cunt
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"In a world of universal deceit telling the truth is a revolutionary act" - George Orwell

[Rogerborg]

You can either read through 126 (one hundred and twenty six) Motor Vehicle (Driving Licenses) Regulations / Amendments and then argue the toss with the DSA and DVLA; or just do a new CBT.
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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

[Bendy]

[Bendy]

[Rogerborg]

[T.C]

[Clanger]

In January 1997 the DVLA contacted me to tell me that by law I needed to do a CBT, it didn't matter that I had been riding since 1986. I'm sure it had a shelf life of about three years or so.
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Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter won't mind - Dr. Seuss

[Teflon-Mike]

[T.C]