Bit of a dilemma (lots of reading!)

[ReidJ19]

Okay, so i've been lurking around the forum for a while and finally thought i'd start the ball rolling since i'm now starting my biking process, anyway, any help i can get will be great! Here we go...

So i'm very eager to start biking, i'm planning on doing my CBT next week, i have about a grand saved up and it's all going towards my biking stuff. So here's the main problem. I know about the new bike laws next year, so i'm eager to get my licence done and dusted, but the problem is that if i decide to do my full test, i'll have barely a third of what i originally had left. Which means with about £300, i'd have to be able to buy a bike, insure it, and get all my gear etc, which is seemingly impossible.

My other option is take my CBT, get a nice little used 125 and just go through the whole new licence process next year, bit the bullet so to speak! HOWEVER, the idea of riding on L's is not that appealing and thinking about it, it's still gonna cost me alot to take the long route due to multiple test fees etc.

My other and final option is to take a CBT, and do my car test. The thing with that is, 1) it will still leave me at the mercy of everyone else since i'd only be able to use the car when my parents aren't. and 2) it will still be money spent that ultimately still doesn't properly solve my transport problem.

I live in the middle of nowhere, several miles into town. And i have a part time job and college to get too, so transport sooner rather than later is the order of the day. Also unfortunately my part time job practically pays peanuts so buying a 125 and then doing my tests would just not be possible before the new laws come in.

So if you were me what would you do? I mean it really doesn't bother me too much riding round on a 125 for 2 years, but having to redo tests 3 times over for different engine capacities seems like a real pain. I can't afford the cost of a car and i have places i have to be, and it's getting increasingly difficult to be even mildly sociable, since i'm always relying on someone else! Please help me out, i'm going nuts trying to sort it out here!

Thanks,

[GF-91]

[J.M.]

If you can get a 125 and kitted up, you can get your tests done this year easily.

I started biking after my cbt (24.03.12) on the 2.4.12, I rode around with L-plates until September until I stopped procrastinating and booked my theory.

Over the time that I'd been riding, I picked up more than enough to pass my tests. I can say that honestly because I just booked my tests and went for them. Passed them both first try with no lessons (albeit, as Mike pointed out, I do seem to live in this charmed world).

The point is though, you can self teach yourself to pass the tests and get them all done for 121 pounds 50 pence.

I agree with the above though, you may need to increase your budget a little bit. I would definitely recommend going for the cheap 125 and getting on the road though. For practicality and real world experience.

I passed my bike test easier with no lessons much easier than my car test with lessons simply because I had a lot more experience on the bike.

Hope some of that helped.
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2004 R1 & 2018 XSR900

[Boxing]

You sound like you're afraid of riding around with L plates.

They don't mean anything! Just mean you haven't passed your full test yet.

And you haven't gone into details, but if you've NEVER ridden a geared bike, for heavens sake, don't book a CBT on a MANUAL, most people who have never rode a geared bike, won't even be able to pull off.

My advice is, pass your test on a automatic moped, then learn gears on a friends bike, just make sure you listen 100%, or you'll probably have to pick up damage fees.

And gear wise, unless you're going down dual-carriage ways and fast roads often, you could get away with just wearing a jacket, helmet and motorcycle boots.

Unless you're going to be often taking pillions, if not then I doubt you'll need to pass your full test, unless you want a bigger bike.

I'd stick to the guns of passing the CBT, as the full test will probably need extra practise, learning gears, theory, etc.
And if you're using a bike of the test centre, then that'll be £150 for a CBT...

[ReidJ19]

Yeah i agree with that. I'm currently working my arse off to amass as much as i can to get it all comfortably covered, proving harder than expected though since decent hours are scarce!

Pretty sure i can get it together soon though so hopefully i'll be on the road before too long!

So would you guys say it's worth going the 125 route with the risk of (possibly) not passing my test(s) 'til next year? I mean are 125s really that bad for college students and the younger lads?

Thanks alot for the advice! Any more ideas/tips from anyone is greatly appreciated

[GF-91]

[ReidJ19]

[ReidJ19]

[J.M.]

[Englishman]

OP doesn't mention age, so I'm guessing that you're under 21. For the £1000 saved up, do your CBT on a geared bike for sure - you will not struggle, I promise you. If you have any decent co-ordination (and who has a PS3 that doesn't!) you'll piss it. Do theory on your own for £30.
Then do the training and tests on a 125 (if under 21yrs old). This should cost about £450. We're now at £580 total and you have a full license that's unaffected by the law changes - your 2 year restriction will come off automatically. If you're over 21, as above but on a 500cc for your training/tests for a full un-restricted license. Once your tests are passed, you can save up for any bike, and the choice/value expands immensely once you can ride a big bike.
I know this doesn't really help your immediate transport issues, since for £1000 you could get your CBT, cheapo gear and a shitty 125 and still have to jump through the post-2013 hoops.
I guess it comes down to priorities - transport now or multiple expensive tests later. I'd get the licence first and this gives you so many more options down the line when funds allow. In the meantime, I'd take the bus or throw a strop and beg Mummy and Daddy for a bail out package of another £1500 for a decent bigger bike. Drop some hints that your £1000 isn't quite enough to do it all motorcycle-wise, so you're thinking of spending it on heroin instead.
Good luck.
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[Pete.]

Get your test done now - before there are no more places, you might even be cutting it fine now as many places have several months of waiting list.

Worry about your bike later, once you have the test done your choice of bikes is wider and cheaper.
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a.k.a 'Geri'

132.9mph off and walked away. Gear is good, gear is good, gear is very very good

[ReidJ19]

Thanks for all the replies guys, it's really helped so far!

I think i may well go down the test route, i mean i've managed (just about!) transport wise so far, so i guess a bit longer may not hurt. Besides, walking in the winter back and forth to college is what i'd call character building!

I have ridden a geared bike on a CBT on the off road section before, so i do know the gears and clutch stuff, but the CBT a a whole was a disaster, and now, 8 months on, i'm starting again.

I've spoken to another training centre and they're a bunch of great guys, so taking all of what you've said into account, i guess the best thing to do is to go smash that CBT and take it from there.

Really appreciate all the help guys, got a lot more info than i did before so

And yeah for the record, definitely wanting a bigger bike in the future!

[hedgehugger]

[GF-91]

[hedgehugger]

Ah you got me. I had age reversal!!

What I meant was
I was (probably) older (38) than the average person at the time, taking a CBT.

I am now even older and not dead yet

[dan_flash]

This is nuts. I'm gonna throw a cat among the pigeons now;

1) CBT.
2) Buy a YBR/CBR/whatever.
3) Buy some gear (good prices can be had if you look in the right places).
4) Ride for a few months on your own, on your L plates, getting lots and lots of road experience. Ride as much as you can afford to. You'll enjoy it anyway and will want to ride all the time.
5) Look at doing your tests (either on your own or after 1 or 2 lessons with an instructor) towards Autumn.

Lessons might seem like a good idea, but personally I think getting out on your own can be the best way to learn. Plus it'll solve your transport problem. Once you have your license you can worry about your bike, but bare in mind that a lot of people ride 125s (and smaller) with a full motorcycle license anyway. No need to rush for that R1 straight away.

GOOD LUCK
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Yamaha XJ600S, Volvo v40.

[GF-91]

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One dream, one soul, one prize, one goal.

[Polarbear]

My choice -

CBT & a 125. That way you solve your transport problems and get used to riding ready for your test.

Once you have your CBT and 125, then hit bank of mum & dad with 'You'ld feel much better about me riding if I passed my test but I'm a bit short at the moment........'
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Triumph Trophy Launch Edition

[kernow24]

[stinkwheel]

My oppinion.

Buy a 125, do CBT.

Ride it on L-plates until you can afford to do your test. Be that later this year or in a couple of years time.

This gets you mobile and on the road which gives you more access to work which in turn gives you access to money and it seems that money is the problem.

This is what everyone used to do 15-20 years ago.

When I started riding, I rode a 125 for about 18 months and used it to go to a farm job during my summer vacations. I got paid cash in hand on a Friday so I'd have a lesson booked for the Friday evening after work. Booked my test for the last week before I went back to college.

Couldn't have done my test without the 125 to get me to the job that paid for it.

I kept riding the 125 for another six months while I saved up for a bigger bike and had three years no-claims (had 12 months on a moped before the 125) to use on the insurance.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Cunnington]

Having been in a similar situation transport wise a long time ago, work options will open up more if you have your own transport. Get yourself mobile and you can try to pick up a better job that pays more than peanuts, so you could (possibly) still manage to fit in your tests before the changes.

There is a lot to be said for getting experience and making your mistakes on a smaller bike. If you are maxed out at 65mph, overtakes are carefully planned, momentum conserved through the bends to make progress, and you understand grip better, having only a tiny contact patch to play with.

If you get straight on a big bike after your test you can rely on an excess of power for overtakes etc, which means you don't need to plan as well as you do on a 125. Progress is made by blatting down the straights and bottling it through the bends. When you do go into a bend a bit hot, you dont have the experience of pushing the bike further over, developed over hundreds of miles of having to do it because you dont have the power - a few of my DAS mates have come a cropper this way. Having grounded a CB100, I learned to have confidence in my tyres, something they never did.

At the end of the day, you should be looking to build the foundation for your biking career - a 125 is perfect for that, and should not be seen as the second class option whether on L plates or not.

Go for it and good luck!
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'82 C50, '81 CB100, '84 GS125, '95 NTV650, '00 Bandit 600, '06 SV650, '56 Z1000, '89 NTV600
The Shaggy D.A. wrote: "You are invisible. Those who can see you are trying to kill you."

[ReidJ19]

Thanks to everyone so far. I've tried asking my parent(s) for this kind of advice but since bikes are a bit of an off topic in my house so they're not much help at all. If anything they're slowing the process down! But i guess that's what most parents do with stuff like this

I've booked my CBT for next week some time, my actual day is yet to be confirmed, i suppose it'll just be one of those things i have to take step by step. I'm sure they'll have some helpful info for me as well.

Thanks again, if anyone has anything else feel free to say, or PM me

[J.M.]

[bigguy]

Sit cbt £120,buy a second hand 125 £500,practice like feck and sit theory £35,more practice for mod 1 £15.50,sit mod 1,hopefully pass,practice like feck again for mod 2 £75 hopefully pass,,total £750 hopefully you can get third party for £250 then your problems could be solved,dont forget you can add some more money over the next couple of months as you try to sit each test as you dont have to do them right after each other and it gives you time ans confidence, its a long time till january..good luck with your choice mate..

[hedgehugger]

Good luck with finding a 125 for £500!
One that goes anyway

A more realistic price is £800 - £1100.

There are the occasional bargains though.