Licence dilemma, wat do?

[sabian92]

Afternoon BCF. Not posted for a while.

Currently I've got no bike as I sold it to fund a car (and I didn't have room to store it over winter anyway, at least not indoors). I've got my theory and A1 mod 1 out the way, and I attempted (and failed) mod 2 last year.

I'm 22 (23 in July) so I'm debating what the best route to take is licence wise - continue with my A1 and hold on till I'm 24 next year and do my A tests, or do my A2 now?

A2 bikes are cheaper to insure and buy than 125s anyway but is it worth paying again to do my A2 (and paying for lessons as well as I've only ridden 125s) tests? I do want a bike for summer, I know that much.

My CBT expires in August so I don't really have that long before I need to do one or the other if I need lessons etc. I know it's only February but time flies.

Ta.

[Rogerborg]

With no bike and no license at the moment, I reckon I'd go for a taught A2.

There's no point in doing a taught A1, and you don't want to be buying a 125 either because of the possi-probability of being told "Won't swap insurance to bigger bike" - regardless of what the broker commission monkey may tell you beforehand.

Maybe see if you can blag a go on a training school's A2 bike in their yard to see how you get on. If you take to it again, book a course. If you don't, consider getting a 125.
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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

[eifion]

I probably wouldn't bother doing the A1 test if I you're planning to do the A as soon as you turn 24 anyway. I would either:

Get another CBT in August, ride 125 + L's till 24th birthday, do full A test.

or

Do A2 test now, opens up a whole bunch of nice bikes that are, or can be made, A2 legal, plenty of power for everyday real life license retaining riding, then plan to maybe do the A "at some point" in the future if you feel the need. Then you have a non-expiring license, don't have to faff about with theory tests and rushing to do the A before CBT expires etc.

The A1 seems a bit of a waste, unless you already had a 125 sitting around and a pressing need to carry a pillion or use motorways. Even then I'd still want to do the A2 as either of those tasks on a 125 is sub-obtimal to say the least.
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SR125 -> 6 year gap -> SV650 -> Deauville -> NC750X -> Vstrom 650

[sabian92]

I thought similar as I'd rather avoid a 125 (being a fat lump, they're hardly quick ) but either way I'm paying out again next year to sit my unrestricted, big boy licence.

The other option is to sit my mod 2 for my A1, not buy a bike, sit my tests again next year and then get an A-capable bike, but having not ridden for 18 months I'd probably fire it into a tree/orphanage/kitten shelter within the first 5 minutes.

I don't have a need to carry pillions (the only person I would carry is my brother and he's got a bike anyway) or use motorways, I've just backed myself into a corner a little bit with these "new" licensing rules.

A bike for me is strictly for pleasure - I use my car for work so I wouldn't ride it to work anyway. It's just for pottering about on/going out on the weekends/maybe a long weekend tour.

[Iain.]

[sabian92]

[P.]

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/bf2nhEoZNm0/maxresdefault.jpg

[sabian92]

Anybody else fancy being a moron or am I actually going to get advice?

Because if I'm not I may as well ask a mod to close this now before it turns into a shitfest.

[andyscooter]

You have been here two years you should be used to this lot by now


Maybe try mumsnet
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gilera runner vxr200 (chavped)
if its spelt wrong its my fat fingers and daft auto correct on my tablet

[The Shaggy D.A.]

[sabian92]

I don't have an issue with people being the way they are on here, but when every fucking thread I post turns into "hurr get a jerb faget dunt spend muh taxes" it gets old, quickly.

I've got a job, and my OP didn't even relate to work. I asked for opinions on what the best way to do it was. Not "Can I have moar taxes pl0x" (which are actually state benefits I'm entitled to, but that's not for this thread).

Fuck me, you'd think I'd asked you lot to solve world hunger or some shit.

[bamt]

It really comes down to how much money you have and how desperate you are to be back on a bike.
Lowest cost to end up with a full A is to forget it until you are 24, then redo CBT, theory and DAS.
Next cheapest is probably to grab yourself a 125, insure/tax it and do the A1 yourself. Then do DAS at 24.
Most expensive is to go to a school for A2 (the easiest way to get some practice on the big bike) and do A2, then do it all again when you are 24.
This way you do get a reasonable bike to ride around on for the next year though, rather than nothing or a 125.

[P.]

[dandelion]

I would retake CBT and go for DAS when you're old enough. Grab an old NSR and have fun.
Put the money on the side instead of taking the test and use it to buy a nice shiny bike.

[stevo as b4]

^ Agree really!

You've got a car to use to get you around for now, and so for the sake of 16months until your 24, I'd probably shelve 2wheels and get saving up for DAS and a big bad mutha of a bike for after the man from test centre says yes!

If you need 2nd transport and can afford a scabby 125, and only need a CBT to ride it for now, then that's a possible option, but paying to run a car anyway for A-B means you might as well park your leathers up for a year and save some money for a big comeback!

[Copycat73]

[1198]

Fights and flames next stop!
The cabin fever has set in late this winter has it not....

[wr6133]

CBT it till 24 and full fat A licence, not ideal but seems a waste paying for A2 for such a short time and A1... why bother. An NSR or something may make a 125 more fun.

on getting a job.

[dandelion]

Forgot to add, if you're doing it for fun and not commuting... Assuming you have the car available always... There's plenty of ways to have fun on a 125.

[sabian92]

[Rogerborg]

Clear something up for me.

You receive Personal Independence Payment to help with some of the extra costs caused by a disability.

You say that you have dyspraxia, a developmental coordination disorder that affects motor coordination.

And you're asking which license you should get in order to buy ride an unstable 2 wheeled 2nd vehicle purely for pleasure purposes?

Is that a reasonable summary of the position?
____________________
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

[Kris]

Agree with the posts up there ^^.

Get a 125 until you can do your DAS at 24. As you say your riding will be rusty perhaps the smaller bike will be sufficient for now anyway.

Oh and get a proper 125. You know, a 2 stroke.
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NSR125RR - ZXR750H1 - ZX9R E1 - GSF600S - GSF600SK3 - VFR400-NC30 - SV1000N - ST1100-R - CBR900RR-R - GSF1200SK5 - GSF600SK1 - VFR1200FA - GSXR1000K2 - ZZR1400 D8F
www.prisonplanet.com

[dandelion]

This thread got weird.
You need less weight rather than more power. How do you get fat on that wage? Mayonnaise sammich every meal?

Everytime a poorly paid under 24 pays for a restricted license and then does DAS a kitten dies and more importantly proves Brussels right.

[sabian92]

[pdg]

Taking the personality and the finances completely out of the equation...

Sure, only dream about biking for the next 16 or so months. Save your pennies so you can do the 'sensible' (i.e. slightly cheaper) option.

In about 15 months, the day after you have booked to do DAS, you might die. You might slip off a (perfectly well maintained so it's your fault) kerb and fall under a bus.

Well worth putting off something you enjoy eh? Especially to save something so transient as a little bit of cash.



(yolo - carpe diem/noctem - life's not a rehearsal - buy the ticket, take the ride - you can make more money but not more time - etc. etc.)
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Any and all advice given should not be followed - if you have to ask it means you don't know so get a man in to do it for you.