For Those Who Can...

[bushguy]

What with the the weather getting increasingly unfriendly and the resent aquisition of my full bike liscence I find myself drawn to getting myself one of those 4-wheeled doohicks.
Now aside from the obvious practical and comfort advantages, for those of you who can do both which liscence would you say was "easier" to get.
From what I can tell gear changing looks a bugger and the fact that by comparison to bikes it must be like manouvering a tank. This to me means I think it must be harder to pass the test (and the additional manouvers you have to perform as well). The other part of me says that if so many people can pass there test (admitedly with a couple of tries) it cant really be all that hard can it?

For those that cba to read all that: Whats easier to use, cars or bikes?

[Kickstart]

Hi

Biggest advantage for doing a bike test is how easy it is to go out an practice. And plenty seem to get through the bike test after a couple of days wobbling round doing their DAS.

But then the car test has no need for the feet up U turn.

All the best

Keith
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[deanoet]

I have both, if i had to dump one for the winter... it would be the bike.
Saying that i would probably sell the car and downgrade so i could have both.

Cant really answer the which license is easiest to get, as i havent got a full bike license (yet), and it is comparing 2 different things.



If it was peeing it down or snowing, i would take the car.

If it was a case of take 2 hours to get somewhere in the car, or 4 hours to get somewhere on the bike (cant use motorways) i would use the bike and set off 2 hours earlier.
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CBT Passed 18th July 2007 : Previous Bikes> CG125 : Current Bike> Hornet 600 : PASSED DAS 30th Oct 2007
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[TheShaggyDA]

Once you've learned both, the car is easier to use. I've not managed to roll a fag, light and smoke it, then have a sandwich and a drink whilst riding a bike.
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[Ted]

I'm not going to vote because I'm pretty neutral really!

From experience of very many pub chats with people who have both licences, I have found out that whatever test they did first was the hardest. ie. if they did the bike test first, then the car test, they found the bike test harder. Probably because they have gained experience of road use after the first test, and are also more relaxed and don't panic so much about the second test.

If you're used to being on a bike, you will probably find the bike test easier. However, cars are more practical in poor conditions, so it might be worth the extra hassle.

I never even sat on a bike until 18 months after I passed my car test. I only got a bike as a bit of 'fun', as I'm more practical minded and went for a car to start. At the moment I'm on a CBT, but am about to do my A2 test, and to be honest I'm not too fussed about the outcome, if I fail I'll just try again later! I know I have a 4-wheeled tin can to rely on... when its back on the road!

[m0l0t0v]

Much much easier and cheaper to get a full license on a bike. It's also easier to learn on.

Atm I'm taking car driving lessons and I've had 6 lessons so far. I'm not test standard yet and I'm not that far but I only have one lesson a week and I'm still getting used to revving and using clutch with my feet.

2 of my friends have their CBT on the 5th of OCt and one of them is taking his full license with 2 days training on 15,16 and 17th for the test and I'm pretty sure he will pass. The local bike schop has a 90% pass rate and that's including all the new riders and BAB.
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[NSR Mick]

My bike license was a walk in the park.

I then got banned for being a little silly.

The next test I took would be an extended. It so happened that that was the car test ( bearing in mind I had never taken a car test before) and I pissed it.

So I'm of the opinion that you can either drive or ride or you cant.
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[stinkwheel]

The bike is easier to ride in terms of using the controls but the actual standard of driving required is lower for a car test in my oppinion.

The attention to road positioning and observation required for a bike test is far higher than that required for a car test. I pissed my car test with little effort, I had to practice for my bike test.

That said, I did my bike test several years earlier so I had more road experience. I nearly fell foul of that because the car examiner mentioned he wasn't happy entirely with my observations, I suspect this is because my general level of observation was much higher than he was used to seeing in new drivers leading to a lack of obvious 'look in mirror. apply brake.' type stuff. I'd already anticipated I was going to have to brake and had been keeping an eye on the mirror out of the corner of my eye. He seemed unconvinced.

He wasn't happy about me short-shifting on a corner strewn with loose gravel either, did the same thing on the same corner twice, he gave me a clutch and a gear minor each time. Again explained why at the end to a look of incredulity.
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[ram_doom]

The car test is more difficult, as it requires you to develop more awareness for the dimensions of the vehicle, and where your 4 wheels are in relation to kerbs etc during test manouvers. Also the fact that the examiner is watching you the whole time, sat right beside you, unlike a bike test examiner who needs to do his own shoulder checks etc.
Driving a car is a relaxing experience after riding a bike, find it a good way to unwind, as long as I dont need to be anywhere in a hurry!
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[Seb]

The car test is easier imho.

Its mainly based around observation and driving smoothly with confidence.

The bike test adds an emphasis on road positioning and progress, as well as the U-turn (Which really isn't as bad as its made out to be, just keep practicing it and its cake).

As far as practicallity goes through the winter, meh, good gear and a sensible choice of bike will see you through the cold and wet, but as the weather degrades more the car will tend to be the more comfortable choice.

My ZZR has an odd knack of being able to keep my legs bone dry and fairly warm through rough weather, even when I've been caught out in jeans.

The endless cleaning is a royal pita though.
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[Peter3hg]

Much more difficult to learn to drive a car, the average is about 50 hours lessons whereas people will go from never riding a bike to doing the DAS in a five day course.
As has been said cars are a piece of piss to drive once you know how, you need far less concentration than a bike.

[Kickstart]

[kitty kat]

i did both tests over 22 years ago, then the bike was the easiest, but now I would say that a car is the easiest test as, correct me if I am wrong, you dont need a CBT or equivalent for driving a car.
I actually prefer to ride my bike than drive the car, and will use the bike for commuting to work throughout winter. To me it is more relaxing being on the bike.
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[DynamiteBoy]

I found the bike test easiest, but that's most probably because i had been driving a car for 3 years...

Already knew the basics of hazards etc...

Also i found it more nervous having someone sit next to you in test, much preferred having my own space for bike test.
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[kaz32]

Hey there , everyone indivudual is different therefore acts differently in different situations and and tackles them differently so you're just going to have to get out there and find out for yourself That's my attitude , i have had 2 lessons and i am extremely surprised how easy it is to drvie a car , and when i think about even doing my cbt it still kind of gets me thinking as i have lost a number of family members through bike related accidents , But none the less some might find somethings harder than another , but things like driving and riding humans are more than capable so as for which test is going to be harder ? Go find out , and for which is easier to do drive or ride , do the test then in 6months time let us know eh ? thanks.kaz

[druidsam]

my bike license was harder to get than my car one ,but i passed my car test over twenty years ago after four hourly lessons ,then two years ago when i did my cbt it felt like i would never get to test standard though it was probably sixteen hours of lessons in reality,so in my case my bike test was harder plus i had to do the theory for the bike and that has just got harder as well, so far this isnt really helping you,so here is the bit that should,when im driving my car it feels like work and when im riding my bike i cant stop smiling....hth



............................Sam
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[Stoo]

I think the bike test was harder because I had been pootling about on the 125 with L plates for over a year, had to do that stupid hazard perception test and had held my car licence for 5 years or so; lots of bad habits to avoid. Saying that I only got 2 minors on my bike test, one of which was flashing someone out at a junction. I got 6 on my car test.

As for number of lessons people need; if you can't turn in the road, reverse park and reverse around a corner after say 20 lessons then you should rethink your driving career. You can get a Private Pilots Licence after ~40 hours and thats a tad tougher!

[stitch]

I gotta say they are the same.

Passed my car test first time after 6 lessons back in 92

Passed bike test first time after 7 lessons in 2004
Would have been 5 but due to having eye in fection (couldnt get contacts in) it was cut short first time and then redid the 5 day DAS
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