Mod 2 - A1 bike, what if my bike is slow to get to 60mph

[A2WillDo]

Hi all

Quick question. I've been riding for a few years and decided to do my tests on my 125. There's several reasons for this, and eventually I will do the tests again on an A2 bike, but as my username says A2WillDo, I'm not really interested in anything beyond 400cc (and hope I never am!) I want to do the tests on my 125 for mainly 3 reasons, 1)no more CBTs, 2) lose the L plates 3) occasional pillion passenger use. other than that I'm happy with the 125 I have. Also a reason for waiting to do the A2 is I don't have a garage to store my bike, so the 125 I have is always kept outside (and pushed up and down big kerbs and through my garden gate!) and I want to wait until I have better arrangements before I get a bigger bike. The plan is to get myself through the A1 license and then redo the Mod 1 and 2 whenever I get my next bike.

So onto the question.. my bike is a Derbi Cross City 125, it's completely stock, it rides fine, it'll happilly cruise along at 40, 50 is usually no problem unless there's strong wind or up hill. But it struggles to get to 60 (probably because I'm on it!) it's worse if there's wind or going up hill (even if I downshift and then get to the top of each gear). It's not that I'm uncomfortable doing the speed or don't know how but the bike physically won't. There's nothing wrong with the bike, it's well maintained, according to Google top speed is around 65MPH - Is this going to be a problem for mod 2 on this bike? if so I may aswell not bother and just go for the A2 when I can.

Thanks all

[mentalboy]

I'm going to hazard a guess at no, it shouldn't matter. 125's are small engines with limited power capabilities, nobody expect them to moive like a 'busa.. The chunkier the monkey the more a 125 will struggle.

When my ex was running about on her CG125 she used to get some reasonable speeds out of it but when I sat my fat arse on it I could only wind it up to 60 going downhill with a following wind
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Make mine a Corona.

[Teflon-Mike]

Just go do it.
If /anything is likely to get you failed or terminated it'll be sommat YOU effup, it wont be nowt to do with the bike.
Bikes not a speed limited for asian market thing, it is probably even on the DSA 'approved' list..
Stop looking for reasons you might not pass before you have even tried.
GO DO
You got two chances... PASS or FAIL
Pass its all good.
Fail... and the examiner will te;ll you why, and as said odds they'll site the bike is but small, but even if they do... you'll know for next time.
But most likely, IF you don't get up to speed and show 'making progress' they will say so, it's only a minor not insta-fail, a-n-d.. as said its more likely that it'll be YOU that's not showing sufficient confidence to 'make progress' not the bike's lack of a tiddy bit of oomph.
In fact, is ANYTHING, fact that you rock up for an A1 on a 125 they will be making allowances from the off... once they've had a wiff of smelling salts and picked themselves up off the carpark floor... not many bother with A1... and remember, its the SAME tests for a moped or a RWYL 'A' they HAVE to make allowances for the machine... you'll not be the only one.
So just GO FOR IT!
Save the excuses till after.
____________________
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?'

[stinkwheel]

Long time since I did it but what they are looking for is that you are aware that you've moved into a NSL area and that you are making progress.

So if you come out of a 40 limit and immediately accelerate up that hill to the 55mph top-speed of your bike, I think you'll have shown that. They may even ask at the end something like "What is the speed limit coming off that roundabout on the way out of town?" "60mph", "So why were you only doing 55?" "Too fat for the bike. Fast as it goes sir."
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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.

[dynax]

The requirements for the test regarding the bike are that is it legal, basically MOT'd, insured has all lights working, brakes are working, horn works, and can reach a speed of 55 mph, all these details can be found on the DOT GOV website somewhere

https://www.gov.uk/motorcycle-test/motorcycles-mopeds-you-can-use
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Mike.
Bikes: Xena, Bridget,Florence
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmihUc0xXxYbR4_0l-F1FzA/videos?view_as=subscriber

[Easy-X]

I suppose the advantage of doing an A1 (Mod 1 + 2) is you can rock up with your own bike with your own insurance (as a valid CBT is enough) and do the tests without the rigmarole of a bike school...

If you're thinking along those lines I wouldn't recommend it. A bike school does more than just teach you how to ride a bigger bike! You may have been riding around for years and years on just renewing CBTs but that's no guaranty you'll just ace an A1.

Okay, so go and get some proper training... in that frame of mind there won't be a dramatic saving doing A1 over A2 (just some from using your own bike) and if you intend to do the A2 later anyway then, at the very least, you've pissed away money on the A1 Mod1 & 2 which you'll have to do all over again. Yes, you don't do the Theory again but this is usually the cheap and easy bit for most people.

Why not just jump into doing an A2 and skip the A1 money? You can still tear the L-plates off the 125 and get an A2 bike whenever is convenient for storage and security.

And if you're paying for A2 you may as well do the full A licence. AFAIK there's little cost difference between the two and on top of that quite a few schools just use restricted 650 bikes for A2 anyway and you'd basically be riding the same bike whether it was A2 or A.

Maybe you don't want or need >400cc now but it's nice to have that stamp on your licence if you change your mind in the future. I did my A licence and then got an A2 bike just 'cos that's all I need. But maybe something happens like a twat rear-ending your bike and the courtesy bike from the insurers is a 650...
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Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter

[dynax]

I had all intentions of doing my DAS last year and had a taster on a 600 Fazer, and soon realised it did nothing more than my own 125 could do, so I am also going the A1 route as i don't need to ride anything bigger,

here a couple of guides you might find useful
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Mike.
Bikes: Xena, Bridget,Florence
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmihUc0xXxYbR4_0l-F1FzA/videos?view_as=subscriber

[A2WillDo]

Thanks for all the answers. I thought it shouldn’t be a problem as long as where necessary I’m going as quickly as the bike will go.

I know it’s a case of go for the test and see but I just wanted some opinions before wasting anytime, it’s not really the money I’m trying to save but tbh £75 is worth saving if the answer was that it’s pointless going for it. It’s more the time I’d want to save as the nearest test centers to me are around 20 miles in either direction and I think I’m one of the lucky ones in that regard! Plus taking a day off work or 2/3/4 depending on how lucky or unlucky I am as you can’t do mod 1 and mod 2 on the same day (unless you risk £75 every time).

I’ll get the test booked and I’ll report back on how I get on!

Thanks all

[P.]

[WD Forte]

"had a taster on a 600 Fazer, and soon realised it did nothing more than my own 125 could do"

Seriously?
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bikers smell of wee

[dynax]

[quote="Paddy."]

[dynax]

[P.]

[redeem ouzzer]

100bhp is barely enough for an every day bike.

Fite me.
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Be a REAL MAN!

[Ste]

Your quality of life will improve if you're on a bike that doesn't struggle to do 60mph.

[ThatDippyTwat]

I had a 125 for quite a while after I retook my test, as well as a 750. It was doing 4 miles to work and back. Even then it was frustrating. 250 less so, but still had times when double the power of a 125 struggled. Get a cheap ER5/6 or something, won't cost a fortune to buy, run, insure or tax, and you can actually take it anywhere you feel like.
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'98 VFR800 (touring) - '12 VFR800 Crosrunner (Commuting) - '01 KDX220 (Big Green Antisocial Machine)

[dynax]

If they lifted the restrictions for 50cc to 45mph, i would be quite happy to pootle about on one of them
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Mike.
Bikes: Xena, Bridget,Florence
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmihUc0xXxYbR4_0l-F1FzA/videos?view_as=subscriber

[Teflon-Mike]

Curiously or maybe 'Perversely' I don't find the 125 'Frustrating'.
It can do 70 mph, as fast as any other bike of any displacement might legally be allowed, and thrashing the knackers of the thing and chucking its fly-weight about to get the most out of it, 'Eye' personally find more fun than the 750, that takes a lot more body English to chuck about and pretty much goes as fast as you dare twist the throttle.. certainly fast enough to loose you your licence in a moments lapse of speed-limit and GATSO spotting.....
125 at 125Kg to 200 is also a lot less of a gut wrench to move around and get on and off the stand, be that on my drive or in ASDA car park. Takes up less space too, so easier to squeeze into a spot I can tether it to a railing or something.
For many many different jobs it's the go-to tool.
What IS a little frustrating about it though is the cost. It costs about 50% more to insure, like for like, for some bizarre reason.. I blame 'Learners', and whilst that is somewhat offset by the lower tax, that's not a lot, and all-in, both the 750 and the 125 cost about the same to run each year. I'd only really see any significant advantage in the 125 if I did thousands of commuter miles a year, and mostly NOT on the presumed 'fuel saving'... ragging the heck out of the 125 to "get all it can give Captin", it tends not to return as many MPG as the 750, treated with a more tender throttle fist... it's mostly the tyres! 750 will go through a £250 pair in perhaps 3K miles; I have yet to scrub out a £90 pair on the 125!!!
The 125 I will ride just for fun, the 750 I will ride to go have fun (doing something else!) Its entirely down to your aproach and expectations.
Meanwhile, the A1 licence, and derision of it, is showing more the speakers prejudices and aspirations as anything else.
An A1 is a full licence, and to get it you have to pass the same dang tests as any-one else; only difference is that you don't have to spend £100's on a DAS course.
If a 125 is 'enough' why not?
And even if its not, its a dang useful stepping stone along the way. Once done for probably less £ than the price of a repeat CBT, no more CBT's are needed. Plus, its a dry run for the big bike tests; they are the same tests after all, and you get the full licence for them, no more L-Plates, can carry pillions, use motorways if you want, even go abroad. Its all 'win'.... there's no reason to no it just because they slap a capacity restriction on it these days!
____________________
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?'

[Easy-X]

95% of the time a 125 is adequate when talking about urban and suburban commuting. Between the 5% left and adequate you have ample reason for a bigger better bike

I totally get the "my needs are modest" but you'll be unfairly priced on insurance due to being lumped in with the L-plate / perpetual-CBT mob 250? Not an outrageous bump in power but I bet a big drop in yearly premiums.

I just don't get why A1 and then A2 a bit later, did I miss something?

As for the throwaway Fazer line I have no fecking clue. "Oh look, NSL ahead [grin] I can go from 40 to 60 in between heartbeats..." who the fuck doesn't want that?!
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Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter

[P.]

[Riejufixing]

[bhinso]

[redeem ouzzer]

Time on a tiddler is ALWAYS wasted.

Anyone who thinks small bikes tick all the boxes for day to day use is autistic.
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Be a REAL MAN!

[Easy-X]

[Ste]

dynax has a full bike license so doesn't have to worry about things like that.