Hoping to get full "A" license. Starting from scratch. Newbie questions!

RoMiLe

Hello lads. Within the next few months I want to get an "A" learner permit, then the full license later down the road.




As I understand, the order is

Pass theory test > Learner Permit > Initial basic training > Allowed to drive unsupervised on roads

Is this correct? If I have to pass the IBT before being allowed on the road, then how will I get my bike to the IBT centre?




Also, what type of bike will I need to get an A learner permit and then the full A license? Does it need to be above a certain cc and/or power-to-weight ratio?



Finally, has anyone here bought the "Learning to Ride a Motorcycle" book from the RSA? Is it worth it?



Thanks.

RosieJoe

RoMiLe wrote: »

Hello lads. Within the next few months I want to get an "A" learner permit, then the full license later down the road.




As I understand, the order is

Pass theory test > Learner Permit > Initial basic training > Allowed to drive unsupervised on roads

Is this correct? If I have to pass the IBT before being allowed on the road, then how will I get my bike to the IBT centre?




Also, what type of bike will I need to get an A learner permit and then the full A license? Does it need to be above a certain cc and/or power-to-weight ratio?



Finally, has anyone here bought the "Learning to Ride a Motorcycle" book from the RSA? Is it worth it?



Thanks.

I presume you are over 24 if you ate going for the direct access to the A license? Have a read of the sticky oin top in learner questions, probably the last few pages. This will give you all the info you need on getting up and running.

As for getting your bike to the IBT centre, think you'd need to trailer it down. Or just use the school bike.

For now don't buy the book as you learn everything you need in the IBT to get up and running.

RoMiLe

After some thought, I might go for the A2 as my very first license, then 'upgrade' to an A license 2 years down the line, if I feel the need.

Still a bit confused by the requirements. Is there a restriction on the type of bike a completely new rider is allowed to ride? (other than the A2 license restrictions of course)

boom boom boom

RoMiLe wrote: »

After some thought, I might go for the A2 as my very first license, then 'upgrade' to an A license 2 years down the line, if I feel the need.

Still a bit confused by the requirements. Is there a restriction on the type of bike a completely new rider is allowed to ride? (other than the A2 license restrictions of course)

if your over 24 you may aswell go for the unrestricted licence, you can always drive a smaller bike but atleast you have the option of driving an unrestricted one if you want, obviously if under that age your stuck with an A2, this means you cant drive anything above, 25kw's i think, which generally leaves you with 250cc bikes. other then that theirs no real restriction, but the likes of liberty wont insure you on most 250cc sports bikes, i.e cbr 250, aon will though although they will probably quote you a mad figure like 5/7 grand.

RoMiLe

boom boom boom wrote: »

the likes of liberty wont insure you on most 250cc sports bikes, i.e cbr 250, aon will though although they will probably quote you a mad figure like 5/7 grand.

Yikes!



I originally planned to wait a few months til I turned 24 and go for an A, but then I found out about representative vehicles for full test.

So I've decided to go A2 (which iirc has a power restriction of 25-35kW), get a 400cc bike that I can use on both IBT and the full test, and I hoped it'd be okay insurance wise.

Was thinking something along the lines of an old, cheap-ish Bros 400. How much do you fellas reckon that'd run me insurance wise?

boom boom boom

RoMiLe wrote: »

Yikes!



I originally planned to wait a few months til I turned 24 and go for an A, but then I found out about representative vehicles for full test.

So I've decided to go A2 (which iirc has a power restriction of 25-35kW), get a 400cc bike that I can use on both IBT and the full test, and I hoped it'd be okay insurance wise.

Was thinking something along the lines of an old, cheap-ish Bros 400. How much do you fellas reckon that'd run me insurance wise?

at 23 your quotes may vary greatly so dont take them as gospel, and as for the bros, dont think liberty will quote you for it, they wont for me! your best off just goin on a few sites and getting quotes yourself because of your different circumstances

RoMiLe

So I just found out that new drivers are restricted to a maximum of 25kW power output for the first two years of having the full licence (A2 and A).

I'm going for the A2 licence. Which means I'll be doing IBT on a 25+kW bike and then will be forced to ride a less powerful bike in the interim of the IBT and the full test. Then for the full test I'll be forced to ride a bike of 25+kW again. Then back to my less powerful one for two years.

Is this right or am I making a mistake trying to understand this?

minidazzler

You're wrong. Very very wrong.

That was old licences.

You are 24, do your theory test, get your Learner Permit (I advise A, it'll save you money in the long run) Do IBT and then ride whatever bike you wish, small or big.

An A2 LP is restricted to 35 Kw End of Story, the restriction only ends when you upgrade to an A.

And RE riding a bigger bike for the test, that's a negative too. If you have an A2 permit you are only Permitted to ride a bike up to 35kw. No if's or buts.

If you get an A Learner Permit and pass your test on a qualifying bike you will never be restricted.

RoMiLe

minidazzler wrote: »

You're wrong. Very very wrong.

That was old licences.

You are 24, do your theory test, get your Learner Permit (I advise A, it'll save you money in the long run) Do IBT and then ride whatever bike you wish, small or big.

An A2 LP is restricted to 35 Kw End of Story, the restriction only ends when you upgrade to an A.

And RE riding a bigger bike for the test, that's a negative too. If you have an A2 permit you are only Permitted to ride a bike up to 35kw. No if's or buts.

If you get an A Learner Permit and pass your test on a qualifying bike you will never be restricted.

Thank god for that. Was getting confused with all these rules and regulations.

Thanks for the info.

Fluorescence

Sorry to drag up a kinda old thread, but I was looking for a few opinions along the same lines.

Basically, I'm 22 and wondering if I should go for my A2 permit (hopefully getting the licence within the year) now and then upgrading 2 years down the line, or else waiting til I turn 24 in 18 months and applying for the A permit straight off the bat. While I'd only be riding a 125-250 for the most part, I would like to have the choice. So which is my better option?

If I get the A2 licence do I have to wait two years to upgrade to A or can I do it as soon as I turn 24? Does that merely require me doing module 5 of IBT or is there another test involved?

Sorry for all the questions

minidazzler

Fluorescence wrote: »

Sorry to drag up a kinda old thread, but I was looking for a few opinions along the same lines.

Basically, I'm 22 and wondering if I should go for my A2 permit (hopefully getting the licence within the year) now and then upgrading 2 years down the line, or else waiting til I turn 24 in 18 months and applying for the A permit straight off the bat. While I'd only be riding a 125-250 for the most part, I would like to have the choice. So which is my better option?

If I get the A2 licence do I have to wait two years to upgrade to A or can I do it as soon as I turn 24? Does that merely require me doing module 5 of IBT or is there another test involved?

Sorry for all the questions

Get the A2, wait til 24, upgrade to A, Wait 6 months (maybe?), do test.

If you have an A2 Learner Permit you can upgrade the day you turn 24. I did. Don't do the test til after getting the A otherwise you might have to wait, though don't quote me on that.

Upgrading from A2 LP to A LP is just as simple as doing another 11 hours IBT on a more powerful bike.

cantdecide

minidazzler wrote: »

Get the A2, wait til 24, upgrade to A, Wait 6 months (maybe?), do test.

If you have an A2 Learner Permit you can upgrade the day you turn 24. I did. Don't do the test til after getting the A otherwise you might have to wait, though don't quote me on that.

Upgrading from A2 LP to A LP is just as simple as doing another 11 hours IBT on a more powerful bike.

If you have an A2 LP and you eventually exchange it for an A LP, do you still have to wait 6 months to do a test?

What about bike choice in the meantime? Does it mean that if Fluorescence gets an A2 and gets a bike conforming to the A2 criteria that a change of bike will be necessary when the bike has been changed? If so, are there bikes that conform to the criteria for both the A2 and the A?

@Fluorescense, what kind of bike do you want to buy?

Fluorescence

minidazzler wrote: »

Get the A2, wait til 24, upgrade to A, Wait 6 months (maybe?), do test.

If you have an A2 Learner Permit you can upgrade the day you turn 24. I did. Don't do the test til after getting the A otherwise you might have to wait, though don't quote me on that.

Upgrading from A2 LP to A LP is just as simple as doing another 11 hours IBT on a more powerful bike.

So even if I just got the A2 permit I could trade it for the A as soon as I'm 24? Might be worth doing it that way so. I'd have hoped to get the licence by then but it can wait if it's easier to do it this way.

cantdecide wrote: »

What about bike choice in the meantime? Does it mean that if Fluorescence gets an A2 and gets a bike conforming to the A2 criteria that a change of bike will be necessary when the bike has been changed? If so, are there bikes that conform to the criteria for both the A2 and the A?

@Fluorescense, what kind of bike do you want to buy?

AFAIK I could get an A category bike, restrict it in a dealers to A2 and then when the time comes to do the A test I can reverse it again. Or buy a smaller bike for the A2 and then sell/buy an A one later on.

As for which bike, one of the main attractions is that they're better on the petrol than the car. So probably a 125-250cc. I doubt a 600 would work out much cheaper than a 1l car. :pac: That said, I haven't even sat on a motorcycle yet, so I have no way of knowing what I may or may not like/want in the future.

minidazzler

cantdecide wrote: »

If you have an A2 LP and you eventually exchange it for an A LP, do you still have to wait 6 months to do a test?

What about bike choice in the meantime? Does it mean that if Fluorescence gets an A2 and gets a bike conforming to the A2 criteria that a change of bike will be necessary when the bike has been changed? If so, are there bikes that conform to the criteria for both the A2 and the A?

@Fluorescense, what kind of bike do you want to buy?

On the first question. I honestly just don't know. I imagine not because it's from the date of issue of the Permit which doesn't change, but I can't be sure.

He has said he wants to start on a smaller bike anyway, which I think is a good idea, I did and changed after a year to a much bigger bike. Got some solid skills from being on a small one.

Changing regularly is one of the benefits of the price of bikes too I think, they're cheap enough that starting on one and selling a year later won't have a dramatic effect on value.

No, A and A2 are two very distinct categories and there is in fact a black hole of sorts for some bikes that conform to neither.


This all said, I'm by no means an expert. I do think I'm mostly right though.

And Flourence, I traded in my A2 for an A Learner permit 2 days after I turned 24, 6 weeks later I did the IBT Mod 5. (my guy was on Holidays).

Fluorescence

minidazzler wrote: »

On the first question. I honestly just don't know. I imagine not because it's from the date of issue of the Permit which doesn't change, but I can't be sure.

He has said he wants to start on a smaller bike anyway, which I think is a good idea, I did and changed after a year to a much bigger bike. Got some solid skills from being on a small one.

Changing regularly is one of the benefits of the price of bikes too I think, they're cheap enough that starting on one and selling a year later won't have a dramatic effect on value.

No, A and A2 are two very distinct categories and there is in fact a black hole of sorts for some bikes that conform to neither.


This all said, I'm by no means an expert. I do think I'm mostly right though.

And Flourence, I traded in my A2 for an A Learner permit 2 days after I turned 24, 6 weeks later I did the IBT Mod 5. (my guy was on Holidays).

What about if I get the A2 full licence, and want to get the A - do I just do another test on a bigger bike or do I need to do the whole rigmarole again?

As it is, I think there's no harm in starting on a smaller bike so that I don't kill myself when I'm learning how to handle the damn thing :P I started out driving in a big(ish) car which caused issues. I'd rather play it a bit safer with the early stages of motorcycling.

It's curious that there's no power restrictions for the B category for learners, forbidding say anything above a 2.0. Maybe it's because cars are more forgiving than bikes are.

minidazzler

Fluorescence wrote: »

What about if I get the A2 full licence, and want to get the A - do I just do another test on a bigger bike or do I need to do the whole rigmarole again?

As it is, I think there's no harm in starting on a smaller bike so that I don't kill myself when I'm learning how to handle the damn thing :P I started out driving in a big(ish) car which caused issues. I'd rather play it a bit safer with the early stages of motorcycling.

It's curious that there's no power restrictions for the B category for learners, forbidding say anything above a 2.0. Maybe it's because cars are more forgiving than bikes are.

On the first bit, you do the test for an A2 then an instructor can sign you off to an A Full Licence on successful completion of IBT Mod 5. However, and don't quote me on this, I think you'd have to wait 2 years for that, as in have 2 years on a full A2 licence before you can get the full A by that route. I could be wrong though, you'd be best to ask LookBehindYou or Roadskill that.

I started on a 125 for a year, definitely did me no harm, if I had started on a 600 I wouldn't be well right now given I nearly ditched the 125 a couple of times starting out, and given the weight difference is the only thing that saved it.

And on cars, I dunno, I suppose it's because learners in Cars are supposed to have a Fully Licenced Competent driver with them at all times..... because we all know that works :rolleyes:

Roadskill

As mini said if you do the A2 test you can upgrade to the A after 2 years by getting the category A learner permit and doing module 5 only (presuming full ibt done before) and no further test required.
Otherwise upgrade to the A learner permit at 24 and do test after 6 months.

Fluorescence

Thanks for that, guys! I was thinking of leaving getting the permit til I turned 24 for convenience's sake but it seems like it's not too much bother to go from A2 to A so I might just go for it anyway.

Yiz have been very helpful, many thanks