Cost of bike license?

[306Puggy]

I must admit, I was looking at a "street bike" type thing parked up the other day (think Suzuki Bandit) and thinking about getting a bike license and riding a motorbike on the road. There are two major things putting me off:

1. I might get seriously injured or lose my license due to bikes being so fast and being able to nip in and out of traffic

2. I fear it might ruin the appeal of cars for me


But yeah anyone else considered going to the "dark side"?

[Just Sean]

A big fat yes!

Want a naked sports bike. Triple r, monster 696. Yummy!!

[Ricky]

Had a full bike license before I had a car license. They are good fun if you get the right bike.

[Dum-Dum]

I consider it all the time, have ridden bikes before and they are a big appeal but the chances of getting hospitalised are pretty huge even if it probably wont be your fault.

[Piggy]

had full licence for 5yrs.

you wont lose appeal of cars coz it rains...a lot.

but you will give up tuning cars more

[joelww]

Ive had my bike license and bike since i was 17 ... its well worth it .... my bikes sorn registered at the mo im itching to re insure it but the weathers been that grim lately i keep putting it off.. i think i payed about 690 quid for everything to pass my test..that was without all the extra lwssons tho as i already knew how to ride ..i ride a kawasaki zzr 600 .. bikes are amazing but when ur car breaks and ur stuck on one all winter like i was last year it sucks bigtime haha .

[306Puggy]

A big fat yes!

Want a naked sports bike. Triple r, monster 696. Yummy!!

Yeah it's much a question of "getting round" to it kind of thing lol. But I would have a nagging feeling of "I really shouldn't be doing this" lol.

Had a full bike license before I had a car license. They are good fun if you get the right bike.

How did you find it affected your interest in cars?

I consider it all the time, have ridden bikes before and they are a big appeal but the chances of getting hospitalised are pretty huge even if it probably wont be your fault.

Heh, I think the chances of hospitalising myself would be even higher. I have had this experience in other things, I start off cautiously but as my confidence grows I tend to push the boundaries more and more. The trouble is with a bike those boundaries are more vast than with a car, theres so much you can do on a bike that you can't on a car which increases the risk.

had full licence for 5yrs.

you wont lose appeal of cars coz it rains...a lot.

but you will give up tuning cars more

See that's what I am afraid of. Cars are my No1 passion and the tuning side of things really interests me, I still want to build a few engines over the years. But if I lose interest in something I am of the personality where I have to leave it. So I really don't want to lose interest in tuning.

It all boils down to, if I get a bike license I might as well use it and if I use it I might as well use the bike regularly and that is where the danger lies! Over familiarity can be boring leading you to want to push things a bit more.

[Stephen]

I really want to, but the same two reasons stop me and the third

Money

[Piggy]

its more expensive and takes longer now...split test etc.

I did the last old skool test!

I had a j1 zxr600, 110bhp. 0-60 in 3seconds if you could keep the front end down!
70 in 1st. 5gears remaining.

loved every second, even the times it went sideways in the wet.... and miss it a lot.

But unless you doing it for cheap commuting, in which case a decent 125 on a cbt will do the job, its an expensive hobby. If you have a lump sum up front, great, but if not, start saving.

[306Puggy]

I really want to, but the same two reasons stop me and the third

Money

Me too mate! lol! Modding my car is something that I can do now, it makes sense to do that rather than start another "long term" project in terms of learning to ride. As a car enthusiast my priorities are always going to be car first.

I know Kwik on here switched to a motorbike and now his interest in pugs and cars is totally gone lol, I don't want to end up like that!

its more expensive and takes longer now...split test etc.

I did the last old skool test!

I had a j1 zxr600, 110bhp. 0-60 in 3seconds if you could keep the front end down!
70 in 1st. 5gears remaining.

loved every second, even the times it went sideways in the wet.... and miss it a lot.

But unless you doing it for cheap commuting, in which case a decent 125 on a cbt will do the job, its an expensive hobby. If you have a lump sum up front, great, but if not, start saving.

Yeah...I might have to think about getting that overdraft paid off first :/ But if I would get a bike of was thinking of a nice all round bike but with attitude like those "naked" sports style bikes like a Honda Hornet or something. You know that have fat tyres but without fairings. I certainly don't want to ride for practicality reasons! That would just be a little bonus.

Edit: judging by your age you are only a couple of years older than me! lol! I take it you didn't go to uni then to afford to learn to ride and have a bike. I wish I didn't go to uni, got massive debt and now a part time postman is all I have to show for it lol.

[Poodle]

My brother was thinking about doing this last month, but put it on hold once he realised total start up cost was over three grand - thats lessons, tests, bike, insurance, tax, leathers, helmet, lock, etc, etc... Could probably do it for two, but it soon adds up, else i'd have already done it myself.

[Piggy]

nope. no uni.

all my mates went and are all working in shops now, tesco etc.

I am a trained technician and driving instructor (cars and bikes)....

but I now work part time and live in a expensive part of the cotswolds as a gardener/maintenance man and window cleaner! (£30pr hr for the win!)


honda hornet aint a bad start.

early kawasaki 400/500s are quick and easy to ride and cheap to buy...but its the protective equipment and getting your licence which hurts.
plus you want to get experience on a smaller bike first really.

[306Puggy]

I've a question: to take a direct access course do you have to provide you're own bike? Or do you have to provide you're own bike for any of it even?

[rocker8742]

Most places will rent you a bike for it i think puggy

[Dave]

dont want someone else having my eyes

[306Puggy]

Right, though I would update this! Just typed the whole thing up and then pressed a key (not backspace) which just made the whole thing disappear.

Anyway, took my CBT today, £135 all in, not bad when you consider it is nearly a full day's training! It was good fun TBH, we spent about 2 hours doing the off road bits and bobs (turning in figure 8s, start-stopping, clutch, brakes, junctions).

Then we went on road, I was still a bit ropey, mainly muddling up my gears and forgetting "lifesaver" checks over my shoulder, but I had it nearly nailed towards the end.

The learner machines were Yamaha YBR 125s, which were nearly new and, TBH, did look pretty cool for learner bikes. One was silver and the one I had was black which was good, cool colours.

The instructors were really sharp on the Highway Code and said there were a couple of local cops that had something against bikers (better be careful not to offend Dum-Dum ), they also were not fond of car drivers either.

TBH I did find from reading on forums that there seems to be a bit of a divide between car drivers and bikers even if both parties are enthusiasts. Which needs to change IMO.

But yeah, a really great "day out" so to speak, not bad when you consider the money must people spend of a weekend!

Apparently I've got to wait until I am 24 to take any lessons though because of the direct access age, but it's only a few months so not too bothered! I know KwiK on here bikes but I don't see him around often anymore, but this should give a good idea to anyone thinking of getting into bikes what the first step is.

[1616six]

I've been considering it for a while. I have a CBT for life for 50cc without L plates but I need to get my full license sorted, I rode geared bikes for a couple of years and they are fantastic. Only as a toy though, I'd never give a car up.

Better still a 4x4 as a toy is ten times more fun.

[Jenkosowls]

Freind did mine last month said its cost him £1000 in total and thus is with previous bike experience. First went for up to 500cc past his mod 1 failed mod 2 because of a female driver! Waited till he was 24 and just did his direct access and passed both moduals currently has a Suzuki en500 and got a Suzuki gs500 for a commuter bike super cheap insurance! And is now spending 9k on a Honda varadero that a recomended and is using it to go touring.

[Dum-Dum]

Ive got my provisional entitlement so CBT is next for me too. My little sister has offered to lend me her Yamaha R125 which is nice.

[Piggy]

dumdum...any person can get/has a prov bike licence. its part of normal car licence.

but in reality your cbt is the provisional bit compared to car licences.

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and it is licence not license in this use of the word

[Poodle]

The only animosity between car drivers and bike riders is down to the usual array of idiots on one side and trolls on the other (no particular way round, tends to be completely interchangeable lol).

Don't you mean on this side of the world, Piggy lol? Fecking americans, destroying the english language.

[Piggy]

no, licence a license are both English spellings, just used in different circumstances...like advise and advice.

Not sure why the whole hate between cars/bikers has been bought up by the OP...I assumed this healthy lack of disrespect between the two road users was as well known as the fact hovis do their bread sliced now!?

[Poodle]

Oh is it? My bad, that does make sense now you put it like that. Learn something every day.

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Of course, you apply to the licensing authority... *facepalm*

[Dum-Dum]

Yeah I had to apply for the prov entitlement so its a start.

[Ed Doe]

There's a part of me that'd love a bike. Something properly epic like a GSXR or a Ducati 996 or 999. But that's the problem. I'd get on one of those, and get off again about 6seconds later at 140mph....

With a car, firstly you're more visible, secondly you're going more slowly, and thirdly you've got a lot more protection if/when it all goes horribly wrong...

The above reasons are why I've deliberately never got into bikes in a big way... and probably never will..

[Dum-Dum]

Those bikes you like come with 4 pots or 6 pots though.

[306Puggy]

There's a part of me that'd love a bike. Something properly epic like a GSXR or a Ducati 996 or 999. But that's the problem. I'd get on one of those, and get off again about 6seconds later at 140mph....

With a car, firstly you're more visible, secondly you're going more slowly, and thirdly you've got a lot more protection if/when it all goes horribly wrong...

The above reasons are why I've deliberately never got into bikes in a big way... and probably never will..

Heh, that was pretty much my reasoning as well. I had the feeling at my age though that it's pretty much "now or never" so to speak and I will try to be as self controlled as possible if I decide to eventually get one.

Edit: Also let's not forget that most bikers are enthusiasts so if you have no friends it's a good way to get to know people.

[procta]

puggy f*ck getting a bike licence! just buy a relient robin and do this with it
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmV9FzmB6Eo

[THE_Liam]

Bikes are good, and they are epic on a sunny day on a good road, but I found I was constantly getting cut up or obstructed by cars, like I wasn't even there. Also, couldn't be bothered to take so many tests, so just got an off roader. No tax, insurance, MOT or license and you can do badass jumps and get muddy. Sorted

[Piggy]

Those bikes you like come with 4 pots or 6 pots though.

more than twin discs with 6pots per disc...thats just the front.

personally I would rather be thrown clear than trapped in a mangled mess