Sadness at new motorcycle test rules

[yorkie_chris]

Just having a proper read of the new test rules, it seems to me they will be even more damaging to our sport than I thought when I first read them.

http://www.mag-uk.org/en/newsdetail/a6987

Seems now that if you are a youngster starting out you must do all the similar bollox as now:

17 years, CBT, Theory, Test, mod 1 + 2 Would get you A1 licence, a current-rules 125.

2 years later you can take another practical (mod 1 + 2??) which gets you a 47bhp restricted licence*

2 years later the same again, another practical to have a proper licence.



So effectively there are barriers at every turn. Probably well over a grand spread over a few years. Which means a few more costly changes of bike and insurance etc.

The true age you can ride a big bike at is still 21, but with loads more bollox to go through first.


Why bother being legal any more? I am looking for alternative fields I actually want to be in than working with bikes, in a few years I will have no customers.


*This can't be restricted down from more than double the power. So no restricted 600s.

[Bibio]

yup its bollox as no matter what age you are you can still crash and as far as i'm concerned the quicker you get used to power the better as you then respect it more. it's bad enough that insurance is threw the roof and makes bigger bikes unattainable to the youngsters who will just end up riding without a licence or insurance.

one test and one test for all. stop making the training to pass the test and teach people properly from the start with training schools constantly monitored to make sure they are doing it right.

sad sad state of affairs.

[yorkie_chris]

Especially considering that the highest crashing groups, i.e 16 year olds on peds and 35 year old weekend warriors... are completely unaffected by this steaming pile of *rse gravy.

[Jayneflakes]

We are looking at this for my Step son, he got his CBT at sixteen, but by the look if it, he wont be able to ride anything like my bike for years. The unfairness of it is that he can take his car test and drive anything he can get insurance on next year.

To me, it looks like the Governments that introduced this through out Europe are wanting Bikers to fade away, never to be seen again. I know that on the 24th of June, there is another protest and on that matter you can make your own mind up, however if I am fit to ride my bike, I will be there making my voice heard.

[Geodude]

It is pretty depressing tbh, and it will put off quite a few new riders. My local training place have a rush on at the moment with restricted tests and aren't to sure how business will do when new rules kick in. I still don't understand why there isn't a four wheeled version of this to stop the boy racers.

[SVMAT]

All this being done to the bike test but nothing done to imrpove the competence and driving level requirement for the car test?

With a reducing number of bikes on the road awareness and perception levels will fall meaning more people out to kill me :smt013, i dont see the logic only the overwhelming bias and descrimination.

[Dave20046]

Just having a proper read of the new test rules, it seems to me they will be even more damaging to our sport than I thought when I first read them.

http://www.mag-uk.org/en/newsdetail/a6987

Seems now that if you are a youngster starting out you must do all the similar bollox as now:

17 years, CBT, Theory, Test, mod 1 + 2 Would get you A1 licence, a current-rules 125.

2 years later you can take another practical (mod 1 + 2??) which gets you a 47bhp restricted licence*

2 years later the same again, another practical to have a proper licence.



So effectively there are barriers at every turn. Probably well over a grand spread over a few years. Which means a few more costly changes of bike and insurance etc.

The true age you can ride a big bike at is still 21, but with loads more bollox to go through first.


Why bother being legal any more? I am looking for alternative fields I actually want to be in than working with bikes, in a few years I will have no customers.


*This can't be restricted down from more than double the power. So no restricted 600s.

Just read about more changes on femaleacid's thread, that's wank. Looks like they still let clueless mid-life crisis sufferers jump on their R1s...which contradicts information stating that they're the highest risk demographic.

Oh well atleast these changes, protecting us all, will drive down insurance premiums ... .. .

[Dave20046]

All this being done to the bike test but nothing done to imrpove the competence and driving level requirement for the car test?

With a reducing number of bikes on the road awareness and perception levels will fall meaning more people out to kill me :smt013, i dont see the logic only the overwhelming bias and descrimination.
See professor's latest thread. Car drivers are awful, pig ignorant clueless daydreamers who don't bother familiarise themselves with the responsibility they've took on...i.e a quick read of the highway code*.

On the otherhand, I reckon they're trying to preserve the human race - to an outside observer motorcycling is part of natural selection, who would choose to compromise their safety? It's irrational, you should choose a massive 4x4 for popping to the shops; you and your inflated sense of self importance will be intact in the event of the crash...who cares what state a smaller vehicle you interact with might be in.


*okay I'm not perfect but like to think I have a brief grasp.

[maviczap]

Having spent Friday trying to get into the centre of London on a bus and then escape from the same place, when are they going to realise that promoting 2 wheeled transport to ease congestion is the way forward.

So many cars are 1 up, each in their own little bubble

Oh I'm sorry but motorcyle manufacturer don't donate the same amounts to the party coffers, so feck off

[-Ralph-]

Load of sh*t

[dizzyblonde]

Its not a sport, its a mode of transport.


But its all a load of b0llox, agreed!!

They should equal this out for the car test, instead of choking to death the mode of transport that reduces congestion and pollution ;)

[Dave20046]

Load of sh*t

Ralph?????? :eek::confused:

[Specialone]

I don't understand, if their ultimate goal is to keep young kids off powerful bike why don't they just restrict the bikes once test is passed, similar to current 33hp, but a couple more classes.


If the motorcycle test is being modified then the car one must be too, maybe a minimum number of lessons before allowing a test?

[Dave20046]

If the motorcycle test is being modified then the car one must be too, maybe a minimum number of lessons before allowing a test?

I wouldn't agree with that*, if someone's ready and naturally a good driver then let them drive. Proper testing to verify is what's needed. Although agree time on the road and vital hazard perception is related.



* and to give a working example, I know someone who did 3 or 4 tests and done 100 hours of lessons - 3 years after passing I was unfortunate enough not to have my 'excuses' head on and accepted a lift. We cut up two people and almost failed to give way (I shouted) in a <10 minute journey. No improvement after 3 years!

[andrewsmith]

Whole load of sh**e.

Does as YC say not affect the two groups at risk of stuffing it (Albiet most most 35's will have to DAS Mod 1/2 or whatever it is)

Why don't they do the car test mod 1/2 or do it scandinavian style then bring road tolls in (makes the citroen C1 diesel on tick look less attractive)

[orose]

What can you say - they're better in terms of congestion (which is why they're exempt in London), and now proven better in terms of emissions.

The people in charge seem to be willing to ignore that part though, so you need to help us stand up and shout about these things. Join us on the 24th of June (which is about a different thing, but hey) and see what the deal is. Hopefully we can beat the 40,000 on the streets last year, but more importantly, we need to show that there are enough motivated riders who will say that enough is enough and remind the politicians that riders are also voters.

[andrewsmith]

Ol

Link please?

[orose]

All the details for the European Type Approval demo are on http://www.euhandsoffbiking.co.uk/. Hopefully we'll see you there...

[andrewsmith]

I'm meant to be on the ride for heros ride on that day

[Bluefish]

Reckon i could turn up for this

[flymo]

It's irrational, you should choose a massive 4x4 for popping to the shops; you and your inflated sense of self importance will be intact in the event of the crash...who cares what state a smaller vehicle you interact with might be in.

About as rational as choosing a Fireblade to ride on roads with speed limits of 70 mph max. Choice of vehicle is irrelevant in my view, same duty of care exists.

Lets not turn this into a cars vs bikes debate. This is simply a set of daft, over the top, nanny state bike test rules that should be stopped and reviewed. Has anybody provided any official explanation as to why they are doing this?

[orose]

As far as the Type Approval directive is concerned, no - a fact that one MAG member has raised with the EU ombudsman, who agreed that the commission has a case to answer about possibly being in breach of the founding treaties of the EU. This doesn't appear to have dampened the spirits of the commission, however.

[joshwalker094]

All the details for the European Type Approval demo are on http://www.euhandsoffbiking.co.uk/. Hopefully we'll see you there...

Hey, I'm on my phone so can't see site properly, but where will the nearest demo for me be? I'm in Manchester
Thanks
Josh

[Scythe92]

Hey, I'm on my phone so can't see site properly, but where will the nearest demo for me be? I'm in Manchester
Thanks
Josh

Near Preston Josh, then it disperse where the M6 joins the M62.

Shame there's not one closer, that's my closest :(

[orose]

At a guess, that's the North West constituency - M6 Charnock Richard Services, Southbound (heading back to Manchester), dispersing at the M6/M62 junction. You could also go northbound from the same services, heading up to J32 and ride back down through the Dales if you wanted to blow the cobwebs out...

[ppbayeta]

Here in Spain we got this license system 3 years ago, but we can get the license one year younger than you, 16 years, 125cc & 15 hbp, 2 years later 47 bhp restricted from 94 bhp maximum, and 2 years later unrestricted, theorical and 2 practical (open and closed road) exams before you get each license

[orose]

The rules described above are what the EU directive is asking for - I've no doubt that a new directive will be along in time to make even more of a mess of things.

[Dave20046]

Lets not turn this into a cars vs bikes debate. This is simply a set of daft, over the top, nanny state bike test rules that should be stopped and reviewed. Has anybody provided any official explanation as to why they are doing this?

I wasn't expecting one, I'll turn down the cynicism until further notice!

[flymo]

I wasn't expecting one, I'll turn down the cynicism until further notice!

:-)

[Dabber]

Bloody hell! I was just wondering the other day what you had to do to get a license these days. I managed to get mine in the very last week of where they would walk around the block and watch you from the roadside.