CBT not enough?

I agree with Jambo. I actually think the biggest issue with the CBT is not actually the CBT itself, at the end of the day on a motorbike its not like you can have someone else hitting the brakes for you. You need to take some degree of personal responsibility and learn to ride at your own pace on roads which are suitable for learning.

The biggest issue, as far as I'm concerned, is that the L plates now carry no meaning on a motorbike, in a car most reasonable human beings will give you a little bit of time when they see the L plates, but on a bike people assume you know how to ride a bike and just haven't taken the test.

My solution to this would be to make the A1 test similar in terms of cost and difficult as sitting the CBT for the second time, more of a practical training course than the current test. Unfortunately, I suspect that makes far too much sense for the people in charge.

[aesmith]

Originally Posted by SvNewbie

The biggest issue, as far as I'm concerned, is that the L plates now carry no meaning on a motorbike, in a car most reasonable human beings will give you a little bit of time when they see the L plates, but on a bike people assume you know how to ride a bike and just haven't taken the test.

I don't think that was related to CBT, as long as I can remember people have rode bikes on L plates. Remember that not so long ago you had a permanent provisional licence as soon as you passed any test. So anyone with a car licence could ride a bike on L plates indefinitely. Add on the people riding mopeds on L plates with no intention of taking a test, and those who rode a bike until they could afford a car. It all adds up to a lot of L plate riders, and probably the reason the CBT came in originally.

Bear in mind also that most car drivers don't have a clue about bikes, so I'd be pretty certain they don't know that riders have taken the CBT (if they can even spell CBT).

Originally Posted by aesmith

Bear in mind also that most car drivers don't have a clue about bikes, so I'd be pretty certain they don't know that riders have taken the CBT (if they can even spell CBT).

totally agree. so many people who drive ask bikers what they need to ride a bike.

how about reducing the length of time someone is allowed to use a CBT?

people have two years before it expires. So most people CBT and never bothered full test. I recon CBT time should be reduced to almost impose a full test to ride a bike on regular basis.

I did my test with in 3 months of CBT. (which felt like long time as i commuted to work on 125cc.) which i think is more then enough time on a bike assuming you ride it to get the proper training for lience.

[aesmith]

Originally Posted by kiggles

how about reducing the length of time someone is allowed to use a CBT?

That wouldn't address the problem that you've observed, which is the rider's competence when they've only just taken the CBT.

Personally I'd be against anything that makes it all harder. In my day there was no CBT, and you could ride a 250 on L plates with no restriction, then onto an unrestricted licence when/if you took your test.

Maybe the difference nowadays is that bikes are more powerful, people have more money to splash around so more likely to be able to afford a big bike at an early age, and also maybe fewer kids ride pedal cycles on the road. For me the progression was moped to 50cc bike, to 125cc to 250 (three different one) to 400, to 600. Small steps each time, and the moped wasn't a whole lot different to cycling on the road. In my circles there were very very few in their teens on large motorcycles, and "large" might mean a 500.

Originally Posted by aesmith

I don't think that was related to CBT, as long as I can remember people have rode bikes on L plates.

Good point but I still think that is wrong. I don't think the answer is making anything harder. I just think someone who uses a motorbike practically every day for many years shouldn't be on an L plate.

Originally Posted by aesmith

Bear in mind also that most car drivers don't have a clue about bikes, so I'd be pretty certain they don't know that riders have taken the CBT (if they can even spell CBT).

The might not know that, but they will know that (nearly) every Scooter on the road has a pair of L plates on. They are more likely to associate them with people filtering through traffic like crazy than someone genuinely still trying to learn proper machine control and possibly even the rules of the road.