To gain your motorcycle licence in Chelmsford you will be required to complete motorcycle training at one of our training centres in Chelmsford and Essex. What training you will be required to undergo and what bikes you will be allowed to ride one you gain your motorcycle licence will depend on your age.
The Motorcycle Test Explained
To qualify for the full motorcycle test, you must first pass your theory test and hazard perception tests. Once you pass these, you have two years to complete your practical test. If you only plan on completing your CBT, then you won’t need to pass your theory and hazard perception tests.
The practical motorcycle test is split into two parts: Module 1, and Module 2. You will normally complete these on separate days, as you cannot progress to Module 2 without first passing Module 1.
Module 1 takes place on an off-road training area, and it usually takes around 20 minutes to complete. For this portion of the test you will be asked to complete several different maneuvers. You’ll have to push your motorcycle around while off the bike and show you can use the stand correctly and safely. You will also need to perform a series of maneuvers while riding; a slalom, a figure of eight, a slow, controlled ride, a U-turn, cornering and controlled stop, cornering and emergency stop, and the cornering and hazard avoidance maneuver. All these maneuvers will be covered during your motorcycle training before your take your test, and your instructor will make sure you are confident with all the maneuvers.
Module 2 takes place on the road, and shouldn’t last longer than an hour. You will head out onto the road in front of the examiner, who will give you directions throughout the ride via a one-way radio. The road ride will include stopping, pulling away at an angle from behind a parked car, and a hill start if possible. For a portion of the on-road test - about 10 minutes - you will have to ride independently. The instructor will give you a destination, which you must reach safely following road signs.
What Bikes Can I Ride?
This is where things get a little complicated. Below the age of 19 the quickest way to get on two wheels is via the CBT (Compulsory Basic Training). This can be taken from the age of 16, but the bikes you can ride will be heavily restricted. At 16-years-old you are only allowed to ride a motorcycle or scooter with a maximum engine capacity of 50cc, and a top speed of 28mph. Once you turn 17 you will be allowed to ride a bike with a capacity of 125cc, and maximum power output of 11kW. Because the CBT isn’t the full motorcycle test, you will be required to display L-plates front and rear, and you won’t be allowed to carry passengers or ride on motorways. Here are 10 motorcycles you can ride on a CBT.
Once you turn 19 you can take your full motorcycle test, and once you pass your full test you will be able to ride a motorcycle or scooter with an engine capacity, provided it has a maximum power output of 35kW. This restriction lasts for two years, after which point you will be eligible to ride any motorcycle.
If you pass your test at the age of 24 or over, you will be allowed to ride any motorcycle, with any power and any engine size straight away.
