So you want to Ride a Motorcycle on the Roads?

The team at A1 motorcycles have decided to pull together a simple guide for those of you other who are thinking about getting yourself a motorbike and riding on the roads. This is a big step and a decision you mustn’t take lightly as theres a lot to take into consideration when purchasing a motorbike, most of which we’ve hopefully we’ve covered in our previous news updates.

We’ve listed below what we think are the necessities.

1. Cost – Can you afford to run and maintain a motorcycle? You’ll have insurance costs, fuel costs and then you need to keep your bike safe and roadworthy i.e replacing tyres and parts when necessary.

2. Storing your motorcycle – Have you got somewhere safe to store your bike securely, both at home and at work if you’re using it to get to and from work. Motorbikes are an easy target for opportunist thieves so make sure you have a good quality lock – Lock it or lose it.

3. How often will you use it? Will you use your bike purely for leisure or will you use it as your means of transport on a daily basis. If its for leisure only, i.e fair weather riding have you got a dry, safe storage place to keep it in for 4-6 months of the year and are the costs that come with this viable?

Ok, so you’ve decided a bike is right for you and you want to get through your test. To ride a motorcycle without Learner plates on UK roads there are a few steps you must, or should follow:

1. Get a provisional licence – This is Compulsory
2. Take a CBT test (Compulsory Basic Training) – This is Compulsory
3. Buy, borrow or hire a learner legal motorcycle, along with a proper fitting helmet, gloves etc. – You won’t get far without them.
4. Get insured – Compulsory to make you road legal
5. Get as much practice in as you can on the roads with L plates or maybe take some pre-test training with us – Voluntary but highly advisable
6. Do your revision – Read The Highway Code and any other suitable books – Voluntary but advisable.
7. Take and pass your theory test – Compulsory
8. Take and pass your practical test – Compulsory
9. Go for your full licence and ditch your ‘L’ plates
10. Ride safely! Most important part of all.