Getting started and out on the road can be a bit difficult for new bikers, especially if you want to know about regulations regarding your driving license, insurance etc.

Below you will find many answers to your questions - contact us if you need further advice*.

* Please note that while we do our best to give complete and accurate information we can not accept any legal responsibility for information given in this section. Please check the respective government websites and publications.

If you hold a valid Community licence and you are visiting Great Britain, you can drive any vehicle for as long as your licence remains valid. The appropriate full entitlement for the vehicle you wish to drive must be shown on your licence. The countries included are: Austria, Greece, Poland, Belgium, Hungary, Portugal, Czech Republic, Ireland, Slovenia Republic of Cyprus Italy Slovakia Denmark Latvia Spain Estonia Lithuania Sweden Finland Luxembourg United Kingdom France Malta

CBT is a course of compulsory basic motorcycle training which must be completed before a learner moped or motorcycle rider is allowed to ride unaccompanied on the road with L-plates (D-plates in Wales). CBT was introduced in 1990 to help reduce the very high accident rate among inexperienced motorcyclists.

you want to ride a moped (engine not over 50 cc with maximum design speed not exceeding 50 km/h (approx.31 mph) you want to ride a motorcycle If you obtained your car licence before 1 February 2001 you do not need to complete a CBT to ride a moped.

The CBT course involves five elements: A. introduction B. practical on-site training C. practical on-site riding D. practical on-road training E. practical on-road riding The five elements have to be completed in sequence, although the order of the exercises within the element can be varied. You will only move on to the next element when your instructor is satisfied you have learnt the necessary theory and demonstrated the practical skills to a safe basic level. Trainees must, by law, receive a minimum two hour on-road ride in Element E.

Only instructors certified by the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) can teach CBT at an approved training body (ATB). ATBs must have instructors who have successfully completed a two day assessment and have sites approved by DSA for off-road training. The cost for the course varies typically from £70 to around £100. Most ATBs offer the loan of machines and helmets for the course. The cost of CBT may be incorporated into the cost of a full training course that leads to a motorcycle test.

A moped is a motorcycle that has the following features: maximum design speed not exceeding 50 kilometres per hour (km/h) (about 31 miles per hour (mph) an engine capacity no greater than 50 cc it can be moved by pedals, if the moped was first used before 1 September 1977

You can only hold a provisional moped licence if you are at least 16 years old. It entitles you to ride a moped on the road as a learner with L-plates (D-plates in Wales) but you must not carry a pillion passenger or go on a motorway. Your provisional licence is only valid when you have the DL 196 certificate issued on completion of compulsory basic training (CBT) by an approved training body (ATB). A CBT certificate obtained on a moped is also valid for motorcycles once the rider has reached the age of 17 years and has the necessary licence. If you want to ride a moped on the road without displaying L-plates you must take and pass a theory and practical driving test.

If you obtained your full car licence before 1 February 2001 you are automatically entitled to ride a moped without L-plates (D-plates in Wales). If you obtained a full car licence after 1 February 2001 you must first complete a CBT course to validate your entitlement.

There are two types of full motorcycle licence: a light motorcycle licence (A1), which restricts riders to any bike up to 125cc and a power output of 11kW. The practical test must be taken on a bike of between 75cc and 125cc a standard motorcycle licence (A), is obtained if the practical test is taken on a bike of over 120cc but not more than 125cc and capable of at least 100km/h per hour. After passing the standard motorcycle practical test, you will be restricted for two years to riding a bike of up to 25kW and a power/weight ratio not exceeding 0.16kW/kg. After this you may ride any size of bike

Riders age 21 or over, or those who reach 21 before their two year restriction ends, have other options. Direct access After taking CBT and the theory test, the practical test may be taken on a motorcycle with a power output of at least 35kW. A pass allows you to ride any size of bike. All or part of the CBT course may be taken on either a learner bike or a large bike. You may practice for the practical test on bikes larger than the learner bike specification provided: you are accompanied at all times by an approved instructor on another bike and in radio contact you wear fluorescent or reflective clothing and follow all other provisional licence restrictions Accelerated access Riders who reach the age of 21, while still within the two year period where they are restricted to maximum 25kW machines, but who wish to ride larger bikes need to pass a further test on a motorcycle of at least 35kW. They may practice on bikes over 25kW under the same practice conditions for direct access riders. You will revert to learner status while practicing (on a motorcycle greater than 25kW) although test failure will not affect your existing licence.