Can you ride a 125 in Europe with a full CAR license + CBT?

As the question states, can you ride in Europe on a 125cc bike (want to put one on the back of a motorhome) with a full car license and a CBT? My wife wants a go and only has a car license.

I've spoken to 6 different people and so far had a whole load of conflicting thoughts. The insurers think it's ok, the AA, the DVLA and the RAC didn't know.

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I'm not 100% sure but about 95% that the answer to your question is no you can't.

it's a bit of a grey area but our L plates are no good abroad for a start!

in fact, the more i think about it the more sure i am the answer is no

Sorry!

This is the problem I have, lots of people seem to have opinions, but I'm finding it very hard to get a definitive answer..... people I know who do it don't use L plates as French/Spanish etc law doesn't need them for riding a 125 ....

I will have a word with DutchMick, he lives in Holland and may know

100% NO.

anything your provisionally entitled to (i.e Bike on a car licence, provisional licence, etc) is only valid in the UK, all your full entitlements for example the car one is still valid abroad.

to sum up, any category you have a full licence in is recognised as its a EC licence, but provisional doesnt come under.

FYI, some may of heard of full car licence holders from France, Germany, etc being able to ride a 125 here with no L plates, etc, thats because the car entitlement in these countries also come with a full entitlement to a Light Motorcycle, hence is valid over here

P.S, she can probably ride a 50cc abroad, you dont really need a licence as such for a moped abroad. (although in the 3rd licence directive there adding cat AM as part as thier ever continuing efforts to harmonise 26 different systems and cultures )

As said previously, 100% no I am afraid. You must hold a full UK licence for the category of vehicle you wish to drive or ride.

Sorted

OK, thanks chaps .....

100% NO.

anything your provisionally entitled to (i.e Bike on a car licence, provisional licence, etc) is only valid in the UK, all your full entitlements for example the car one is still valid abroad.

to sum up, any category you have a full licence in is recognised as its a EC licence, but provisional doesnt come under.

FYI, some may of heard of full car licence holders from France, Germany, etc being able to ride a 125 here with no L plates, etc, thats because the car entitlement in these countries also come with a full entitlement to a Light Motorcycle, hence is valid over here

P.S, she can probably ride a 50cc abroad, you dont really need a licence as such for a moped abroad. (although in the 3rd licence directive there adding cat AM as part as thier ever continuing efforts to harmonise 26 different systems and cultures )

If someone from germany etc can ride a 125 here without L plates as they hold a Full driving licence over there ..... doesnt that mean that we as full car licence holders over here, can ride a 125 over there .... ???

seems fair if they dont have to have anything but a car licence to ride a light motor cycle ??

If someone from germany etc can ride a 125 here without L plates as they hold a Full driving licence over there ..... doesnt that mean that we as full car licence holders over here, can ride a 125 over there .... ???

seems fair if they dont have to have anything but a car licence to ride a light motor cycle ??

in theory yes but they might not have a system where you can ride a 125 with L plates, etc, (i.e no provisional licence) so they just stick it with the car entitlement and if they want anything bigger they pass a bike test.

I know in france that the A1 entitlement doesnt become valid until youve passed the car one for 2 years, and in Germany im fairly sure you get it straight away. If you pass cat B in france and want a 125 straightaway its either full bike test or ride a moped, its pritty much give and take in terms of advantages and disadvantages between our systems.

our system had advantages too, such as car drivers who have passed before 1997 having entitlements as long as a letter to father christmas (such as towing licences, Light Good vehicle licences Drive anything up to 7,500KG, minibus licence, etc) all from passing a car test, whereas most other EU countries never had that, of coarse, if you passed your car test after 97 your limited to litrally a car and nothing else (under the 1st licence directive).

the 3rd licence directive thats due to come in in 2013 will harmonise everything even thurther, possible that eventually (hopefully Britain would of escaped the EU by then, but if not) you can ride a 50cc vehicle when your 14 and no licence, no such thing as a "provisional licence", and include A1 to the car test.

im not a geek/work for the DVLA ltd honist

BTW, you get a full moped licence with a car test over here anyway, just need a CBT (if passed after 2001) to validate the entitlement

the 3rd licence directive thats due to come in in 2013 will harmonise everything even thurther, possible that eventually (hopefully Britain would of escaped the EU by then, but if not) you can ride a 50cc vehicle when your 14 and no licence, no such thing as a "provisional licence", and include A1 to the car test.

That's not a given yet. Some elements are still out for consultation as far as I'm aware, and the 14 yr moped riding is one element that is unlikely to be introduced here.

http://wiki.motorcycle.co.uk/index.php?n=Training.3rdDrivingLicenceDirective

the 3rd licence directive thats due to come in in 2013 will harmonise everything even thurther, possible that eventually (hopefully Britain would of escaped the EU by then, but if not) you can ride a 50cc vehicle when your 14 and no licence, no such thing as a "provisional licence", and include A1 to the car test.

 

That's not a given yet. Some elements are still out for consultation as far as I'm aware, and the 14 yr moped riding is one element that is unlikely to be introduced here.

http://wiki.motorcycle.co.uk/index.php?n=Training.3rdDrivingLicenceDirective

yeah i should of said that it is still in its draft element, but when i had a quick read of the draft a few months ago i was less than impressed.

remember all that talk of raising the car driving age to 18 a couple of years ago for the purposes of "safety", then it suddenly died off? I suspect that for a time the 3rd driving licence directive stated that the min age for cat B is 18, and the talk suddenly died off then they alowed member states to have it at 17, clearly a puppet government we live under but that subject is for another time.

Late reply.. but yeah, you can ride a 125cc in Europe with CBT license. I have been done that last April while travelling to Belguim via France. I've ringed my insurance company, they say I'm legal to ride in Europe. But I'm not sure about the motorway part, but I did rided on motorway, pass a police car, they dont stop me or anything, they probably miss me! Bear in mind, in Europe, cars travelling fast, so generally, all cars pass you. You can only overtake lorry on motorway, thats pretty much everything you can overtake on motorway lol!

BTW, I don't have a full car license, I'm 18, still on provisional license.

P.S. I ride a CBR125R, with a top end of occassionaly 80 mph

Late reply.. but yeah, you can ride a 125cc in Europe with CBT license. I have been done that last April while travelling to Belguim via France. I've ringed my insurance company, they say I'm legal to ride in Europe. But I'm not sure about the motorway part, but I did rided on motorway, pass a police car, they dont stop me or anything, they probably miss me! Bear in mind, in Europe, cars travelling fast, so generally, all cars pass you. You can only overtake lorry on motorway, thats pretty much everything you can overtake on motorway lol!

BTW, I don't have a full car license, I'm 18, still on provisional license.

P.S. I ride a CBR125R, with a top end of occassionaly 80 mph

Your insurance company may have agreed to keep you on cover, and you may have got away with it, but sorry, riding in mainland Europe on a provisional and CBT is still illegal.

Your insurers gave you incorrect information, and had you had a crash, I bet they would have tried to wriggle out of covering you big time.

Late reply.. but yeah, you can ride a 125cc in Europe with CBT license. I have been done that last April while travelling to Belguim via France. I've ringed my insurance company, they say I'm legal to ride in Europe. But I'm not sure about the motorway part, but I did rided on motorway, pass a police car, they dont stop me or anything, they probably miss me! Bear in mind, in Europe, cars travelling fast, so generally, all cars pass you. You can only overtake lorry on motorway, thats pretty much everything you can overtake on motorway lol!

BTW, I don't have a full car license, I'm 18, still on provisional license.

P.S. I ride a CBR125R, with a top end of occassionaly 80 mph

 

Your insurance company may have agreed to keep you on cover, and you may have got away with it, but sorry, riding in mainland Europe on a provisional and CBT is still illegal.

Your insurers gave you incorrect information, and had you had a crash, I bet they would have tried to wriggle out of covering you big time.

you got lucky a provisional licence (or bike on a full car licence, or car on a full bike licence, etc) isnt part of the European Communities Model driving licence.

Its like all the 125 riders in N.Ireland on L plates, they cannot ride over the border to the south because its only valid in the UK

Hi all,

I do not know where people get their 100% answers from?

I called the highest German authority in Flensburg and the lady on the phone said that it sounds ok for her but I should call one of their offices near the border to Netherland since they might have more experience with that. Will call them tomorrow.

Also, I called the dutch authorities https://www.rdw.nl/information-in-english/about-rdw and they do not have a 100% answer either. They referred me to the police. Wrote them a mail and hope to get an answer next week.

Best

Martin

This is a very old thread!

I still think the answer is no

Licences are standard across the EU and most Nordic countries. Plus Switzerland.

This is why the old P category was replaced with AM. That was one of our final steps to full integration.

If you are stopped by any policeman in any EU country (or involved in any kind of RTA) the first thing they will want to see is your photocard.. and if said photocard is not valid for the vehicle you are driving or riding then you can expect an instant fine.. so have the cash available and saying bye bye to the bike.. it will be seized.

You are not licensed to ride it.. nor will you be insured. And they will realise this immediately

It doesn't matter if the policeman doesnt speak a word of english.. the pictograms and codes are standard. and what you are licensed to drive or ride is obvious.

for example.. a German licence. (rear)

I believe that technically you can ride a moped if your full driving license was issued before 2001.. but this is a technicality I wouldn't trust a foreign policeman to recognise. and there is still the matter of insurance.

Try arguing and they will arrest you. In fact.. it wouldn't surprise me one bit if you were arrested anyway in some countries.

I do not know where people get their 100% answers from?

Well I get my 100% answers from the European Union:

"Provisional or temporary licences, international driving permits (or any other certificates issued in your home country) are not regulated at EU level and may not be recognised in other EU countries."

https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/vehicles/driving-licence/driving-licence-recognition-validity/index_en.htm

And in the case of Germany from the Bundesministerium für Verkehr und digitale Infrastruktur:

"Your driving licence does not entitle you to drive or ride a motor vehicle in the Federal Republic of Germany:

if the licence you hold is a learner licence or any other provisional licence;"

http://www.bmvi.de/SharedDocs/EN/Documents/LA/fact-sheet-foreign-driving-licences.pdf?__blob=publicationFile

Whilst the British government says of the Netherlands

"You must have a valid full UK driving licence, insurance, vehicle documents and identification to drive in the Netherlands… You are not allowed to drive on a provisional license."

https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/netherlands/safety-and-security

Admittedly it is not quite a "lady on the phone," but it all feels quite 100% official to me.