New style progressive licenses - who's done them?:)

Who's worked up through the licenses? So CBT - A1/A2 - A

How long did you spend on each? Would like to do my A2 in the future but dont want to set an unrealistic time limit on myself

What age are you? Depending on your age, depends on what may be "the best" route.

It also depends on how comfortable you feel with the different aspects of riding. The more as ease you feel on the bike, the easier the tests will be. Practice slow control, smooth starts and stops, go to car parks and practice with cones (or the white lines) for the u turns and slalom.

I play the "floor is lava" game quiet a bit when I'm out. Trying to go slow and not have to put my feet down for as long as possible.

If you feel very comfortable with the bike, can get your head around the riding concepts quickly and don't suffer from test nerves, it doesn't take long at all to get through your tests. However, everyone is different. It takes as long as it takes, so no need to rush it.

The A1/2 tests are the exact same as the full A licence. The only difference is the power of the bike. From my experience, If you can do the test on one bike, you can do the test on any bike you are comfortable on.

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I was 26 when I done my CBT and rode around on a 125cc for nearly 2 years before finally doing MOD 2 to complete the full A licence..There are loads of peoples experiences with the tests here on the forum - https://themotorbikeforum.co.uk/viewforum.php?f=47

My licence time line if you like was -

March '15 - CBT

June '15 - Theory

Sept '15 - MOD 1

Feb '17 - MOD 2

Yes, big gap between the two practical tests, various reasons. None of them bike related

MOD 1 I needed about 3hrs of training on the paddock before I was confident I could do the figure of 8 and U turn without thinking about them too much.

However due to riding around on a 125cc for 2 years, my new instructor kindly told me after my test that I did not need any training for MOD 2. Which is why he was fine with me "tagging along" when ever he had another student in for a lesson! I ended up being out for about 10hrs with him and his students, however he only charged me for 2hrs plus the test He realised I only needed to get used to the bike for the test.

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Thank you! What a lovely instructor to allow you all that help for free

Hoping, ideally, to save and practice for my A2 license and buy myself a bike for my 21st (December) If it doesn't go to plan oh well, just something to give me incentive to work on my skills

A2 would be good to go for and you could upgrade in 2 years to get to a full Cat A!

A2 would be good to go for and you could upgrade in 2 years to get to a full Cat A!

That's what I was thinking, as DAS is 24 so that's out. Just wondering if 6 months or so is enough to be proficient and confident?

A2 would be good to go for and you could upgrade in 2 years to get to a full Cat A!

 

That's what I was thinking, as DAS is 24 so that's out. Just wondering if 6 months or so is enough to be proficient and confident?

I think so, you'll find the control of a bigger bike much easier and harder to stall. A big bike wants to move, and will take off nicely on the clutch whereas125s need some encouragement.

I play the "floor is lava" game quiet a bit when I'm out. Trying to go slow and not have to put my feet down for as long as possible.

I've started doing this too. However, both times recently when I've had to do a u-turn, I've put my feet down! Now determined to do one again without ”cheating”!

TunnelEyes - I did the DAS route, so went from CBT to full A license in about 6 weeks, so can't really help, but am still very much learning and have only done ~1500 miles since getting my bike. Still feels like there's noticable improvement from one week to the next though, especially in confidence and low-speed manoeuvring.

Nothing beats time on the road, and based on my experience I'd say there's no need to restrict yourself to 125s, unless you want to be on the road ASAP rather than go straight for the A2.

I play the "floor is lava" game quiet a bit when I'm out. Trying to go slow and not have to put my feet down for as long as possible.

I've started doing this too. However, both times recently when I've had to do a u-turn, I've put my feet down! Now determined to do one again without ”cheating”!

TunnelEyes - I did the DAS route, so went from CBT to full A license in about 6 weeks, so can't really help, but am still very much learning and have only done ~1500 miles since getting my bike. Still feels like there's noticable improvement from one week to the next though, especially in confidence and low-speed manoeuvring.

Nothing beats time on the road, and based on my experience I'd say there's no need to restrict yourself to 125s, unless you want to be on the road ASAP rather than go straight for the A2.

I need to be onroad ASAP for practical reasons, couldn't really afford to take my A2 or buy another bike just yet anyway So in theory, I could probably get my A2 over the summer? If I ride regularly?

I play the "floor is lava" game quiet a bit when I'm out. Trying to go slow and not have to put my feet down for as long as possible.

I've started doing this too. However, both times recently when I've had to do a u-turn, I've put my feet down! Now determined to do one again without ”cheating”!

TunnelEyes - I did the DAS route, so went from CBT to full A license in about 6 weeks, so can't really help, but am still very much learning and have only done ~1500 miles since getting my bike. Still feels like there's noticable improvement from one week to the next though, especially in confidence and low-speed manoeuvring.

Nothing beats time on the road, and based on my experience I'd say there's no need to restrict yourself to 125s, unless you want to be on the road ASAP rather than go straight for the A2.

 

I need to be onroad ASAP for practical reasons, couldn't really afford to take my A2 or buy another bike just yet anyway So in theory, I could probably get my A2 over the summer? If I ride regularly?

I did about 14 hours of lessons between my CBT and Mod2, so if you're riding for a few months and getting the miles in, that seems a perfectly achievable timescale to me.

A2 would be good to go for and you could upgrade in 2 years to get to a full Cat A!

I'd say do this

If you can get out for at least a couple of hours a week then 6 months will probably be doable I reckon

Without recreational riding, my regular commute will be daily for about 20/30 minutes

I play the "floor is lava" game quiet a bit when I'm out. Trying to go slow and not have to put my feet down for as long as possible.

I've started doing this too. However, both times recently when I've had to do a u-turn, I've put my feet down! Now determined to do one again without ”cheating”!

I am very good at the lave game!

I am very bad at U turns on a sportsbike

I play the "floor is lava" game quiet a bit when I'm out. Trying to go slow and not have to put my feet down for as long as possible.

I've started doing this too. However, both times recently when I've had to do a u-turn, I've put my feet down! Now determined to do one again without ”cheating”!

 

I am very good at the lave game!

I am very bad at U turns on a sportsbike

Try one to the left! Swung around to the left in the car park this morning and it felt decidedly odd!

I'm approaching old git age rather rapidly it feels so i did CBT in June 2003 and A license in May 2015. I avoided all this progressive license stuff!