RIDE GUIDE
Bikeshack useful guidance regarding riding a scooter, the law and staying safe. We all believe that riding a bike or scooter should be fun, yet within this page you can find guidance and advice on how to remain safe at all times. If you can't see the answers to your question here, just call Nigel on 01442 211567
Compulsory basic training (CBT) was introduced in 1990 to help reduce the very high accident rate among inexperienced motorcyclists. CBT must be completed before a learner moped or motorcycle rider is allowed to ride on the road with L-plates or D-plates in Wales.
You will need to complete a CBT if:
you want to ride a moped (a moped has an engine not over 50 cc with maximum design speed not exceeding 50 kilometres per hour which is approximately 31 miles per hour)
you want to ride a motorcycle
If you have a car licence...
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 and obtain a DL 196 certificate to validate your entitlement.
When riding mopeds or motorcycles it is always very important that you wear the correct protective clothing in order to protect you from the weather and also to help other road users to see you.
Importance of protective clothing
Without the right clothing you can get very cold and wet when riding a motorcycle. Special motorcycling clothing is available which:
protects you from the weather
helps to protect you from some types of injury
helps other road users to see you
By law you must wear a safety helmet when riding a motorcycle on the road. You should also consider using the following items of clothing when riding a motorcycle:
visors or goggles
gloves and gauntlets
protective clothing
boots
visibility aids
Safety helmets
By law you must wear a safety helmet when riding a motorcycle on the road. All helmets sold in the UK must either:
comply with British Standard BS 6658:1985 and carry the BSI kitemark
comply with UNECE Regulation 22.05
comply with any standard accepted by a member of the European Economic Area which offers a level of safety and protection equivalent to BS 6658:1985 and carry a mark equivalent to the BSI kitemark.
Damage to helmets
If your helmet receives any serious impact you should always buy a new one. Damage won't always be visible to the naked eye. For this reason you should never buy a second-hand helmet.
A moped has a maximum design speed not exceeding 50 km/h (approx. 31 mph). It has an engine capacity no greater than 50 cc and can be moved by pedals, if first used before 1 August 1977. A learner motorcycle has an engine up to 125 cc and a power output not exceeding 11 kW
Full motorcycle licence
There are two types of full motorcycle licence:
a light motorcycle licence (A1), which restricts riders to any bike up to 125 cc and a power output of 11 kW. The practical test must be taken on a bike of between 75 cc and 125 cc
a standard motorcycle licence (A), is obtained if the practical test is taken on a bike of over 120 cc but not more than 125 cc and capable of at least 100 km/h per hour. After passing the standard motorcycle practical test, you will be restricted for two years to riding a bike of up to 25 kW and a power/weight ratio not exceeding 0.16 kW/kg. After this you may ride any size of bike.
Become a better rider by taking training to improve your riding skills. Talk to a professional trainer about taking the Enhanced Rider Scheme (ERS). As well as developing new skills, you can also get insurance discounts with the majority of motorcycle insurance brokers.
The ERS is training designed for fully licensed motorcyclists who would like to improve certain areas of their riding skills.
As training is tailored to your needs, you do as little or as much training as required - mostly to help reduce key risk areas in on-road riding, such as bend negotiation, overtaking, filtering, positioning and junctions. http://ers.direct.gov.uk/
Is your bike roadworthy?
Is it safe to ride your scooter in it's current condition? Available for download here is the government's 'Your Bike and the MOT document.' Whilst Bikeshack is not an MOT centre, we can carry out all necessary servicing and repairs to ensure your bike passes an MOT with flying colours. Download the MOT guidance leaflet here, it tells you what's deemed safe and roadworthy.
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