[Drivingforfun]

I’ve heard from countless people that if you love driving you need to get a motorbike as all of the fun aspects of driving are more so on a bike.

I do only have a car for fun so thinking about going for the bike license. But worried that I am the wrong kind of driver to be a biker. I am still quite a nervous driver, not been driving for years, I don’t like to take risks etc. I’m also not an aggressive person yet most bikers seem to be assertive, is this required to be a biker??

(Reading back this sounds like a bit of a “troll” question, it’s not and is not meant to be a dig at bikers)

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts and if anyone else was in a similar position.

[Motman]

The are fun but not when it’s cold, wet or windy. Or when you fall/get knocked off. If you’re a nervous rider though, I’d suggest you stay well away from bikes - you do need a fair amount of confidence to ride a bike and I’ve had more than my fair share of heart-stopping moments on both my big bike (now gone) and my commuter scooter.

If you want to give it a go though, start on a 125 after doing your CBT and see if you get a taste for it before progressing to the full test and a bigger bike.

[Drivingforfun]

Many thanks for the tips Motman.

I was looking to do a “taster” type session before going out on my own, would you say the CBT would serve that purpose i.e. do they give you tuition or should I look at doing some lessons with a school?

[Motman]

The CBT means Compulsory Basic Training and it’s something that you need before you ride any bike on the road. You can’t really 'fail' it as it’s not a test, just a certificate to state you have had basic training. You can do that in a day including the hire of a bike for about £100 I think. Look up CBT courses in your area. On the CBT you spend half a day going round cones etc and then about 30 minutes on the road. Once you have that you can look for places that offer training including the hire of a bike. When I did my big bike test, I did an intensive course. All day Friday, Saturday and Sunday and took my test on Monday. I passed first time on a bike compared third time in a car! I think it’s easier doing the bike theory and practical test if you are already a driver as you have some road sense.

[Drivingforfun]

Thanks very much for the advice. Yes I was advised to do the intensive course (providing I enjoy it during the CBT) as I’m over 25 and it would give the opportunity to ride a big bike in future even if not intending to straight away.

Have to agree with your last point - just done a practise bike theory test online and passed, most of the questions there are answerable using car driving experience!