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When I first started riding 16 year olds could ride 250cc on L plates pass your test while you were 16 and then unlimited. I was riding a 500cc T500 Suzuki just before my 17th birth day. Should we have been allowed to ride unlimited bikes at 16 no probably not, 3 riders I knew were dead before they were 18 all bike accidents. I was one of the lucky ones stayed alive long enough to get experience but could so easily have been just another statistic. So curse it as much as you like there's a lot of men walking around today that would have been just another teenage statistic if they had not changed the rules. I spent 12 weeks in hospital when I was 17 with a broken femur in 3 places, out of a ward of about 30 beds a least half were taken up by under 20 year olds as a result of a motor cycle accident.

An interesting thread. One thing that is an, almost, certainty is that it won't be getting easier or cheaper to get a licence in the future. That said, turn the riding without L plates on its head. What's the worst that can happen? Maybe being nicked for no L plates, riding without a licence, riding without insurance, having an accident and having a civil law suit against you for several million quid, finding out at some point later in life that you need to disclose all convictions and those stop you working where you need to, going to prison etc. Simpler to pass a test I would suggest for most people. People may not like the laws and some of us still remember the days when we brought a 250, stuck some L plates on it and paid a couple of quid for an insurance certificate that allowed us to ride "up to" any cc bike which we brought over the counter at the bike shop (Norwich Union insurance pads). I brought my first bike,collected it and rode away with no bike experience. The first few miles were errrr interesting.

I will be happy to help you

I live in Oxford (London before that) - 20mph IS hammering it!

I did the same thing. Riding a bike around a field gave me my experience and a month after my 17th birthday I headed up to Glasgow to collect my first bike, an xs250 (great bike, did I tell you about it), anyway a wee chat with the salesman and back in the shop he goes leaving me in the middle of Glasgow city centre on my own on a Friday afternoon. Bearing in mind the only way I had ever visited the place was by train so had no need to learn the road layout.....Scary times indeed.

Potential 3 points for each missing L-plate. Insurance is null and void, because you're not adhering to its conditions. Therefore, even if you're not at fault in the accident, you will not get a pay out. And therefore driving without insurance; 6-8 points. Driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence; 3-6 points So, you could pretty much end up banned from driving/riding before you've even sat a test. There is zero shame in L-plates. And if you want to see people treat you even worse, once you pass, put on the Green L-Plates... Red Rag. To. A. Bull. There are chavs who will deliberately antagonise those drivers.

Are you sure on your ages there Steve. When I was a youngster many moons ago, we could ride a 50cc moped from 16, I had a unrestricted FS1E and then you could have up to 250cc once you were 17.

Of course Jimmy! No issue with me. :-)

Assholes. Assholes everywhere. Some people just like antagonising learners. And given that these types often dislike bikers [because we're better than them (: ], they do it worse. The Housemate has had someone try and literally push her bike [with their car] into oncoming traffic... How old are you right now? If you're 17-19, it's the A1 This allows that massive 125cc... If you're 19-21, it's the A2 Which allows up to 47bhp, which can be on a larger bike that you can restrict to no less than half its power. Therefore, you can get a whole bunch of bigger bikes - like a Suzuki SV650, or an ER-6N and then get a restrictor put in. This pretty much just kills the top end of the bike's rev range, but still easily manages motorway speeds. 24+ [or 21, having had a A2 for 2 years] and it's the full A licence. AKA: any damn bike you want. Oh, and you need to pay for each successive test. Even a lot of instructors believe there's zero point in the A1 - as long as you get yourself a few lessons to improve your riding if needed. [Only real benefits: No L-plates, and allowed on the motorway... but at crap speed. Good luck with a pillion on a 125]

Wow that was a f#ckin fast bee

Only just seen this don't be to hard on yourself remember it wasn't your fault IT WAS YOUR WIFE'S FAULT!!

I may be mechanically pants Airhead (handlebar risers...!) but something like this is the least I can do for the other folk on here!

Follow these instructions Type badrad600.com into your browser When the site opens, hit the ENTER text In the left hand column, hit RADIAN TECH Hit YAMAHA YX600 RADIAN SERVICE MANUAL Hit ENTER Open CHAPTER 4 - CARBURETION THEN GO TO THE NEW MEMBERS SECTION AND POST AN INTRODUCTION Welcome

Filmed from the backseat of an RAF Typhoon flown by 2013 display pilot Jamie Norris on an ultra-low level sortie through the Mach Loop and the Lake District. here's a photo of it flying