Direct Access Blah Blah Blah

[Grouch]

When I did my CBT the guy told me that it will cost me around £700-800 altogether to get my full licence. I'm at the point now where I need to do it because my 125 is just not giving me that buzz any more, even though still love it. To be honest I feel like a dick head on it especially when other bikers pull up at the side of me. The other day some guy on a big street fighter looked me up and down and burst out laughing at me, and the other favourite is just straight dusting me off at lights etc. I've even had a few scooters try it on. Anyway I phoned this other place up today and he said it will cost £400 all inclusive! Lessons and the lot. To be fair I won't need a lot of practice with all my experience. Are there any cheaper options?

Also now it is completely freezing and pissing it down every day, I'm not sure whether to put it off until Spring.

[tgsm7]

Usually restricted is cheaper, but it depends on how quick you want to get to full power. Im on restricted licence.

My old instructor is currently charging for direct:

• Very Experienced rider (4 sessions) only £394.50
  
• Experienced rider (6 sessions) only £504.50
  

and for restricted:

• Experienced rider (4 sessions) only £344.50
  
• Some riding experience (6 sessions) only £464.50
  

Thats south east prices.

[tgsm7]

Oh, just noticed you need to add a test fee of £90 to each price for them, cheeky sods.

[Grouch]

I'm up North, I keep getting told conflicting stories. Might just go with the guy I spoke to yesterday.

[tgsm7]

Sounds like a good deal. But then again, would you like to go through all that for the test, pass and then not be able to ride for a while due to the weather?

[Grouch]

I'm riding all year round regardless of the weather, it's either fire the XT up or get a bus. I made a conscious decision never to use public transport again.

[tgsm7]

Braver man than me mate! These country roads will be deadly in about a week or 2.

[Grouch]

I'll just have to take it easy. I've got sone decent tyres so I'll be ok. I'm not planning on any long distance trips.

[gizmo666]

there is one other option to consider..............

the way i done it

go for the restricted test

get the bike you want and either get it restricted(with the paperwork important!!)

then rip the restrictor out

if you get stopped by the manky mob make sure and carry the restriction paper with you

that way they'll check it at roadside and your on your way

or if they check the bike and find its not restricted then plead innosence and say thats the way you bought the bike in good faith

sadly not all of us live in a legal world....

[Ryan09]

I done my test in the middle of December, i actually got it done for cheaper than usual because they didnt have many customer that time of year. Yeah it was a bit icey the day of my test but im sure my test was also shorter than it should have been! Only went on for around 20minutes! So theres pros and cons of booking it this time of year =)

[Ttaskmaster]

or if they check the bike and find its not restricted then plead innosence and say thats the way you bought the bike in good faith

Which then lands the poor, innocent mechanic whose name is on that restriction certificate in deep shit for seeming forging a legal document and supplying an illegal bike... Seems we don't live in a decent world, either.

To be honest I feel like a dick head on it especially when other bikers pull up at the side of me. The other day some guy on a big street fighter looked me up and down and burst out laughing at me, and the other favourite is just straight dusting me off at lights etc. I've even had a few scooters try it on.

Dusting at lights is par for the course. I have no care for people who think biking is all about how fast you can go in a straight line. Most such pricks can't filter through gaps that even my big-ass Cruiser can get through and at 2-3 times the speed they're dawdling at.

Many people like that with powerful bikes are arrogant dickheads anyway. Kick them over while they're still laughing and see how they feel after that.

Scooters... meh. Never had that problem myself, even on a 144kg 125 with 12 BHP. It's not about how fast you ride, it's about how well you ride.

To be fair I won't need a lot of practice with all my experience.

Out of curiosity, how much experience is this?

I ask, because I heard the exact same statement from my ex, right before failing the test on more than one occasion.

[jimmy]

Which then lands the poor, innocent mechanic whose name is on that restriction certificate in deep shit for seeming forging a legal document and supplying an illegal bike... Seems we don't live in a decent world, either.

Dusting at lights is par for the course. I have no care for people who think biking is all about how fast you can go in a straight line. Most such pricks can't filter through gaps that even my big-ass Cruiser can get through and at 2-3 times the speed they're dawdling at.

Many people like that with powerful bikes are arrogant dickheads anyway. Kick them over while they're still laughing and see how they feel after that.

Scooters... meh. Never had that problem myself, even on a 144kg 125 with 12 BHP. It's not about how fast you ride, it's about how well you ride.

Out of curiosity, how much experience is this?

I ask, because I heard the exact same statement from my ex, right before failing the test on more than one occasion.

I agree on all points. The roads on my way to work are a mixture of motorway/dualcarraigeway and very twisty A roads. If I pass cars or bikes on the twisties and then slow down in the 40 zones, invariably I get these twats flying by me doing about 60 looking at me with a look of triumph on their faces. I usually get them back on the next set of twisties.

Regarding the bike test. My 18yr old son is waiting to sit his mod 2. He failed it at the start of November and the next available date was 11 December, so there must be a rush on up here due to the changes coming in at the end of January.

He too, has the experience, and has been taking a weekly lesson at the local school, £60 for 2 hours, but did not take a lesson for just over a month prior to his 1st test date. He failed because he was speeding through a temp speed limit.....25mph in a 20. The examiner asked when was your last lesson. Anyway fingers crossed he gets though it on the 11th

[tgsm7]

A fair bit of experience, could also mean alot of bad habits that are harder to get out of.

[Ttaskmaster]

A fair bit of experience, could also mean alot of bad habits that are harder to get out of.

Exactly.

After only a year of riding on a full licence, I had SO many bad habits, it was frightening.

invariably I get these twats flying by me doing about 60 looking at me with a look of triumph on their faces. I usually get them back on the next set of twisties.

60?

Bunch of pussies... Round here, you can expect to be passed by vehicles doing anything up to 130mph, on average!

1-10 - Yes, that was a tractor/horse/bicycle/skateboarder. WAKE UP!!

10-30 - You maybe haven't noticed the lights change and are being flipped off by 'Ped riders

30-40 - Why are *you* going so slow? Get up to speed.

40-60 - Meh... most vehicles do this in our 40 limits.

60-90 - Boy racer. Twat.

90-120 - Almost certainly middle-management type in BMWs

120+ - Almost always a cock and/or middle-management guy who fancied a sports bike as a Summer toy. Occasionally a games coder on his way to work, though.

They don't call it the Thirteen Bends Of Death just because it sounds cool...

[jimmy]

So good it was posted twice

[Grouch]

Which then lands the poor, innocent mechanic whose name is on that restriction certificate in deep shit for seeming forging a legal document and supplying an illegal bike... Seems we don't live in a decent world, either.

Dusting at lights is par for the course. I have no care for people who think biking is all about how fast you can go in a straight line. Most such pricks can't filter through gaps that even my big-ass Cruiser can get through and at 2-3 times the speed they're dawdling at.

Many people like that with powerful bikes are arrogant dickheads anyway. Kick them over while they're still laughing and see how they feel after that.

Scooters... meh. Never had that problem myself, even on a 144kg 125 with 12 BHP. It's not about how fast you ride, it's about how well you ride.

Out of curiosity, how much experience is this?

I ask, because I heard the exact same statement from my ex, right before failing the test on more than one occasion.

I have been riding on the roads since March doing at least 10 miles a day. I didn't mean I won't need any lessons, I just meant I don't think I will need that many because I am a competent rider.

This is not arrogance, this s just confidence.

[jimmy]

Hey Grouch

What age are you, will the coming changes affect you

[steve 1052cc]

Grouch just let the idiots go they ain't worth the trouble just look at the width of the chicken strips on their tyres and laugh right back at them most of them will be weekend warriors quick in a straight line useless when it gets twisty. We all have had to learn some of us the hard painful way before there was any training. Get your test done then enjoy your riding

[Grouch]

Hey Grouch

What age are you, will the coming changes affect you

I'm 29, 30 in December, so I don't think the law changes will affect me???

Grouch just let the idiots go they ain't worth the trouble just look at the width of the chicken strips on their tyres and laugh right back at them most of them will be weekend warriors quick in a straight line useless when it gets twisty. We all have had to learn some of us the hard painful way before there was any training. Get your test done then enjoy your riding

I think now the winter has kicked in there will only be the proper bikers on the roads. I've noticed already a change of attitudes in other bikers, they all nod at me now.

[kenDAWG]

i get nodded at on my dt all the time i nodded at a kid on a moped then realised my mistake and gave him the middle finger, no chance of him catching me lol...

mine is parked up as of tomorrow, i locked up on the way back from work today even with brand new semi offroad tyres on costing a small fortune - no tyre can conquer the mighty black ice at 6am trust me