Direct Access, would you support changes?

[greg]

So you probably know that the rules will be changing in the near future, a system whereby there are bhp limits etc. To cut it short no more passing your test in the morning and picking up a nice shiny new R1 in the afternoon.
So, let's imagine you passed your test years ago and are an experienced rider of high performance machines, with such a machine in your garage, and you have a next door neighbour, a decent sort who you have no problem in seeing living long and prospering. who has just passed Direct Access with no previous experience. Let us also assume that you are also a friendly type and you have an any rider policy for said bike.
Would you let that neighbour out on your shiny hypersport immediately they jump off a wheezy 500?
I would, providing that person had a life insurance policy with me named as the person to receive the proceeds upon ceasing of said life.

[A_T]

It's seems to me it's only the 'old' riders who passed their test years ago that have the most to say about the new rules coming in, I don't see much problem with a restricted test, those that do have restricted bikes take the restrictors out anyhow.....

can't see how this bhp system will be enforced anyhow when there is no way of telling if restrictors are in or not, unless Mr plod is going to strip the bike down by the roadside and have a look

[frank]

I passed my test a long time ago when you could ride a 250cc machine on L plates. You couldn't reach 100 mph on them so it meant that as young riders we would all ride the bikes flat out !!!!!!!
Doing Direct Access at least allows somebody to go for something with a bit more controllable power.
I think you have to not assume that just because somebody can go and buy a 200 bhp lunatic machine that they actually will. Sure, there are idiots about, but legislation won't stop them anyway.
The majority of ' foolhardy ' riders are all brand new young riders anyway IMHO

And what about born agains ?? (of which I was/am one)

But that's another story.

[Jewell]

sorry im way behind.what rules have changed?

[age]

What gets me is that you can pass your car test and then if you can get insurance you can buy a dodge viper !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



SO ITS DOUBLE STANDARDS AGAIN

[Grumpy Git]

The whole CBT needs an overhaul. It is fo far from what it was originally intended to be the only way to sort it out would be to scrap the whole thing and start again with something based on the old 2 part test. I say this as one of th efirst to qualify as a CBT instructor and an instructor for the old 2 part test before that.

And we will never be treated the same way as car drivers because we are still considered an underclass.

[Claud 14.7 to 1]

Would you let that neighbour out on your shiny hypersport immediately they jump off a wheezy 500?

No. I would feel responsible for any accident that might occur.

I'm sorry, but in no way is a new rider able to handle a 1000 sports bike right from the test. I have doubts even when people go from their test to sports 600. If it were a 400, it would be a different matter, but still the handling/leaning aspect can catch people out.

I know they "can" ride it, but I just can't belive that anyone won't open that throttle "a little bit", just to test it.

[furry]

Well I'm 22 (says so to the left so there!) and I've been riding comming upto 4 yrs now...

I've had 4 proper crashes, and a few stupid offs when I first past my test...

Started out on the 125, which I had all the stupid offs on and 3 of the proper crashes...

Then went onto a gsxr400 which I still ride now...

After that, I got a gs500e, just to get to work and back on, but well donno if it was mechanical failure, shat tyres or dodgy road/diesal, but comming upto a roundabout in an industrial area I used engine breaking to get me down to about 25mph, touched the front brakes and the bike just went from under me, ARSE!!!

Anyway I now own also a TL1000R, which I guess is the modern Jap equlivent of a GSXR1100, only difference is, the brakes on the TL actually work!!!!

Right thats the intro into my few yrs biking, I also like to add that my gsxr400 I pretty much rebuilt from scratch, and also I have anonther one that I'm still working on (but I keep nicking bits off it to keep the other 400 going!!!)


Now my view on direct access...

Should be scrapped, it's a load of bullshit, waste of space, the end!

I don't think anyone should be allowed to have 5 days training, then jump straight on any bike of their choice, might as well give em a gun and say shoot yaself over there in the corner, and if the bullet bonces off of something when it goes though ya head and kills someone else, then well done m8 bonus points!!!

As well as that, I think the CBT is aload of crap as well, the test was stupid, cos you couldn't fail, its also crap cos prior to that, there was no way legally I could go out on a 125 to have a ride about and actually get used to the machine, and what it could/couldn't do.


My suggestion based on how I've gone though biking would be this...

1. Before taking what is currently the CBT, you should be allowed, for as many days as you like, ride a 125 on private roads/circuit until you are confident on how to control the machine, and if need be, pay for assistance, neither this riding about or the assistance help should cost a small fortune (as I think the cost of CBT's and full tests ridiciously high!)

Before your allowed to do your CBT lesson(s) you should prove that your confident and in control of a 125.

Then do your CBT, which you should be able to FAIL if your that much of a muppet, peeps who do CBT's shouldn't be allowed an AUTO PASS! look at all the 17 yr old spotty tits on scooters looning all over the place!!!

Once you pass your CBT, you should then be allowed to go out and buy a 125, but actively encouraged to get a 250cc, but have it restricted to a 12bhp!

Why this, well I think as part of the CBT, you should be allowed to go back after a yr, and prove yourself yet again, if they are happy with the way you control your machine, then you should be allowed to unrestrict it to 33bhp and ditch the L plates... (At this point, you should also be allowed to sell your 125/250 and buy a 400 but restricted to 33bhp)

After two yrs of passing your CBT, you should be allowed to take a what would be FULL TEST on a machine capable of at least 33bhp (so ie your 250 or your restricted 400) and prove to an offical instructor that you should have a full licence...

Once passed, you should then be limited for 2 yrs to 80bhp, so either keeping your 400, or getting something a bit more rideable like an SV650 etc...

After the two yrs have passed, you should then finally be allowed a full power machine! (So in total 4 yrs after first being allowed to ride a bike)


Thats long winded maybe, and might put many off of getting into biking, which is what the goverment wants to aviod as bike manfactures like suzuki, honda etc etc need the money comming in to keep designing new models and improving current ones, but I believe where bikes are concerned, safety is the most important things, and bikes are of such a high standard now they out perform all but of the most experienced riders (ie when you buy a new bike, it's way more than you need 99% of the time!)

I'm glad I went 125/400 then bigger route, I had most of me off's and "oppsies" on the 125, which I would have been gutted if they had happened on the 400 which I lov to pieces, the 500, well shat happens, and the TL1000R is my longer distance toy which I believe after all the bikes/yrs I been riding with all the off's I have, I finally deserve to ride....

It scared the shit out of me to think someone can pass their test if they are 21 and older, and hop on something like the TL1000R, or even worse something like a gsxr1000 etc, it just pushes insurance prices for bigger bikes though the roof, I'm lucky the insurance for mine is low cos I got NCB's and also insure it against my 400, which is a classic bike, so they deem me as more responsible than the average 22 yr old (cheers peeps LOL) but I agree something major needs to be done.

[greg]

Impressive piece don't you all agree? Some might argue about the length of time between the stages you suggest, but broadly I agree. I had all my off's on 125's, 250,s and 400,s, in retrospect mainly due to utterly shi*te 1970's -80's tyres (My excuse and I'm sticking to it!), lord knows what I would have got upto on bigger machines, would probably have wobbled about like Age still does, still, he does have to take it quietly, you know what Ducati's are like if you give 'em some (RAC recovery membership essential).

[furry]

LMAO...

the time between the stages well obviously thats open to change, but I think those core steps should be there no matter what in the intrest of the safety of the biker, and the peeps around her/him!

Nothing wrong with ducati's just gotta make sure ya keep em dry (ok in this country thats impossible, do they do unbrellas for bikes??? LOL)

I do have a gsx250 that was running till the carbs gave up the ghost, and the rear tyre is still the origional square section style, the bloke I brought it from must have stored it for many yrs, tell you something going round corners in the dry was a scary experience LOL (edge of 50pence comes to mind lol)

I think a bigger fear which I was reading about recently, is under labour, the transport minister has shown thats he's not actively considering motorbikes in his long term transpost policy, ie maybe no bikes on the road all together!!!

Anyway this came up when it was shown that I think only 10 towns/cities allow motorbikes in bus lanes, and the head of BMF I think they are, is going to lobby against it or something, I'm lucky the town I'm in allows bus lane use and I use it to the full, espically during rush hr, I think bus lanes are a bit safter when your on a bike, but busses leak more fuel and diesal than most other road vehicles, and you always get the odd tit comming out of a side street on your side who thinks a bus lane is extra space for them to pull out to look where they are going, lucky for me it ain't happened just as I passed them yet, but not long ago one muppet shot right out in front of me, and I had full beams on at the time!!!

Going back to the main topic, on the otherhand, I know (well me and craig know) at least 5 other bikers (ie proper bikes not scooters) and only 2 of them would I class as "death on two wheels" lol, so out of the 7 of the bikers I know including me, that means about 28% ish should have never been allowed to ride bikes...

I spose in goverment figure terms, thats highly unacceptable lol and well, thats being a bit narrow minded as only considering 7 bikers there, but considering one of them is on a 400 and didnt pass his test that long ago, and the other has more scars that I've had hot dinners from bike crashes, I think it sums it up pretty well in my eyes, no wonder why the coppers round here are always so keen to pull me over, lucky for me soon as I take my helmet off and talk to them, they can tell I'm not a muppet and after giving the bike a quick look over say "on ya way son" LOL

Anyway...
Direct access, bin it
Training fees that take the piss... bin it, make it regulated by local goverment!
Scheme I proposed above.... if enough think it's a good idea, I might put it in writing and pass it to the BMF to show the transport minister

[age]

lord knows what I would have got upto on bigger machines, would probably have wobbled about like Age still does, still, he does have to take it quietly, you know what Ducati's are like if you give 'em some (RAC recovery membership essential).

Bitch

never brokendown

yet

[furry]

hehehehehe :lol

[Jewell]

lord knows what I would have got upto on bigger machines, would probably have wobbled about like Age still does, still, he does have to take it quietly, you know what Ducati's are like if you give 'em some (RAC recovery membership essential).

Bitch

never brokendown

yet

because you hardly ride it......

but would still buy one......

seriously tho.....mates got a 2002 998S(only 22,[censored]) and has done 28k miles in 2 and abit years......never ever broken down....plus its done about 10 trackdays....
solid engines.....

[speedy(delboy)]

The whole CBT needs an overhaul. It is fo far from what it was originally intended to be the only way to sort it out would be to scrap the whole thing and start again with something based on the old 2 part test. I say this as one of th efirst to qualify as a CBT instructor and an instructor for the old 2 part test before that.

And we will never be treated the same way as car drivers because we are still considered an underclass.

Totally Agree, Having just finished as a M/C Instructor after 3 years of training kids etc etc. The CBT should be made at least a 2 day course. Yea, we can teach them to ride the bike (mainly under slow speed) but we cant teach them about how many ass holes are really on the road.

I used to say to students, (and this is so true, and proved by DAS),

" I can almost guerentee that in the 1st year of riding after a CBT, you will come off at least twice, maybe your own fault, may be not"

I at times had kids turn up with naked bikes, high as a kite, shorts and t/shirts, and they sat there woundering why I refused to take them - duhhh

Rant Over

[furry]

LOL...

I can confess, I got my bike in May (wee 125cc), then in the same yr July, I got done for speeding (Officer whats wrong with doing 65 in a 40 when I'm overtaking??? LOL) and then sept that yr I was on a rounabout, some oil or something, anyway binned the bike, got scars to show for it...

Was this all down to the crap level of CBT's these days, or me being a muppet, who knows, but well I think a good place to start would be sorting out the structure of the bike riding licence to try and teach new bikers, rather than fleece them of money and then let them get on any bike they like!

I would love to see 400cc bikes make a comeback, I think way too many people do direct access, and hop on a machine they can't handle, likewise I get pissed off with the ammount of spotty teenage muppets at 17 on scooters who can't ride to save their life, I mean I had one trying to race me round town today and I wasn't even trying, then he cut me up ffs!

I agree no ammount of teaching etc will ever get across how switched on we all have to be on the roads, if it's not nutters trying to run you over, it's poor road conditions, or very well designed bikes giving you a false sense of confidence to lead you into the shit, the ammount of peeps I've known on sportbikes who when comming upto a corner have bottled it and overshot it is unbelieveable!!!

Ok Rant Over by me, but yes something has to be done

PS: I also know that bike manf's, and even the goverment are really scared about making any changes in the way you go about getting a bike licence, as they believe it will put new riders off, so making a drop in bike sales, which manf's say will leave them unable to keep investing in bike design to make the sort of bikes that we have today, but I think sportsbikes today are pretty much spot on, and whats the point of making bikes if the riders don't know how to use them safely, I think rider training should come first, and someone should start some plans up to give to the goverment to action this!

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