Licence question

Reventon93

If this is in the wrong place, apologies.

Hi everyone. I was wondering if a few of you might be able to help me with something. I'm looking to get my bike licence this summer (have a full car licence, but always wanted a bike license).

I'm 23 (be 24 in October) and I've heard mixed things about unrestricted licenses. Is it possible to get my licence this summer, do an IBT course when I turn 24 for my full and then have an unrestricted licence. Or is that even how it goes. Have little to no knowledge. Only hearsay.

I'd appreciate the help. Thanks

Del2005

If I'm reading the pdf below correctly then your stuck on A2 for 2 years if you apply now, actually more because you have to wait 6 months before the test, and then need to do more training. If you wait till you are 24 you can go straight to A.


http://rsa.ie/Documents/Learner%20Drivers/Third%20Directive/bikes_chart_3rd_directive_V2.pdf

But the bikes you can get on A2 are still plenty fast for road use and since they have to be factory made aren't castrated like for the 33bhp limit.

It's up to you get an A2 now and ride this summer or wait till October and ride next year.

Reventon93

Del2005 wrote: »

If I'm reading the pdf below correctly then your stuck on A2 for 2 years if you apply now, actually more because you have to wait 6 months before the test, and then need to do more training. If you wait till you are 24 you can go straight to A.


http://rsa.ie/Documents/Learner%20Drivers/Third%20Directive/bikes_chart_3rd_directive_V2.pdf

But the bikes you can get on A2 are still plenty fast for road use and since they have to be factory made aren't castrated like for the 33bhp limit.

It's up to you get an A2 now and ride this summer or wait till October and ride next year.

Brilliant! Thanks for that. I'm in no rush to get riding over the summer. More just to get the right kind of licence and put money aside for it and IBT courses. I'll have a read through of that.

cantdecide

You can ride on your A2 category until October and then you can simply go back to the NDLS with the old permit and €35 and add the A category after you turn 24. The other motorcycle categories will have a start date from now and cat A will have a start date in October.

For now, you will have to take IBT in cat A2 and after October, you would have to take modules 1,3 & 5 (which is the lions share of IBT) but in cat A.

crv

I have the same problem and I don't think even the RSA know the right answer. The closest thing I have found to it was something called accelerated access but that is in the UK.

http://www.motorcycleacademy.com/accelerated-access-a2

"All the training & the test is carried out on one of our 500cc motorcycles. Completing the course & the practical test on this size machine will allow you to ride any bike although the power must be restricted to 35kw. After a two year time span or if you are over 24 you can retake the practical test and the A2 licence will convert to an unrestricted licence."

There is no information regarding this in Ireland at all. The only info available is that you have to have your licence for 2 years before moving to A. What about if you are 24 but do not have A2 licence for 2 years? No information regarding this, it does not make sense to get another learners permit just for A licence when you had your full A2 licence for over a year.
Can someone explain how this works?

cantdecide

All you need to know is that doors open when you turn 24 in terms of learner permits for high power bikes - you are not obliged to wait for 2 years if you previously passed the A2 full test.

It's a little difficult to spell out every example but I'll give this one as it seems to encompass most of the issues.

A new rider has just turned 23 and gets their first A2 learner permit (the biggest they can get as a new rider at that age), Half a year later he passes the full A2 test and he's 23 and a half. If he waits 2 years (he will be 25 and a half), he can get a category A learner permit and take IBT in category A and graduate to cat A via his instructor without having to pass another test. This is 'progressive access'. The instructor issues an IBT cert for 'progressive access' in cat A which the rider can exchange for new full licence at the NDLS.

Alternatively, he can ride his full A2 category until he turns 24 at which point he can go back to the NDLS, get the category A learner permit regardless of his full A2 licence, take category A IBT and apply for and pass the test in category A. This is the choice he has if he's anxious to get on big bikes after age 24.

Just by way of further explanation about the possibilities of 'progressive access' I've give this example.

A new rider is just 18. He gets the A2 learner permit (18 is the min. age for A2) and half a year later passes the A2 test. Using the 'progressive access' rules, at the age of 20 and a half, he can go to the NDLS, get category A on his learner permit. At this point, he has the choice - apply for a test in category A OR take IBT in category A and take the IBT cert back to the NDLS and use this to add category A to his full licence through 'progressive access'.

If you don't have your answer here, you'll have to tell me about your age and experience to formulate the right answer for you. There are variables.