IBT course: 250 bike

Leo833

Would someone be able to answer a stupid question please? If I do the IBT course on a 250cc, am I then allowed to drive a 250cc bike? I see you have to do the test on a 395cc bike to get an A2 license but in order to just be allowed drive a 250 on a provisional license, is doing the IBT on a 250 enough? (I'm 27). Thanks!!

Del2005

Do the IBT on a school bike and get a full A licence. Then ride your 250. No point in going through the stages when you are over 24.

Leo833

Thanks for that, I know you're right but im not great with the 500 that I'm training on and only want a 250 for at least 6 months so I just want to do the IBT on a 250 if it means I'm allowed to buy and drive one. But I'm not sure if doin it on a 250 would actually be enough to allow me. . . Thanks again!

frozenfrozen

to answer your question directly you wouldn't be able to ride a 250 after doing your IBT on it, it's too powerful for the A1 but not powerful enough for the A2. So you'd end up with an A1 ibt and only be able to ride 125cc bikes.

And now if you don't mind me giving my opinion, you just need more time and practise on a big bike to get comfortable, it's cheaper to pay for it now and get the A ibt than doing an a1 ibt (all you'd get by doing it on a 250 id say at a guess, if they'd even let you), and then having to repeat it all to get the bigger license


what part are you not comfortable at the moment, just the weight or height etc? people here could give some tips & help you know what to say to your ibt instructor so they can get you up to speed


but paying even a few hundred euro extra now for extra super-beginner lessons will save you 500+ if you were to have to repeat the IBT on an A or getting the A2 and having to do the upgrade modules etc


There was a guy at the same time as me doing his IBT and he spent a few extra days on the small bikes after the first day of his IBT because it just took him more time than others to get used to it, no big deal at all

Leo833

Ah yeah fair enough. Thanks a million again. Yeah I spent half an hour stopping and starting inside a small circle but when going to the right I kept losing my balance because of the weight and had to keep putting my right foot on the ground to stop me falling over and so couldn't use the foot brake. Also the instructor was telling me to use the throttle also but I was managing better just using the clutch. Any tips or anything so greatly appreciated. Cheers!

frozenfrozen

Leo833 wrote: »

Ah yeah fair enough. Thanks a million again. Yeah I spent half an hour stopping and starting inside a small circle but when going to the right I kept losing my balance because of the weight and had to keep putting my right foot on the ground to stop me falling over and so couldn't use the foot brake. Also the instructor was telling me to use the throttle also but I was managing better just using the clutch. Any tips or anything so greatly appreciated. Cheers!

Ah that's no different than most people starting off, nothing to be worried about at all. That's not even a case of needing more lessons or anything, you're just going through half of what starting learning to ride a bike is, trusting the fact it won't fall over if you keep moving. So definitely no need to think you're not ready for big bikes, you will be by the end of your IBT.

the trick to getting much more comfortable straight away is to hold onto the bike with your legs and knees and keep your arms as light as you can. They're just for using the controls and steering the bike rather than holding on and supporting your weight. You'll notice the bike feels so much steadier once you stop gripping tightly and using the handle bars to brace your weight, which I am guessing is the reason you find right turns harder than left because you're putting weight on the throttle and feeling out of control and then choosing to just use the clutch.

Going very slowly is a much harder skill than going along at jogging pace. If the turns are too tight or too slow just make them a little faster and over a longer distance. If you're stopping and starting while trying to do small circles there's nothing stopping you from just making the circles absolutely massive.

If you're talking about doing the right hand turns from a standstill (the junction practise..) being difficult, just slow down all your movements and don't panic, if you find you feel like you're going to fall over by turning more just straighten up and drive on until you feel you have control of the bike again, and then try the turn again. If you get totally put off then just come to a stop nice and calmly and start over. You'll never be in more control by putting your foot down while moving. Even just sit there on the bike with the engine off and try to balance on the bike without putting your foot down, you will be able to stay upright by just barely tapping the ground with the tips of your toes but putting next to no weight on them.

try get the hang of holding the throttle open slightly and controlling your speed with the clutch and rear brake. Using the clutch alone will not get you enough stability turning in small circles. If you feel like you don't have enough control when using the throttle then you need to pull the clutch in more and then open the throttle a little more. They can be jerky just at the very beginning of opening the throttle slightly so just get over that point even while you're stationary and then use the clutch to control your speed.

I only did my ibt a year and a half ago so I'm the farthest thing from an IBT instructor so obviously listen to whatever tips or guidance someone properly trained is telling you over what I've said. But the above hopefully will give you a bit of help. Important thing is just as soon as you feel like you're falling over to get into the habit of just straightening up the bike and driving on instead of putting the foot down, you need to trust that the bike won't fall over without your help. And if you're always ready to catch the bike with your foot then you aren't going to be supporting yourself and so more weight will go on the bars through your hands and you'll feel even less stable.

Relax if you can too.

next time you're out with the ibt teacher just ask could you practise starting and stopping in a straight line while getting used to opening the throttle

Leo833

Thanks a million, great advice. Much appreciated, will keep goin with the 500 for the moment