Licence Requirements*
The most crucial part of implementing motorcycles in your fleet is ensuring training is appropriate and beneficial. It is generally recognised that the basic test is insufficient to ride safely under all conditions. Advanced courses, whilst beneficial, do not take specific account of riding in a working environment.
Even experienced motorcycle riders will benefit from specialist instruction which takes account of motorway riding, passenger carrying, heavy traffic and other riding skills.
Motorcycle Management Ltd works with leading training companies who build rider courses for specialist needs and the training costs can be built into the rentals.
The basic legal requirement to ride a moped, scooter or motorcycle is the CBT (Compulsory Basic Training) certificate. As the name implies, this should provide the necessary basic skills to operate a machine up to 125cc, although on ‘L’ plates and only for 3 years.
The next levels are A, A1 and Direct or Accelerated Access which gives the ability to ride appropriate machines without the need for ‘L’ plates.
In order to use a motorcycle safely and effectively in a working environment however, may require higher or specialist skills not covered in the standard legislative process. We can arrange specific evaluation and training which is enjoyable, useful and cost effective. In conjunction with leading training companies, we build specific evaluation and training packages which reflect the likely working requirements.
A day’s course for example usually commences with an accompanied ride. This is carried out under normal working conditions, taking account of the tasks to be completed, the working environment, the machine used, special circumstances etc. This is followed by debrief and lunch.
In the second session, the rider and instructor go through the improvements which can be made and take account of the situations which cannot be altered, identifying and minimising the risks where possible.
You should consider training even if your rider has a licence, or an advanced certificate, as these do not necessarily take account of the special circumstances of a ‘professional rider’.
*The motorcycle licence test is a complex array of precursors and prohibitions. The information above is intended only to provide key information. For more detailed information please refer to a current edition of The Highway Code. |
