Bungleaio

Go for DAS straight away, the experience you would gain from a 125 you have pretty much got from the vespa anyway. The only real difference is the gears but that's easy. I did the DAS route with no prior experience of riding and I'm loving it.

I have a couple of Kriega bags, I'm yet to use them all together in anger but I've used a couple individually and I'm very pleased with them. They aren't cheap but the quality is spot on, 10 year warranty too. https://kriega.com/bikepacks/us-30-drypack I have a US 30 and two US 10's

Don't worry about it mate, just give it another go. The slow speed riding is the hardest of the lot to do so don't worry about not getting it straight away.

Cheers, glad you enjoyed them. It was a bit of a rollercoaster of events getting my license but if it were easy then there wouldn't be the sense of achievement. I've done just under 600 miles on the MT07 which is less than I'd liked to have done but I'm enjoying it. I'll be out quite a bit next year.

Cheers mate, almost 6 months ago now and I've now got a full license and an MT07 of my own now. I wrote up my MOD 1 and 2 experience too if you're interested https://www.themotorbikeforum.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=47&t=23633&start=435#p1003861 https://www.themotorbikeforum.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=47&t=23634&start=555#p1012315

It's very frustrating but sadly these things happen I had a mod 2 cancelled as the examiner didn't turn up, I had to wait 3 weeks for another go. Just treat it as extra practice, I'm sure you'll smash it in January.

I'm interested in this too. There seems to be little choice unless you want something stuck to your helmet.

I'm going and I have a bit of a shopping list. I'm adding the prices that I can buy them online for to my list before I go through.

Congratulations Rodders, passing the tests are a great feeling Thanks. Nope and nope. I'm doing Direct Access Scheme (DAS) because I'm over 24. You have to do a CBT regardless, and a theory test (+ Hazard Perception). But DAS consists of 2 tests: [list=]MOD2 - can only be done if you pass MOD1, and consists of practical on-road riding. It involves some independent riding where you're given some directions to follow (e.g. follow the signs for A47 Wansford, then A1 Stamford.This test also includes the eyesight test and a few questions about bike maintenance/checks and riding with a pillion Once you pass the 2 modules, you can ride anything unrestricted. Riders under 24 have a different set of tests to do, which I'm not clued up on. All the tests are the same it's just the size of the bike that varies. The licenses are fairly straight forward. A1 License - Anyone over 17 can do the mod 1&2 on a 125 - Will only be allowed to ride a 125 A2 License - Anyone over 19 can do the mod 1&2 on a bike minimum 395cc but max 47bhp - Will only be able to ride a bike with maximum 47bhp A License - Anyone that has had an A2 License for 2 years or is over 24 can do the mod 1&2 on a bike over 595cc with a minimum 54bhp - Will be able to ride anything Any of the licenses will allow the holder to ride without L plates, carry a pillion and use the motorway. To get any of the licenses you will need to pass a theory test but once you've got any of the three licenses you don't need to do the theory again. The mod 1&2 tests are identical for each of the licenses but if you start off at 17 with an A1 license and want to progress at 19 and again at 21 it will be quite a costly experience. I should imagine that hardly anyone gets an A1 license as you can just keep redoing the CBT.

Just be careful on the white lines in the car park. They can get slippery.

Congratulations it's a great feeling!

Glad to hear you enjoyed it. I was going to do this but ended up getting excited and doing the CBT. Enjoy the learning process it's great fun.

I did a CBT having never ridden a bike before then went the DAS route too, two days totaling about 10 hours tuition, then mod 1. 4 hours training then mod 2 (I failed) another hour then my test was cancelled (not my fault) another 2 hours then the final mod 2. 15 weeks from start to finish but most of that was waiting for tests, if I hadn't messed up my first mod 2 It would have taken 11 weeks. Doing hourly lessons like I did for learning to drive wasn't offered. I really enjoyed the learning process and I'm loving being out on my own now.

Congratulations, I'm in the 2nd attempt club too!

I've now passed the mod 2 test so I'm adding my experience to the log, as per my CBT and mod 1 write up it may not be the best bit of writing in the world but hopefully someone finds it interesting. I didn't find mod 2 very easy but I think this is down to my lack of experience, from me passing my mod 1 I had a month wait until I could have a crack at the mod 2, this was down to me having a busy diary rather than wanting to wait or the school not having availablity. I had booked a day's training then the test was the day after. I was told that I was going to have one to one instruction but when I got there, there was to be two of us which was fine. The other bloke was quite frankly a muppet, turned up late and didn't have a clue what he was doing, I think he passed his mod 1 on the 5th attempt. Needless to say he took most of the instructor's attention when we got out on the bikes. Getting out on the bikes was a bit long-winded though. I'd asked when I'd booked the training to be on an MT07 as I couldn't get on with the honda's that they had, the other bloke wanted an MT07 too but they only had hondas available as the MT07s were out on test. So we had to wait for those out doing their mod 1 tests to come back, this took a couple of hours which was annoying but ultimately our choice as there was a couple of bikes there waiting but neither of us wanted to ride them. Out on the road and I was doing ok, a few things to brush up on but no dramas, the instructor was confident of a pass even though we'd only had 3 hours out on the road. Next day and off to the test, felt great on the way down but the nerves kicked in as soon as I got into the kit up room. Answered the show me tell me questions no bother out on the road and I was still feeling nervous but it was going ok. I had a bit of a wobble on the angled pull away but it went worse when I was on the independent ride, I missed a couple of shoulder checks and when I went round a roundabout I cut across a lane, I noticed what I was doing just as the white line was going under me. I got back to the test centre and he said I had failed, I agreed completely. The school managed to get me a test after the 10 days had elapsed which was great, I had an hour or so ride before the test and all went well. Got to the test centre and into the waiting room to be told that the examiner is running late by an hour and a half. Seeing as I was the first test of the day it was quite annoying. I was given the option of waiting for the examiner but if he made it in time for the next test then I would have to ask the next candidate if they would mind if I had their spot, they would have to ask the next person etc, I didn't think this was fair and had other things booked for the rest of the day so I canceled the test. The school took care of the costs incurred and claimed them back from the examiners so at least it's not cost me any more, I viewed it as a couple of extra hours free tuition. Fast forward another couple of weeks and it's time to try again. The school said if I come in early I can have a couple of hours warm-up which was great. My test was on Monday and it was absolutely pouring with rain, disappointing but I'd done quite a bit of my mod 1 training in the wet so I didn't worry about it. I had a couple of hours riding with another candidate (not a muppet luckily) the extra practice really helped and it really came together for me. Back to the test centre and after my previous visits I wasn't feeling nervous at all. I got kitted up but the examiner was just wearing jeans, it turns out he was going to follow in a car, he said don't worry about him just do what I would do normally and he would keep with me but if we did get split up then he would ask me to pull over. I'd forgotten about the show me tell me questions but answered them no issue and then we went out on the road, thankfully it had dried up by that point. We went on a lot of the roads that we had been on during the warm up, I did a lot better on the independent ride and generally felt a lot more relaxed. There was a couple of junctions where there was a gap for me so I went but the examiner couldn't make it so I had to wait for him. At one point he asked me to wait for him on double yellows, that went against all what I felt I should be doing but he'd told me so I did. There's a notorious roundabout near the test centre which is quite confusing, I got it right but I'd lost the examiner again so I don't think he knew what I did. Even after all the stops and pull away whilst the examiner caught up with me he still made me do another 5 minutes before the end with him right behind me. Back to the test centre and he stands by his car for what felt like ages and he's looking at his clipboard, he invites me into the building then takes the radio off me and then finally gives me the good news. I still picked up two minors, one for going wide turning left and another for cutting a corner. I didn't argue! I then got to ride back to the school by myself whilst the instructor stayed with the other candidate that I was riding with earlier as his test was another hour away. Needless the ride back was fantastic! The feeling of passing the test was great, I'm still buzzing now! Good luck to anyone who's going through the process of getting their license, don't get disheartened if it doesn't come together straight away, stick at it and you'll get there.

Make sure you get some miles in on the MT07, I've really enjoyed learning to ride on one of them. Thats why I've been dragging out the learning process....

Great stuff, I think the U turn is the maneuver that most people feel the least comfortable with. How are you getting on out in the real world now? I bet you've got a fair few miles under your belt now.

50 for the stop then 54 for the swerve.

I was there a few weeks ago in my classic mini. It was an organised event so I just followed the car in front and we went from there to Aberystwyth. Sadly I don't know the route we took but all the roads are great round there, I don't think you can go wrong.

I think it's a good idea, the motorway is quite daunting when you are a new road user. I like that it's only approved instructors that can take them on and it has to be a dual control car too.

Bike looks great and I like your plan of going for a smaller engine first. Has your license come back from the DVLA yet? I'm wondering how long it takes them to update it and reissue.

I love a good forum but facebook is alright. Out of interest - OP what Facebook group would you recommend for the MT07? I'm looking to buy one, cheers.

The licenses are confusing to the complete newbie, I thought it was a2, a1 then A aswell. If you haven't got a bike then I would just go straight from nothing to full license but if you've got a 125 then you may as well use it for some experience first.

Well done, it's a great feeling when they say congratulations!

You will be fine, especially with 40 minutes of practice under your belt. I did my CBT with no experience on any form of a motorbike at all and I was allowed to take a MT07 out for the road part in the afternoon. Don't stress about it, just enjoy it.