Full license holder as Pillion with a Learner Driver?

[Guest]

I have held a Full M/C Licence for 50 years and have ridden several hundreds of thousands of miles. Can I ride Pillion behind my 17 Yr old son who has already passed his CBT?

I think it's a bit like me teaching him to drive a car from the passenger seat.

Surely it can be considered similarly to me teaching with a car - as passenger - but from the Pillion seat?

[Bungleaio]

Nope no pillion unless you have passed the A/A1/A2 tests.

[S-Westerly]

What he said. Definitely a no-no

[Davidtav]

Used to be legal though. So when did they change the rules?

[fastbob]

Never mind the legality , have you ever tried riding pillion after 50 years of riding ? Absolutely terrifying ! Mind you, the last time I rode pillion the rider was Andy Carlisle .

[skyrider]

i never did like riding pillion i like to be hold of the bars

[BIKERDAD]

Never mind the legality , have you ever tried riding pillion after 50 years of riding ? Absolutely terrifying ! Mind you, the last time I rode pillion the rider was Andy Carlisle .

 

NEVER A TRUER WORD I used to go on the back my bro in law as kid and teenager then after passing my test then few years later I went with him on his bike me on mine to drop his off for service I couldn't say to him your pillion so I said I'll pillion you drive .I couldn't wait to get off the bike never again . An never have ..

[manxie49]

Definite No-no, sure fire way to points and fine, plus riding pillion with an inexperienced rider could be pretty hazardous to health, put him under a lot of pressure and after 50yrs of riding leave you very much "out of sorts" not being able to control any potential problems.

[raesewell]

You would best tutor him from in front or behind with regular debriefing stops. Or get an intercom system.

[Kikesin]

You would best tutor him from in front or behind with regular debriefing stops. Or get an intercom system.

 

This ^

[Arwen]

You would best tutor him from in front or behind with regular debriefing stops. Or get an intercom system.

 

True... However has the OP done any sort of refresher courses in 50 years of riding? Can they pass mod 1 and 2 themselves? I am of course presuming that the OP is wanting to teach their son, and not just ride pillion for the shit and giggles.

[Ian Frog]

Used to be legal though. So when did they change the rules?

At what point do you think that was legal?

I passed my test in 1979 and as far as I know it was not legal when I had my 250 on L plates or my AP5o !

I started riding in the mid 70`s and received a conviction for carrying a passenger in 76 and the guy on the back had a full licence.

Cheers

Ian

[Davidtav]

Well this article implies that it was legal until 1990 for a learner to carry a pillion if the pillion has a full licence. Not sure if it’s right though. But I did think it was legal back in the 70s

https://www.lightningpass.com/changes-motorcycle-learner-law

[Ian Frog]

I have looked at that link and personally I think it is factually incorrect !

As I said before I was convicted of just that in the 70`s.

One thing they might have it confused with were there used to be certain rights of full licence car drivers when it came to small 2 wheelers.

Cheers

Ian

[Neil reed]

it was definitely legal been stopped loads of times in the 70s for riding pillion with a learner no problem then at all but not sure if grandfather rights applies have asked local police and they were unsure but one said it’s still ok 

[S-Westerly]

3 hours ago, Neil reed said:

it was definitely legal been stopped loads of times in the 70s for riding pillion with a learner no problem then at all but not sure if grandfather rights applies have asked local police and they were unsure but one said it’s still ok 

Sorry but according to Highway code etc a learner MUST not carry a pillion passenger at any time. 

Quote

Laws RTA 1988 sect 23, MV(DL)R 1999 reg 16(6) & CUR 1986 reg 102

Unquote

[Copycat73]

it was legal .. but its not now .. and if there was any grandfather rights it would be code marked on your licence ... and anyway wtf. are you thinking .. gettin on the back of a 125cc .. seriously ?

[Bender]

No.

[RideWithStyles]

Funny comments before!!

Its no, cars and bikes are different, at least with a car you can grab the wheel, pull on the handbrake.
On the bike even if your directly behind how the hell are you gonna reach the brakes or stop a whiskey throttle?? Even just trying to grab hold of the arms will likely just be as bad... you push or pull will just make him jerk the thottle or grab the brake, rather than one person down you make it two.
 

Plus adding another sack of spuds to a tiny light weight bike makes it handle like a a drunk dancing on a dingy.

 

When i passed my cbt I didnt want to have anyone on the back for their responsibility let alone my own with 10yrs of car driving experience before me, hell even after i passed my full license for a few months....id still be paying for their counselling to this day!  

It just doesn't make sense. 

Edited August 31, 2023 by RideWithStyles

[Mick Foulkes]

Absolutely 100%. It was legal at least up to 1973. Passed my bike test in 1971and spent many a time as pillion to a learner, completely legal. Passed my car test in 1973. Nobody has answered the question when did it become illegal or is it similar to towing a trailer, which is okay for those that had a full vehicle licence in 1973 but not now. 

[rennie]

It was legal when I was younger! I really don't know when it changed but I'm pretty sure it did 

[Capt Sisko]

I certainly did it, as did many of my friend in 70s and early 80s. According to the website below it changed in 1990:- https://www.lightningpass.com/changes-motorcycle-learner-law/ but I don't know the exact when or legislations.

Edited March 7, 2024 by Capt Sisko
typo

[Cbfrider]

On 31/08/2023 at 15:21, RideWithStyles said:

Funny comments before!!

Its no, cars and bikes are different, at least with a car you can grab the wheel, pull on the handbrake.
On the bike even if your directly behind how the hell are you gonna reach the brakes or stop a whiskey throttle?? Even just trying to grab hold of the arms will likely just be as bad... you push or pull will just make him jerk the thottle or grab the brake, rather than one person down you make it two.
 

Plus adding another sack of spuds to a tiny light weight bike makes it handle like a a drunk dancing on a dingy.

 

When i passed my cbt I didnt want to have anyone on the back for their responsibility let alone my own with 10yrs of car driving experience before me, hell even after i passed my full license for a few months....id still be paying for their counselling to this day!  

It just doesn't make sense. 

So how would an instructor on a bike behind be able to grab the steering or hit the brakes.

[S-Westerly]

1 hour ago, Cbfrider said:

So how would an instructor on a bike behind be able to grab the steering or hit the brakes.

That's the difference between bikes and cars. He can't, so if you cock it up its entirely on you even if you are under instruction. 

[Cbfrider]

40 minutes ago, S-Westerly said:

That's the difference between bikes and cars. He can't, so if you cock it up its entirely on you even if you are under instruction. 

Very True,I read that they will be scrapping the Mod 1&2 my instructor said that is not going to happen and they are renaming it to cbt+.

To be fair I think its quite a safe test I’m 52 now and wish I did it years ago