CBT – 16 years +

Compulsory Basic Training

1st Class Motorcycle Training CBT Information…

The CBT is a basic training course required by law to validate all provisional licences ( i.e. EVERYONE riding on L – Plates ).

This course is required by law for anyone wishing to ride a moped or motorcycle on the road. At 16 years old you can only ride a 49cc moped and at 17 years old or above you can ride up to a 125cc motorcycle.
The CBT only allows you to ride under the provisional conditions of your driving licence, this means you will need to have L-Plates displayed, won’t be allowed to carry a passenger, travel on motorways or ride anything larger than a 125cc machine.

Compulsory basic training (CBT ) has 5 elements:

introduction and eyesight check
practical on-site training
practical on-site riding
practical on-road training
practical on-road riding

The CBT course can be booked through ourselves and courses are run every weekend throughout the year, we also run the courses on selected weekdays which do vary each week.

The course takes place on our unique off road training area which is by far the largest in the south west giving you the best opportunity to gain full control of your motorcycle before progressing out onto the road.

The price for this course is £79 using your own machine or £99 using one of our machines. On your training day we will not charge you an extra damage waiver fee.

You can choose to take you’re CBT course on a 2:1 ratio over a full day instead of the standard CBT course (4:1 ratio), the cost for this is £125 and needs to be requested at the time of booking. (CBT certificates will still only be issued if all the required elements are covered and a satisfactory standard is met).(Times do vary for the weekday courses.)

 
Upon successful completion of the above elements, you will be issued with your CBT certificate (DL 196).This is a legal document which validates the relevant entitlements on your driving licence.
Should any student not reach the required compulsory safety standard to obtain a CBT, the student will be given an opportunity to re-attend a further CBT course;  within four weeks of the original CBT course on a date as agreed with 1st Class at a reduced cost if booked at the time of the original CBT course.

When booking your CBT with 1st Class, you are ensuring that not only will you receive the best training standards available, in a safe and secure location , but also at a superb price due to our price match guarantee.
 
If you lose your CBT certificate , copies are available from 1st Class for a small charge.
 
CBT certificates are valid for 2 years
 
 
To Book Securely Online Click The Button Below :

A1 & A2

A1 & A2 Motorcycle Licence Information

A 1st Class Guide To The A1 & A2 Motorcycle Licences

1st Class Motorcycle Training are the leading Plymouth and the South West’s motorcycle training centre.
 
All of our training courses are run on a small group ratio, this allows us to give attention to individual tuition requirements and ensures the highest first time pass rate for our students…
 
Learn to ride in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere, on our newly added range of KTM Duke 125’s and our Honda MSX 125’s…
 
Our A1 and A2 courses have been designed to the highest possible standards, and our DSA approved instructors attention to detail ensures that our students receive training that is second to none.
 
When booking with 1st Class, you are ensuring that not only will you receive the best training standards available, in a safe and secure location , but also at a superb price due to our price match guarantee…

A1 Licence 17 years +

A1 training is £110/day on your own bike and £125/day if you use our bike, your test fee’s are £15.50 for module 1 and £75 for module 2.

How many days you take is up to you, some people only have 1 days training and manage to get through both A1 tests on their own bike. We would recommend just booking 1 day to begin with and see how you get on. A1 training cannot be booked online as yet so you would need to contact the office to book your training days.

We are now offering a GUARANTEED PASS ON YOUR MODULE 1 TEST WITH ALL OUR 3,4 and 5 DAY A2/DAS FULL LICENCE COURSES. This means that in the highly unlikely event that you should fail your MODULE 1 TEST with us then we will NOT CHARGE YOU to retake the MODULE 1 test.

NO CHARGE for BIKE HIRE!
NO CHARGE for EXTRA TRAINING!
NO CHARGE for the RE-TEST!

Since the introduction of our fleet of KTM DUKE 690 motorcycles, we have had so few customers fail their MODULE 1 TEST on their first attempt and we are so confident in both the excellent handling and great manoeuvrability of these machines along with our own high standard of tuition, that we are giving this Module 1 pass guarantee to our students!

 
For those aged 17+ or those that simply don’t want to ride anything bigger than a 125cc but just want to remove your L plates and carry pillions the A1 licence is for you.
 
You must complete a CBT, motorcycle theory test and take both Module 1 and Module 2 practical tests using a 125cc machine.
 
 
Please Note:
 
Once an A1 Licence has been gained, riders should be aware that the motorcycle restrictions are no longer removed after 2 years, unless you progress onto a higher category licence i.e. A2 or Direct Access, in which case you will need to take a motorcycle theory test before booking your A2 or Direct Access course…
 
 To Book your Full Licence Course ( 3, 4 and 5 day options available) Click The Button Below

A2 Licence 19 years +
 

How many days training you will need to take will depend on any previous experience you may have, we are more than happy to discuss this with you or we can assess you during your CBT course or a Pre-Course assessment.

We are able to offer training course’s from 1 day long to 6 days long, the price is calculated by how many days you book and which tests are booked. i.e. a 3day DAS course with both tests is 3x£125 + £15.50 + £75 = £465.50. Our price quotes are always the guaranteed total price you will pay, we will never ask you for more money to cover insurance waiver’s or insurance excess!!

We offer a range of full licence package course’s from 3 days to 5 days and these work out slightly cheaper than our daily rates, the prices for these are as follows. (You will need to have passed both your CBT and theory test to be able to attend your full licence course.)

3 Day Direct Access / A2 Course £465.50 Inc Bike Hire and Test Fee’s (For experienced riders)
4 Day Direct Access / A2 Course £585.00 Inc Bike Hire and Test Fee’s (For less experienced riders)
5 Day Direct Access / A2 Course £699.00 Inc Bike Hire and Test Fee’s (For those with little to no experience.)

Usually theses courses are booked on consecutive days but they can also be arranged to run over split days or a period of weeks if required.

The A2 Restricted licence allows riders aged 19 or over to ride a medium sized motorcycle as long as it is restricted to 46.6 bhp (35 kW) and has a power-to-weight ratio of not more than 0.2 kW per kg.
 
The bike mustn’t be derived from a vehicle more than twice its power (Machines with larger than 93 bhp will be unsuitable for restriction in this category). You must complete a CBT, a motorcycle theory test and take both practical tests, Module 1 and Module 2 on a minimum of 400cc..
 
Please Note:
 
Once an A2 Licence has been gained, riders should be aware that the motorcycle restrictions are no longer removed after 2 years, unless you progress onto a higher category licence such as Direct Access.
 
 
To Book your Full Licence Course ( 3, 4 and 5 day options available) Click The Button Below

DAS 24 years +

Refresher Training

Refresher Training Information

If you already hold a Motorcycle licence, and are looking to improve your riding skills…
 
Or perhaps you would like to progress up to a larger machine…
 
Or maybe you simply haven’t ridden for a period of time and are looking to return to riding a motorcycle…
 
Then look no further as 1st Class Motorcycle Training can tailor a course to suit your specific needs and requirements, which will give you the necessary skills and confidence to safely enjoy your motorcyclist experience.
 
For more information, call 1st Class on 01752 339050 , Email us at firstclassm[email protected] , or feel free to get in touch with us via our contact page.

Student Information

Why choose us?

At 1st Class our experienced instructors have been training learner motorcyclists for over 25 years and we pride ourselves with our honest and up front pricing and training with no hidden charges or fees.

We Guarantee you will not have any unexpected charges or fees which are not made apparent at the time of booking for your training and tests.

You’re CBT course will always be run adhering to the DVSA guidelines, it is a legal document.
You will have the latest machinery to learn on,
The largest training area in the region to practise on,
Experienced, knowledgeable, caring and good humoured instructors to help coach you through the course.
The minimum time of 2 hours is always spent on the road achieving you valuable road experience necessary to stay safe.
The CBT for most is your first introduction to a motorcycle and therefore we will never rush through the course or issue a certificate to someone who isn’t safe.

You’re Full licence course will have the latest and most up to date machinery for you to train on. All our A2 and DAS bikes are fitted with ABS, Traction control and Anti wheelie and are in excellent condition at all times.

You’re course will never be over sold to you, If we think you will pass in 3 days we will tell you, we WON’T try and push you into a 6 day course. Our Full licence training day run’s from 08:00 to 15:15, no half days, no late starts, no unexpected early finishes and no time wasted visiting bike shops.
You will get approximately 2 hours of specific Module 1 test practise every day of your course, This ensures you are ready to pass the module 1 test at your first attempt. In fact if you don’t pass first time we will only charge you the test fee to sit it again with NO charge for BIKE HIRE or TRAINING.
RE-TEST FEE’s are rarely needed but if they are costs are kept to a minimum.

Does your training appear cheaper elsewhere? You might find additional fee’s, shorter training days, over quoting on the amount of training you need, limited practise for the module 1 test and should you fail expensive retest fee’s.
Things like this can make it more expensive in the long run.
You know the old saying ‘too good to be true’ – that’s because it often is. If you have been given a cheaper quote for training you should be aware that it is cheaper for a reason!

At 1st Class we ensure 1st class training and service throughout, with a transparent pricing policy so you know exactly what you are getting and paying for.
Your safety and the safety of all our students comes first. Our aim is to get you through your test first time with the correct training at a competitive and clear price.
Our guarantee to you when booking your training course with 1st Class is that we will explain all the course fees to you and NEVER ask you to pay extra when you arrive. All our fees are fully inclusive and will never contain hidden extras, giving you peace of mind and value for money.

But don’t just take our word for it,
See our reviews on Facebook and google.
Ask around, ask your friends, ask your work colleague’s

New Test Information

A guide to EU-wide licence rules to improve safety for motorcyclists…

Motorcycle licence rules changed as of 19th January 2013. Under European legislation governing driving and riding licences.. The EU-wide rules aim to make motorcycling safer by ensuring that riders get experience of riding before they ride more powerful machines.
 
The new rules, which came into force on 19 January 2013, will mean:
 
Riders aged 17-19 will be limited to 125cc bikes (category A1)
 
Riders aged 19-21 will be limited to bikes with a power of up to 46.6bhp – typically around 500cc (category A2)
 
 
From the age of 21 riders can have access to bigger bikes (category A), but only if they have held a category A2 licence for two years
 
From the age of 24 riders will be able to opt for direct access to category A (up from the current direct access age of 21)
 
More details about which bikes can be used on test and the access requirements for different categories of licence can be found below :

Click Image below to view full size

Practical Test Details…

The new practical motorcycle test is now in effect as of 27th April 2009 to comply with European legislation, which aims to improve the standard of road safety for motorcycle and moped riders. This user group have been identified as having a high risk of injury or death. This is particularly the case for young and inexperienced riders.
 
In October 2000, the European Commission brought in new standards for theoretical and practical driving tests conducted within the European Union (EU). This new legislation adds to this and is intended to ensure that motorcycle test candidates demonstrate that they are competent in the control of their machines at a more demanding level than is currently the case.
 
The new one test event will contain two elements. The Higher speed manoeuvres and other exercises will be tested on safe off-road sites and take about 8 minutes to complete. The accompanied riding element of the test will follow, consisting of a road ride include normal stops, hill and angle starts. Candidates who have exhibited riding skills of a dangerously incompetent level during the off-road part of the test will not be permitted to proceed to the on-road element.
 
The new test will be delivered from a network of sites provided either directly by DSA or via private developers. Many of the centres will be Multipurpose Test Centres (MPTC) providing both motorcycle and car testing facilities. Some will provide Large Goods Vehicle (LGV) and Passenger Carrying Vehicle (PCV) testing facilities. Some low use sites will only provide motorcycle testing.
 
New site for Plymouth is now complete, and is located in Ernesettle.

What’s New

Module 1 must be passed first and consists of a series of specified manoeuvres that will be conducted off road. It will include exercises designed to assess the rider’s ability to control their machine safely, including avoidance and emergency stop exercises. Module 1 will last approximately 22 minutes.
 
Module 2 of the test  will consist of the eyesight test, road safety questions and at least 30 minutes of road riding. covering a variety of road and traffic conditions and will also include normal stops, hill and angle starts. It is similar to the previous motorcycling test and is designed to assess the rider’s ability to safely interact with other road users. Module 2 will last approximately 57 minutes – (includes at least 30 minutes of road riding).

Click Images below to view full size:

The diagrams show the proposed layout of the manoeuvring area. At the discretion of the examiner, candidates will be asked to demonstrate their ability to ride a right circuit, and steer to the right on the avoidance exercise or a left circuit and steer to the left on the avoidance exercise.

The practical moped riding test is being developed. The higher speed manoeuvres for moped riders will be slower than for motorcycles. A test for the drivers of motorcycle and side car combination is also under development.

Special Off Road Facilities:

It was considered that it would not be safe to conduct the new higher speed and braking manoeuvres on public roads, which in very built up and busy test areas, would not be safe for the rider, other road users and the general public.
 
Undertaking a fair and consistent assessment for all candidates across Great Britain would be best achieved by using a pre-determined layout using ground markings and cones. It would be impractical to do that on a public road with other traffic present.
 
Due to the minimum speeds required and different handling and power characteristics of different machines, it has been necessary to calculate a minimum test area in which to conduct the new test.
 
What will the new Multi-Purpose Test Centres provide?
 
” comfortable waiting room with toilet facilities
 
” easy access and toilet facilities for disabled candidates
 
” good off road parking facilities for motorcycles and cars
 
” separate “radio kit up” room for motorcycle candidates
 
” an off road motorcycle manoeuvring area for the new test, finished with a high specification surface providing good grip in wet and dry weather and designed to be without hazards such as drainage gullies.

Licence Route

Here you will find the latest information as of January 2013, with six guides on how the new motorcycle tests are applied, from gaining a moped licence, right the way through to the Category A Licence for ages 24+ .

The guides below detail what is required for each motorcycle licence category, if you have any questions then feel free to contact 1st Class on 01752 339050

Click the images below to view full size…

Frequently Asked Questions

A Selection Of Questions And Answers:

Q – Do you offer a guaranteed pass?
 
A – No one can guarantee you will pass a CBT course or full licence test.  There are no guarantees in life, students ride for themselves during their test – only they can determine if they pass or not.
 
Q- Are there any hidden charges?
 
A – No, At 1st Class we believe in the honest approach, all our prices include bike hire and insurance, and safety equipment
is available to borrow at no extra charge. 
 
All prices quoted for a bike course will always be the price you pay we will never surprise you with additional costs or hidden charges. We will however match any offer or any course offered by any other local training school.
 
Q – What is a CBT and how long is it valid for?
 
A –  CBT stands for compulsory basic training, this is a one day course which is required by law to be completed in order
for you to be able to ride unaccompanied on the road. CBT certificates are valid for 2 years
 
Q – Can I ride any bike I like on/after a CBT course?
 
A –  At the age of 16 you can only  ride a 50cc scooter or motorcycle, from the age of 17 you can choose to ride either a
 50cc or a 125cc  scooter or motorcycle. Students can use their own bike or bikes are available to hire from 1st Class.
 
Q – What happens if I cant find my CBT certificate?
 
A – Don’t worry we can issue you with a duplicate certificate for a small fee.
 
Q – What type of licence to I need?
 
A – At age 16 you will need a provisional driving licence with category ‘p’ on it to ride a 50cc scooter, from age 17 or over
you will need a provisional driving licence with category ‘p’ on it to ride a 50cc scooter, or category ‘a’ to ride a 125cc
scooter or motorcycle.
 
If you have a full car driving licence this must either have one of the above categories on depending
on what you wish to ride or you must apply for a provisional motorcycle licence.
 
Application forms can be obtained from most post offices

Q – What is a theory test?
 
A –  A theory test comprises of multiple choice questions and hazard perception clips, this must be passed before you
can take an A1/A2 or DAS practical test.
 
Your Theory test can be arranged by telephoning the DSA on 0870 0101372
or you can book online by clicking here
 
Q – How many days training do I need for my test?
 
A – It is always wiser to allow more time to complete your training so always book more days training then required as
we will happily refund any training days not needed.
 
Q – Do you provide car driving lessons?
 
A – No, we only specialise in motorcycle training; we leave the car lessons to the car driving specialists.
 
We are happy to recommend:- Paul Abery who you can contact on 07813440873 or visit his website at www.motor-way.co.uk
 
Q – Do you do motorbike repairs and servicing?
 
A – No, we only specialise in motorcycle training although we have a fully qualified mechanic on site we leave customer
repairs and servicing to the professionals.
 
We are happy to recommend:- 2 Wheel Technics who you can contact on 01752 251999
 
If you have any other questions you’d like to ask us, then please feel free to contact us on 01752 339050, or email us at [email protected] , or you can use our contact page by clicking Here