Had an interesting chat with a MC dealer today. (I do Insurance companies for a living). The point being in order for us to ride a bike capable of any decent speed / perfomance we have to do three tests and be over 21.
Cage drivers two tests and be 17 how is that fair ?
But since biking is more dangerous, i.e. any given crash is more likely to end in tears, it is only fitting that we should have more training and hoops to jump through.
I reckon anyway. 
Sounds about right, and after all, it takes more skill to ride a bike than it does to drive a car (safely, and proficiently).
I think the system is great… I’m glad of it too, would not be here now if I had my way when I was 17 and bought a TZR125 instead of a car!!
I think it’s only right as riding a bike is more difficult to do, an absolute beginner can’t fall off a car. It scares me stupid to think of the minimal regulations that were around when I started - reach 17, get a provisional licence & some insurance, go out and buy a 250 2-stroke capable of 90 mph+ and off you go. Not surprising they did something about it. Today’s learners have it tough in comparison but it’s probably best that way!
The point I am trying to make here is in relation to the powerful cars. If you have the means at 17 you could bur a porsche and drive it. In my view there needs to be some sort of power cap for young car drivers to acheive parity with us bikers,
And yes I do beleive that the current system for Bike testing is right.
Gripe now aired.
Ahhh now I’m with u
Yes indeed, it’s wrong. If u can insure it, you can drive it. Badly. wrong wrong wrong.
u can insure it, you just cant claim…
I think its right for bikers to have more training etc… but IMO the 33bhp restriction is totally unjustified.
I think car drivers should do some motorbike training to improve their observation skills
I’d agree there should be some kinda power limit on cars for a while after passing your test.
The DAS thing for bikes is crazy though. 3 Days training on a cb500, test on Thursday, and 150BHP on Friday?
There’s no reason why 150BHP should be dangerous, but be honest, in a lot of cases it is.
maybe a good idea for the car test would be that after a new driver passes the car test they then have to do a cbt and then a supervised day in a large vehicle (44ton truck or big coach etc) before the car licence becomes valid, maybe that could help reduce acccidents by giving the (car driving) majority a greater idea of what is going on around them by showing different perspectives
and closer to the original point, how about something like a 100hp limit for two years for new car drivers? seems closest in comparison to 33hp bike limit
(he said after doing a das course aged 21 and switching from fast cars to bikes
)
Well, in my day, you got a full motorbike licence with your car licence. New car drivers were limited to 80km/h for the first year (no such restrictions for PTWs, though). You break the 80km/h limit, you lose your licence, end of.
Then, in the 1990s, they realised nobody else in Europe restricted their new drivers this way, and so, it was scrapped.
They are now talking about banning new male drivers from carrying passengers for the first year. Funnily enough, that might be against sexual discrimination laws…
ah… there is a flaw in your thinking “cbr”…
most insurance companies will not insure you on a car within the upper classes of the insurance categories unless you are 25.
so regardless of having a full licence at 17 you cant get insurance for a porsche etc… when your 21 or so you are able to get insured but it costs so much money that they either can afford it, it costs more than a new car or its just plain ridiculous…and if they do do it then what is an insurance company salesmen to say… NO to 5000 per annum in their pocket for the next 4/5 years… you wouldnt either…
i personally think that every one should do a cbt with their full car licence to make them realise jsut how vulnerable bikes are to stupid drivers and then it might make them think twice about jsut turning into side roads, talking on the mobile, stopping randomly or having the music up too loud etc etc etc…
education is the way forward not restriction!
with you on that one beach
my girl just got a vespa and did her cbt. noticed her looking for bikes filtering when she was crossing the road. most people see stationary traffic and think it becomes pavement safe…
traffic cops have to do their bike test before doughnut eating in the cars - good idea if you ask me
