FULL MOTORCYCLE A2 LICENCE
Taking the next step!
The A2 Licence must be taken on a bike of at least 395cc and between 25kW and 35kW and candidates must be at least 19 years of age.
We have 3 options for the A2 licence, above is a Honda CB500F and a Honda CB400 Super Four, and we can also restrict a Suzuki SV650. A lowered version of the 400 allows a pupil at 5’1″ to get their feet flat on the floor, which is less intimidating than the bigger bikes if you a little short in the leg.
To book an intensive A2 course, consider the options, before going to the contact page to book.
It depends on your experience how many sessions you will need but If you do want to take the A2 test and you have never ridden before you will need all 6 sessions. If you have ridden before and feel confident on a geared bike it will be 4 sessions. If you already have a valid CBT and very confident on a 125, it will be 3 sessions, so start from the fourth session.
First session: – if you book an A2 intensive course the first session is your CBT. It depends on your previous experience whether you do the CBT as a novice or as an experienced rider. Look at the CBT pages to decide.
Second session: – If you have started the course as a novice your second session would be spent gaining confidence and increasing the skill level on a 125 that you have been taught on the CBT. It would develop slow riding skills, getting up to speed, cornering techniques, and lots of junction work.
By the end of this session you should be confident on a 125. If you are not, we might have to do another lesson on a 125 before moving to the next session.
Third session: – this is your first ride on a bigger bike so we spend time on the track to get used to the 400/500 first by covering the basics. We then cover all the slow manoeuvres which are part of the mod 1 test and if we have time we finish with a road ride.
Fourth session:- we go back to the track and train for all the mod 1 test to reach a good passable standard in the morning. Finishing off with a mock test before having a break. Following the break, we ride to Kings Lynn and train for the mod 2 test around typical test routes where an examiner will take you.
Fifth session: – we do the final training for the mod 1 test at the track, before travelling to Lynn to take the test. We will do some extra mod 2 training while we are in the town.
Sixth session: – we ride to Lynn on the mod 2 test day and complete final training around the town before taking the mod 2 test.
Two successful A2 test pupils proudly displaying their test certificates.
The full course for a novice is normally spread over 3 weeks and for experienced riders over 2 weeks. It can be condensed by taking both tests on the same day,* the risk is that if you fail the mod 1 you can’t take the mod 2 and you lose the test fee. I only recommend that option for experienced riders who struggle to get time off work.
After passing the A2 test you can ride a bike restricted to 35kW, so long as it hasn’t been restricted by more than half its original power and either 2 years after passing the A2 or when you get to 24 you can then do the A test (Direct Access)
*That isn’t possible at present because the DVSA are booking mod 2 tests in the morning and mod 1 tests in the afternoon.
A2 TO A LICENCE/PROGRESSIVE
The Progressive Route; After you pass the A2 Licence test you are limited to a bike of that size for ever unless you take the test again on an A category bike. Some pupils are more than happy with an A2 bike and especially if they feel a bit intimidated by the larger machines. If you want to take the test again and have been riding an A2 bike for 2 years, you shouldn’t find it difficult, but you will probably have fallen into some bad habits that will need tidying up before a test.
You have to do the mod 1 and the mod 2 tests again and some pupils do both tests in the same day,* maybe coming along for a short lesson just to get used to one of our 600’s first. Then on the test day having a mod 1 session on the track before travelling to Kings Lynn for the mod 1 in the morning followed by a session around the town preparing for the mod 2 test in the afternoon.
*At present this isn’t possible because the DVSA are booking mod 2 tests in the morning and mod 1 tests in the afternoon, so the tests have got to be split over 2 days.
Jake who is pictured up the page when he passed the A2 on a 400, came back with a bigger beard and passed on the bigger bike to complete the progressive route and gain the full A licence.