Here at the adflyer motors blog, we like to give you the latest news, advice and tips on everything motor-related.  Seeing as we’ve already unravelled the mystery of how to get a licence for a scooter, we thought we’d help out those of you who want to ride something a little bit faster.  Whether you’ve just bought a great new motorcycle or you’re still on the lookout for the perfect deal, you’ll need to get a motorcycle licence before you can even think about getting out on the road.  So, what kind of motorcycle licence do you need, and how do you get it?

Anyone can apply for a motorcycle licence at 17, but you’ll need to get your hands on a provisional motorcycle licence first.  You can pick up a provisional application form (form D1) at your local Post Office, or you could go online to order a form.  If, however, you’re the proud owner of a full car driving licence, you’ll most likely already have provisional motorcycle entitlement, so there’s no need to fill out a pesky form!

Once you’ve got your provisional motorcycle licence sorted, you’re required by law to complete a Compulsory Basic Training (CBT) course.  Don’t worry, this isn’t as scary as it sounds: you don’t have to have any prior motorcycle experience to complete the training, and it takes just one day to do.  After you’ve passed your CBT, you’ll receive a DL196 certificate which is valid for two years.  Make sure you get moving pretty quickly after you get this, because if you don’t pass your theory and practical tests within the two years you’ll have to start all over again.

Next, it’s time to take the motorcycle theory test which consists of a set of multiple choice questions and a hazard perception test.  This test is designed to assess your knowledge of the theory behind riding motorcycles on the road, particularly in relation to the rules of the road and the best driving practices, so make sure you do your homework.

After the theory test comes the final hurdle: the practical motorcycle test.  This test hopefully shouldn’t be as nerve-wracking as the practical test for car driving, as you won’t have to worry about the examiner being sat right next to you.  Instead, the examiner will ask you a few safety questions before you ride on the road and perform a series of exercises whilst they look out for adherence to traffic laws, good observation skills and sufficient control on the road.  If all goes well and you pass the practical test, there are three main ways to get a motorbike licence: the A1 Full Light Motorcycle Licence allows you to ride a motorbike with an engine capacity up to 125cc; the A2 Standard Motorcycle Licence restricts you to a light motorcycle for two years, after which you can ride a bike of any size under a full licence; and the Direct Access Scheme (DAS) for those over 21 to get a full motorcycle licence and ride any motorbike they want.

So there you have it!  After all this, you’re hopefully feeling a lot less confused about how to go about getting a motorcycle licence and you’re ready to go out and find the perfect bike for you!  When you’re shopping for your dream ride, take a look at adflyer’s motoring section for a huge range of motorcycles for sale, or if you don’t think motorbikes are for you, we’ve got plenty of fantastic listings for cars, scooters and even vans, so take a look today!

These days it seems like motorists can’t do anything while driving: talking on a mobile, eating, drinking, smoking and even listening to the radio are at best frowned upon, and at worst illegal.  This is apparently all in the name of road safety of course, to help us to avoid distractions and limit the danger of unnecessary and avoidable accidents.

But, with so many restrictions on what we can and can’t do in our cars, surely the focus should shift to what’s actually out on the road too.  The humble road sign is designed to inform us of changes in the road ahead and to keep us focused on driving properly, but lately it seems like the signs are becoming a distraction in themselves.

For example, the Highways Agency have recently come under fire for a pilot scheme costing over £76,000 of taxpayers’ money, which sought to plant signs along the M6 and M11 saying simply ‘Highways Agency’.  Criticised as no more than a pointless advertising campaign, the scheme was mercifully scrapped and common sense prevailed in this case.

However, there are still plenty of pointless road signs out there which if nothing else, have made for amusing conversation in the adflyer office.  Imagine, for instance, driving along in a Ford car (like the one pictured) and coming across one speed limit sign placed on top of another contradictory one, or steering your Vauxhall in the direction of a sign posted ‘Secret Nuclear Bunker’!  But the stupidity doesn’t stop there, oh no!  If you look hard enough when cruising along in your BMW, Honda, Hyundai, Peugeot or Volkswagen, you might get lucky and spot one of these beauties: a sign for a ‘Blind Centre’, one reading ‘Cross only when cars stop’ or even ‘Sign not in use’!

So, have you ever spotted a stupid road sign to rival the ridiculous ones the adflyer team have found?  If so, make a comment and let us know…

In the meantime, check out our great motoring section.  Our sellers upload new listings for cars, motorcycles and scooters and vans every day, so take a look and you could find a great bargain!