THE new licence rules which came into effect in January are a confusing quagmire of limits and age-dependent entitlements which even riding instructors find difficult to explain.
And if you were hoping government might be able to provide clarity, we have disappointing news.
We sent the Department for Transport 10 questions that have been troubling us here at Visordown HQ about the practicalities of A2 licence restrictions. We know, for example, there’s a 47bhp power limit, but is it measured at the wheel of crank?
There’s a power-to-weight ratio limit, but does the motorcycle’s weight include fuel? What about luggage?
Can we restrict bikes ourselves, or add weight?
In the interest of enabling riders to comply with the terms of their licence, we’d hoped for some clear, straightforward answers.
But no. The DfT ignored many of our specific questions and sent us a long-winded statement dealing with the requirements of motorcycles used in the test - something we did not enquire about.
The response was illuminating mainly of the confusion underlying the new licence rules, which is why we decided to publish it anyway, along with our questions.
We’ve put any relevant excerpts from the DfT’s statement under the appropriate questions. We’re also including the DfT’s full statement, along with an open invitation for the government department to answer the questions it does not address.
We’re waiting…