book a motorbike test with Two Wheels Motorcycle Training School in Edinburgh

36 Peffermill Road, Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH16 5LL

0131 667 7305

https://www.twowheels.co.uk/

https://www.facebook.com/twowheelsedinburgh

Helmet hire included

About Two Wheels Motorcycle Training School

TWO WHEELS MOTORCYCLE TRAINING
Welcome to Two Wheels Motorcycle Training, the leading provider of motorcycle training for Edinburgh and the Lothians.

Since 1991, we at Two Wheels have taken great pride in offering the best training available, giving over 7,000 new riders a first start on the road. With experienced, highly qualified instructors, a fleet of modern hire bikes to train on, and the latest in communication equipment we are in pole position to get you on the road.

If you've never ridden a bike, our large on-site training area is perfect for quickly familiarising and gaining confidence in the feel and controls of a motorcycle. The area is adjacent to the Training School and not accessed by other vehicles.

TRIAL SESSION
We offer a one-hour trial session with an instructor in a safe off road environment, which will allow you to decide whether or not motorcycling is for you. We run these sessions on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday most weeks. There is a nominal £10 charge, which we will refund when a CBT or full licence course is booked. Please note that you MUST have a valid motorcycle provisional licence to undertake a CBT.


As Scotland's largest Honda dealer, our 15,000 sq ft facility houses the full Honda road range from scooters, adventure, street, tourers to super sports. We also make available a wide variety of demonstrator bikes for you to try before you buy, ensuring your next bike purchase meets all your riding expectations.

If you're in the market for a used motorcycle or scooter, with over 100 quality used bikes of all types you're sure to find a bike that suits your buying criteria and budget.

Whether you're looking to buy a new Honda motorcycle or used motorcycle, we are pleased to offer various financing options to make purchasing your next bike quick, simple and affordable. In fact, you may even be surprised by the deals or extras you can get from your budget through our on-going programme of special offers. Our financing options are available through Honda Finance and our own carefully selected credit providers.

We've got a large motorcycle clothing department offering a wide selection of quality clothing, helmets and accessories from the world's finest motorcycling brands.

Perhaps you're new to biking and would like to gain a license or would like to experience a motorcycle for the first time? If so Two Wheels is home to the areas' leading motorcycle training school with a friendly, dedicated training team who offer taster sessions and can take you from novice to a full licence holder.

We pride ourselves on delivering outstanding customer service before and after the sale of your bike. Our workshop and MOT facility is equipped with the latest specialist tools and diagnostic equipment and all service works are performed by our Honda factory trained technicians. So you can be assured that your bike will be maintained to the highest standards long after you've made your purchase.

As part of our commitment to building positive and lasting customer relationships, we also host regular events and ride-outs throughout the course of the year. These events attract riders of all abilities and have the aim of fostering friendships between other rider friends. They also aim to help you gain even more enjoyment from your motorcycle whilst riding some of the best routes that the beautiful Scottish countryside has to offer.

BRIEF HISTORY
Two Wheels was founded in 1977 as a motorcycle parts and repair shop located on Dalkeith Road. In 1979, the business entered into motorcycle retail following the acquisition of an MZ franchise.

The business enjoyed a rapidly expanding number of new and returning customers and coupled with an increasingly competent sales, parts and service team, the foundations were in place to take on a Honda franchise.

In 1986, the appointment of Two Wheels as an authorised Honda dealer also necessitated relocation to a larger site, close to their existing Dalkeith Road shop. With an ongoing upturn in sales and service business, it became quickly apparent that an even larger, better facility was required! With this in mind, Two Wheels invested in a large plot of land on Peffermill Road upon which its current premises is sited.


What are the different types of motorcycle licence I can get in Edinburgh?

There are 4 main types of full motorcycle licence issued by the DVSA. The first three (AM, A1 and A2 motorcycle licences) have restrictions on the type of moped or motorcycle you can ride, the fourth (the full A motorcycle licence) has no restrictions.

book a motorbike test in Edinburgh

The AM restricted moped licence

This is the only licence available to you when you are 16 years old. This licence allows you to ride a moped of 50 cc or less which has a top speed of 28 mph, with a passenger and without Learner plates. If you are only interested in riding a moped and nothing more then this licence could be right for you. If you want to ride a more powerful motorcycle then you might find it better to wait until you are 17. From the age of 17 onwards you can take the A1 motorcycle test which allows you to ride motorcycle up to 125 cc and with some restrictions on its power to weight ratio.

The A1 restricted motorcycle licence

The minimum age to take this test is 17. According to the DVSA website it will allow you to ride a "Light motorcycle up to 11 kW (and a power-to-weight ratio not more than 0.1 kW per kg) and 125 cc". This means it's up to a 125 cc motorcycle with some restrictions to make sure it cannot accelerate too fast - a really good idea when you are new to riding a motorbike!

Requirements to take the A1 motorcycle test - You must have a UK provisional or full driving licence, a valid theory test certificate and a valid CBT certificate. Once you have taken this test you will not have to keep renewing your CBT certificate every 2 years, you can ride on motorways and you can take a pillion passenger on the back of your motorbike.

book a motorbike test in Edinburgh

The A2 restricted motorcycle licence

For this licence you need to be at least 19 years of age, have completed your CBT or have had an A1 licence for at least 2 years. As with the A1 test you also need to have a UK provisional or full driving licence and a valid theory test certificate . The main benefit of getting an A2 licence is you can ride a more powerful motorcycle. The law states a "standard motorcycle up to 35 kW (and a power-to-weight ratio not more than 0.2 kW per kg)". So it's a more powerful bike, but still not completely un-restricted. To find A2 legal motorbikes you are best visiting your local motorcycle dealer and asking them to show you the A2 legal bikes, as otherwise it's very difficult to work out just looking at the tech specs.

The full A motorcycle licence, or DAS licence.

This is the licence that allows you to ride almost any motorcycle without restrictions, so it's the ultimate motorcycle licence. No limits on power outputs or power per kg or engine size! It is also called a 'DAS' licence as it can be obtained from the 'Direct AccesS' route. There are two ways you can get this licence:

1) If you are 24 or over you can take the tests for an A licence. You must also have a UK provisional or full driving licence, a valid theory test certificate and a valid CBT certificate

2) If you are at least 21 years of age and you have held an A2 category licence for at least 2 years. This is sometimes referred to as the 'progressive access' route as you progress from one licence to another.

When taking the test the biggest difference is that you have to use a bigger, more powerful motorcycle. It will have a power of at least 40kw and an engine cc of at least 595 cc. Your local training school will make sure you have the right size bike for your test.

There is also a flowchart (click here) that the DVLA have produced that shows these different licences and how to obtain them.

To get more detailed guidance on what licence is right for you then talk to your local motorcycle training school. You can search for them here and they are qualified to speak to you on the right type of training for you.

What are the main parts of a motorcycle test?

CBT is only part of motorcycle training. To get your full motorcycle licence you need to pass the following tests:

book a motorbike test in Edinburgh

Theory and hazard perception tests

These are completed at your local DVSA theory test centre. The theory test is a 57 minute test taken under exam conditions. It will check that you have a thorough knowledge of the Highway Code and check that you understand the theory of riding a motorcycle. The hazard perception test takes about 15 minutes and is taken straight after the theoury test. You will be shown a set of videos that show road situations from a motorcycle riders point of view. As you are watching the videos you have to indicate where you think a possible hazard is developing. The sooner you identify a hazard the higher the score you will get.

There are some useful resources for helping you pass your motorcycle theory test. Firstly is the DVSA video on passing your theory test, just click this link. There is also a video to help with your hazard perception test here. If you'd like to practice the theory test then click this link, and there is also a practice for the hazard percption test here.

Compulsory basic training - CBT

This is the training that takes a day to complete, sometimes longer and contains a mixture of classroom theory, off road practice and on road riding. It is completed at a motorcycle training school, you can find your closest motorcycle training school by clicking here. You can read up about all the details of compulsory basic training here.

The module 1 (mod 1) test

You can view a video from the DVSA all about the module 1 test here. This test normally takes about 20 minutes and is taken in a completely off road setting. You will be taken to a large tarmac area where you will need to demonstrate your ability to carry out the following manoeuvres:

  • wheeling the moped or motorcycle and using the stand
  • riding a slalom and figure of 8
  • a slow ride
  • a U-turn
  • cornering and a controlled stop
  • cornering and an emergency stop
  • cornering and hazard avoidance

Once you have completed the test you will be told if you have passed or failed. You must pass the module 1 test before taking the module 2 test. Therefore be careful when you book, as if your module 2 test is too soon after your module 1 test and you fail the module 1 you will not be able to take your module 2 test.

book a motorbike test in Edinburgh

The module 2 (mod 2) test

You can view a video from the DVSA all about the module 2 test here. This test involves riding on road and takes about 40 minutes in total. You will need to carry out the following things:

  1. an eyesight check
  2. show me, tell me vehicle safety questions
  3. road riding
  4. independent riding

You must bring your module 1 pass certificate to the module 2 test, you cannot take the module 2 test without a module 1 pass certificate.

The eyesight check involves reading a number plate from 20 metres away. 'Show me, tell me' is where you will be asked 2 vehicle safety questions from this list. As well as answering you must show the examiner what you are talking about by demonstrating it on the motorcycle. With the road ride the examiner will give you instructions through a radio link and will normally follow you on a motorcycle to observe your riding. The last 10 minutes will be independent riding which is designed to assess your ability to ride safely while making your own decisions. After telling you a set of directions you will be expected to carry them out safely and independently.