Feeling the wind blowing by, being right in the middle of the action – for many, riding a motorcycle is immediately associated with a feeling of freedom. In The United Kingdom, the motorcycle driving license is divided into classes, which makes it possible to get started on the road at a young age: You can start acquiring a license for a moped from the age of 15 and switch to more powerful two-wheelers over time. The A2 driving license is considered a preliminary stage to unrestricted motorcycling and is one of many driving licenses for motorcycles. It is particularly advantageous for young people insofar as the performance of their vehicle can gradually be carefully adjusted and increased according to driving experience, in order to then obtain the unrestricted A motorcycle driver's license as early as possible. The division into different classes has also been established as a precautionary measure for the safety of the drivers, as every year many drivers suffer serious injuries or even die as a result of accidents. The EU-wide directives see as the cause of this, among other things, the carelessness of young drivers or a lack of driving experience; This categorization is intended to counteract this.
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What has to be considered before acquiring a two-wheeler-license?
There are not many requirements for acquiring an A2 driver's license. It can be acquired by direct entry; you do not have to have completed the class 1 driver's license in advance. As with the other classes, an examination must of course be taken. A few documents should sometimes be kept ready, such as proof that an officially recognized eye test has been carried out. If this is not passed, it must be repeated with a visual aid. As with all vehicles, proof of ability to provide assistance in the event of an accident is mandatory. Therefore, instruction in life-saving emergency measures must be undertaken, for example at the Red Cross. Following such a course, a certificate is issued that proves participation in the first aid course. But when can the A2 driving license be tackled? In this case, the minimum age for the A2 driving license is 18 years. If you are of legal age and already in possession of an A2 license, you only have to wait two years to switch to the A driver's license. So the direct way is not always the quickest: Even if the A2 motorcycle driving license can in principle be completed before the classes below it in the system, there are one or two advantages to proceeding in sequence. If you have held the class 1 certificate for at least two years, you can do without a theory test. Accordingly, the driver's license for the lower classes is guaranteed to make it easier to get into the higher classes. The driving license classes AM and A1 are therefore automatically included in the A2 license.
General information on acquiring driving license class 2
How does the process of completing the A2 driving license work? The driving lessons in the driving school are determined by the driving instructor and coordinated with the progress of the learners. The specified hours in the theoretical and practical part often depend on the respective driving school – however, the legislator provides for 12 special trips for direct entry. The Driving License Ordinance (FeV) defines the test content: The practical training includes five cross-country drives, 4 motorway drives and 3 night drives. Emergency braking, starting and stopping and avoiding maneuvers are just a few of the processes that are practiced in practice. In the theoretical part, the students have to answer 30 questions, as with the driver's license, with 10 error points required to successfully pass the theory test. Here, knowledge about behavior in road traffic is determined and technical data about the two-wheelers is queried. If you have already passed your class 1 driver's license, you do not have to take the theory test. The practical part of the test will take 60 minutes for direct entry. Once everything is done, all that is missing is the EU driver's license with a biometric passport photo before the first trip can be made on your own. With successful completion, the right two-wheeler driving license, the A driving license, is only a stone's throw away. This can be aimed for from the age of 24. If 15 years have passed, the renewal of the EU driver's license is due, as with all other vehicles. However, this renewal is only limited to an administrative act, so no further examination has to be taken.
For which motorcycles is the driver's license intended?
Not every motorcycle can be driven with every motorcycle license. The A2 driving license is subject to some conditions and, as mentioned above, is not suitable for driving unrestricted motorcycles. In the context of this information, the question arises as to what characteristics the vehicles may have: What am I actually allowed to drive with an A2 driving license? Only a motorcycle with a power of up to 35 kW may be driven; that corresponds to 48 hp. The ratio of weight and power is limited to 0.2 kW/kg. This results in a calculated maximum weight of 175 kg for class 2 vehicles. According to the Driving License Ordinance (FeV), this vehicle class also includes three-wheeled vehicles with an output of 15 kW. All information on the permitted restrictions on vehicles for the respective driver's license classes can be found in the regulation on a motorcycle means a bit of independence for many – but it also costs something. The cost of acquiring a driver's license depends on a number of factors, such as which license category is ultimately targeted. According to Section 19 of the German Driving Instructors Act, the prices of the individual services must be clarified by the driving school before entry into the school. Of course, the costs are reduced if, as already explained, you already have a license or a B driving license for cars. Some driving schools offer discounts when attempting two license classes instead of just one.