Get your full licence on a twist-and-go
You do not have to learn gears to hold a full motorcycle licence. Train and test on an automatic machine, and we will take you through Mod 1 and Mod 2 the same way we would on a geared bike.
A full licence, without the clutch
Plenty of riders never intend to ride anything but a scooter. If that is you, there is no reason to spend your training fighting a gearbox you will not use. Take your Mod 1 and Mod 2 tests on an automatic machine and you get a full motorcycle licence for that category.
The only difference is what sits on the licence afterwards. Pass on an automatic and the DVLA adds code 78 against the category, which restricts you to twist-and-go machines. Everything else is the same: no L plates, a pillion passenger if you want one, and the motorways open to you.
Learn on the machine you actually ride
No clutch, no gears
A twist-and-go machine takes clutch and gear changes out of the equation completely, so all of your attention goes on road position, observation and control. For a lot of riders that means a calmer test day.
The same freedoms
An automatic licence is a full licence. The L plates come off, you can carry a passenger and you can use the motorways, exactly as you could on a geared bike in the same category.
Built for city riding
If you ride for a delivery platform or commute across South East London, a scooter is very likely the machine you will actually use. Training and testing on one means you learn on what you ride.
The one trade-off, stated plainly
An automatic licence only covers automatic machines. If you later decide you want a geared motorcycle, you would need to take the practical test again on a manual bike. It is not a dead end, but it is a decision worth making on purpose rather than by accident.
So it is a good fit if you ride a scooter now and expect to keep riding one. If you think a geared bike is somewhere in your future, our Gear Conversion Course is the cheaper way to find out whether you get on with a clutch before you commit either way.
Ask Nathan which route suits youThe two-part test, and the training for both
An automatic licence is tested exactly like a geared one, in two modules. We train you for both of them on an automatic machine.
How we train you. Your Mod 1 training is done off road at our Grove Park base, on an automatic machine, so you can practise the manoeuvres until they are second nature before you go anywhere near a test centre. Mod 2 training then takes you out on the roads around South East London, riding to test standard with an instructor behind you.
You have to pass Mod 1 before you can sit Mod 2, and both need to be passed inside the two years your theory certificate is valid. We build your course around where you are now and how much riding you have already done.
From CBT to a full automatic licence
CBT
Your Compulsory Basic Training comes first, and it stays valid for two years. If you took your CBT on an automatic you are already on the right machine.
Motorcycle theory test
A multiple-choice paper plus a hazard perception test, booked with the DVSA. Your pass certificate is valid for two years, and both module tests have to fall inside that window.
Mod 1 training and test
The off-road module. We train you on the manoeuvres at our Grove Park base until they are second nature, then you sit the test at a DVSA manoeuvring area.
Mod 2 training and test
The on-road module. We take you out riding to test standard around South East London, then the examiner follows you on radio for the real thing.
Your full automatic licence
Pass both modules and your full licence is issued with code 78 against the category, meaning automatic machines only. Plates off, pillion on, motorways open.
A1, A2 or A, worked out with you
The licence categories work the same way whether you ride automatic or geared. Which one you go for depends on your age and how much riding you have already done, and you can read how A1, A2 and full A compare on our licences page.
Rather than guess, tell Nathan what you ride now and what you want to ride next. He will confirm which category you are eligible for, which machine you would train and test on, and what the course costs. Courses are tailored to individual needs and levels, so there is no fixed package to squeeze yourself into.
Ready to go automatic?
Tell Nathan what you ride now and what you want to ride next, and he will talk you through the training, the Mod 1 and Mod 2 tests and what it costs. DVSA-accredited instructors, six days a week, all year round at our Grove Park base.