UKC

I’ve never been a biker and no intention of starting now in my 60s. But with tighter legislation and the crap scooter I had last time compared to my other half who has a license I’m wondering if it’s worth investing a little time and cash in getting a basic motorcycle license to make things easier in Kaly

In reply to kevin stephens:

Unless you are doing it out there is probably more than a little time and money. You are looking at a theory test plus an off road manoeuvres test plus a main test with the tuition to get you through the two practicals. Cost me over £600 and that was fifteen years ago so I’d guess about a grand now by time you are done in the UK.

that said it’s a life skill and will make you a much better and safer road user on/in any other vehicle but it might be a bit much if you are only going to use it for a fortnight holiday.

or you might find you get bitten by the bug anyway and want something for here as well. Even at todays prices it’s just over £20 to fill up a bike so it’s becoming a very cost efficient way of getting about.

In reply to kevin stephens:

If you passed your test back in the midsts of time, you should have AM on your licence which should cover you for a 50cc scooter. All you need and the most fun of the lot, wringing the neck of an angry wasp.

In reply to Presley Whippet: yes I’m old and that’s what I had last time. Two speeds: stop and go. I just wandered what I’d need to get an upgrade, Dog Dave has saved me from a world where I may get sucked into buying something fast, expensive and dangerous 

In reply to kevin stephens:

What I do not know is whether having a CBT would give any advantage. Would this open the door to a 125?

Some Kaly hirers will give you a 125 on just AM others won't. Some will hire you a scooter without a licence, others won't. 

My view is if a hirer is lax on regulation they are likely to be lax on safety and servicing and you are more likely to have a problem. 

In reply to kevin stephens:

Doing your CBT would give you a decent basic grounding in how to ride - it's a day and costs ~£100.

Unfortunately, it also only lasts 2 years and doesn't add anything meaningful to your licence* - it does give you a certificate to wave on Kaly, but probably meaningless to any of the hire places unless run by an ex-pat Brit.

* you'd need to get a provisional motorbike added first, if you haven't already got it.

In reply to kevin stephens:

Frankly I wouldn't bother. I have a full bike license. although I haven't ridden an actual motorbike for years, and have rented 125's on Kalymnos a couple of times.

Last year I was there with my 18yo son who doesn't have a bike license - and never will as long as his mother has any say in the matter - so in fairness to him I also rented a 50.

My conclusion: unless you're riding two up, a fifty is plenty for Kalymnos roads. You can absolutely thrash it to its limits (not that I would, ahem) and it doesn't go fast enough to be scary. A 125 does.

In reply to kevin stephens:

Just get a little car Kevin. That's what me and D'Ale did last year. Far more comfortable and less dangerous. After my disastrous crash on THAT bend a few years ago which cost me €€€€€ in repairs to the bike, vast rips in my favourite jacket, minor blood loss, massive embarrassment and a camera which I'd left at roadside in all the kerfuffle and some a***hole took and didn't hand in, I'm not having the discomfort of a scooter again.

In reply to kevin stephens:

On my license, bearing in mind I'm not much older than you, I'm covered for category A. According to the gov. website that is up to 125cc. In Britain you'd have to put L plates on but in Kalymnos who knows?. Enjoy but take care!

In reply to Martin Bennett:

I agree.

Happy not to pretend to look cool for the benefit of a hire car on the dockside when you get off the ferry and you can leave it back there. 

I crashed a moped in Greece years ago (proper one with a clutch etc) and it put me off for life.

In reply to kevin stephens:

As long as you have the bike designation on your licence (I passed my test in 2003 and I have it), you can hire a 125 in Kaly, which is plenty and much better than a 50cc on the hills!

In reply to Martin Bennett:

Kasteli corner…

Met a guy out there one year who races dirt bikes as his other hobby, rides a motorcycle every day. Lost it on Kasteli corner.  Made a right mess of himself…

In reply to kevin stephens:

It’s not much fun on a quad either, believe me 😱! I only ended up with that death trap because despite having had a full bike license for 30 years, I only had an old green paper license, which they wouldn’t accept as proof. 

In reply to Martin Bennett:

Reminds me of the time in Koh Samui when I asked our rep about hiring mopeds - she went white as a sheet and asked us not to hire one, as the roads were so dangerous if you didn't understand the traffic. Turns out a German girl had crashed one on a busy junction the week before wearing little more than a bikini and had left rather a lot of skin behind!

Once did a tour of Zante on a quad bike, though - that was fun

In reply to kevin stephens:

Haha, I dropped  a Yamaha DT125 trailie in Zante - the roads were so smooth I had friction burns rather than gravel rash! Shrug of the shoulders from the rental place, new clutch lever, and a few elastoplasts later, good as new 😂👍