Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[consul 57]

[bjacko]

I put a Vincent Firefly 48cc motor on my bicycle and took my test at Macclesfield when I reached my 16th birthday. I passed and it enabled me to ride any type or size vehicle classed as a motor cycle!!
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1938 Morris 8 Ser II Coupe Utility (Pickup)
1985 Rover SD1 VDP

[norustplease]

Just as a matter of interest, can you drive a motorcycle combination on a car licence? (Motor bike and sidecar , that is.)
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1953 Citroen Traction
1964 Volvo PV544
1957 Austin A55 Mk 1
Boring Tucson SUV

[ukdave2002]

If you have Cat A on your licence with a 79(3) restriction, which you should have if the car test was past prior to the late 90's, this is the entitlement:

A driving licence code 79(3) in category A (motorcycles) means the holder is restricted to tricycles only, meaning they can only operate three-wheeled motorcycles. It does not specify a speed or weight limit for the tricycles. The code effectively limits the holder to tricycles and excludes them from operating two-wheeled motorcycles or other vehicles within the motorcycle category.
Key points about code 79(3) on a UK driving licence:
Restricted to tricycles:
The holder can only drive three-wheeled motorcycles.
No speed or weight limit:
The code does not specify any restrictions on the speed or weight of the tricycles the holder can operate.


However I think adding a side car doesn't make a bike a 3 wheeled vehicle, so no.

Category A:

The code is associated with the motorcycle category (A) on the driving license.
Excludes other motorcycles:
It effectively excludes the holder from operating two-wheeled motorcycles or other vehicles within the broader category A.

[Penman]

Many moons ago a car Licence was Group A and I believe M/Bikes were Group B at that time. Then harmonisation of licences with Europe took place so the change over to Categories happened

A car licence is Category B. But just as with Category A you can drive a trike. You cannot drive/ride a combination on a Cat B car licence
You can check all categories here:- https://www.gov.uk/driving-licence-categories.
I found absolutely no mention of m/cycle/sidecar combinations on that page using the Ctrl F search function.

Before they started messing with many different types of M/cycle tests, probably when it was still groups, there was a provision that you could learn on a larger cc bike provided it had a sidecar, but you could only carry a full licence holder as a passenger, just like the rules they had for pillions.

A m/cycle training company has posted:-
"A License
Eligibility: Available to riders aged 24 and above (direct access) or 21 and above (progressive access).
What You Can Ride: Unrestricted motorcycles in size and power, with or without a sidecar, and motor tricycles with power output over 15 kW.
Requirements: Direct access route (CBT, theory test, practical test) or progressive access route (2 years experience on an A2 motorcycle and a further practical test)."
It is a British company so I don't know why it isn't using the English spelling of Licence
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Bristols should always come in pairs.

Any 2 from:-
Straight 6
V8 V10

[alastairq]

[Penman]

alastairq: I can remember when I first started instructing examiners would sometimes have to go out to do tests for "other categories vehicles".
The "f" Agricultural tractor was the most common because it got the 16yr old farm lads legal ASAP. (There was an argument later on, after the +E Cat came in, when FastTrax came out that 16yr olds could be towing a trailer legally on a motorway.
The "k" pedestrian controlled was still being used for the walking. tiller controlled, electric milk floats and "l" was for the sit in and drive milk floats. I think "M" trolley vehicles had all been withdrawn from service by then and I suspect that when they were in use the bus companies had delegated examiners anyway. Nowadays trolley vehicles are at places like Sandtoft and I don't know what licences are needed for them, presumably similar to those needed for other preserved buses and tramways.
"n" is an interesting one because motability is exempt from duty (if that means Road Tax) but they have to pass Cat B.
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Bristols should always come in pairs.

Any 2 from:-
Straight 6
V8 V10

[V8 Nutter]

My club, American Auto Club UK is very lucky as far as members age is concerned, we have plenty of older members. I think the oldest is 94 and still driving, but most of the committee are in their 50's and we have many members in their 30's and 40's. Our youngest active local member is 25, he is on his second American car a 1971 Dodge Challenger. I think all the re-runs of old movies from the 50's,60's and 70's helps to keep the interest going, plus it is usually so easy to obtain parts, even for old cars going back as far as the 1920's. The shipping can get a bit expensive, but several companies do containerised shipping which saves a fortune, if you are not in a hurry. The last parts I bought for my 1970 Cadillac was most of the exhaust system. I had a choice a spurious one or for a few dollars more one made to original specs. Even with shipping the price was comparable with a big British or European car, and it arrived in three days.

[alastairq]