Motorcycle CBT · Direct Access · Full licence, for Barnstaple riders
CBT motorcycle training for Barnstaple riders
Looking for CBT motorcycle training in Barnstaple? CBT is Compulsory Basic Training, the one-day DVSA course you need before you ride a moped or a 125 on L plates. Our training site is not in Barnstaple. We train at North Tawton Rugby Club in mid Devon, around 45 minutes away, and riders make the trip from Barnstaple and across North Devon. CBT is £159 when you use your own motorcycle and gear, and Direct Access starts from £925.
Serving BarnstapleWhat we run
Motorcycle courses for Barnstaple riders
CBT (Compulsory Basic Training)
From £159
A one-day course covering all five elements, including a minimum of a 2-hour road ride, plus an intro to the bike, riding skills and the highway code. Pass it and you can ride a moped or 125 with L-plates.
£159 is the price when you use your own motorcycle and gear. Need to use one of ours? Call us and we will price it for you.
Before the day
Get your balance back first. Riding a motorcycle leans on the same balance as riding a bicycle, and it shows on the day when someone has not been on a pushbike for years. A few rides in the week before your CBT make a real difference.
Direct Access (DAS)
From £925
4 or 5 day courses toward your A1, A2 or full licence via Direct Access: Mod 1 and Mod 2 test training, with all test fees included. Training includes time on the MMA (Motorcycle Manoeuvring Area), the official test centre exam area, giving you real practice and insight into the actual test. You ride our Honda CB650F, and the bike hire is included.
£925 includes the bike and the Module 1 and Module 2 test fees. If you need a retest, that fee is extra.
Everything about our Direct Access course →
Or split your Mods: Module 1 first, Module 2 a little later, with the test routes ridden in training at Exeter or Barnstaple. How it works →
A1 & A2 Licence Training
From £925
Structured training toward your A1 or A2 licence, at a pace that suits you. We cover Mod 1 and Mod 2 test prep too.
The same starting price as Direct Access: the same training and the same tests, with the Module 1 and Module 2 test fees included. Stepping up from an A2 you may need less, so Sally will talk through your experience first.
Also available near Barnstaple: Back to Biking refreshers, pre-CBT taster sessions (£99 for a half day, bike included), gear conversion days for riders who took their CBT on an automatic (from £200) and 1-2-1 tuition. See all courses & prices →
Full payment is due 14 days before your course starts. Cancel with 14 full days' notice (21 for Direct Access) for a full refund or a new date; with less notice your booking moves to another date. Deposits for A1, A2 and Direct Access are not refundable; the Direct Access deposit is £250. Cancellations and refunds →
CBT test in Barnstaple?
Booking a motorcycle CBT test from Barnstaple
If you have searched for a “CBT test in Barnstaple”, you are after the course that gets you on the road on a moped or a 125. CBT stands for Compulsory Basic Training, and whatever people call it, there is no exam and no pass mark. It is a one-day course, and your instructor signs it off once you can ride safely on your own.
At the end you get a DL196 certificate, which covers you on L plates for 2 years. From Barnstaple, the day is around 45 minutes away at our site at North Tawton Rugby Club.
- Price
- £159 on your own motorcycle and gear. Need one of ours? Call us and we will price it.
- How long
- One day, with at least 2 hours out on the road
- Where
- North Tawton Rugby Club, around 45 minutes from Barnstaple
- Certificate
- DL196, valid for 2 years
- Try first
- A pre-CBT taster session, £99 for a half day with the bike included
The five parts of the day
Set by the DVSA and worked through in order. You move on when your instructor is happy you are ready.
- Introduction and eyesight checkWe go through what the day involves and check your eyesight — reading a number plate at the required distance.
- On-site trainingThe bike itself, off the road: the controls, how it works, and the basic checks worth making before you ride.
- On-site ridingRiding in the yard with no traffic — moving off and stopping, slow control, turns and braking, until it feels natural.
- On-road trainingA briefing before you go out: road positioning, speed, other traffic, and the things that most often catch new riders out.
- On-road ridingAt least 2 hours out on the road with your instructor. This is the part of the day that turns everything else into actual riding.
Why us
Why train with us near Barnstaple
Around 45 minutes from Barnstaple
Our North Tawton site is around 45 minutes from Barnstaple, most of it south on the A377 down the Taw valley. Every course we offer runs from that one site, so there is only ever one place to find.
Learn on quiet mid-Devon roads
Your road riding is on the lanes and A-roads of mid Devon, where you can settle into riding at your own pace before you take on busier roads closer to home.
A DVSA-approved school
We are a DVSA Approved Training Body. Stan, a DVSA-qualified instructor with decades of teaching behind him, leads the training, and every instructor on the team is fully DVSA trained.
Nervous? Try a bike first
Never sat on a motorcycle? A pre-CBT taster gets you used to the controls before the big day, and the bike is included. We are rated 5.0★ on Google, and first-timers are always welcome.
Finding us
Getting to us from Barnstaple
From Barnstaple, head south on the A377 down the Taw valley, then across mid Devon to North Tawton. Allow around 45 minutes.
We are at North Tawton Rugby Club on Taw Meadow, which gives us room for the on-site elements before anyone heads out on the road. Once you have booked, Sally sends you the details: where to park, what to bring and what to wear.
Areas we cover
Around Barnstaple
Riders make the trip from Barnstaple and from right across North Devon, including:
- Barnstaple
- Bishop’s Tawton
- Umberleigh
- Chulmleigh
- South Molton
- Braunton
- Bideford
- Great Torrington
What riders say
Trusted by riders near Barnstaple
“Recently completed my CBT … along side my 16 year old son … I chose to book in … to gain my full bike license. Sally quickly found a date that suited me and today I passed my Mod 1, thanks to the expert tuition from Stan … 2 days relaxed yet professional training … Highly recommended!”
“The first thing I liked was this company communicates. I took Mod 1 & 2, passing both, training with both Stan and Chris … I’d be the first to admit I’m not an easy student. No problem: these guys are so good. While completing the test was the objective, they made me a “rider” … fluid, confident and safe. Well done also to Sally, top admin. Thanks for some of the best days of my life.”
Good to know
Barnstaple motorcycle CBT questions
Ready to ride, Barnstaple?
Book your motorcycle CBT or ask about Direct Access. Call or text Sally and she will find a date that suits.