Caitilin

I have my motorbike as well as car licence.

I knwo i can't trade it in and keep the motorbike part, but i'm wondering- is it smarter to just take the test instead of losing it totally? is biking doable on canada roads? (BC or alberta in specific...still not sure where i'm headed)

sarahandshaun

Hi Caitlin, I can't give you the answers you're looking for but, I also have a bike and a car licence and as my wife drives I will do the bike test first. We are just starting the process for immigration and are looking at going to NS, I'd rather stab my eyes out with cocktail sticks than lose my bike licence. Be interesting in the winter though. I think it's all down to whether it's a sports bike or a tourer/cruiser. I did a trip in the states a few years ago. PM me for more details. Good luck

sarahandshaun

Piff Poff

Hiya,

Well I was prepared to just hand my license in and just get the entitlement to drive a four wheel tin can and maybe redo the bike test once we had settled. As it happens I got my bike license. The first year I didn't want a bike, I still didn't want one last year, well for some reason this year (must've smelt some two stroke somewhere) I got the yearnings. I now have two bikes A little greedy I know but well y'know?

As for riding you would have to be completely insane to ride year round - certifiable!

In Red Deer at least you need to wait until the roads have been cleared to make it safe (in my eyes) the amount of gravel on the roads after the winter would make for interesting riding to say the least. I ceased being a biker years ago (coincedently when daughter came into this world) and am now a motorcyclist and a fair weather one at that). I haven't been out too much on the bikes yet but am hoping to get some serious riding later this year - hubby has announced that he wants to take his test and then he'll have the GSXR 750 (I complained it made me a bit achey - oh my life what is the world comming too). I am terrified of the thought of a new rider on a 750 hence the second bike being bought straight off. We will both take the advanced rider course once he has passed his test, I am sure there are some rules of bike riding here that I don't know and a little more instruction after a 3 year break won't go amiss. I really hope we get to do the Icefields parkway this year but it will probably be next.

sarahandshaun

Hi Piff Poff, through my work (RAF), I've been lucky enough to go to Canada and Alaska in the winter. It was lethal enough on two feet let alone anything else. I can understand your husband wanting the gixxer 750, the bike is awesome but I don't know if it will be comfortable on the big open roads. I commute at weekends and used to do it on a gixxer 750. I've now got a triumph speedmaster (cruiser) and the result is no more aches and pains. I'm probably to soft and to old now for sports bikes but gixxers do rock.. Good luck with the biking and everything else.

sarahandshaun

Piff Poff

Yep the gixxer is my bike but I'm afraid the couple of times I have taken it out so far I have found to be a little, hmm how shall we say it? Achy on return - to the point I hope no one saw me get off I am sure you can understand my concern of hubby having said bike as first bike I think we should swap it for something a little more comfortable. The other bike I have is an '76 RD 400, it has a couple of running issues - probably due to the stale petrol, old 2 stroke oil and maybe old spark plugs Oh and the rear tyre is more of a racing slick I'm really wanting an RD 350 YPVS but I'd probably ache getting off that these days too.

Rob_999

If you move to BC you'll have to take the driving test for both the car, as well as for your bike. No exemptions - you have 90 days to do so for the car, not sure on the bike but imagine it's the same.

The Hampsons

No Filtering Allowed!
What's all that about???

R I C H

It's illegal. I drove from the north shore in Vancouver, onto highway one east during rush hour a couple of weeks ago, and had the same bike follow me for over an hour and a half. They're a waste of time to commute with over here if you live in a busy urban area.

The Hampsons

Over here in the UK, it's part of the reason for having a bike. Not getting stuck in traffic.
I couldn't believe it when I saw bikes waiting in long lines of traffic. What is the point?
I know it's illegal, and I'm sure there's a very good reason for it, but I don't know what it is.