I first developed my love of motorcycling way back in the day when I read "zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance". Although that book ignited a passion in me it wasn't until last year that I actually decided to take the plunge and sit my motorcycle test. Spurred on by jealousy when my brother passed his test I decided that if ever there was a time to put my life in danger all in the name of fun then this was it.

Now, being allowed out onto the open highways in the UK on a motorised rocket is not just a case of turning up at a government office and asking the nice lady behind the counter for a license. Its a long drawn out process that has been designed to discourage all but the most foolhardy and stubborn of us from ever jumping through all the hoops to get on the road. My theory is that the government to so horrified my motorcycles that they wish they would just go away, either that or they love the tax generated by all the tests we have to sit. Yeah, on second thoughts its probably got more to do with the tax.

To make matters worse, anyone who has not passed their motorcycle test at this point now has reason to rejoice at the introduction of the new European style test. From all reports this new test is a danger to your safety with several learners already having suffered broken bones trying to carry out the "swerving your motorcycle at 31 mph" portion of the test. It if wasn't such a travesty it would be funny!

Anyways for me to pass my test required taking a motorcycle theory test, a compulsory basic training day followed by the real test.

Your theory test isn't really such a big deal, it does require you to study the highway code which, if you are anything like me, you pushed to the recesses of your mind the moment you passed your car driving test 15 years ago. So that takes bit of work but the first part of the test is just about memorising road signs. The second part of the theory test involves what the DVLA like to call the "hazard perception" test. Basically you have to watch a video of "real life" situations on the road and click a mouse button whenever you see something that has the potential to turn into a hazard. Its like the most ridiculously retarded computer game you have ever played but if your brain is functioning to at least 23% of its capacity then you should pass it no bother.

Next up, after you have sat and passed my theory test with flying colours you'll need to do your CBT or compulsory basic training. This is a day of training which once competed allows you out on the road on a 125cc motorcycle with learner plates on. Passing your CBT is basically the equivalent of having a provisional driving license.  The CBT takes up an entire day and starts off by teaching you lots of boring stuff about safety, like telling you to wear a helmet when your on a bike.

When you get all the safety crap out the way your given your very own high powered, turbo charged 125cc motorcycle for the day. You'll learn about how to use all the controls and stuff like how to check your oil then you'll get to start riding the bike which hopefully is why you are there in the first place. Its all pretty basic stuff, hence the name, but its useful none the less and at the end of the day you get taken out on the open roads by an instructor for an hour and a half which is by far the most fun part of the day. Honestly, flying around on public roads on a wee 125cc bike for the first time is a blast. I couldn't stop laughing the whole time, in fact it still makes me laugh thinking about it now…haha!!

After you've had a taste of biking on the CBT you'll be raring to get you hands on a full bike license and you own bike. In the UK, if you are over 21 years of age you can sit your bike test on a 500cc bike which allows you get a big bike straight away, otherwise you'll need to fart about on a bike that has been restricted for two years.

I recommend the Direct Access, cause that's what I did. You can do a 5 day course with most motorcycle schools which allows you to get your full license in under a week. You usually start your lessons on a Monday and work 4 hours of so a day until Friday when you sit your test. If you pass you'll be able to buy whatever motorcycle you want on a public highway which rocks. I advice you not to run out and get the fastest sports bike you can find as a first bike unless you have a death wish. Better to start off with something like a Honda CB500 or a 600c Suzuki Bandit until you get a little experience under your belt.

When you pass your test with flying colours I guarantee you'll immediately want to get out there and buy yourself a motorcycle of some description. If you have passed the direct access test then you will be able to legally ride any size of bike you like but I advise you to be sensible and get something that isn't too fast to begin with. Something like a Honda CB500 of a Suzuki Bandit as perfect bikes for someone who has just passed their test.

If you are put off these more sensible bikes because they are not cool enough you could always make some modifications to increase your street cred. Getting yourself a louder exhaust, better tyres or a custom motorcycle number plates will make life easier until you're ready to take the step up to a bigger machine.

I recommend getting as many hours as you can handle under your belt before making the jump to a bigger machine. After 6 months, if you feel you are far more comfortable on your bike then it might be time to look at something more exciting.