Full A licence and Direct Access explained

Direct Access at 24

Direct Access, often written DAS, is the route for adults who want an unrestricted licence without spending years on smaller machines. From 24 you can take the full test on a large bike and, on passing, ride anything.

The requirements are a valid CBT certificate, a pass in the motorcycle theory test, and passes in module 1 and module 2 taken on a machine of at least 595cc producing at least 50kW with an unladen weight of at least 175kg. Those figures exist to make sure you have demonstrated control of a genuinely large motorcycle rather than a nimble middleweight.

Most candidates buy a package from a training school: typically three to five days including CBT, machine hire, and both module bookings. The intensive format works, but it is demanding, and schools will tell you honestly that riders who have never ridden anything before sometimes need more days than the brochure suggests.

Progressive access at 21

If you already hold A2 and have held it for two years, you can move to category A at 21 by taking module 1 and module 2 again on a large machine. There is no further theory test and no CBT requirement.

Started at 17 on A1, moved to A2 at 19, and you can hold a full unrestricted licence at 21, having sat exactly one theory test in your life. That path also produces four years of continuous road experience before anyone hands you 120bhp, which is why insurers price it more kindly.

Which route is cheaper

Judged over a single year, Direct Access looks expensive: a full DAS package with training and tests is a four-figure sum for most people. Judged over five years, progressive access usually costs more in total, because you pay test fees three times and change machines twice, but it spreads the cost and you are riding throughout.

The deciding factor is usually age rather than money. Under 24, direct access to category A is simply not available, so the question answers itself. Over 24 with no prior riding, DAS is normally the sensible choice. Our cost guide works through three complete examples with real fees.

What the tests involve

The test content is the same as at every other level, only the machine changes. Module 1 is about 20 minutes off road covering the slalom, figure of eight, slow ride, U-turn, controlled stop, emergency stop and hazard avoidance, with the speed exercises requiring a minimum approach of 31mph. Module 2 is about 40 minutes on the road with an eyesight check, safety questions and around ten minutes of independent riding, allowing up to ten rider faults and no serious or dangerous fault.

What changes is the physical reality. A 600 to 700cc test machine weighing 180kg or more is unforgiving in the U-turn and heavy at walking pace. Candidates who have ridden a 125 for two years often need a day to adjust to the mass, and complete beginners on a DAS course need more.

Choosing your first unrestricted bike

The temptation after passing is to buy the bike you have had a picture of since you were fifteen. It is worth resisting for one season. A modern litre sports bike makes around 200bhp, delivers it violently, and punishes a clumsy throttle hand in a way that a 47bhp twin never did.

Sensible first choices after a full licence are a middleweight naked, an adventure bike in the 800 to 900 class, or a torquey twin with a wide spread of power and modern rider aids. Traction control and cornering ABS are worth real money on your first big bike, and depreciation on a two or three-year-old machine is far kinder than on a new one.

Have a look at adventure bikes, naked bikes or 1000cc machines, and compare what dealers near you have in stock.

Insurance after passing

A newly issued category A licence with no motorcycle no-claims history is an expensive combination, particularly on a high-performance machine. Riders who progressed through A1 and A2 usually carry some no-claims bonus and a longer licence history, and pay less as a result.

Three things reduce premiums reliably: a lower insurance group machine, a secure overnight location with an approved lock or ground anchor, and advanced training such as an enhanced rider scheme. Declaring a restriction, an alarm or a tracker accurately matters too, because an incorrect declaration is what voids a claim.

What a Direct Access week actually looks like

Most schools sell DAS as a block of three to five consecutive days, and the shape is fairly standard. Day one is CBT if you do not already hold a valid certificate, done on a 125. Day two moves you onto the big bike: clutch control at walking pace, slow manoeuvres, then the Module 1 exercises on the school pad, repeated until the speeds and the lines are consistent.

Day three is usually Module 1 in the morning and road riding in the afternoon, on the theory that passing the off-road test settles the nerves. Day four is road work: dual carriageways, national-speed-limit roads, town traffic, roundabouts and independent riding to signs. Day five is Module 2, often with a short warm-up ride beforehand.

The compressed timetable is what makes DAS efficient and also what makes it hard. There is no gap to consolidate, so tiredness on day four is normal. Eat properly, sleep, and tell the instructor when something is not sticking rather than hoping it will come right on test day. A school that offers to split the course over two weekends is worth considering if you learn slowly.

What category A covers beyond motorcycles

Category A is broader than most riders realise. It covers any motorcycle with or without a sidecar, and motor tricycles with a power output above 15kW, which is why it matters for anyone thinking about a three-wheeler later. Riders who hold category A can also supervise nobody: there is no equivalent of accompanying a learner driver, so a learner rider is always alone on the road.

With a full licence the practical restrictions disappear together. You can carry a pillion passenger, provided the bike has a proper seat and footrests for them, ride on motorways, and tow a trailer subject to the usual rules on width and weight. The L plates come off, and with them the two-year clock that governs CBT.

Riding abroad is simpler too. A full UK category A entitlement is recognised across the EU and much of the world for short visits, though some countries expect an International Driving Permit alongside it and hire firms often set their own minimum age and experience requirements. Check both before you book a trip that depends on hiring a bike.

Keep learning after the test

The test proves you are safe enough to ride alone. It does not make you a skilled rider, and the accident statistics for newly qualified riders on large machines are sobering. Post-test training is the cheapest insurance you can buy: an advanced riding course, a slow-control session, or a day of one-to-one coaching will change how you ride more than any accessory.

Gear deserves the same attention. A helmet you replace every five years, armoured trousers rather than jeans, and boots that cover the ankle are the difference between a bad day and a long recovery.

Read next: how much a motorcycle licence costs.