New motorcycle license 2020: what are the changes?

January 9, 2020

The motorcycle license exam has continued to evolve over the past decades. Created in 1922 without being modified until 1970, the license was reformed approximately every 10 years until its last modification in 2013 to create the A2 license, for two-wheelers whose maximum power does not exceed 35 kW.

In 2020, the complete organization of driving license exams will be changed. The minimum 20 hours of driving given on a school motorbike remain unchanged. The conditions for granting a motorcycle driver’s license are changing. Here are some explanations of the upcoming changes.

New motorcycle license 2020: what are the changes?

The new motorcycle code in 2020

To pass the motorcycle license from January 1, the big news is the Motorcycle Theoretical Test (ETM) which provides questions specific to two-wheelers, and general knowledge tests.

The test database will contain several hundred questions, including a video part, following the principle introduced since the 2016 reform of the Highway Code test.

This "motorcycle code" must be passed regardless of the stage test, in an examination center or with approved operators.

What changes for future bikers is the repeal of the theoretical questions previously asked during the plateau event, the famous twelve motorcycle license cards. For the apprentice biker who would also like to obtain the car license, he will now have to pass both codes. There will indeed be a general theory test and another motorcycle code test..

The new motorcycle field event in 2020

Chained trials on the set

The uncirculated test, commonly known as the "plateau", will be a practical test. The questions concerning the cards are integrated into the theoretical code examination while the mechanical checks are integrated into the circulating test. Previously, the exam consisted of several sequences.

From now on, the tests are linked: the candidate will progress on one and the same course, always with reduced gait and higher gait. In summary, the slow course will have to be accomplished in one minimum of 14 seconds to get the A grade.

The candidate must then continue without stopping on the two fast courses, with an additional U-turn across the width of the track, and always part of the course with passenger, including a U-turn.

For the apprentice rider, this new event can prove to be more difficult because the longer course offers an increased risk of errors. Currently, the plateau is the terror of the candidates, especially the slow course which demands precision and balance..

This event, until then segmented into several parts with a slow and fast course, emergency braking and avoidance, becomes integrated into an "all-in-one" to be done in ten minutes. This new configuration can reassure stress-sensitive candidates who will only have to take a single exam, instead of two..

A new notation

The scoring system is still under discussion. If the fall remains eliminatory, it seems that outside neutralized zones, bikers would be entitled to three feet on the ground for the duration of the event, instead of just one per route. It is also about better judging the trajectories and the braking.

The motorcycle driving test in 2020

The length of the extended road test

The objective of Road Safety is to offer a road test that is closer to the reality of driving. The field had so far been overrated, to the detriment of the road. It seemed logical that novice riders should be evaluated on a road test closer to reality. Currently lasting 30 minutes, the road test will last 45 minutes.

Added to this are the mechanical checks, which should be simplified and carried out at the start or end of the examination course, at the start or at the end of the examination center..

Certified equipment mandatory for the exam

During the stretched road test, the candidate must wear the obligatory motorcycle equipment, namely the motorcycle helmet and approved gloves. As a reminder, since the law of July 1, 1973, the wearing of an approved helmet is compulsory for anyone driving a motorized two-wheeler. The rider must also wear certified gloves.

The safety trajectory

D-day, examiners will assess the candidate’s ability to negotiate the safety trajectory, in other words, the best positioning on the road which allows you to see as far as possible and anticipate an event.

The inspectors will therefore observe whether the future rider knows how to adapt his speed, position himself outside the curve, look to anticipate and gradually fall back.

This technical mastery has become essential because in 42% of cases, fatal motorcycle accidents are caused in curves.

Without controlling the trajectories, the rider is exposed to the risk of leaving the road or of a frontal or side collision with another vehicle, not to mention pedestrians.

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