The Road Traffic (Northern Ireland) Order 1995

Licensing of motor cyclistsN.I.

92.—(1) In Article 13 of the Order of 1981 (grant of licences to drive vehicles), in paragraph (3), after sub-paragraph (c), there shall be inserted—

[F1(d)shall not authorise a personF2. . . , before he has passed a test of competence to drive a motor bicycle,—

(i)to drive a motor bicycle without a sidecar unless it is a learner motor bicycle (as defined in paragraph (5)) or its first use (as defined in regulations) occurred before such date as may be prescribed and the cylinder capacity of its engine does not exceed 125 cubic centimetres, or

(ii)to drive a motor bicycle with a sidecar unless its power to weight ratio is less than or equal to 0.16 kilowatts per kilogram.]

(2) For paragraph (5) of that Article there shall be substituted the following paragraphs—

(5) A learner motor[F1 bicycle] is a motor[F1 bicycle] which either is propelled by electric power or has the following characteristics—

(a)the cylinder capacity of its engine does not exceed 125 cubic centimetres,

[F1(b)the maximum net power output of its engine does to exceed 11 kilowatts.]

[F1(5A) In this Article—

“maximum net power output”, in relation to an engine, means the maximum net power output measured under full engine load, and

“power to weight ratio”, in relation to a motor bicycle with a sidecar, means the ratio of the maximum net power output of the engine of the motor bicycle to the weight of the combination with—

(a)a full supply of fuel in the tank,

(b)an adequate supply of other liquids needed for its propulsion, and

(c)no load other than its normal equipment, including loose tools.

(3) In Article 14 of the Order of 1981 (form of licence)—

(a)in paragraph (3) immediately after the word “drive” there shall be inserted “ (a) ”; and

(b)at the end of that paragraph there shall be added the following—

or

(b)unless[F2 he has passed a test of competence to drive a motor bicycle] which, by virtue of Article 13(3)(d), a provisional licence would not authorise him to drive before he had passed that testF2. . . .]

F1SR 1996/426

F2SR 1997/241