Hi!

I have just reached to live in Zürich. I had a motorcycle in my country for almost 7 years. I have my full licence (from Colombia) but i guess it's worthless here, but, can I do the conversion to the CH licence? just taking the practical test? I know I will have to go to take some lections because i'm not used to the driving laws here, but i don't want to take any first aid course and i want to buy my motorcycle in one year at most.

I appreciate your advices!

Congrats. I'm surprised that they asked you to do something illegal. My examiner told me that he will not ask to do anything that is against the law. I did mine 3 years ago in St. Gallen, and the format is as follows:

one instructor, one student. Slalom, slow riding between lines, figure 8's, break test. If you do ok there, the instructor gets on the back of your bike and you go for a 30min ride. He grabs your right shoulder to turn right, left shoulder to turn left. He takes you through some VERY tight streets, one where you need to turn right from one tiny street onto another, uphill, and you can't cross the middle of the road. Pretty tough if there's a car coming and you need to stop.

You need a minimum 35kw bike to do the exam, probably because you need to take the instructor with you.

Thanks CDeM! I have a couple of questions, if you don't mind...

What language(s) were used? And how did the examiner give instructions to the lead student if he or she was in the middle of the group?

Ok Folks. I've read the thread, and am still a little confused about some things as they apply to my case, so I'll just outline where I am at and then ask the questions.

I would like to get a Motorcycle licence here in Lausanne to let me ride the Triumph TRW that I have in Ireland. I've only ever had the Provisional (learner) Licence for a bike in Ireland, but I have a Full Clean Drivers Licence for a car there for the last 9 years. My father was a Garda (police) biker and as such, I was pretty much raised on bikes, and had been riding them since I was about 4. But I never got the full licence there, as I couldn't afford to get myself a 125cc to start on.

I'm not really pushed about getting an unlimited licence for the foreseeable future, as I think the TRW is less than 20kW even though it's 500cc. It's a classic bike (WWII), so if anyone knows the details about importing it (ie, customs costs, Classic Status, etc) could you let me know.

So, I need to get my eyetest done, 2 passport photos, and the two forms, and submit them to get my Irish licence converted with the additional Learner permit.

If I get that done, will I be allowed to ride the Triumph over from Ireland? Or will I need to rent a bike and do the 12 hours Compulsory Basic Training first?
Once I get the Compulsory Basic Training done, I will have an additional 12 months to sit the test, correct?
During this time, will I be able to ride the Triumph over from Ireland?
The test is the same for both limited and unlimited (>35kW) bikes?

The TRW has a pillion, but it is not a particularily safe one for a passenger. How will this affect the testing proceedure? Will the Tester insist on riding pillion, or is the any allowance for Motorbikes without passengers?

If I manage to pass the test for the limited licence, after 2 years, will I have to sit it again on a more powerful bike to upgrade to the unlimited licence, or will I automatically be allowed to get it?

Does anyone have any experience of taking the test here in Vaud? And I am also looking for a recommendation for an Instructor in the Lausanne region that speaks good English, as my French is not that great.

Sorry if I'm asking the same questions as everyone else. But your help is always appreciated.

Thanks,

Sharkey





The Triumph TRW is something like this, but not in quite as good a condition. It is also fitted with engine guards/crash bars

Importing a classic bike brings issues in itself. Wanting to ride the bike from Ireland (presumably via the UK and France) takes you into another set of complications.

My advice, for what it's worth, is bring it over on a trailer, get it tested and get your plates, and worry about your license issues later.

For the test, I'm pretty sure you have to provide a bike suitable for the test - if the examiner doesn't like the look of your pillion then he may turn you away. Probably best to hire a bike for the test.

Well I'd really like to take a few weeks off work, and bring the bike across myself. So you're saying the best bet is to take care of both issues seperately?

I have to get some work done on the Bike anyway, so it might be an idea to get it fixed up in Ireland (know a guy there), meanwhile i can be sorting out the test here.

I presume that once the Bike is in road worthy condition, there's no problem with bringing it in here, parking it up, then sorting out the testing and plates?

Hello all
I just moved to Zurich a month and a half ago, so I'm still rather fresh. As I'm only here for a year and a half, I have a fantasy of taking frequent road trips around Europe on a motorbike, or failing that, a small crappy car. I know more or less what I have to do to get my Swiss drivers license, as well as the requirements for driving a motorcycle. But what if I want to drive to Germany? Or France? Will a Swiss license work there or not? Any suggestions?

Funnily enough, a Swiss license is valid across Europe and, indeed, most of the world. Guessing you thought this might not be the case after seeing teh standard of Swiss driving - particularly on the highways and anywhere near motorcycles .

Wow, what an amazing thread! It took me two days to read through, but the process all seems a whole lot less mysterious now. You guys are a great resource.

Here's where I stand: full of information, not sure of my first move. I'm an over-25 with a transferred Swiss automobile license. I would like to get a motorcycle, but I have never driven one before. Since I'm over 25 I might as well get an A unlimited license.

So, here's the question: what do I do first? Can someone help me put all this in the right order?
a. get a learner's permit (if this is only valid for 4 months I don't want to spend a lot of that time bike-shopping.)
b. buy a bike (how can I try it out if I have absolutely no idea how to ride?)
c. buy the gear (how can I buy the right gear if I don't know which bike I'm going to have? How can I get the bike home if I don't have the gear?)
d. learn to ride (where? from what I understand, the obligatory training already presupposes that you are not a complete and utter noob.)
e. insurance and registration: which comes first?
f. anything else that I'm forgetting?

Thanks for any help you can give. I'd like to trade my militär velo for a bigger two-wheeler - it's just a question of how to start!

Many instructors will let you borrow/rent a bike when you're starting out. I think he's been mentioned before in this thread, but I've been training with Urs Tobler, and he's very good:

http://www.tramstrasse100.ch/

The advantage there is that you can start on something small, and work up through the different bikes he has. He can lend you gear too, but will strongly encourage you to buy your own.

If you buy a bike from a dealer, they will help you with insurance and registration.

If you buy a bike privately, you'll need to get insurance first. The insurance company will contact the STVA, who will then allow you to register the bike in your name, and get a new licence plate.

You got a whole lot of very valid questions, I am currently in the middle of it and can give you the answers I found so far...:

Even if you do not know what model you are going for, it will most probably be neither a supersport, 300kg+ tourer or hard-enduro. You need to do the test with it, so you want to have a bike that is easy to handle and break with. So not too strong, not too heavy and from the design rather easy to turn. And you most probably do not want to spend too much for a first bike. So you will find a bunch of medium sized street and enduro bikes fit aproximately your needs from all major manufaturers.
Therefore the gear question is not that hard: You will not need anything extreme as a leather suit with knee pads or a motorcross protections suit. Just go with a comfortable set (and I will not start the leather or textile discussion here... you can try out both in a shop). I went to a couple of shops and found some to not care about me and another one where the shopkeeper helped me a lot and gave great advice (ok, advice to buy the exoensive stuff ).
So the list as I have done it so far is:
1. get the gear, go for something "normal" that would fit an average bike.
2. get the learning license.
3. get the bike. (I have no clue how to use the bike either. I bought one from a private person who was willing to bring it to me...)
4. Either ask a friend to teach you or get some lessons on your bike.
5. If you know how to ride a bit, you can go for the "basic training". Afterwards your learners license is automatically extended for another twelve months.

My choice so far: BMW 650 GS, was recommended as a beginners bike everywhere and cost me less than 5000 as an 2001 model with 20k km. I went for the cheapest bike and therefore got myself really good gear: After the test I might upgrade the bike but like to have safe protection gear already... the bike is now in my garage, I need to get it legal this week and then a friend will teach me. Insurance comes first, you need to take the insurance stuff to the Strassenverkehrsamt in order to register the bike. I have seen that some driving schools offer you to borrow a bike for the first lessons. So you could skip the "buy the bike" step till you know how to ride it home yourself.

Hey, great, thanks a lot! It seems that any way you slice it you need a licensed friend somewhere along the line to show you the ropes and/or bring your bike home for you. I guess my best bet will be to find a bike close to home and a parking lot to practice in.

Does anyone know a good instructor in Basel?

In the meantime, I've been shopping. Indeed, it seems easy to get good advice about the high-end gear.

I just passed my test! Hooray!

The test was not very difficult even though it was raining, and my own nerves were my greatest enemy. Manoeuvers (slow riding, chicane, figure-8), emergency stop, followed by a drive around Zurich and through the countryside.

I recorded the route with a GPS:

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UT...38266&t=h&z=13

My advice: practice lots! Give yourself plenty of time to get comfortable with the manoeuvers and confident on the road, and the test will be a breeze. Furthermore, try not to let nerves get the better of you. I was way too jittery throughout the test.

- Jasmine

Jasmine - congratulations!

And extra kudos for the geek GPS map.

CONGRATULATIONS>>>>>>>>>>>>

Congrats! Now be careful and drive within speed limits

Hi, after fruitless searching I have no answer.
Can anyone enlighten me as to what is the minimum I must do to be allowed a 125CC motorbike in CH. I have a CH car licence. Eventually I would like a bigger bike, but got to start somewhere...
Cheers in anticipation.

Hi All,

i've been looking at the info as i too am looking at getting a MC license and have summarised the info. Please correct it if i have misunderstood.

A1 - Learners License

1) Apply for Learner license (50 chf) (yes you need to do another eye test)
2) this enables you to ride around on a bike upto 125cc for 4 months (on a blue L Plate)
3) Within 4 months, you must complete the 8 hours (2x4 hours) basic training (no more blue L plates)
4) Lessons cost vary so perhaps 300CHF per 4 hour lesson roughly

Upgrade A1 to A

1) Apply for Full A license
2) Ride on Blue L Plates for a year
3) complete 4 hours of CBT
4) Complete practicial test within a year.

Direct to A

1) Same upgrade A1-A except you need to complete 12 hours CBT

Note:

- if you are over 25 you can ride any bike with no size restrictions. Under 25 you can only go upto 650cc


Now for something slightly different.

I was talking to a chap who's from the UK but has lived in CH a number of years and said that if i didn't want to do the test here and save a few CHF i could do the following

1) reapply for my UK license via the DVLA
2) take my CBT and full A in the UK
3) bring my UK license back to CH and ask for the additions to be amended to my CH license.

has anyone else done this? i'm not sure whether now i have a CH license i'm tied to doing my A1/A test in CH.

Wow. What a great idea . Of course, it only works with a couple of minor modifications:


1) deregister from Switzerland, relocate to the UK and take up residence, reapply for my UK license via the DVLA and hand over my CH license.
2) take my CBT and full A in the UK
3) wait 1 or 2 years (can't remember which and can't be bothered to do your research for you) bring my UK license back to CH, take up residence again and apply for a new CH license.

Hello everyone. This is a very useful topic but one thing is still unclear to me. All the bike riding (2 4 hours each for A1 license) lessons I've found require your own bike. But if I buy a bike without a license, how do I get it from the dealership to my garage and to the practice course?

Thanks in advance,
Nadia