Hey guys,

I am a British citizen and yesterday i failed my DAS practical motorcycle test. I am absolutely gutted
However i fly to South Africa, to begin preparations for a trip up the east coast of africa which leaves in feb 2008. I am basically broke after spending all my cash on the DAS award and flights etc. but still now have no license.

Does anyone know if it is at all possible to do an exam out there as a British citizen? Also if the procedure for obtaining a license is as difficult as i have heard to be.
I leave to fly on tuesday next week and as such need to make a big decision soon, do i stay and work and do the license for another month in the u.k or do I head out to south africa with no licence?

please any help-especially from south Africans would be so much appreciated!!!

p.s. i still have my old south African passport/id card-exp 2004. could this be used in any way??????

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"JTTE, Father and son, 20,000km and 85 days - 2008"

Hi, Do you have a UK Car Driving Licence if so don't worry just use that to get your international one from the RAC


If not then your messed up, unless someone else has any bright ideas. Sorry got to ask what did you fail on?

You mean an International Drivers Permit? .. That will only be endorsed (valid) for the licence you have in your home country .. and will be stamped at the back as such. If you ride a bike like that then you are riding without a licence .. Do tell us of your experiences ! How much does it cost ... in the long run ..

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Please if you are planing a trip .. do the basic stuff well before your leave .. like a few months .. that way WHEN things go wrong you should have time to make the correction ?

mikeb8man - maybe your tirp is becoming a car, public transport or tourist bus trip?

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Regards Frank Warner
motorcycles BMW R80 G/S 1981, BMW K11LT 1993, BMW K75 G/S

Unfortunately i don't have a car driving license either...i actually failed on a roundabout by forgetting to use my indicator and then preceded to put my foot down on my u-turn exercise stupidly after working my self up...
To stay here would mean another month and a half's worth of work and time-to save space for at least two more tests....

thanks for your replies frank and juddadredd...
does anyone specifically know if a non-south African citizen can take their bike license in south africa...at the moment i am planning on using my old identifity card and passport (exp. 2004, i was born in s.a and left to england in '99) to apply for learners etc. while im out there...i have a British passport and will be using that to enter the country but because i never officially immigrated to england..merely "left" i was wondering whether or not i am on their "computer systems" as a citizen or not still???

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"JTTE, Father and son, 20,000km and 85 days - 2008"

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Hi, I did some research for you yesterday but I can't remember what website I was on, it stated that you have to have a SA Address and VALID identification to obtain your licence over there. But having done the research I’d opt for waiting and completing your test over here before leaving the country.

God forbid but what if you have an accident then you wouldn’t be insured. And considering I had a full Licence, Full Insurance coverage for myself and the bike I was on, when I had my Thailand accident World Nomads left me over there without treatment a straight refusal to give me treatment.

I had to fly myself home to get treatment on the NHS which took almost 2 months from the time of the initial accident. 5 Screws 1 plate and a hip graft later I have a limp for life, only due to the time it took to get it treated, they have only just paid me out for expenses incurred and that’s after a year, with nothing added for pain distress etc.

Stay home and go legal, and don’t forget to give us an update on how things go.

Warmest regards

Lee

Take a look on
K53 Licence Training

You may like to ask the same question there..

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Regards Frank Warner
motorcycles BMW R80 G/S 1981, BMW K11LT 1993, BMW K75 G/S

I did my DAS in 2 days and cost me £350. I would try that if I was you.
In SA it will be far cheaper but will take you years with the waiting times.
I think in SA you can ride your bike with a "learners" licence. That is your theory test. you just not allowed to carry pillion. As for the rest of the countries you are going to??
I would phone a few places and get your licence before you go. When i phoned Link riders in chelmsford they had a cancellation and I was in 3 days later.
If you do the SA route, You will have to grease a few palms to get it done sooner. If you do this make sure you bribe the right person, as the money is non refundable!!!

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVkdWnRKs4k
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSo4j...eature=channel

First of all-juddadredd, frank and orrin-thank you guys very much for the helpful info...
orrin i actually did do my DAS in 5 days and failed my test there after...BUT...
I seem to have things under control...tomorrow i fly to s.a to join my father...
then from there i am going to use my south African birth certificate and my old passport and apply for a temporary i.d document...this you get in 24hrs apparently...with this document i can then apply for my learners license,take the theory and then go from there...

i found out that as a born south African, that means that no matter what whenever i enter s.a i am classed as a s.a citizen and as such should be entering on a s.a passport even though i have a British passport...apparently i can get fined for not using my s.a passport...i havent done in the past but will be renewing my s.a passport a.s.a.p....

yes i know it is going to be a long, frustrating process getting my licence, but the way i see it, the reason i am doing this trip is to re-discover my home country and its people and the way of life and so surely this is just part of the adventure? seeing how others my age in s.a would have to deal with it?

really though i think its the fact that i have my first bike, a KLR 650, waiting for me and well i cant wait any longer...hehehhe
thanks again guys!

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"JTTE, Father and son, 20,000km and 85 days - 2008"