Competency-Based Training and Assessment (CBTA) to progress your Motorcycle Licence

Competency-based training and assessment (CBTA) offers motorcyclists another option to traditional driver licence testing. It can also reduce the amount of time it takes you to get your Restricted or Full licence, while ensuring you have the skills and knowledge you need to ride safely on New Zealand roads.

After getting your Learner licence, you can be assessed for your CBTA-6R any time, which will allow you to apply for your Restricted licence (as long as you’re over 16.5 years old).

After you’ve been on your Restricted licence for 9 months you can be assessed for your CBTA-6F, which will allow you to apply for your Full licence once you’ve held your Restricted licence for 12 months.

You can find detailed information about the CBTA process and requirements on Waka Kotahi’s website, but basically the process on the day is…

Confirm your identity and eligibility

Before the assessment, your driver licence is checked. If you don’t have your photo driver licence (i.e. you hold a temporary paper licence), you’ll also need to provide alternative photo ID (e.g. passport).

Pre-ride checks, paperwork and instructions

Bike: Must be LAMS compliant and able to maintain open road speeds. A pre-ride safety check is done, which is a basic check of your motorcycle to ensure that it’s safe and legally compliant. See the FAQ’s below for what gets checked.

Rider: At a minimum, you’ll need a long-sleeved, front-fastening jacket; long pants; suitable gloves; sturdy, covered footwear, and a motorcycle helmet. You’ll also be given a hi-viz vest to wear during the test if you don’t have your own. You’ll be set up with some communication equipment and given some pre-ride instructions.

CBTA on-road assessment

You’ll be given ongoing instructions to ride around an assessment route. Your riding is assessed the whole time - mounting/dismounting, moving into traffic, riding straight, riding curves, intersections, overtaking, turning back (U-turns), moving out of traffic, and parking. See the FAQ’s for the specific riding competencies that are being marked on.

Learner stage (CBTA-6R) - takes around 60 minutes riding time, in both urban and higher speed areas.

Restricted stage (CBTA-6F) - takes around 30 minutes riding time, mostly in higher speed areas.

The assessment is conducted as one continuous ride. The timings above are for actual riding time, but you’ll need to pull over occasionally to allow updates to the score sheet so you may be ‘on the road’ for slightly longer. During the assessment, you won’t receive any feedback, coaching or training.

Debrief and assessment feedback

Once the assessment ride is complete, you’ll get feedback, and be told if you’ve passed or failed the assessment.

If you pass the assessment, you’ll be issued with a CBTA competency certificate. You then take this to a driver licensing agent when you apply for a Class 6 Restricted or Full licence.

Options Available

When looking at training/assessment options, make sure you’ve practiced the actual riding competency requirements - CBTA is an assessment and you have to meet the standards to pass. If you think you’d prefer a longer training session or would want to split your training into multiple sessions then get in touch to discuss options.

You’ll need to provide your own bike for any on-road training or assessment.

$100/hr Training

Personalised Training

If you’re wanting to do some training but you’re not looking to do your test right away.

Lessons are tailored depending on what you want/need - this can be general riding skills, CBTA assessment criteria, road rules, low speed skills, urban or open road riding.

Things to know / FAQ’s

How to book and pay

Use the Contact form to get in touch. I’ll get back to you to you to discuss dates, times and location.

When we’ve confirmed a date/time, you’ll get an email with bank account / payment details. Once your payment is received your time slot will be booked. Cash isn’t accepted on the day.

Please note, CBTA assessments are usually done during the week.

When can I sit the CBTA assessment?

After getting your Learner licence, you can be assessed for your CBTA-6R any time, which will allow you to apply for your Restricted licence (as long as you’re over 16.5 years old.)

After you’ve been on your Restricted licence for 9 months you can sit your CBTA-6F, which will allow you to apply for your Full licence once you’ve held your Restricted licence for 12 months.

What you’ll need to bring for the CBTA training and/or assessment.

Your own LAMS compliant bike that’ll pass the pre-ride safety check. Hastings Honda hire bikes out for licence assessments at decent rates, so touch base with them if you need to.

During any training or assessment you must wear the following protective equipment:

• a long-sleeved, front-fastening jacket

• long pants

• suitable gloves

• sturdy, covered footwear, and

• a motorcycle helmet

Please note - if you turn up without the above protective equipment you’ll be charged for the time slot but won’t be allowed to train or be tested. This is both a Waka Kotahi requirement for CBTA assessments and a focus on your safety.

Is training compulsory?

While training is not a compulsory part of the CBTA requirements, it’s highly recommended that you’re fully trained/prepared before attempting the CBTA assessment.

You can do training either on the same day as your CBTA assessment or on a separate day.

Keep in mind that some people who ride well, start making basic errors as soon as they think they’re being watched. So consider a training & testing package to allow extra time to let you relax and get into your comfort zone before the actual assessment.

You can also complete a subsidised Ride Forever Bronze or Silver course as they’re designed with Learner and Restricted riders in mind, and cover off the things that will be required in your CBTA assessment. The Ride Forever provider for Hawkes Bay is Roadsafe. I contract to them to run the Ride Forever courses in Napier, so check out Roadsafe’s website and book in for a Ride Forever course too!

What’s involved in the pre-ride safety check

The pre-ride safety check is a basic check of your motorcycle to ensure that it’s safe and legally compliant:

• Any obvious damage that could be considered dangerous

• Chain tension (not too loose or too tight)

• Tyres (inflated, legal tread depth, no sidewall cracks)

• Wheels (undamaged)

• Rear vision mirror (fitted and undamaged)

• Indicators (operational and lenses intact)

• Brake lights (operational and lenses intact)

• Headlamp or daylight running lamps (operational)

• Horn (operational)

• Licence/rego label (attached and current)

• Warrant of fitness (attached and current)

• L plate (fitted to rear) - only applicable if you’re on your Learner licence.

If any of these fail the pre-ride check, the assessment won’t start until non-compliant items have been fixed and this will forfeit your booking.

What are the Riding Competencies?

You can find detailed information about the CBTA riding competencies on Waka Kotahi’s website, but some basic examples are below:

• Looking - Keep your head and eyes up when riding straight, braking and using the controls (except when checking mirrors or scanning). When riding through a corner or turning, look through the curve or intersection in the direction you want to go.

• Scanning / Mirrors - Be aware of your surroundings and potential hazards. Check your mirrors regularly. Scan all side streets/intersections that might allow a vehicle to cross your path, and be aware of any potential hazards. These scans/checks need to be obvious and deliberate - you’ll need to move your head so I can see where you’re looking.

• Head check - Perform a head check (as last check after signalling) before leaving the kerb, turning at an intersection, changing lanes, overtaking, merging, diverging or reversing.

• Communication (TUG - Take, Use, Give) - Read the road/traffic, plan ahead, and let others know what you’re doing e.g. indicators, brake light etc.

• Consideration / Courtesy - Don’t display any behaviour that shows a clear lack of consideration or courtesy when interacting with other road users.

• Positioning - Maintain the ideal road position relative to what you’re doing and the riding environment/hazards present. When stopping behind another vehicle, don’t stop too close or in a blind spot. Use the correct lane for where you intend to go.

• Speed management - Ride to the conditions. Ride within 5 km/h of the speed limit when it’s safe to do so. Don’t speed. Don’t coast (clutch in at speed or too far from stopping at an intersection). Don’t skid the rear wheel. No wheelies or stoppies.

• Progression - Don’t remain stationary for no good reason (5+ seconds) when there was ample opportunity to proceed e.g. Move off when other traffic does (when safe/appropriate) or when intersection is clear.

• Stability/smoothness - Ride smoothly, change gears smoothly, brake smoothly. Once moving, keep both feet on the footrests. Don’t stall.

• Following distance - Keep a safe following distance (2-4 second gap depending on conditions).

• Other illegal - Things that don’t fall into in the above categories but also aren’t considered an immediate fail error (below).

What are the Immediate Failure Errors?

Immediate failure errors are serious riding errors that compromise safety.

Any one immediate failure error recorded during the assessment will result in immediate termination and failure of the assessment. You can find detailed information about the CBTA Immediate Failure Errors on Waka Kotahi’s website.

• Falls off

• Obey

• Intervention

• Leaving lane

• Give way

• Excessive speed

• Collision

• Fail to stop

• Dangerous position

• Other dangerous action

What if you fail the CBTA assessment?

This means you haven’t met the required competency level. You’ll get feedback after your assessment on areas you need to work on. You can then practice these on your own or look to book a training session if you’d prefer, and then you’ll need to book another CBTA assessment. To avoid failing, make sure you’re aware of the Riding Competencies, and the Road Code, and have been actively practicing with these in mind. Look to do either a Ride Forever Bronze or Silver course, or a training session (or both) to give you the best chance of success.

Timing and cancellations

Please be on time. Your time slot will be agreed to during your booking. If you arrive late then you’ll have less time for your training, and there may not be enough time to complete your assessment.

If you can’t attend a booked session - let me know 48 hours in advance to reschedule. No refunds/rescheduling to riders who do not show on the day as it’s too late to get someone to take your spot.

What if it’s raining?

You’ll get wet. Sessions take place rain or shine so bring your wet weather gear. However, if it’s extreme conditions where safety may be an issue you’ll be contacted to advise and look to reschedule.

Anything else?

If you’ve done your practicing then be confident! There’s nothing in the assessment that’s designed as a ‘gotcha!’ moment - it’s all based around consistent, safe riding techniques.

You can find detailed information about the CBTA process and requirements on Waka Kotahi’s website.

If you’ve got any other questions then get in touch.