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Brits hoping to take up motorcycling should get tested now or face higher costs and longer waits in their effort to get a license, according to the Motor Cycle Industry (MCI).

In accordance with the second European driving licensing directive (2DLD), which will come into effect in September 2008, learner bikers will have to undergo tests on a number of manoeuvres at special test centres currently being built across the UK.

The MCI is urging aspirant riders to obtain their license now, as it anticipates that these changes will lead to rises in the cost of testing, while the introduction of special test centres will also extend the waiting times ahead of tests.

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Director of public affairs Craig Carey-Clinch commented: "These European directives pose challenges to the industry, but there are also great opportunities.

"Our aim is to assist forward planning and to improve knowledge about these directives, so the industry and riders are better placed to prepare for the changing motorcycling environment."

He expects that there will be an uptake in demand for tests ahead of the implementation of 2DLD, as there was in the run up to the last major change in the motorcycle test back in 1997.

This new piece of EU legislation has been heavily criticised in some quarters, with the British Motorcyclists Federation fiercely denouncing it last July, as well as hitting out at the Driving Standards Authority for unnecessarily "gold-plating" the directive.

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