How IBT works: a guide for Dublin riders
If you live in Dublin and want a motorcycle licence, IBT is your first big step. Here’s how it works, from booking to riding on the road, explained the way I explain it to my own riders.
By Vlastislav Obsil, RSA-approved instructor · 7 November 2026
What IBT is
IBT stands for Initial Basic Training. It’s the RSA course every new learner rider in Ireland has to complete before riding a motorcycle on a public road. You can’t skip it, even if you’ve held a full car licence for years.
When you finish, you get an RSA Certificate of Satisfactory Completion. You carry it with your learner permit every time you ride.
Before you book
- Pass the motorcycle theory test.
- Get a learner permit for the category you want: A1, A2 or A. Not sure which one? See my guide to licence categories.
- Bring your learner permit with you on the day.
How long it takes
It depends on your category. A1 is 16 hours. A2 and A are 18 hours for a first-time rider. If you’re moving up from A1 to A2, or from A2 to A, after more than two years on the lower licence, it’s 11 hours of Module 5 progression instead. I run the course over a full weekend.
Where it happens, and getting there from Dublin
The off-road part of IBT has to take place at an RSA-approved training centre. Mine are at Kinnegad Plaza in Co. Westmeath and in Tullamore.
For Dublin riders, transport is free from the Red Cow Luas stop. I also pick up free from Naas town and Sallins town. If you’re somewhere else, message me on WhatsApp and I’ll arrange it, with the price depending on the distance. You don’t need your own bike or gear: the bike, helmet and riding gear are all included.
What you do on the course
IBT is built in modules, and each one builds on the one before. You start with the basics: protective clothing, the controls, checks, and moving the bike on and off its stand. Then you practise riding skills off road: moving off, stopping, braking, slow riding, U-turns and the emergency stop. There’s a theory part on road position, being seen, road surfaces and weather. Then you ride on real roads, with me in radio contact the whole time.
I sign off each module in your IBT logbook once you’re ready. Nobody gets rushed through.
If you need more time
Some riders need a bit longer, and that’s fine. If you don’t complete IBT on your first weekend, I arrange one extra half-day free of charge at the next available date and we work on what needs improving. Any further half-days are €300 each.
Peter came to me knowing nothing about riding. He was very anxious about his balance and whether he could even control the bike. After a few lessons he had a real grip of it, and he went on to pass his test with zero mistakes.
After IBT
- You can ride on public roads as a learner, wearing an L-plate on a yellow high-visibility tabard.
- No pillion passengers and no motorways while you’re a learner.
- Most riders need more road time before the RSA motorcycle test. My pre-test lessons run anywhere in Dublin, where you learn to deal with traffic jams, careless drivers and e-scooters weaving between cars.
Questions
Can I do IBT in Dublin?
The off-road part of IBT has to happen at an RSA-approved training centre. I run IBT at Kinnegad Plaza and Tullamore, with free transport from the Red Cow Luas stop in Dublin, and I teach pre-test lessons anywhere in Dublin afterwards.
Do I need my own motorcycle for IBT?
No. The bike, helmet and riding gear are included.
How much is IBT?
€650 for A1, A2 and A over a full weekend. A €50 deposit secures your date and comes off the price.
What happens if I don’t complete IBT on the weekend?
I arrange one extra half-day free of charge. Any further half-days are €300 each.
Written by Vlastislav Obsil, RSA-approved driving instructor (ADI 42951) and IBT instructor at Raven Driving Training in Rathfarnham. I teach car and motorcycle lessons myself, and most of my students call me Vlastik. More about me.
Book your IBT weekend
Tell me your licence category and the weekends that suit you.