Guide to licence types
As of January 2013, motorcycle licence laws have changed. This page is to help you understand the new laws and how they will affect you if you’re taking your bike test. There are also examples of some of the bikes that fall into the new licence categories.
Category AM licence
- 50cc bikes (categorised as mopeds):
- Aprilia SR 50R
- Gilera Runner SP50
- Honda NSC50R
- Lexmoto Tornado
The above are all examples of good quality 50cc scooters, ideal for young riders or older people with a short or city-based commute. They have low running costs with economical fuel consumption, and will get you through city centre traffic quicker than any car.
Category A2 licence
Restricted to 46.6 brake horsepower (BHP)
With a motorcycle A2 licence, your bike’s original power must be no more than 92bhp. It also allows you to carry pillions.
With an A2 licence you’ll be able to ride bikes such as:
Sports/Naked Bikes:
- Honda CBR500R
- Kawasaki Ninja 300
- Kawasaki Versys (Restricted) – Do we need to explain restricted?
- Suzuki SV650 (Restricted)
- Honda NC700X
Cruisers:
- Harley Davidson Sportster 883 Iron (Restricted)
- Honda VT750 Shadow Black Spirit (Restricted)
- Suzuki M800 Intruder (Restricted)
Category A1 licence
Restricted to 125cc machines
With a motorcycle A1 licence you will be able to ride bikes including:
Sports 125s:
- Yamaha YZF-R125
- Honda CBR125R
- Aprilia RS4 125
Commuter Bikes:
- Honda CBF125
- Yamaha YBR125
- KTM 125 Duke
Dual Purpose Bikes:
- Honda XL125V Varadero
- Yamaha XT125X
- Aprilia RX125
Scooters:
- Gilera Runner ST125
- Honda PCX125
- Suzuki Burgman 125
Category A licence
This licence gives you the choice of any size of bike you want.
Sports Bikes:
- BMW S1000RR
- Aprilia RSV4 R
- Ducati 848 Evo
- Honda Fireblade
Dual Purpose Bikes:
- BMW R1200GS Adventure
- Honda Crosstourer
- KTM 990 Adventure
- Triumph Explorer
This is just a selection of the bikes you could ride when you’ve obtained the relevant licence.
Source: www.gov.uk/ride-motorcycle-moped/new-rules-from-january-2013
This information is correct as at 10/10/2013
Find out more about Bike Insurance from Swinton
- Bike Insurance - Join over 100,000 bikers currently on our books
- Scooter Insurance - From retro to import scooters, we can find a policy for you
- Bike Breakdown Cover - Choose from a number of options, starting from just £3.99
Looking for something else?