My AccountHow old do you have to be to ride a motorcycle in the UK? It all depends on the type of bike you wish to ride. As well as age restrictions, there are different licencing requirements for every type of bike.
UK Bike Categories by Age Requirements
From age 16:
- You can ride a moped with a speed range between 25 and 45 khm/h.
- You can also ride a small 3-wheeler (up to 50 cc and below 4 kW);
- A light quadricycle (with a top speed of 45 km/h and weighing less than 350 kg);
- Or a 2- or 3-wheel moped with a top speed of 25 km/h.
From age 17:
- You can ride a light motorcycle up to 125 cc and 11 kW, with a power-to-weight ratio lower than 0.1 kW per kg.
- You can also ride a motor tricycle with a power output below 15 kW.
From age 19:
- You can ride any standard motorcycle up to 35 kW, with a power-to-weight ratio that’s lower than 0.2 kW per kg.
The law also specifies that “the bike must not be derived from a vehicle more than twice its power” which means the original, unrestricted bike cannot produce more than 70kW (93.8bhp) before being restricted to 35kW (46.6bhp).
From age 21 or 24:
From these ages there are no restrictions on what you can ride. The age from which you can ride without restrictions depends on how you get your licence.
We’ll explain more below.
UK Bike Categories by Licence Requirements
AM Licence
You can get this from age 16, and it will allow you to ride all the mopeds, 3-wheelers, and quadricycles outlined above.
To get an AM licence, you will need to complete compulsory basic training (CBT), along with a theory test and a practical test on a relevant vehicle.
Q Licence
You can get this from age 16, and it allows you to ride any vehicle you can ride on an AM licence, along with 2- or 3-wheeler mopeds with top speeds of 25 km/h.
The Q licence is granted alongside the AM licence, meaning you need to complete CBT, the theory test, and the relevant practical test.
A1 Licence
You can get this from age 17, and it allows you to ride the light motorcycles and motor tricycles specified above.
To get an A1 licence, you need to complete CBT, along with a theory test and a practical test on the type of vehicle you wish to ride.
A2 Licence
You can get this from age 19, and it allows you to ride all standard motorcycles up to 35 kW, as specified above.
There are two ways to get an A2 licence. You can either take the direct access route, which involves a theory test and a practical test; or you can take the progressive access route – build up two years of experience on an A1 licence, then take a further practical test.
A Licence
This will give you an unrestricted licence to ride any motorcycle of any size or power, with or without a sidecar.
There are two ways to get an A2 licence. For the direct access route, you must be at least 24, and you have to take a CBT, a theory test, and a practical test. There’s also the progressive access route, which involves building up two years of experience on an A2 licence before taking a further practical test. You must be aged at least 21 to take the progressive access route.
Penalties For Riding Without The Right Licence
If you are caught riding without the right licence, including a licence that is unsuitable for your age, then you can get a fine of up to £1,000, along with up to six penalty points on your licence. Depending on the severity of your offence, you could also get prosecuted, disqualified from riding, and even imprisoned.
Don’t Forget Your Motorcycle Insurance!
No matter how old you are, and no matter what type of bike you wish to ride, you will need dedicated motorcycle insurance.
At Sabre Direct, we specialise in helping motorcycle riders of all ages get the specialist cover they need.
Get a quick quote and find the right insurance for your ride today – get a motorbike insurance quote.