About the A2 Licence

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What is an A2 motorcycle licence?

For 19-year-olds, an A2 motorcycle licence is the quickest and most effective way of progressing onto an unrestricted licence.

The A2 licence is like an intermediate motorcycle licence. Only people aged 24 or over can get their full A category bike licence. Therefore, if you’re aged 19 to 24, you will first have to obtain your A2 motorbike licence.

The A2 offers essentially the same benefits as the full category A motorbike licence, but with one exception: it limits the rider to bikes with a power output of no more than 35 kW (approx. 46.6 bhp).

To take the necessary tests associated with getting your A2 licence, you will need to:

  • be over 19 years of age
  • have a CBT (Compulsory Basic Training) OR have held your A1 licence for at least 2 years
  • have a PASS theory and hazard perception test certificate

Once you have obtained your A2 licence, you will then be able to get your full category A motorbike licence when you either turn 24, or when you have held your A2 licence for 2 years.

Therefore, if you complete your A2 licence when you turn 19, you could have the full motorcycle licence when you’re 21. Meaning, you won’t have to wait until you turn 24.

What bikes can I ride on an A2 licence?

There are a variety of bikes you can ride on an A2 licence. Thankfully, manufacturers have been great at making A2 bikes that fit within the requirements outlined below.

For a bike to be A2 friendly, it will need to:

  • have a power output that is 35 kW (approx. 47 bhp) or lower
  • have a power-to-weight ratio of 0.2 kW per kg (268 bhp per tonne) or lower

You can also ride bikes that fall outside of this category and exceed the specifications requirement, as long as you fit a restrictor that lowers the power output by 50% or less. Therefore, you could ride bikes that produce under 70 kW or 94 bhp of power, as long as you fit a restrictor that limits this power by 50%.

Bikes that don’t meet the 0.2 kW/kg power-to-weight ratio requirement at 35 kW will need to be resticted below 35 kW, but by no more than 50%. So, a 150 kg motorbike with a power output of 60 kW would need to be restricted to 30 kW to be A2 licence compliant.

Keep in mind that the power-to-weight ratio applies to wet weight (motorcycle with fuel and fluids) and in most cases, it will stay within the limit. But, to be absolutely sure about the motorcycle specifications, you should always ask your local dealer or contact the manufacturer.

Too see a complete list of A2-legal motorcycles, you can browse our extensive database, where you’ll find out which bikes you can ride on your A2 licence, which bikes need to be restricted and their technical specifications. Optionally, you can also jump straight to:

You can also visit our homepage to see the latest A2 bikes or use the “Motorbike Type” drop-down in our menu to find the right category of bike for you.

How much does an A2 licence cost?

The basic CBT training and test will cost you around £100 and the full A2 licence including the Module 1 and Module 2 tests will cost an additional £700.

So, basically, you will have to spend around £750 or more if you want to get the full A2 motorcycle licence and you haven’t completed the CBT yet.

Ready to start training? See our directory of UK’s motorbike schools and instructors.

How to get an A2 motorcycle licence?

Below are some videos of the CBT, A2: Module 1 and A2: Module 2 tests that need to be taken as part of the A2 licence, as well as the “show me, tell me” questions.

CBT motorcycle training

This is the first thing you need to do before getting an A2 licence! You can book this with a motorbike training school near you.

Module 1 test

Module 2 test

Show me, tell me questions

You can also find the show me tell me questions on the Government website: ‘Show me, tell me’ questions: motorcycle riding test.

If you have any questions at all, please do not hesitate to contact us.