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Beginner Advice

How Much Does It Cost To Ride A Motorcycle?

Author

Jake T · July 26, 2024

 

Riding a motorcycle offers a unique sense of freedom and adventure that you simply can’t find anywhere else.

If you’re reading this and contemplating getting yourself set up on a motorbike, I’ll stick my neck on the line and say you’re making the right decision. Completing CBT Training or getting a full motorcycle licence is the quickest and easiest way of getting on the road and means you can enjoy travel in the best form possible.... on two wheels!

Before you take the plunge, it's worth researching how much it costs to get out on the road. We've outlined a few of the major elements you will need to think about when getting a motorbike, moped or scooter.

Below we will go through the main costs of getting set up on the road, but remember, the prices can of course vary based on your own riding ambitions!

What licence do I need?

The Cost of Getting a Motorcycle Licence

The first step is to check what motorcycle you can ride. Not familiar with the licences and what bike you can ride with each? We’ve written a beginner's guide to motorcycle licences if you'd like to learn more.

But for most people, to get the basic qualification for riding a motorcycle you will have to complete the compulsory basic training (CBT), known as a CBT test. This can be completed in as little as a day if you complete all 5 parts of the CBT, and should cost somewhere in the region of £130-£190. It's as simple as finding a course near you, booking in, preparing, and completing the training.

However, there are more advanced licence types you will need if you would like to take a passenger or ride on a motorway. But if you want to get out there and ride solo, this is a far cheaper option than driving a car and far more reliable than a lot of public transport.

Get on the road today

Ready to get started and book you CBT? Book CBT training near you.

Buying Your Motorcycle: Around £2,000

Researching the cost of the motorcycle itself is definitely one of the first things you should consider before going through with your motorcycle licence.

Now, this is obviously very dependent on what bike you can or want to ride. If it’s your first motorbike we would highly recommend you consider buying a second hand motorbike to save on costs. There are some lovely motorbikes available at reasonable prices. In fact, we’ve written a whole article on motorcycles you can ride on a CBT licence featuring our 10 favourite motorcycles, perfect for beginners. You’ll be surprised how beautiful some of them are!

Unless you’re driving around fancying yourself as the next Valentino Rossi, the fuel efficiency on a bike will far exceed that of a car. For example, a full tank on a Vespa is likely to come in at around £14 and if you wanted to push your luck you can get around 125 miles out of this! Or put another way, you can get 125 miles of travel for the same price as one day of commuting on the London Underground!

How much does it cost to ride a motorcycle

Motorbike Insurance: Around £500 Per Year

First-time rider insurance on a bike is undeniably a serious cost to take into account. Other than the motorbike/scooter itself, this will likely be your biggest expense.

The price of suitable insurance will depend on quite a few factors:

  • Engine size: it costs more to insure a more powerful bike
  • Your age: rates are higher for younger riders
  • Riding experience: If you have more years under your belt, especially with no claims, your costs will be lower
  • Storage location: storing your bike in a locked garage will cost less than keeping it in the driveway, and even less than storing in on a road

You can save money by doing your research and using a comparison site like Quotezone, to ensure you're getting a reasonabe quote.

If you want to soften the blow it is well worth considering the following:

  • Breaking down the insurance into monthly payments. This will mean you don’t have to give your bank account a heart attack and you can still go out for work drinks on Fridays. The downside is that it may be more expensive to pay this way overall.
  • One of the major factors for motorcycle insurance costs is theft. Off-street parking will reduce the price of insurance significantly.
  • Taking an advanced rider course. Some insurers will offer discounts for the extra experience.
  • Having an address outside of central London will also make a huge difference to your insurance quote.

How much does it cost to ride a motorcycle

Buying The Motorcycle Gear: Around £300

Getting protective gear is absolutely essential and could save your life. If you want to be savvy then you should be able to get most of this gear on the cheap. This should make the total costs around £300-£400 depending on what you like. However, a lot of people want to get their licence and ride a motorcycle because they’re in love with the style and culture and not necessarily the practicality. If you’re one of these people, then good choice, grow out that beard and put on those shades. But be careful with your card! You can spend thousands on motorcycle gear quite easily... Trust me…

One tip when looking in-store is to try on some gear, see what you like and what suits you then have a look online. Often you can get the exact same items for a much better price! Check out our article on the best motorcycle denim that you can buy!

The RideTo Store offer Rider Packs, meaning you can buy a whole set of motorcycling gear at a significantly reduced cost. We've got no-frills entry level options, all the way to more stylish street styles. Check out our Rider Packs here.

How much does it cost to ride a motorcycle

Other Motorcycle Costs:

Don’t forget fuel! This is the case with any vehicle of course but should be relatively cheap for a scooter or moped as they have very good miles per gallon. If you fancy a road trip across Europe, definitely budget this in!

A yearly motorcycle MOT service will set you back around £30-£50 and is a legal requirement once the vehicle is 3 years old. If you’re unsure about the MOT service and how it works, have a check on the gov.uk website.

You will need to pay Road Tax but fear not, it’s only around £25 a year for engines sized 150cc or under (so, all CBT-compliant bikes).

All in all, you should be able to get on the road and cruise for around £2000 - £3000 depending on what you want to go for. Remember, this isn’t money burnt away; the main cost will be your motorbike/scooter which should hold its value well as long as you look after it! This means you can always sell it at a later date.

To add to this, costs should come down significantly over time as you’ll only have to pay the running and upkeep costs which will likely be around £500. The others items such as the bike and the gear are already paid for. Your insurance will also decrease over time as your experience grows.

The final thing to consider when looking into the costs of a motorcycle licence is the price of your sanity! If you hate your commute and want a convenient and reliable way to get around whilst undoubtedly looking suave, invest in a bike! You can’t put a price on your happiness, but I bet for £2000 a motorbike will put a smile on your face and brighten your day, every day.

Ready to take the next steps to getting on the road? Find the best training for you using our licence finder here

Looking for more information on what bikes to ride? Check out this article.

This information is given to you as a guide to support you in your choice of licence and RideTo has made every attempt to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information provided about motorcycle licence and training requirements. However, RideTo cannot guarantee the information is up to date, correct and complete and is therefore provided on an "as is" basis only. RideTo accepts no liability whatsoever for any loss or damage howsoever arising. We recommend that you verify the current licence and training requirements by checking the DVSA website.