The motorcycle laws in the UK are very complicated... So to start at the top you can learn to ride a moped from the age of 16 A moped is a motorcycle under 50cc and has a top speed of 30mph. At 17 you can learn to ride upto a 125cc motorcycle with a maximum power of 15 bhp. You will need to have MOTORCYCLE ENTITLEMENT on your driving licence otherwise you will not be able to ride.. At 21 and over you can learn to ride on ANY size motorcycle PROVIDING you are accompanied by a DIRECT ACCESS qualified instructor, on their own machine and in one-way radio communication. Before you can ride any moped or motorcycle on the road, you must take Compulsory Basic Training (CBT) With a DSA approved motorcycle training school. On completing the course you are issued with form DL196 which validates your driving licence enabling you to ride (see classes above) as a LEANER RIDER, you must still display L-plates and cannot carry a passenger.. To pass the practical motorcycle test you must have already completed your CBT within the last two years, If your CBT has expired you will have to do it again. You will also have to complete your motorcycle theory test. You can take the motorcycle test on four different classes of machine. MOPED (P) Motorcycle (A, A1, Direct Access) Passing on one of these will determine the licence you will have to ride. MOPED (group P - see above) You will be entitled to carry a pillion passenger. Motorcycle(Group A) - A machine of which the engine size is between 75cc and 120cc and has a claimned top speed of less than 100 kph.. Passing a test on this machine will enable you to ride upto 125cc motorcycles without L-plates and take pillion passengers. Anything bigger requires L-plates, Motorcycles (GroupA1) - A machine of which the engine size is between 120-125cc and has a claimed speed of greater than 100kph. Passing your test on this machine will enable you to ride any machine UPTO a maximum 33 bhp, however the engine size has no limit. This restriction lasts for TWO YEARS, Two years after passing your test on an A1 machine you can ride any machine with no restrictions: Even if you passed your A1 test at 17 and wish to ride a bigger machine at 19. Motorcycle (DAS) Direct Access Machines leapfrog the 33 bhp 2 year waiting period. BUT you must be over 21 years old and . the motorcycle MUST produce over 47bhp. Passing your test on this machine will enable you to ride any bike immediately. If you have a full UK CAR licence you also have full group P entitlement, which needs to be activated by completing a CBT course. However in this case the CBT has no expiry date. Also A full car licence will grant provisional entiltlement for a motorcycle. You must complete a CBT which will last for two years and the same conditions concerning age etc. apply (see above) I did say it was complicated.....