Poll: Should you be able to ride whatever bike you want at 17?

Motorcycling licence laws are set to change yet again in January 2013 and motorcyclists starting at the age of 17 could potentially have to take three separate motorcycle tests before they’re allowed to ride an unrestricted motorcycle on the road.

This is what the new laws mean:

Anybody under the age of 19 and at least 17 years old must pass a test and ride nothing more than a 125cc bike for two years.

At the age of 19, or at the end of those two years they must then take another test, which will then limit them to 47bhp for a further two years.

Once those two years are up, at the age of 21, they will undertake another test, this time to ride any bike unrestricted.

Alternatively at the age of 19 you can take a Direct Access test to give you immediate access to bikes making up to 47bhp, without having to spend two years riding 125s.

The age at which you can take your Direct Access has risen from 21 to 25.

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