Learner motorbike insurance
Read our guide to learner motorbike insurance. Find out what you need to learn to ride a motorbike, as well as how much insurance costs and the licences you need.
Plus, compare learner motorbike insurance and enjoy a year of fantastic rewards, on us.
Comparing learner motorbike insurance
Comparing learner motorbike insurance quotes through us couldn’t be easier and only takes a few minutes. Just give us some details about you and the type of bike you want to insure. We’ll also need to know how long you’ve been riding for and whether you hold a full or provisional licence.
We’ll then compare dozens of quotes from different insurance providers to bring you the best price from our panel.
What is learner motorbike insurance?
Learner motorbike insurance is a specialist type of policy that covers provisional licence holders.
If you’re learning to ride a motorbike at a training school, it’s usually included as part of the cost of the course, if you’re riding one of their bikes. However, it’s best to check. The same goes for private lessons with an instructor.
If you’re learning to ride a motorcycle with a friend or family member and using their bike, you’ll need your own learner motorbike insurance policy. This policy will protect both you, in the event you crash or cause an accident, and them. That’s because any claim you make will be on your learner policy, protecting your friend or relative from having to claim on theirs, potentially ruining any no-claims discount they’ve built up.
As soon as you pass your practical motorcycle test, your learner motorbike insurance will no longer be valid. You’ll need to take out a standard motorbike insurance policy to continue riding as a fully qualified driver.
How much does motorbike insurance cost?
The price you’ll pay for motorbike insurance depends on several factors including:
- What bike you ride
- Your age
- Your occupation – and if you’ll be using your bike for work
- How much you ride
- Where you live
- Where you keep your bike overnight
- How you secure your bike
- Whether you want to include other named riders on your policy.
Based on Compare the Market data, you could achieve the following quote for your bike, moped or scooter:
| Engine size | Price could be less than: |
|---|---|
| 50cc | £415[1] |
| 125cc | £677[2] |
[1] 51% of our customers were quoted less than £676.89 for their 50cc bike insurance in June 2023.
[2] 51% of our customers were quoted less than £414.61 for their 125cc bike insurance in June 2023.
How much is motorcycle insurance for learners?
Motorbike learner insurance can be expensive because as a new rider, you’re less experienced and considered more of a risk on the road.
If you’re a young rider just starting out, your premiums are bound to be higher.
According to Compare the Market’s latest data, 51% of young riders between 16 and 17 years old could achieve a quote of up to £957[4] a year for their motorcycle insurance.
Once you pass your test and get a little experience under your belt, you can expect to pay less. The DVSA offers enhanced rider assessment and training to help you become a safer rider, which can help to reduce your premiums. Our latest data show that over half of licenced riders could get a quote of up to £481[5] per year for their motorbike insurance.
Find out what else can affect the cost of your motorbike insurance.
[4] 51% of our young riders between 16-17 years old were quoted less than £956.17 for their bike insurance in November 2022.
[5] 51% of our customers were quoted less than £480.79 for their bike insurance in November 2022.
What do I need to get a learner motorcycle insurance quote?
To get a motorcycle insurance for learners quote, you’ll need to answer a few basic questions about you and your bike, including:
- Your name, age, address and job
- The type of licence you have
- Your riding history including any claims and convictions
- Your average annual mileage
- Bike details including make, model, age and value.
Once we have the details we need, we’ll show you a list of suitable quotes for learner riders.
Get a quoteWhy use Compare the Market?
| Get a quote in 6 minutes[3] | We compare prices for 27 bike insurance products[3] |
[3] Correct as of June 2023.
What types of bike insurance for learners are available?
Motorbike insurance is a legal must, no matter your age or the size of bike you own.
As a learner rider, you’ll need standard motorcycle, moped or scooter insurance.
Just like car insurance, there are three levels of insurance cover to choose from:
- Third party – the most basic type of cover that you need to legally ride on the road. It covers injuries to another person and damage to their vehicle, but not to you or your bike.
- Third party, fire and theft – as well as third party protection, you’ll also be covered if your bike is stolen or damaged by fire.
- Fully comprehensive – the highest level of cover, which includes cover for damage to your bike or injuries to you. In most cases, it will also cover the cost of a replacement bike if yours is written off in an accident.
Insuring a bike before passing your test
If you’re planning on learning to ride a motorbike with a friend or family member and their bike, you’ll need to get learner insurance.
This will protect any no-claims bonus they’ve built up, because any claim you make will be on your insurance policy, not theirs.
The moment you pass your test, your learner motorbike insurance will no longer be valid. This means you’ll need to take out a full motorbike insurance policy before you can ride again.
Frequently asked questions
How do you learn to ride a motorbike?
Here are the steps you need to take to learn to ride a motorbike:
- Get your provisional licence. You can apply here.
- Take your CBT (Compulsory Basic Training). This is a one-day course which teaches you the basic rules of the road.
- Take additional riding lessons. This could be a motorbike training school course or private lessons.
- Pass your theoretical test.
- Pass your practical test.
What bikes can I ride on a provisional licence?
Once you’ve completed a Compulsory Basic Training (CBT) course, you can ride the following bikes on a provisional licence:
- a moped up to 50cc if you’re 16 or over
- a motorbike or scooter up to 125cc if you’re 17 or over
You must also use L-plates and have valid learner motorcycle insurance in place.
What bikes can I ride on a full licence?
With a full A licence, you can ride a motorbike of any size.
If you don’t have a full motorbike licence, here are the types of bikes you can ride, depending on your licence type. The licence you can get will depend on your age and the power of the bike you want to ride:
- AM – for bikes up to 50cc (age 16+)
- A1 – for bikes up to 125cc (age 17+)
- A2 – for bikes up to 500cc (age 19+)
Once you’ve held your A2 licence for two years, at 21 you can apply to get a full A licence. If you don’t have an A2 licence, you’ll have to wait until you’re 24 before you can get a full A motorbike licence.
How do I apply for a provisional licence?
You can apply for a provisional licence from the DVLA online. To apply you must be:
- At least 15 years and 9 months old
- Capable of reading a number plate from 20 metres away
A first provisional licence costs £34 if you apply online or £43 when you apply by post. It should take about a week to arrive if you apply online.
What is CBT?
Compulsory Basic Training isn’t a test that you can technically pass or fail. It’s a course you have to successfully complete to show that you can ride safely on the road while preparing for your full licence.
A CBT certificate lasts for two years. If you don’t want to take a full moped or scooter licence test and want to continue to ride on your provisional licence, you’ll need to renew it every two years.
You can be fined up to £1,000 and get as many as six penalty points if you ride without a valid CBT certificate.
Can you insure a motorbike without CBT?
Yes, you can insure a motorbike without completing your Compulsory Basic Training.
You can be insured to cover you while completing the training, or riding mopeds up to 50cc.
Do I need insurance to ride the bikes at a motorbike school?
If you’re learning at a professional motorbike school, you’ll be covered by the school’s insurance so long as you ride the bikes provided by them.
If you bring and use your own bike you’ll need to have your own insurance in place.
Can I carry passengers on my motorbike as a learner?
No, you’ll need to get your full licence before you can ride with a pillion passenger.
Does the cost of insurance differ between a 50cc and 125cc bike?
Yes, usually, 125cc motorbikes are more expensive to insure than 50cc motorcycles.
That’s because they’re more powerful and therefore more valuable. 50cc and 125cc bikes are designed for and common with learner or younger drivers. They’re for riders who have completed their CBT, but don’t have their full motorbike licence.
In terms of insurance, the bikes are usually lower in value, which is good for insurance, but their connection to learner and less experienced drivers means that you can still expect to pay more.
How can I cut the cost of my learner motorbike insurance?
There are some things that could help to lower the cost of your premium:
- Keep your bike safely parked overnight, off the road and in a garage or on a driveway
- Avoid any modifications that could increase your bike’s speed or value
- If you can share the bike with a more experienced rider, add them to your policy – just make sure you’re named as the main rider
- Keep your mileage down – the less time you spend on the road, the less likely you are to have an accident
- Install an approved alarm system or lock to increase your bike’s security
- Once you’ve got your licence you can take training courses to reduce your premiums
- Shop around and compare a range of quotes before deciding on a policy.
What insurance do I need if I’m riding a moped in later life?
If you’re learning to ride as an older driver, you can still get bike insurance for learners.
Age is no restriction when it comes to this type of insurance. Once you’ve obtained your full motorcycle licence, you can then get a standard motorbike insurance policy.
What our expert says...
“If you’re only just starting out and haven’t bought a bike yet, it might be a good idea to compare 50cc and 125cc engines. Opting for a smaller engine at first could mean paying less for your insurance premium.”
- Julie Daniels, Motor insurance expert
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