From 1 November 2020 it is possible to do the A2-licence test with a 250 cc motorcycle instead of 400 cc. On 5 May 2020 the European Union published the Commission Directive (EU) 2020/612, amending Directive 2006/126/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on driving licences, which will enter into force 25 May.. One of the amendments is the lowering of the minimal displacement of A2-licence test motorcycles.

For several years FEMA has lobbied for this reduction to enable women and smaller men to pass the A2 test. Statistics from several European countries, especially Sweden and the Netherlands, showed that women have a disadvantage to pass the special manoeuvres tests. One of the causes for this is that test motorcycles are often too heavy and too big for women and smaller men to handle.

Another problem is that there are very few models of motorcycle for sale that fit the demands for the A2-licence test. As an observer in the Driving Licence Committee we managed to play an active role in the decision-making process that led to this outcome.

Dolf Willigers, General Secretary of FEMA, comments: “We are very pleased to see that it will soon be possible to do the A2-licence test with a 250 cc motorcycle. This will be a relief for many smaller persons for whom the present A2 test motorcycles are too big and too heavy. We have worked hard to accomplish this. It also shows that a motorcyclist interest group can make a difference in legislation.”

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Photography by Dolf Willigers