Best Beginner Motorbikes in the UK for 2026
The best-selling beginner bike in Britain last year wasn't a 125. It was the Honda GB350S, and DVLA registered 1,192 of them, which is more than the MT-07 and more than anything with L-plates on it. Almost nobody puts it in a beginner guide.
Most of those guides count down from ten to one, as though a 17-year-old fresh off a CBT and a 30-year-old who's just passed Direct Access are shopping from the same shelf. They aren't, so this one is grouped by the licence you hold: three routes, three bikes each, chosen on what Britain actually registered rather than on what reads well. Prices are on the road and weights are wet.
Which licence you hold decides which bikes you can legally buy
This is the part worth reading before the ranking, because it rules most of the internet's beginner advice out of scope.
A CBT is not a licence. It is a day's training that lets you ride a 125 on L-plates, and GOV.UK is explicit that once you have done it you have two years to pass the theory and practical tests or you take the CBT again. No pillion, no motorways.
A1 is 125cc and 11kW. Minimum age 17, and the power-to-weight limit is 0.1kW per kg. Every bike in the first tier below is built to sit inside it.
A2 is where it gets interesting. Minimum age 19, 35kW, and no capacity limit at all. That last part surprises people: a 500 and a 750 can both be A2-legal, because the rule is about power, not engine size. The catch is the second limit, 0.2kW per kg, and a third rule that GOV.UK words as the bike not being derived from a vehicle more than twice its power. In practice that puts a hard ceiling on what can be restricted at 70kW unrestricted.
A is unrestricted, from 24 on Direct Access, or 21 by progressive access after two years on an A2.
The consequence runs through the whole of this guide. A bike making more than 70kW cannot be restricted for you at all, and a bike making less than 35kW needs no restricting. Everything in between is a conversation with a dealer.
Tier one: bikes for a CBT or an A1 licence
All three do the same job, so the decision comes down to weight, money and cover.
One thing to know before you read them. Learner bikes fail their MOT far more often than big ones, and the gap is wide: these three passed between 76.6% and 84.5% of tests in 2025, against 90% and up for everything in tier three. That is mostly about how a 125 lives rather than how it is built, since it gets ridden through winter, parked outside and shod with the cheapest tyres in the shop. Lighting, tyres and chains account for most of what fails, and none of those is a manufacturing fault. Budget for consumables and the figure stops mattering.
The other thing a first bike needs is protection from you. New riders drop bikes at walking pace, in car parks and at junctions, with no injury and an expensive noise, and a £60 set of frame sliders costs less than a tank, a lever and a fairing panel.
Honda CB125F: the one that asks least of you
At 117kg this is the lightest bike in the guide, and on a first bike that beats every other number here. It is the difference between paddling backwards out of a parking space and dreading it. The 790mm seat is the lowest of the nine too, so most riders get both feet down.
What you give away is power: 10.7bhp at 7,500rpm from the 124cc single, where the other two make the full 11kW. In exchange it is the cheapest bike on the page and the only one whose warranty can be renewed annually out to six years. The Honda CB125F also passed 84.5% of its 1,100 MOT tests in 2025, the best record of the three. Servicing every 4,000 miles keeps the running costs where the purchase price is.
DVLA registered 698 Honda CB125F in Britain in 2025, so parts and a used market are not in doubt.
Who it suits: anyone worried about dropping it, anyone short, anyone who wants the cheapest honest route onto a geared bike.
Yamaha MT-125: the one that feels like a real bike
The MT-125 makes the full 11kW an A1 licence allows and is geared and styled like a shrunken big bike rather than a learner tool, which is why it sells in near-identical numbers to the Honda at £1,700 more. DVLA registered 696 Yamaha MT-125 in Britain in 2025.
The costs of that are weight and cover. It runs 25kg heavier than the CB125F and its 810mm seat is the tallest of the three, though a three-year factory warranty softens the price. The Yamaha MT-125 passed 79.1% of its 1,141 MOT tests in 2025, the middle of the three. Dealers are discounting to £4,999 against a £5,301 list, ready to ride with tax and plates included.
Who it suits: a rider who knows they will take their A2 in two years and wants something they will actually enjoy until then.
KTM 125 Duke: the one with the equipment list
Cornering ABS on a 125 is not normal, and neither is a five-inch TFT dash. KTM has spent the money on electronics rather than on making the bike light, and the result is the heaviest learner bike here at 154kg. That is 37kg more than the Honda, on machines whose power outputs are within 3.2kW of each other.
The KTM 125 Duke passed 76.6% of its 629 MOT tests in 2025, the weakest record of the nine, and carries the strongest warranty at up to four years. For a bike most riders sell inside two, that cover is worth more than the dashboard is. DVLA registered 536 in Britain in 2025.
Who it suits: a rider who wants the electronics and can handle the weight. Anyone nervous about holding a bike up at a junction should sit on one before ordering.
Tier two: bikes for an A2 licence
The A2 has no capacity limit, only a 35kW power cap, which is why a 350 and a 500 sit in the same tier. It is also where the best value on this page lives: the cheapest bike here costs £600 more than the cheapest 125 and gives you roughly twice the power.
This is usually the first bike someone actually goes somewhere on, rather than commutes on, which is the point at which a top box or a pannier rack stops being an accessory and starts being the reason you can do the trip at all.
Honda GB350S: the best-selling beginner bike nobody recommends
1,192 registrations in a year, against 387 for the NX500 and 191 for the Hunter 350. The GB350S outsold every other machine in this guide and it appears in almost none of the guides competing with this one.
For £3,999 on the road it gives 348cc and 21bhp at 5,500rpm, tops out around 80mph and stays easy to shove about at 178kg wet. The trade is honest: you work the clutch and the revs to get away from lights, and it rewards steady legal progress rather than anything quicker. It is too new to have a meaningful MOT record yet, which is true of any recently launched model.
That sales figure is not vanity. A bike Britain buys 1,192 of a year will have a used market, dealer coverage and parts supply in three years; one it buys a couple of hundred of might not.
Who it suits: almost anyone with an A2, and especially anyone who wants a proper motorbike for close to 125 money.
Honda NX500: the one that is A2-legal with nothing done to it
This is the bike riders ask us about more than any other, and the answer is yes. The NX500 makes exactly 35kW, which is the A2 ceiling, so it is legal on an A2 with no restrictor kit, no dealer paperwork and no cost. It is the bike that used to be called the CB500X, which is why DVLA still files it under that name.
The Honda NX500 passed 92.8% of its 934 MOT tests in 2025, the best record in this tier. Real-world economy runs at 64mpg in mixed UK riding against a claimed 78.5, servicing falls at 8,000 miles or 12 months with valve clearances at 16,000, and the warranty is two years unlimited.
Honda also lists an E-Clutch version at £6,999 on the road, £100 more, which removes clutch lever work and leaves you to change gear yourself. On a first bike that is one fewer thing to coordinate at a junction.
The limitation is size. An 830mm seat is the tallest here and it sits on a 196kg bike, so shorter riders should sit on one before committing. Moto Planet's Honda NX500 road test covers how that height behaves once the bike is moving, which is a different question from how it feels at a standstill.
Who it suits: an A2 rider tall enough for it, wanting one bike for commuting, weekends and the occasional trip.
Royal Enfield Hunter 350: the cheapest way into a full-size bike
The joint-lowest seat in the guide at 790mm, on a full-size 349.34cc bike, for £3,899 on the road. It is easy to manage, behaves impeccably at walking pace and delivers its power in a way that never catches a new rider out. What it lacks is punch: 20.2bhp runs out on a fast A-road, and the claimed 70.8mph top speed is a claim rather than a measured figure.
Cover is the best in this tier at three years with roadside assistance, though servicing starts early with a first service at 500km before settling to every 10,000km or 12 months.
Weigh all that against 191 registrations, against 1,192 for the GB350S. That is no criticism of the bike, but it means a smaller used market and a thinner dealer network, which matters on a bike you may well sell in two years.
Who it suits: a shorter rider on a tight budget who wants something bigger than a 125.
Tier three: bikes for a full licence, or an A2 with a restrictor
Every bike here makes under 70kW unrestricted, so every one of them can legally be restricted for an A2 and freed later. That is the answer to the question we are asked most.
They are also the most reliable machines on the page, passing between 90.6% and 94.6% of their MOTs in 2025, roughly fifteen points clear of the 125s. Bigger bikes get garaged, serviced on schedule and ridden less in salt.
They are also the bikes people keep, and the ones ridden far enough for wind to become the limiting factor rather than the engine. All three are naked or half-faired as standard, so a screen is the first thing most owners add.
Honda NC750X: the one Honda will convert both ways
Honda builds an A2 version making 35kW and a dealer can convert it to full power, or back again, by remapping the ECU. That is unusually clean: buy it restricted at 19, have it freed at 21 or 24, keep the same bike.
It also has the best MOT record of the nine at 94.6%, and full power is a modest 43.1kW at 6,750rpm from the 745cc twin, which is exactly why it works as a first big bike. The catch is mass. 216kg in manual form and 226kg with DCT makes it the heaviest bike here by 20kg, and no amount of gentle power delivery disguises that at walking pace.
DVLA registered 958 in 2025, more than the Trident or the MT-07, helped by how many go to commuters and fleets. Moto Planet's Honda NC750X road test is largely about whether that weight matters once the bike is doing a car's job.
Who it suits: a rider going straight to a big bike who wants the restriction option, and who can manage the weight.
Triumph Trident 660: the most bike you can legally restrict
At 70kW the Trident sits exactly on the legal ceiling. A machine making more than that cannot be restricted for an A2 at all, so this is as much motorbike as the rules allow you to detune. Triumph sells an official kit through its dealers and it comes back off when you upgrade.
You get a triple rather than the twins either side of it, which is most of the reason people choose one, plus cornering ABS and traction control as standard. The Triumph Trident 660 passed 90.8% of its 2,403 MOT tests in 2025, the largest sample in this tier. Servicing runs to 10,000 miles or 12 months and the warranty is two years unlimited.
At 195kg with an 810mm seat it is no lightweight, and it is the priciest bike here.
Who it suits: an A2 rider who wants one bike for the next five years and no trade-up.
Yamaha MT-07: the one that suits the most riders
At 184kg the Yamaha MT-07 is the lightest bike in this tier, with an 805mm seat and 72.4bhp at 8,750rpm. The chassis flatters a rider who is still learning and the engine forgives a wrong gear, on a riding position that suits an unusually wide range of shapes.
The semi-automatic Y-AMT version removes the clutch entirely for £350 more and 2kg, which takes one whole job away from someone with plenty else to think about. Economy runs around 60mpg against 67 claimed and close to 70mpg on a motorway, the MOT record is 90.6%, and the warranty is two years. DVLA registered 646 across both versions in 2025.
Who it suits: most people, which is why it is here. Undecided between the three? Sit on this one first.
Honourable mention
The Honda CB500F and Yamaha R125 both sell in real numbers, 210 and 544 respectively in 2025, and both would be defensible picks. They are left out because the CB500F is the same running gear as the NX500 in a lower, cheaper package, and the R125 is the MT-125 with fairings and a sportier riding position. Neither adds a decision the nine above do not already cover.
Which beginner motorbike suits which rider?
| Bike | Suits | One reason to pick it | One reason not to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Honda CB125F | Nervous first-timers | Lightest here at 117kg | Down on power at 8kW |
| Yamaha MT-125 | Riders passing A2 soon | Full 11kW, feels grown-up | £1,700 more than the Honda |
| KTM 125 Duke | Tech-led learners | Cornering ABS, 4-year warranty | Heaviest 125 at 154kg |
| Honda GB350S | Most A2 riders | 1,192 sold, 21bhp for £3,999 | Needs revs to make progress |
| Honda NX500 | Tall A2 all-rounders | 35kW, legal with no kit | 830mm seat, 196kg |
| Royal Enfield Hunter 350 | Shorter riders on a budget | 790mm seat, £3,899 | Small used market |
| Honda NC750X | Restricting then unrestricting | Dealer converts both ways | 216kg |
| Triumph Trident 660 | Buying once for five years | Most power you can restrict | Heaviest of the naked bikes |
| Yamaha MT-07 | Almost everyone | Lightest big bike here | Nothing significant |
Specifications
| Bike | Price OTR | Power | Kerb weight | Seat height | Warranty | Licence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Honda CB125F | £3,299 | 8kW | 117kg | 790mm | 2 years, renewable to 6 | CBT / A1 |
| Yamaha MT-125 | £4,999 | 11kW | 142kg | 810mm | 3 years | CBT / A1 |
| KTM 125 Duke | £4,899 | 11.2kW | 154kg | 800mm | up to 4 years | CBT / A1 |
| Royal Enfield Hunter 350 | £3,899 | 14.87kW | 181kg | 790mm | 3 years | A2 |
| Honda GB350S | £3,999 | 15.6kW | 178kg | 800mm | 2 years | A2 |
| Honda NX500 | £6,899 | 35kW | 196kg | 830mm | 2 years | A2 |
| Honda NC750X | £7,599 | 43.1kW | 216kg | 802mm | 2 years | A, or A2 restricted |
| Yamaha MT-07 | £7,704 | 54kW | 184kg | 805mm | 2 years | A, or A2 restricted |
| Triumph Trident 660 | £7,795 | 70kW | 195kg | 810mm | 2 years | A, or A2 restricted |
Verdict
Three groups, three answers.
On a CBT or an A1 licence, buy the Honda CB125F. At 117kg and £3,299 it is the lightest and the cheapest, and weight is what beginners actually struggle with. The KTM has better electronics and a longer warranty; it also weighs 154kg, which you will feel every time you reverse it out of a space.
On an A2, buy the Honda GB350S. It beats the Hunter 350, its closest rival on price, on power and on top speed, and on the thing that shows up three years later: Britain registered 1,192 against 191 Hunters, so the used market, the dealers and the parts will still be there when you sell. Take the NX500 instead only if you are tall and want one bike for everything.
On a full licence, buy the Yamaha MT-07. It is 32kg lighter than the NC750X and £300 cheaper than the Trident, and it flatters a rider still finding their feet. Choose the NC750X over it if you want Honda to restrict and unrestrict it for you, and the Trident if you want a triple and intend to keep it five years.
Key takeaways
- Your licence, not your budget, decides which bikes you can legally buy
- A2 has no capacity limit, only a 35kW power limit, so a 500 or a 750 can qualify
- A bike making more than 70kW unrestricted cannot be restricted for an A2 at all
- The Honda GB350S outsold every other bike in this guide, by a lot, and costs £3,999
- Weight varies more than power at learner level: the Honda CB125F is 117kg, the KTM 125 Duke 154kg
- MOT pass rates split by tier: 76.6% to 84.5% on the 125s, 90.6% to 94.6% on the big bikes
- The Honda NX500 is A2-legal as standard, with no restrictor kit and no cost
Common questions
The Honda NX500 is a good beginner bike for an A2 rider tall enough for its 830mm seat. It makes exactly 35kW, which is the A2 legal limit, so it needs no restrictor kit. At 196kg it is not light, and real-world economy runs at 64mpg in mixed UK riding against Honda's claimed 78.5.
The Honda NC750X works as a first big bike because Honda sells an A2 version making 35kW that a dealer can convert to full power, or back, by remapping the ECU. Full power is 43.1kW. The limitation is weight: 216kg in manual form and 226kg with DCT, the heaviest bike in this guide.
The Honda GB350S is the best beginner motorbike for most UK riders with an A2 licence, at £3,999 on the road for 348cc and 21bhp. Britain registered 1,192 of them in 2025, more than any other bike in this guide. Riders still on a CBT should look at the Honda CB125F instead, at £3,299 and 117kg.
Engine size is the wrong measure in the UK, because the A2 licence caps power at 35kW and does not cap capacity at all. A 600 making under 35kW is legal on an A2; a 600 making 70kW is not, unless it is restricted. Judge a first bike on power, weight and seat height rather than on capacity.
A 250 is not too much for a beginner holding an A2 licence, which allows up to 35kW regardless of capacity. It is too much for a CBT or A1 licence, which caps you at 125cc and 11kW. The bikes in tier two of this guide run from 348cc to 471cc and are all A2-legal.
An upright naked or a small roadster suits most new riders, because the riding position gives good visibility and the bars give leverage at low speed. Every bike in this guide is one or the other. Seat height and kerb weight matter more than style: the range here runs from 117kg to 216kg.
A CBT plus a provisional licence lets you ride a 125cc motorbike making up to 11kW on L-plates, with no pillion and no motorways. GOV.UK states the certificate lasts two years, and if you have not passed your theory and practical tests by then you take the CBT again.
No. GOV.UK states an A2 bike must not be derived from a vehicle more than twice its power, which puts the ceiling at 70kW unrestricted. The Triumph Trident 660 makes exactly 70kW and sits on that limit. Anything more powerful cannot legally be restricted for an A2.
Moto Planet picks
Kit that fits the bikes in this guide.
- Screens: fits seven of the nine here
- Luggage and racks: top box and pannier racks
- Crash protection: sliders, bungs and guards
About these figures
Prices are on the road and were checked in September 2026 against manufacturer listings and UK dealers. Registration figures are DVLA new registrations for Great Britain, calendar year 2025. Licence categories, power limits and CBT validity come from GOV.UK. Power, weight and seat height are manufacturer figures. The Honda GB350S top speed is a measured figure; the Royal Enfield Hunter 350's is a manufacturer claim.