For some, motorcycles are a symbol of freedom and empowerment. For others, they're a fuss-free, cost-effective way to travel. No matter why you want to ride, here's how much it'll cost you.

The recent ban of Personal Mobility Devices on footpaths had an immediate and serious impact on food delivery riders who used PMDs to fulfil orders and make a living.

While some have accepted grants to trade in their PMDs and receive grants to switch to alternative modes of transport like power-assisted bicycles or bicycles, others have begun to seriously consider getting a motorcycle license.

In many countries, motorcycles are an important part of people's lives, providing fast, cost-efficient travel between places for work and leisure. In Singapore, motorcycles can not only replace PMDs for last-mile transport connectivity, they can also enhance the capabilities of riders, allowing them to take on more jobs, such as courier services.

Whether you plan to buy a motorcycle, rent one for work, or just want to learn a new skill, here's how much this will cost you.

REQUIREMENTS FOR GETTING A MOTORCYCLE LICENSE IN SINGAPORE 

In Singapore, policies around motor vehicle licensing comes under the purview of the Land Transport Authority (LTA), though testing and administration of licenses is done by the Traffic Police.

You have to be 18 years of age and above to enrol into a licensed training school and earn your motorcycle license. Unlike motor car licenses, there are no private motorcycle instructors from whom you can take riding lessons with.

There are 3 different types of licenses for motorcycles, segmented by the engine capacity of the vehicle:

• Class 2B: Licensed to ride motorcycles with engine capacity of 200 cc and below.
• Class 2A: Licensed to ride motorcycles with engine capacity between 201 cc and 400 cc. Riders must hold the Class 2B licence for at least 1 year before obtaining the Class 2A licence.
• Class 2: Licensed to ride motorcycles with engine capacity above 400 cc. Riders must hold the Class 2A licence for at least 1 year before obtaining the Class 2 licence.

If you are disqualified or suspended from driving, or have accumulated more than 12 demerit points, you won't be allowed to take any driving test (theory or practical), so you're advised to wait until you're in the clear before enrolling.

AUTHORISED TRAINING CENTRES FOR EARNING YOUR MOTORCYCLE LICENSE 

Here are the 3 authorised training centres for taking your riding theory and practical lessons and tests. Location should probably be the biggest factor for choosing the school, since other factors such as opening hours, price and passing rates all differ just slightly between the schools.

Bukit Batok Driving Centre (BBDC)

Address: 815 Bukit Batok West Avenue 5, Singapore 659085

ComfortDelGro Driving Centre (CDC)

Address: 205 Ubi Ave 4 Singapore 408805

Singapore Safety Diving Centre (SSDC)

Address: 2 Woodlands Industrial Park E4 Singapore 757387

In addition to being eligible to take the riding theory and practical tests, all training centres would require you make a health declaration to say that you're physically and mentally fit, as well as take an eyesight test. Don't worry, if you're able to read this article on your phone or computer, you should be all right.

COST OF GETTING A CLASS 2B MOTORCYCLE LICENSE

The course structure across the driving centres differ slightly, and so do the manner in which they present their course fee breakdown.

For a more detailed look at the fees you'll be paying, please consult the course fee pages for BBDC, CDC and SSDC.

We did our best to match the line items for comparison purposes, but do note that it is for illustration purposes only, since individual items may differ.

For example, each practical riding lesson at BBDC and CDC is 100 minutes, while SSDC's are 120 minutes.

In addition to the fees payable to the learning centres, there are also fees due to the Traffic Police for administering the tests and for your license. These fees are the same rate, no matter which centre you enrol in.

TEST AND LICENSE FEES (PAID TO TRAFFIC POLICE) 

Assuming you pass on the first try, you can expect to pay at least $570 to $630 to earn your Class 2B motorcycle license - and more if you fail any of the tests and would need to take more theory or practical lessons and tests.

As riders can attest to, life's never quite the same the first time you ride down the open road by yourself. Here's wishing you a safe and fruitful time as a motorcycle rider. Don't forget your P plate!

This article was first published on Dollars & Sense.