How riding two wheels can help you save money

Compared to cars, bikes are not just cheaper to buy but use less fuel, are cheaper to insure and tax, are exempt from congestion charges and often free to park. They’re also less likely to get caught in traffic jams so saving valuable time.
Compared to public transport, whether that be buses, trams or trains, two-wheelers also not only offer potential savings, they’re also more convenient and can be quicker, too.

The price of a provisional licence for a car or a bike is the same, as a first provisional licence can be used on a; car, motorcycle and or moped. The cheapest way to get a provisional licence is to apply for one online, this will cost £34 (providing you already have passport photos etc).
What CC bike you can ride does depend on your age. At 16 you’re restricted to a 50cc moped. When you are 17 or older, you can ride any 125cc within 11Kw of power. To ride a Compulsory Basic Training (CBT) is typically a one day course which will allow anyone 16 or older to ride a motorcycle or scooter on the road. A CBT test will cost you between £140-£190. You must be 17 or over to drive a car in the UK. The exact cost of driving a car is a bit more difficult, as it takes people different amounts of lesson time to learn. There's no minimum number of lessons you must have or hours you must practise driving. How many lessons you need will depend on how quickly you learn. A driving lesson roughly costs between £25-£30 per hour. According to Red Driving School the average person needs around 45 hours of driving lessons. This will cost over £1000. You will also have to pay for your test on top of that. Theory tests cost £23, and the driving test costs £62 for a tests on a weekday, or £75 for a test at the weekend.

Bikes are cheaper than cars, period.
Whether you’re going for a budget, entry-level new buy or buying used, motorcycles and scooters are always significantly cheaper. You can get on the road with a brand-new bike for £2000. The cheapest non-EV car is currently about £12,000. Obviously buying used blurs the issue, depends on what you want and on comparing like for like, but the savings never change. Yes, you need to buy motorcycle clothing, security etc, but bikes are still cheaper.

Two wheels are cheaper to use and maintain than four wheels, too. They’re more economical, insurance is cheaper, road tax is cheaper, and servicing is cheaper, too. Yes, we’re assuming budget, commuter machines here and it’s true that exotic superbikes cost far more to run, but they’re still cheaper than cars.
The savings are potentially even greater still for new drivers or teenagers. Those types of commuters can make savings of thousands on insurance alone by opting for two wheels instead of four. At 17, the insurance on a first car is likely to be in the thousands. On a 125 on L-plates, it’ll be more like a few hundred quid. Then add in the road tax and fuel savings.

Bikes not only don’t get stuck in traffic, but they’re also exempt from ULEZ charges and are easier and cheaper (and often free) to park. They’re also subject to cheaper tariffs on toll roads or bridges etc.

Savings aside, many prefer commuting by bike (or scooter) for the exhilaration and refreshing enjoyment it brings with many reporting that biking has been good for their mental health. Who wouldn’t prefer to arrive at work feeling awake and alive rather than drained by gruelling other forms of transport? (Of course, commuting by bike isn’t always a joy, take the recent cold snap for instance, but you can’t have everything!)

Browse through lots of bikes for sale on Auto Trader here.