Explained: What is the Class B1 licence and why is JPJ killing it?

Starting this October, the Road Transport Department (JPJ) will cease offering the Class B1 motorcycle licence as part of efforts to streamline its motorcycle licensing structure.

The Class B1 licence, for motorcycles with engines not exceeding 500cc capacity, will then be merged with the unrestricted Class B licence.

All driving institutes nationwide have been notified to cease offering the Class B1 category and instead direct applicants to Class B courses instead.

However, existing Class B1 licence holders may opt to retain the category, or choose an upgrade programme to transition to the Class B licence. The Class B2 licence for motorcycles not exceeding 250cc will remain available. B2 has the most number of licence holders as it is considered the entry-level category and most accessible category.

The worst of both worlds

The Class B1 licence is being discontinued due to declining demand. Despite sharing virtually all the costs and complexities involved in getting a Class B licence, B1 holders are still restricted to engine capacities below 500cc.

According to several driving institutions, students would normally register for the Class B category that offers the flexibility of riding motorcycles of any capacities.

“The interest for Class B over Class B1 is nothing new for us. Students are also encouraged to take up the Class B licence over the Class B1 licence due to cost.

“The reason is that the price difference is minimal and the Class B licence has more added value,” a driving school administrator told Malay Mail when contacted

A new Class B licence holder, Stephen Kok, said he wanted the full unrestricted class before he signed for lessons at the Metro Driving Academy in Kampung Melayu Subang.

The 49-year-old, who took more than two weeks before sitting for his test, said he spent RM1,200 for the entire course.

“I managed to pass the Class B test on my first outing despite not having any prior riding experience.

“It’s always been my dream to actually own and ride a big capacity motorcycle. So, I decided to do it the proper way,” he said when contacted by Malay Mail.

At present, most driving schools favour the affordable two-cylinder 650cc Kawasaki ER-6n as Class B trainers.

Where did Class B1 come from?

The Class B1 licence is an archaic category that has been around since Malaysia’s independence and a vestige of the British colonial administration that licensed classes based on a motorcycle’s capacity.

The regulations reflected circumstances then, when British-made 350cc to 500cc motorcycles were dominant in the country and supported the need for such an intermediate class of licence.

However, the introduction of Japanese motorcycles with growing displacement in the late 1960 and early 1970s started changing this.

Over the years, motorcycle engines kept rising in capacity, resulting in the relative popularity of models with capacities that would require a Class B licence to operate. This shift resulted in the Class B1 licence being effectively outmoded.