Your motorcycle and your green slip price (part 1)

The engine size of your motorcycle makes a big difference to your green slip price. But what about having a pillion passenger or how far a rider travels in a year? We answered these questions and more using June 2026 data from the green slip calculator. Some of the results may surprise you.

What are motorcycle engine sizes?

Motorcycles are Class 10 vehicles and the regulator (SIRA) has set 5 bands of engine size within this class. Insurers must use these to set green slip prices for motorcycles:

Engine sizes

• to 225cc
• 226-725cc
• 726-1,125cc
• 1,126-1,325cc
• 1,326cc +

What’s the most popular motorcycle engine size?

The most popular motorcycle engine size is a mid-capacity 226-725cc. The green slip calculator shows:

• Over a third (37%) of all bikes are 226-725cc.
• About a quarter (24%) of all bikes are 726-1,125cc.
• About a fifth (18%) are the largest motorcycles, 1,326cc +.
• 9% are the smallest bikes, under 225cc.

Share of riders for each engine size

Greenslip prices vary dramatically with engine size.

How much is a green slip for each engine size?

We used the green slip calculator for an insured motorcycle rider, 50, for each engine size.

Greenslip price for each engine size

• The largest bikes, 1,326cc + are the second most expensive for green slips.
• The most expensive green slips are for the second largest bikes 1,126-1,325cc.

Why are green slips for the second largest bikes more expensive than for the most powerful bikes? According to research, it could be related to the age and experience of the rider.

Rider age on 1,126-1,325cc bike

• These bikes are more likely to be ridden by people aged 40 and over, with share highest for riders age 60.

Perhaps they are returning riders. Research shows older riders who go back to riding (returning riders) are more likely to crash. Some 55% of crashes involve riders with less than 3 years’ experience.

• Returning riders dominated ownership of higher capacity motorcycles while new riders favour low power mopeds and scooters.
• Returning riders increased the engine size of their bikes more quickly than other riders.

Which bike sizes are more likely to have pillion passengers?

When there’s a pillion passenger, they’re most likely to be on a large bike, over 1,326cc. Here are the chances of having a pillion passenger for each engine size:

• 28% of 1,326cc +
• 27% of 726-1,125cc
• 22% of 226-725cc
• 16% of 1,126-1,325cc
• 8% of bikes to 225cc.

Share of riders with pillion passenger by engine size

While the biggest bikes are more likely to have pillion passengers, mid-size bikes are not far behind.

Does engine size affect how far riders travel?

Whether riding a small bike or a heavyweight tourer, most owners use their motorcycles for short trips rather than long distances.

How far people ride in a year by engine size

Interestingly, only 2.6% of all bikes travel more than 10,000 kms per year and:

• 4% of all bikes (89% of bikes up to 225cc) travel less than 5,000 kms per year.
• 13% of all bikes (16% of bikes 1,126 to 1,325cc) travel 5,000-10,000 kms per year.

Compared to car owners, who travel up to 15,000 kms on average, motorcycle riders cover short distances. Does this mean they’re less likely to to insure their bikes?

See Part 2 of our blog when published, Your motorcycle and your green slip price.