The compulsory documents

Riding a motorcycle means you need the appropriate license (along with the new rider sticker – "A" in France – where needed), the vehicle must be registered (in France the number plate must be riveted, and not screwed on, and must be of the legal dimensions) and you must be insured.

Depending on the country, an insurance sticker must be displayed on the motorcycle, forward of the anchor point between the steering column and the frame. In other cases, it must be fixed to the motorcycle, or may be a roundel embedded in the number plate.

Following the rules

As with all registered vehicles on the public highway, the motorcycle rider must comply with the Highway Code. 

Speed limit, safety distances (which must be at least two seconds – even if this is difficult to measure), rules for negotiating crossroads, stopping at traffic lights… all traffic situations are described in it.
As the motorcyclist is the one most vulnerable, it is in his best interest to comply with these rules, failing which there are penalties.

Specific to the motorcycle

Certain provisions of the Highway Code are specific to the motorcycle: wearing an approved type of helmet, for driver and passenger, are part of them, in the same way as riding with the headlight(s) on (on most recent motorcycles, the switch has disappeared and the lights come on automatically when the bike is started).

For the moment, only the off-side rear view mirror is compulsory, whereas cars must have two.
Overtaking lines of traffic is forbidden, but negotiations are under way with the public authorities for this to be tolerated, due to it being part of standard practice in the big towns and cities. Nor do motorcycles have the right to ride two or more abreast.

• Want to know more ? Read also: