The best motorcycle for most beginners in the Philippines is a 125cc–160cc automatic scooter, and the Honda Click 125 at ₱82,400–₱90,000 is the easiest place to start. It is light at 111 kg, low enough for most riders to put both feet down, and has no clutch to learn while you are still learning traffic. Step up to a Click 160 or Yamaha Aerox 155 if you will ride on highways often, or a PCX or NMAX if comfort and a passenger matter more than price. Skip the big bikes for now. You need an LTO license with code A before you ride solo, and once you have it you can rent a Click from ₱525 a day to test a model before you commit.
Best beginner motorcycles in the Philippines (2026)
| Model | Why it suits a beginner | Seat height | Weight | New price (SRP) | Rent2Ride daily rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Honda Click 125 | Lightest and cheapest; simplest to handle | 769 mm | 111 kg | ₱82,400–₱90,000 | From ₱525 |
| Honda Click 160 | Same easy size, more power for highways | 778 mm | 116 kg | ₱110,000 (2027 model) | ₱850 |
| Yamaha Aerox 155 | Sporty and stable; a good second-year bike too | 790 mm | 130 kg | ₱125,900–₱163,900 | From ₱750 |
| Honda PCX 160 | Lowest seat, most storage, comfortable | 764 mm | 133 kg | About ₱134,000About ₱133,500–₱155,000ndash;₱156,000 | ₱1,200 (modified unit) |
| Yamaha NMAX 155 | Comfortable two-up; ABS on the Tech MAX | 770 mm | 131 kg | ₱155,900–₱175,900 | ₱950 |
Prices are suggested retail prices as published by the brands and the main Philippine price sites in 2026; dealers add promos and financing on top. The Click 160 figures for seat height and weight are for the outgoing model, since Honda has not published them for the 2027 update launched on 16 October 2026. Each model has its own full guide: Click 125, Click 160, Aerox 155, PCX 160 and NMAX 155.
What actually matters on a first bike
Seat height
Being able to put both feet flat, or nearly flat, at a stop is the single biggest confidence factor for a new rider. Every scooter above sits between 764 and 790 mm, which suits most riders. Compare that with the Yamaha WR155 at 880 mm: a great bike, and a tiptoe balancing act for anyone of average height.
Weight
Weight matters most at walking pace — pushing the bike into a parking slot, turning on a cambered side street, catching it when you misjudge a stop. A Click 125 is 111 kg. The Dominar 400 is 193 kg and the Kawasaki Vulcan S is 228 kg. The Vulcan’s 705 mm seat makes it look approachable, and that low seat does not cancel out an extra 117 kg once the bike starts to lean.
Automatic vs manual
Start automatic. A CVT scooter leaves you free to concentrate on what actually gets new riders hurt: road position, braking distance and other traffic. Learn a clutch later, when the traffic part is second nature. Our scooter vs motorcycle guide goes through the trade-offs in detail.
Power
A 125cc scooter is enough for Metro Manila. A 155cc–160cc model is worth the extra money if you will ride regularly on national highways, where the extra pull makes overtaking easier and safer. More than that is not useful to a beginner, and under the 400cc expressway minimum it does not open any new roads either.
Getting licensed: the LTO path for new riders
You cannot legally ride solo on a student permit, and our rental pages require a full license that covers motorcycles. Here is the sequence for a Filipino first-time rider, based on the most recent dated LTO guidance we could find. Procedures change by memorandum, so confirm the current requirements at your LTO district office before you start.
| 1. Theoretical Driving Course (TDC) | 15 hours at an LTO Driver’s Education Center or LTO-accredited driving school. Required before a student permit. |
|---|---|
| 2. Student permit | Minimum age 16; under 18 needs notarized parental consent. Bring the TDC certificate and a medical certificate from an LTO-accredited clinic. You may not ride without a licensed driver accompanying you. |
| 3. Practical Driving Course (PDC) | At least 8 hours. A motorcycle PDC can be completed in one day if the instructor’s assessment allows it. |
| 4. Non-professional license | Minimum age 17, with a student permit issued at least 30 days earlier. Written and practical exams at the LTO. |
| Driving-school fee caps (motorcycle) | TDC ₱1,000 and PDC ₱2,500 under LTO Memorandum Circular JMT-2023-2390, effective 15 April 2023 |
The rule in step 2 comes straight from the Land Transportation and Traffic Code, RA 4136: “No student driver shall operate a motor vehicle unless accompanied by a duly licensed driver.” On a motorcycle, that rules out riding alone to work on a student permit.
Take the practical exam seriously. In January 2025 LTO chief Vigor Mendoza II said the agency would tighten motorcycle practical tests after finding that some testing sites only asked applicants to move the bike forward and back. Expect to be asked to actually ride.
License codes: A, A1, AT, MT — and the “Code 7” myth
Philippine licenses no longer use the old numbered restriction codes. Since the LTO announced its new format in January 2021, licenses carry DL codes, and old codes are converted when you renew.
- A — motorcycles. A1 — tricycles.
- A vehicle category beside the code: L1 is a two-wheeler with a design speed of up to 50 km/h, L2 a three-wheeler up to 50 km/h, and L3 a two-wheeler that can exceed 50 km/h — which is every scooter in the table above.
- A clutch type: AT limits you to automatics; MT covers both manual and automatic.
If you think you will want a manual bike within a few years, ask your driving school which vehicle the practical exam uses before you book it.
There is no “Restriction Code 7 for 400cc and above”. You will find that claim online, and it has appeared on this site too. It is wrong. Under the old numbered system, Code 1 covered “motorcycles and tricycles of any engine displacement”, and Code 7 covered articulated vehicles of 1,601 to 4,500 kg — trucks and trailers, not motorcycles. The current DL codes do not split motorcycles by engine size either. The 400cc number is an expressway rule, not a license class.
That expressway rule comes from DOTC Department Order 2007-38, which the Toll Regulatory Board applies as an exact 400cc minimum. Every beginner bike in this guide is below it, so plan on national roads. Our expressway rules guide has the details.
What not to start on
Big bikes. The Dominar 400 (₱208,888, 193 kg, 800 mm seat) is a superb touring bike and a hard first bike. The Vulcan S has a beginner-friendly seat and a not-at-all beginner-friendly 228 kg. The Z400 is discontinued in the Philippines, so the question is moot for new buyers.
A tall manual as a first bike. The Yamaha WR155 is light at 134 kg, but its 880 mm seat and clutch make it a second bike for most riders, not a first.
The cheapest used bike you can find. A first bike gets dropped. That is an argument for something inexpensive, but not for one with worn brakes and bald tires. A new Click 125 is often the better buy than an old 150cc of unknown history.
Running costs for a first bike
Fuel is the smallest worry. Honda publishes 49.3 km/L for the 2026 Click 125 and 46.7 km/L for the 2027 Click 160 on the WMTC test cycle, and real-world figures in traffic will be somewhat lower. We do not print a price per liter because pump prices move weekly.
Budget instead for the things first-time owners forget: registration and insurance, the first services, and a proper helmet. RA 10054, the Motorcycle Helmet Act, requires riders and back riders to wear a standard protective helmet, and only helmets bearing the PS or ICC mark may be sold. Check for the sticker; a cheap unmarked helmet is the wrong place to save money. Riding gloves and a rain jacket for habagat season come next.
Rent one before you buy
Renting is not a way to learn to ride. Our rental pages require a valid license that covers motorcycles, and for manual bikes, genuine clutch and gearbox experience. Where renting helps is the step after the license: you have passed, you are deciding between a Click 125 and a Click 160, or between a Click and an NMAX, and you want to ride each through a real day of Manila traffic before spending ₱80,000–₱175,000.
Rent2Ride Manila rents the Honda Click 125 V2 from ₱525 a day, the Click 160 for ₱850, the Aerox 155 from ₱750, the NMAX 155 for ₱950 and a modified PCX for ₱1,200; the full fleet page shows every bike. Our Click 125 units are earlier generations than the 2026 model. Every rental includes one helmet, a phone holder, 250 km of mileage per day and TPL insurance. A refundable deposit applies, ₱2,000 for the scooters and up to ₱5,000 for the big bikes.
We are open daily from 6:00 AM to 11:00 PM at Stall No. 9, Washington Street corner Urban Avenue, Makati. Visiting riders should read our guide on riding in the Philippines as a foreigner, and everyone should check the rental requirements page before booking.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best motorcycle for beginners in the Philippines?
A 125cc–160cc automatic scooter. The Honda Click 125 (₱82,400–₱90,000, 111 kg, 769 mm seat) is the easiest and cheapest to start on. The Click 160 and Yamaha Aerox 155 add power for highway riding, and the Honda PCX 160 and Yamaha NMAX 155 add comfort for a passenger.
What license code do I need to ride a motorcycle in the Philippines?
DL code A, which covers motorcycles; A1 covers tricycles. The license also shows a vehicle category, L3 for an ordinary scooter or motorcycle, and a clutch type: AT for automatic only, or MT for manual and automatic. Old numbered restriction codes are converted to DL codes at renewal.
Is Restriction Code 7 for motorcycles of 400cc and above?
No. Under the old system, Restriction Code 1 covered motorcycles and tricycles of any engine displacement, and Code 7 covered articulated vehicles of 1,601 to 4,500 kg. No Philippine license code, old or new, splits motorcycles by engine size. The 400cc figure is the minimum for using tolled expressways.
Can I ride alone with a student permit?
No. RA 4136 states that no student driver shall operate a motor vehicle unless accompanied by a duly licensed driver. You need a non-professional license with code A to ride solo, and our rental pages require a license that covers motorcycles.
Should a beginner buy a 400cc motorcycle in the Philippines?
Usually not as a first bike. The 400-class bikes in our fleet weigh 164–193 kg, and neither reaches the 400cc expressway minimum anyway: the Dominar 400 is 373cc and the Kawasaki Z400 is 398cc. Spend a year on a scooter, then rent a bigger bike for a weekend to see if you want one.
Can I rent a motorcycle to practice for my license?
No. Our rental pages require a valid license that covers motorcycles, and a student permit holder may not ride unaccompanied. Practice with an LTO-accredited driving school during your Practical Driving Course, then rent once you are licensed.
Sources
DL codes, vehicle categories and AT/MT clutch types from Top Gear Philippines’ LTO license guide, 31 July 2023, and Wheels.ph, 12 January 2021. Old restriction codes 1 and 7 from Top Gear Philippines, 14 August 2018. Student permit and non-professional license requirements from Top Gear Philippines’ student permit and license application guides, August 2020. Driving-school hours and fee caps from Top Gear Philippines, 23 March 2023, on Memorandum Circular JMT-2023-2390. Student-driver rule from RA 4136, Section 30. Practical-test tightening from DZRH, 30 January 2025. Helmet law from RA 10054. Expressway rule from Top Gear Philippines, 18 August 2018. 2027 Click 160 price and fuel economy from Daily Tribune, 19 October 2026. Other model prices and specifications as verified in our individual price guides. The LTO’s own website could not be reached during verification; confirm current procedures with your LTO district office. Verified 27 October 2026. Rental rates from our own live pricing on the same date.
