The first, and easiest, way to get on two wheels. If you're 16 or over, get down the Post Office and apply for a provisional licence, take your CBT (what's CBT?) and you're road legal with a pair of L-plates. If you want a full moped licence, you need to pass a Motorcycle Theory Test and successfully complete a practical test on a moped, then you can lose the L-plates.

If you're 17 or over, with a full car licence obtained before Feb 1, 2001, you're already qualified to ride a moped without L-plates. Please note that the DSA define a moped as having a maximum speed of 50km per hour (about 31mph) and an engine capacity no greater than 50cc.

This is perfect for riders who only need a small bike for commuting. You'll need to be 17 or over, have completed the CBT and passed the theory test. You then take the practical on a on a bike between 75 and 125cc and, if you pass, you are entitled to ride any machine up to an engine size of 125cc or power output of 11kw.

If you don't want to jump straight on a big bike, or are aged between 17 and 21, this could be for you. With CBT and theory out of the way, you complete training and take your test on a learner bike - engine size between 120 and 125cc, capable of more than 100 kph (62mph), and with a power output no greater than 14.6bhp. If you pass, you're entitled to ditch the L-plates and ride any bike up to a 33bhp limit. You can also carry a pillion and use the motorway network. Two years after the test date, the restriction is automatically lifted and you're able to ride what you want.

Direct access was introduced recently to teach riders over 21 how to handle bigger machines. The route to the licence is the same as the restricted course but, mid-way through the training, you switch from a 125cc to a bigger bike with a power output of more than 47bhp. Passing the practical examination on a bike of this capacity allows you to legally ride a bike of any size without L-plates, take a pillion and use motorways.

If you've got a restricted licence, but can't wait two years for the 33bhp limit to lift, you can take a course on the larger machine and, with a test pass, legally side-step the system.