R-E vs R Class Motorcycle Licence in WA: What's the Difference?

If you're looking into getting a motorcycle licence in WA, the first thing you'll run into is the difference between an R-E class and an R class licence. They sound similar, but they control what you're actually allowed to ride — so it's worth understanding before you book your first lesson.

The short version

An R-E licence is a restricted licence that only lets you ride motorcycles approved under the Learner Approved Motorcycle Scheme (LAMS). An R class licence is unrestricted — once you hold it, you can ride any road-legal motorcycle, regardless of size or power.

What counts as a LAMS-approved motorcycle?

On an R-E licence, the bike you ride has to meet one of these limits:

• Power-to-weight ratio no more than 150 kilowatts per tonne (kW/t)
• Engine capacity no more than 660cc
• Or, if it's electric, a power output no more than 25kW

WA uses the same LAMS-approved list as NSW, so if you're bike shopping, it's worth checking a specific model against that list before you buy — not every 660cc bike automatically qualifies.

The 7 steps to getting your R-E licence in WA

Here's the actual process the Department of Transport has you go through:

1. Learn the road rules — brush up before you sit anything.
2. Apply for your learner's permit through the DoT.
3. Sit the Computerised Theory Test (CTT).
4. Learn to ride an approved motorbike — this is where lessons matter most.
5. Sit the Hazard Perception Test (HPT).
6. Book and pass your Practical Driving Assessment (PDA).
7. Start riding on your P plates once you've passed.

You need to be at least 16 to apply for your learner's permit.

Upgrading from R-E to R class

Once you've held your R-E licence for at least 24 months, you can sit a further PDA to upgrade to a full, unrestricted R class licence — no capacity or power limits, ride whatever you like.

Which one do you actually need?

If you're brand new to riding, you'll start on R-E regardless — there's no skipping straight to R class. Most riders spend their first year building skills and road experience on a LAMS bike before stepping up. It's not a formality either: that year genuinely matters for building the reflexes you'll need on a bigger, more powerful bike.

How we can help

Whichever stage you're at — brand new, prepping for your R-E test, or ready to upgrade to R class — we run one-on-one lessons out of Kelmscott, and cover Cannington and Success too. We build lessons around the actual test routes for each area, so you're not just riding laps, you're training for exactly what your assessor will be looking for.