The first place to look is the manufacturer’s website, as the categories are now standard across the EU.
The categories are based on power, power to weight ratio and for A1 the capacity and AM the max speed and capacity. You will need to locate the specifications for the bike you are considering – check the manufacturer’s website or search www.motorcyclenews.com . Power is often quoted in BHP not Kw, so here’s a simple conversion for each category:
- AM: no power or power to weight limit, but max 50cc and 45kph (28mph)
- A1 : max 11Kw which is 14.75Bhp; max power to weight 0.1Kw/Kg which means if it makes the maximum power it must weigh at least 110Kg (which is likely, as the Yamaha YBR125 we use weighs 125Kg, and the Miro 125 scooters weigh 108Kg without fuel)
- A2 : max 35Kw which is 46.94Bhp; max power to weight 0.2Kw/Kg which means if it makes the maximum power it must weigh at least 175Kg (kerb weight)
- A : no restrictions