Opinion: Automatic Upgrade From B2 Licence To Full-B Status Is A Terrible Idea

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi committed to putting through a proposal that seeks to allow motorcyclists with B2 licence an automatic upgrade to B (Full-B) licence status. (Image: Bernama).

Recently, news broke out that Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr  Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had committed towards pushing a proposal through from the Superbikers Association of Malaysia (SAM) to the Ministry of Transport (MOT) in granting motorcyclists with an automatic upgrade from B2 to B licence class.

Though the ministry hasn’t made a decision on the proposal just yet, the matter has sparked plenty of debate online from all quarters. You need not heed the cautious rebuttal of various safety associations or even experienced motoring journalists to see that this is perhaps a terrible idea.

Before digressing further, just know that some of us here within the CariCarz.com Editorial team are daily-riding motorcyclists ourselves. Personally, I possess a B (Full-B) class motorcycle licence – a remnant of my not so distant past test-riding and reviewing motorcycles – and commute daily on my 150cc scooter.

As iterated on the back on our licences, B2 class relegates riders to riding only motorcycles below 250cc. B1 ups that limit to 500cc, whereas B (Full-B) sees no such restrictions.

Also, as a refresher, the current Malaysian motorcycle licencing scheme sees three classifications available – B2, B1, and B. Whilst B2 relegates riders to only riding motorcycles with capacities no greater than 250cc, B1 raises that limit to 500cc, whereas B (Full-B) sees no capacity restrictions imposed.

Today however, almost all driving schools and JPJ test centres no longer tests or certifies the B1 class, this fact being largely driven by the evolution of modern motorcycle products. Effectively, driving school applicants seeking to adopt two-wheeling can only choose between the B2 and B classes.

It’s worth noting that the reported proposal did suggest certain pre-requisites be observed in order to allow an automatic upgrade as such. It includes applicants having committed no serious traffic offences within three years after obtaining their B2 licence. However, this does not mean certain risks are mitigated.

For starters, the fact that any Malaysian citizen can apply for either B2 or Full-B class licence from the get go from as young as 16 years old should be worrying, more so given that the latter unrestricted motorcycle licence class does not require any past riding experience from applicants.

Jumping out of smaller-capacity motorcycles (i.e. kapchais)(left) to bigger-capacity ones (right) requires a whole new skillset via training and, arguably, mental maturity and higher levels of civic-mindedness.

Whilst here, I will also argue that riding bigger and, subsequently, faster motorcycles require not just a whole new skillset and quicker reaction times, it arguably requires both mental maturity and high levels of civic-mindedness – two things simply absent from many Malaysian motorcyclists today.

That last argument stems from just how many motorcycle-borne red-light runners I personally encounter daily, especially on urban streets. I’ll also highlight the alarming number of riders who simply refuse to wear a helmet, especially for short commutes – arguably the most basic rule of motorcycling.

Though most modern big-capacity motorcycles have plenty of electronics and hardware to make them both easier and safer to ride, proper training to maximise these ancillaries shouldn't be overlooked.

Objectively, what infuriates many is how said proposal overlooks the importance of proper training to upgrade from smaller bikes to bigger ones. The latter aren’t just faster in speed, they’re heavier in weight and mass, and the combination of both warrants proper techniques and reaction times to fully master.

Despite the fact that most modern large-capacity motorcycles today are brimmed with electronic assists and accompanying hardware that make them both easier and safer to ride, this doesn’t mean riders upgrading from smaller bikes shouldn’t be educated on how to fully maximise them, especially when such training can make them safer.

And truth be told, what’s taught through the Malaysian driving school syllabus for motorcycling – both B2 and Full-B classes – simply isn’t adequate any more. It is, after all, a syllabus borne out of laws and legislations devised in the 1970s, making it very much outdated in every sense today.

With increased capacity comes increased weights and speeds, thus warranting appropriate knowledge and reaction times to maintain control at all times.

FACT: In both the EU and UK, their motorcycle licencing schemes are more stringent and, arguably, more sensible. This largely stems from the fact that specific licence classes are dictated based on a rider’s age, number of years holding a specific licence class, traffic offence history, as well as the capacity, power output, and weight of certain types of motorcycles.

Ultimately, should the automatic licence class upgrade allowance proposal mentioned be enforced without considering of the need for proper training, and perhaps updating or modernising related legislation in tandem, it might only increase the appalling motorcycle fatalities rate this country already records annually – 89,953 between 2001 and 2021.

Perhaps a review of the motorcycle licencing scheme should stem firstly from a modernised motorcycle classification legislation that's up-to-date.

Personally, I hope such a scheme gets dismissed on the grounds of safety. Instead, perhaps a review of the current legislation and motorcycle type classification should be undertaken first before changes to the B2 and Full-B motorcycle licence classes can happen. I’ll also argue that a drastic update of the driving schools syllabus is in order too.

Nevertheless, this is just one opinion on the matter. What are your thoughts on it? Hit the comments below – and our social media pages – with your take on the matter…