Permis A2: Which Motorbikes Can You Rent?

What the A2 licence lets you ride

The permis A2 is France's most popular motorcycle category, open from 18. It authorises bikes with a maximum power of 35 kW (47.5 hp) and a power-to-weight ratio below 0.2 kW/kg. Those two limits — not the engine size alone — decide whether a given machine is legal for you.

That matters when you rent. A 650 cc twin can sit comfortably within A2 limits, while some lighter bikes with strong engines will not. Always reason in kilowatts and in the power-to-weight ratio, not in cubic centimetres or marketing horsepower.

Note the label is French. Switzerland uses its own "A limité" category with different age, training and exam rules. If you ride in French-speaking Switzerland, check the Swiss rules separately — the two systems do not line up one-to-one.

Restricted bikes (motos bridées A2)

Many popular models are sold both in a full-power version and in an A2-restricted version held to 35 kW by a manufacturer kit. For rental, what counts is that the specific bike you book is set up within A2 limits for the period you ride it.

Before booking, make sure the machine is genuinely A2-compatible — either natively under 35 kW or officially restricted. If an advert only gives the model name, ask the owner directly whether the bike is A2-homologated or restricted, and whether the registration document reflects it. Restrictor rules are precise and jurisdiction-specific, so rely on the official French or Swiss sources rather than on assumptions.

What to check on the listing before you book

A good A2 rental decision comes down to reading the advert carefully and asking the right questions through the messaging thread.

• Power figures: confirm the bike stays at or below 35 kW and under the 0.2 kW/kg ratio.
• A2 compatibility: native A2 bike or officially restricted version — get it in writing from the owner.
• Deposit: every V2Wheels listing shows its deposit. In France, the default for a motorbike over 50 cc is 800 €, placed as a card hold (blocked, not charged) and released after the return if there is no claim.
• Dates and rental length: with a deposit, a rental runs for a maximum of 3 days, because a card hold only lasts a few days.
• Condition points: for a motorbike, look at the chain, oil level, stand, mirrors, horn, plus the usual tyres, brakes, lights and indicators.

On V2Wheels the owner accepts or declines each request, so send a clear message early: your experience level, how long you have held your A2, and how you plan to use the bike.

What to declare in your profile

On V2Wheels you declare your licences in your profile, and the app computes your eligibility for each category from what you declare. It does not decide which engine size each licence permits — that is on you.

For motorbikes and scooters over 50 cc, the accepted categories under French rules are A1, A2 or A. Keep in mind:

• A1 is capped at 125 cc and 11 kW — it does not let you ride larger or more powerful machines.
• A2 is capped at 35 kW with the 0.2 kW/kg ratio.
• A is the full category.

Declaring your category honestly keeps the booking clean and avoids a machine you are not entitled to ride. The app applies French rules today; Swiss rules are planned.

From A2 towards the full A licence

The A2 is often a step towards the full permis A, which removes the power ceiling. France has a dedicated upgrade pathway after a period of A2 experience; the exact conditions and training requirements are set by the authorities, so check the current official rules before you plan it. Switzerland handles the progression from "A limité" to full A differently again.

Until you hold the full A, treat every rental as an A2 rental: the bike must respect the 35 kW limit and the power-to-weight ratio, whatever your riding ambitions.

Renting a motorbike on V2Wheels

V2Wheels is a peer-to-peer marketplace where owners list their vehicles and you book, pay and ride from the app. Payment is held by the platform and released to the owner after the rental, each listing shows its deposit, the owner accepts each request, and you keep everything in one messaging thread — which is exactly where you confirm A2 compatibility before committing. The renter service fee is 15 % of the rental price.

Owners can already publish motorbikes, but motorbike booking opens soon: it waits on the renter's insurance declaration, which is required for motorised categories. Until then, bikes and e-bikes limited to 25 km/h are the ones you can book today. Set up your profile, declare your licences and start browsing in the V2Wheels app so you are ready the moment A2 motorbike rentals go live.