Plymouth revealed as most popular UK city for motorcyclists

Plymouth has been revealed as the UK’s motorcycling capital, according to research by Confused.com.

The city, on the south coast of Devon, has one motorcycle licensed for every 16 cars in the city.

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Plymouth is also home to three motorcycles for every 100 people there, making it the most biker-concentrated city in the UK.

Bristol is the second most popular city for motorcyclists, with over 8,700 bikes registered in the city.

See the full list of the UK’s most biker-concentrated cities and the top destinations for motorbike lovers here.

Which UK cities have the most motorcyclists?

More than 17,000 new motorcycles have been licensed across the UK in the past two years. According to Confused.com’s research, there are some cities in the UK where bikes are a very popular way of getting around.

The research takes into consideration the number of bikes licensed in each city, the car-to-bike ratio and bike-related Google searches to create an overall score, to identify which cities are home to the UK’s biking population.

Plymouth is revealed as the biggest biking city in the UK, with the highest biking population. In total, there are 7,116 bikes licensed in the South-West city, meaning there is one bike for every 16 cars on the road.

When looking at how this compares to the population of the city, it equates to three bikes licensed for every 100 people, also making it the most biker-concentrated city in the UK. 

Other waterside locations, including Bristol, Derby and Kingston-Upon-Hull feature highly in the rankings. In particular, Bristol ranks second in the study, with the highest number of bikes licensed in the top 10 (8,704). 

Meanwhile motorbiking seems a lot less appealing to residents in some parts of the UK. Derry City and Strabane in Northern Ireland recorded the lowest number of bikes in the city at just 1,185 – which is one biker per 100 people, and one motorcycle for every 49 cars on the road. 

 However, this isn’t the lowest biker-populated city in the UK. 

 But it is Birmingham which has the lowest biker-populated city in the UK, with 8,580 bikes licensed in the city.

With a population of more than one million people, that equates to less than one biker per 100 people, and per 74 cars on the road. 

Motorcyclist hotspots enthusiasts

Finding new routes or adventures can be quite demanding and confusing, especially for new bikers. 

Motorbike expert, Adventure Biker has shared his favourite locations around the world to connect with other bikers.

Top 3 biker hotspots in the UK

1. The Bike Shed Motorbike Club, London, England: Restaurant/bar.
2. The Leadburn Inn, Edinburgh, Scotland: Restaurant/bar.
3. Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park, South Clyde, Scotland: Nature and wildlife park.

Top 3 biker hotspots around the world

1. The Hideaway Grill, Arizona, USA: Restaurant/bar
2. Triglavski Nardoni National Park, Slovenia: National Park
3. Harley-Davidson Museum, Wisconsin, USA: Museum

Daniel McCulloch, motorbike expert at Confused.com, said:  “Motorbikes have grown in popularity, with more than 17,000 new bikes licensed over two years. While some cities are attracting more bikers, there are so many hotspots across the UK and the world for bikers to explore. 

“If you’ve recently bought a new bike or are looking for somewhere new to visit, knowing where to find the best routes can be confusing, with so many options out there. We’ve worked with Adventure Biker to unearth some hidden gems across the UK and the rest of the world, to inspire avid bikers on their journeys.”

To find out more about motorbike hotspots and routes around the world, see the full piece here.