Motorcycle COE Singapore (Category D): Prices, Bidding, and Renewal

Motorcycle COE in Singapore operates under the same general framework as car COE — bidding exercises, quota premiums, 10-year lifespans — but the numbers and dynamics are vastly different. Cat D premiums run at a fraction of car COE prices, the renewal math works differently, and the population of bidders is a distinct market with its own seasonal patterns.

Current Category D COE Price

As of the second bidding exercise in February 2026, the Cat D Quota Premium was S$7,989 — down S$300 from the previous exercise.

For context, this is roughly 7.5% of the Cat A car COE price (S$106,501) in the same period. The gap has widened over the past few years as car COE prices surged while motorcycle COE remained comparatively subdued.

The Cat D Prevailing Quota Premium (PQP) — used for renewal of motorcycles reaching 10 years — runs in a similar range to the spot QP, as the rolling average tracks a market that moves less dramatically than car categories.

How Motorcycle COE Bidding Works

Motorcycle COE follows the same open bidding mechanism as car categories. Bidding exercises open on the first and third Mondays of each month at 12:00 PM and close the following Wednesday at 4:00 PM.

The key differences from car bidding:

Dealers vs. private bidders: Motorcycle dealers bid on behalf of buyers, similar to car dealers, but the motorcycle market has more private bidders — individuals buying secondhand bikes or managing their own renewals can and do bid directly through OneMotoring.

Smaller quota: Cat D quotas are smaller than car categories, reflecting the smaller registered motorcycle population. This means the market can be moved more meaningfully by a handful of large fleet buyers (motorcycles are used commercially for delivery, courier, and logistics services).

Lower absolute values: Because the stakes are lower — S$8,000 vs S$106,000 — individual bidders and small operators are more price-sensitive. The market can move S$500–1,500 in a single exercise on sentiment or quota changes.

Category D Quota and Supply Dynamics

Motorcycle COE quota is determined by the same mechanism as car categories — based on deregistrations in the preceding four quarters. Delivery services and logistics companies form a substantial portion of the motorcycle fleet. Changes in their fleet management practices (e.g., switching to e-bikes for last-mile delivery, retiring older bikes) affect Cat D supply materially.

One pattern worth noting: logistics companies tend to time motorcycle deregistrations to manage cash flow and maintain fleet age. When a large operator cycles out an old fleet, the corresponding quota injection can soften Cat D prices for 1–2 quarters. Conversely, a tight supply quarter can push prices up S$1,000–2,000.

Buying a New vs. Used Motorcycle in Singapore

For new motorcycles, the COE is typically included in the dealer's package price, similar to cars. You won't typically see the COE listed separately — it's embedded in the on-the-road price.

For used motorcycles, the PARF and COE rebate logic applies in the same way as for cars:

• PARF rebate: The original Additional Registration Fee (ARF) paid at registration is partially refunded upon deregistration, based on age (same schedule as cars, adjusted for the new Budget 2026 rules for bikes registered after February 2026)
• COE rebate: A pro-rated refund of remaining COE months

However, motorcycle ARFs are typically much lower than car ARFs (OMVs are lower), so the absolute PARF values involved are smaller — usually S$1,000–5,000 rather than S$10,000–40,000.

The practical implication when buying a used bike: the "paper value" argument is less dramatic than for cars. You're evaluating the bike primarily on its mechanical condition and the remaining COE entitlement.

Motorcycle COE Renewal: 5 vs 10 Years

When a motorcycle reaches 10 years old, the owner faces the same choice as car owners: 5-year renewal (50% of PQP) or 10-year renewal (100% of PQP).

At current Cat D PQP rates (~S$7,989), the costs are: - 5-year renewal: ~S$3,995 - 10-year renewal: ~S$7,989

The road tax age surcharge also applies to motorcycles — adding 10–50% to annual road tax depending on the bike's age in years 11–15.

For motorcycles, the renewal decision is often simpler than for cars because:

The stakes are lower: S$4,000–8,000 for renewal vs. S$8,000–15,000 for a new motorcycle COE plus the bike itself. The cost differential between renewing and replacing is smaller in absolute terms.

Maintenance considerations dominate: A well-maintained Japanese motorcycle (Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki) at 10 years old and 50,000km is often mechanically sound for another decade. The renewal decision comes down primarily to whether you trust the bike's mechanical condition.

5-year is non-renewable: Same rule as cars — a motorcycle on a 5-year renewal must be scrapped at 15 years. No further extension is possible.

The E-Bike and PMD Factor

Singapore's push for greener urban mobility has introduced an additional dimension for motorcycle owners. Electric bicycles (e-bikes) and Personal Mobility Devices (PMDs) are regulated under different frameworks and don't require COE. They're not a direct substitute for motorcycle COE in most use cases, but for short urban runs and last-mile delivery, some users are substituting.

For commercial operators, this is more relevant. A delivery company evaluating whether to renew a fleet of 50 motorcycles vs. transition to electric cargo bikes is making a different calculation than a personal commuter. Cat D prices partially reflect this substitution pressure.

Checking Motorcycle COE and Bidding Results

COE bidding results for Cat D are published alongside car categories on OneMotoring after each exercise closes. The same third-party sites (Motorist.sg, sgcarmart) track Cat D prices with historical charts.

For checking a specific motorcycle's COE expiry, registration date, and road tax status, use OneMotoring's "Enquire Vehicle Details" with the motorcycle's registration number.

When the COE Math Matters More

For a personal commuter, the motorcycle COE decision is often straightforward — the numbers are small enough that mechanical condition and personal preference dominate. But for commercial operators managing fleets, or for someone buying a used motorcycle with limited COE remaining, running the actual numbers matters.

The Singapore COE Navigator focuses primarily on the car COE decision (where the financial stakes are 10–15x higher), but the frameworks — PQP calculation, PARF forfeiture, depreciation modeling — apply equally to Cat D. The renewal vs. scrap decision worksheet in the guide works for motorcycles with the relevant PQP and ARF values substituted in.