Motorcycle COE at $13,189 in 2022: What the Data Shows
Review the November 2022 Category D high without treating delivery demand, bidder identity or category size as facts established by auction results.
Category D reached $13,189 in the first November 2022 exercise. That is a substantial certificate cost for a motorcycle buyer. The result can be verified without claiming to know every rider’s occupation or the motives behind the bids.
The exercise behind the headline
| Category | Premium | Quota | Bids received |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | S$87,235 | 460 | 687 |
| B | S$115,388 | 411 | 640 |
| C | S$76,302 | 70 | 147 |
| D | S$13,189 | 441 | 537 |
| E | S$116,577 | 146 | 283 |
This table reads the results database. Exercise identity is year, month and round; an estimated historical closing day is not presented as verified.
The exercise offered 441 motorcycle certificates and received 537 bids, about 1.22 bids per certificate. This is a useful warning against treating a ratio below 1.5 as a guarantee of a low premium. The reserve distribution matters as well as the bid count.
Category size does not identify the cause
Category D is not always the smallest quota pool. Compare the actual exercise allocations; C or E may be smaller. Nor does a lower absolute premium make a motorcycle certificate unimportant to someone using the vehicle for work or essential transport.
Delivery demand is a possible factor to investigate, but the results do not show how many bids came from delivery riders or how their reserves differed. Claims that it was the single largest driver, or that car buyers migrated to motorcycles in a measured quantity, need separate evidence.
Policy and market evidence should be separate
To assess later changes, consult the dated Category D rules and the published series for expired temporary COEs. Temporary certificate validity and forfeited deposits can affect how the market operates. They should not be replaced by a generic story about demand returning to normal.
Likewise, the zero growth component does not prove there is no supply buffer of any kind: quota adjustments and returned certificates must be checked in the allocation. A statement about fleet growth is not a complete exercise quota calculation.
What a rider can do with the information
Compare an actual on-road new-bike quote with a used bike’s remaining COE and condition. Include insurance for the intended use, protective equipment, maintenance and downtime. If the bike earns income, use net earnings after these costs rather than gross platform receipts.
For a bike approaching renewal, check the applicable PQP, renewal term and any age-specific restriction. A five-year renewed motorcycle COE cannot be renewed again. Category E is not an alternative certificate for motorcycles.
See the motorcycle COE guide for the purchase checklist and use later Category D results before relying on a 2022 price in a current budget.
Sources and review date
Reviewed on 13 September 2026. Historical results retain their exercise dates; worked budgets are assumptions, not quotations.