THE number of under-19s to take the motorcycle test a year has plummeted to 504, government figures released today show.

The figure is the total number of 16-18-years-olds to take a Module One test – the first part of the practical riding exam – from April 2013 to March 2014.

In the 12 months before that, the number of 17-18-year-olds alone to take the same test was 6,081, not including 16-year-olds.

The drastic fall in the number of young people taking a motorcycle test follows new licence rules introduced in January 2013, limiting under-19s to 125cc machines even if they pass.

On Wednesday the Department for Transport admitted the rules may be the reason ‘very few’ young riders go on to take a test after Compulsory Basic Training, required to ride on the road as learners.

The DfT made the admission in a consultation paper proposing CBT changes to ensure learners are up to scratch, as transport minister Claire Perry said it was 'shocking’ that 19% of motorcycle casualties involved under-20s.

Before the admission, the Driving Standards Agency had blamed the fall on people rushing to get their test in before the changes, leading to a natural drop in numbers afterwards.

From April 2011 to March 2012, the last full year of data before the rule changes, 4,296 17-18-year-olds took the Module One test.

The total number of people to take the Module One test has also fallen, from 66,050 in April 2012-March 2013 to 46,263 in the following 12 months. From April 2011-March 2012 the number was 59,594, up from 57,711 the year before.