No longer a beginner: Bimota ace Alex Lowes has his motorbike licence

With 390 race starts in the Superbike World Championship alone, Alex Lowes is a seasoned veteran. On the racetrack, there is nothing the Englishman hasn’t seen or experienced. The Bimota works rider is quite the opposite when it comes to road traffic – until recently, he didn’t even have a motorbike driving licence!

The 36-year-old rectified this oversight this year, attending driving school alongside the Superbike season. Having passed his test, Lowes is now also allowed to ride on two wheels on public roads. “At last I’m allowed to ride a motorbike, and completely legally – I’ve passed the test,” said Lowes with a grin. “It was actually quite fun. The weather was good, which probably helped a bit, but it was also a rather strange experience.”

Bizarre: the driving school motorbike was fitted with crash bars all round.

In fact, it’s not uncommon for professional racing riders not to hold a motorbike licence. Some say it’s actually better that way. Another prominent example is six-time world champion Jonathan Rea, who successfully passed his test at the age of 34 (in 2021).