Single Seat vs Double Seat Motorcycle Registration in Queensland
I inspected this Honda CBR500 in Cornubia today. It passed, but not before a quick conversation about seating capacity. The bike had a seat cowl fitted instead of the pillion seat, giving it a sporty single-seat look. But it still had the rear pillion foot pegs attached. That’s a problem for a roadworthy.
Single seat or double seat - it has to be one or the other
During a roadworthy inspection, I need to enter the seating capacity of the motorcycle as I see it. It’s either single seat or double seat. It has to match what’s actually on the bike.
For a motorcycle to be registered as double seat, it needs a pillion seat and pillion foot rests – either pegs or, on some scooters, platforms moulded into the bodywork.
For a motorcycle to be registered as single seat, it must not be possible for a pillion to ride on it. That means the pillion foot pegs must be removed. If the foot pegs are still fitted, a passenger could stand on them and ride on the back – so the bike is still capable of carrying a pillion and must be registered as double seat.
On this Honda in Cornubia, the owner wanted single seat registration. I told him to remove the pillion foot pegs before I could complete the inspection as a single seater. He pulled them off in two minutes with a spanner, and we were good to go.
Why would you choose single seat?
The main reason is cost. Single seat registration is slightly cheaper than double seat. The price difference used to be more significant, but after recent fee changes it’s a smaller saving. Still, if you’re not carrying a pillion, there’s no reason to pay more.
There are also riders who can’t legally carry a pillion anyway:
Learner licence holders cannot carry a pillion passenger.
Provisional (P plate) licence holders cannot carry a pillion passenger.
Moped riders on a car licence cannot carry a pillion passenger.
If you fall into any of these categories, paying for double seat registration doesn’t make sense. Register it as single seat and save the money.
What if you want to change later?
No problem. If you get your open motorcycle licence and want to start carrying a pillion, you can change the seating capacity yourself. You do not need a modification plate for this.
Go to a TMR customer service centre, fill out the form to report a change in seating capacity, fit the pillion seat and foot pegs back on, and the registration is updated to double seat. It’s a straightforward process.
Important – this only applies to motorcycles. If you change the seating capacity on a car, van, or any other vehicle, you still need a modification plate (LK1). The self-reporting option is for motorcycles only.
The same applies in reverse. If you want to go from double seat to single seat, remove the pillion foot pegs, report the change to TMR, and your registration is updated.
The roadworthy rules
For a roadworthy, I inspect what’s in front of me. If the bike has a pillion seat and pillion foot pegs, it’s a double seater. If the pillion foot pegs are removed, it’s a single seater. The seating capacity I enter on the certificate must match the physical configuration of the motorcycle at the time of inspection.
If you want single seat registration, make sure the pillion foot pegs are removed before I arrive. If you want double seat registration, make sure the pillion seat and foot pegs are both fitted. Don’t leave it half and half – that creates a mismatch that I can’t certify.
