mopeds - need moar info!!

[kevfromwales]

yep, seem to be spending FAR too much time up at the new lockup, and it's raping me in fuel - will be even more soon as the f100 (5.7 ltr ) will be my only mot'd vehicle when the sunny goes off for racing soon
so, how do I stand with mopeds??

had a quick look at the doovla website, and came up with

'You will need to complete CBT if:
you want to ride a moped (a moped has an engine not over 50 cc with maximum design speed not exceeding 50 kilometres per hour (km/h) which is approximately 31 miles per hour)
you want to ride a motorcycle

If you obtained your car licence before 1 February 2001 you do not need to complete a CBT to ride a moped.'

^^ - that looks interesting (I passed oct 2000) so I take that to mean if I get an mot'd, taxed and insured 'ped I'm ready to go??

what am I looking at paying for insurance??
I imagine road tax to be pennies? - do they do tax exempt ones??

I'd prefer an olde-worlde type tbh, so as not to get mistaken for some chavved up 16 year old, so what's available?

something like this would be great





or better still (but I think these would be above budget and also too big a capacity??)



I did borrow a cyclemaster fitted to a raleigh bomber at billing this year and it was wicked, but I think they may be a bit hard to get hold of??

anyhoo, any ideas, suggestions and advice welcome!

ta - kev

[Neil]

Yep, you can buy a 'ped & ride it without doing a CBT because as you've pointed out, you gained your full car licence before the cut off!

Tax is £15.00 a year & i've just insured my 1990 Yamaha QT50 girly shopping 'ped for £62 - i was asked if i wanted to pay in instalments!

[Retro_Tony]

You should be fine riding anything below 50cc, i don't think you need to run L plates either but i'd double check. Honda c50's are bulletproof and non-chav and cost next to nothing to buy and run. Tax is £15 a year (for now) and i don't know the details for your insurance but i can't see it being over £100 (probably far less).

[kevfromwales]

FIFTEEN QUID TAX FTW!!!!

cheers for the info guys - I'm fine with the L plate for now (maybe french it into the rear mudguard lol) - just got to find one now then!

ta! - kev

[Keefy]

don't rely on a car license
don't even rely on a cbt
do a full bike license. It will probably save your life.
imo, EVERY road user should be made to do a full bike test, it develops your observation and awareness skills SO much.
Its frightening how little you learn on a cbt, and then to think that people ride on the public roads with just that behind them its quite frightening.

[kevfromwales]

fair point, but I've had a few years of cycling in inner city traffic (as well as a few more dodging old giffers round here!) without getting splattered, and this will be used for a 3 mile commute up a country lane, so I reckon we should be ok
although most people who've seen me drive would probably disagree....

- kev
ps - now someone find me a bike!!

[pedalcarjoe]

whats your budget ?

then I'll ask around and see what I can come up with

[kevfromwales]

MINIMAL!

depends on how 'ready to go' it is really
what do cheap, running but tatty things go for?
cheers - kev

[herald948]

Oct 13, 2008 20:35:35 GMT Retro_Tony said:

Honda c50's are bulletproof and non-chav and cost next to nothing to buy and run.

One effect of the credit crunch, also the Congestion Charge, has been a hike in the price of little bikes and a corresponding dip in the price of older big bikes. So if you find a moped for nest-to-nowt then well done, but beware rubbish for loadsamoney.

[Retro_Tony]

I've noticed the prices have gone up on clean ready to go stuff , i've been looking for a 4t 125 for the past month (well, for the past year but more so the past month). As long as you buy something that needs a bit of work it's not too bad, specially if its something mechanical. I think a couple of smaller problems are enough to scare a lot of the buyers off who don't like getting their hands dirty.

[LowStandards]

IIRC the C50 isn't a moped, it makes far to much hp (ha, never thought i'd say that) and can easily exceed the 31mph maximum allowed speed (I think Honda gave the figure of 50mph)

Just thought i'd mention before everyone goes spending there hard earned!

[Mr S]

Yep, what Gimpy said, to be a moped (in the eyes of the government/law), it has to be restricted to 2.9hp and 32mph....

[Retro_Tony]

I thought the C50's would be ok, a family friend who's in the police uses one on his driving lisence i'm sure. I think you may get away with it as the wording states ' design speed not exceeding 50kph'. Definatley worth checking before buying anything though!

[alecw35]

What about a Raleigh Wisp

sort of motorised RSW/chopper.

If you get a C50. You could fit a Monkey bike engine in it. They can be much more powerfull.

[hairnet]

WIN

[hairnet]

or buy reanimations chicken chaser

[hairnet]

where i bought that cb 175 from he had a honda melody for 150

wouldnt need much to recommission

[mcbodge]

I used to ride my Garelli Katia (monkey-style) 49cc bike on my car licence without a CBT. If you can drive a car and are experienced at cycling in traffic then it's fine.

My CBT was hit n' miss (and some of it seemed wrong) as the instructor wasn't exactly the best.

Learning to ride for the big bike test was a good experience and does teach you to do good observations.

[chevazon]

Full bike test - Direct Access the only way to go. It made me a better driver (if that was possible !) and I now look out for other bikers on he road.

[reanimation]

Oct 14, 2008 19:37:48 GMT hairnet said:

or buy reanimations chicken chaser

Eek , I might have a new job and might need actually NEED the chaser now for my new trip to Salford!

---

I'll echo what Keefy said, I ride push bikes, but having some motorbike lessons on a 125 taught me a few useful things, and like to think it has made my driving/push bike riding better despite no powered bike 1996-2008