towpath terror?

[Boater Sam]

How about one of these for whizzing walkers and fishermen off the towpath?

No mention of uprating the brakes, I don't think my titchy blocks would last long.

Very cheap though.

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/80cc-2-Stroke-Petrol-Gas-Moto-Bicycle-Kit-Motorised-Cycle-Engine-Single-Cylinder/382721330359?epid=5027882655&hash=item591bf80cb7:g:V~gAAOSwtYtdU8xW

 

Is it still a bike? No Insurance, tax, licence, or MOT.

[Athy]

Wouldn't it be classed as a moped? I don't know whether tax is payable on those or not, or whether a licence is required. In France (unless the law has changed) mopeds are exempt, but only if their engine capacity doesn't exceed 50 c.c.

The seller seems uncertain as to its performance: top speeds of 38 kph and 45 kph are quoted. Perhaps the latter is when you're going downhill.

As for the price: if it looks too good to be true, it probably is.

[Boater Sam]

52 minutes ago, Athy said:

Wouldn't it be classed as a moped? I don't know whether tax is payable on those or not, or whether a licence is required. In France (unless the law has changed) mopeds are exempt, but only if their engine capacity doesn't exceed 50 c.c.

The seller seems uncertain as to its performance: top speeds of 38 kph and 45 kph are quoted. Perhaps the latter is when you're going downhill.

As for the price: if it looks too good to be true, it probably is.

I can imagine you Athy whizzing down the Cropredy towpath in mid August scattering gongoozlers. 

[Athy]

7 minutes ago, Boater Sam said:

I can imagine you Athy whizzing down the Cropredy towpath in mid August scattering gongoozlers. 

Ha!

You obviously have never seen me progressing along the Cropredy towpath. It takes me AGES because, being a gregarious soul, about every 30 yards I stop and chat to someone on a boat or walking along. It can take me the best part of an hour just to walk to the sanny station and back.

[Jerra]

2 hours ago, Athy said:

Wouldn't it be classed as a moped?

As far as I am aware it would be classed as a moped if (and it is a big if IMO) the bike frame etc could pass the required standards etc.

[Boater Sam]

2 minutes ago, Jerra said:

As far as I am aware it would be classed as a moped if (and it is a big if IMO) the bike frame etc could pass the required standards etc.

Right, yes, but what about electric bikes then?

If electric cars are still cars with all the restrictions, are electric bikes not tarred with the same bureaucracy?

[Mike Hurley]

Reading a motorcycle forum the other day, apparently electric motorcycles are hard to insure for some reason. I see this thing no different to a 80 cc motorcycle.

[WotEver]

26 minutes ago, Boater Sam said:

Right, yes, but what about electric bikes then?

If electric cars are still cars with all the restrictions, are electric bikes not tarred with the same bureaucracy?

Dead simple really. The linked motor would be illegal in the UK, full stop. It would have become a moped if it was less than 50cc but as it’s 80cc then the pushbike becomes a motorbike and will need type approval and all that that entails. 
 

An e-bike is acceptable as long as it complies with the EAPC requirements. If it doesn’t then once again you’re back to type approval etc. 
 

https://www.gov.uk/electric-bike-rules

[cougie]

Ebikes are limited to 15.5mph. 

Over that you need insurance and tax. 

 

That machine isn't legal in any way. Avoid.

[Momac]

definately not for road use.

 

 

[Dinz]

Takes me back.

 

[Boater Sam]

4 minutes ago, Dinz said:

Takes me back.

 

I remember those. We had a guy many years ago fetch one into the garage for repair. Sad to say in our callow youth we blew him out. We were used to Jags, Astons and other motors then.

[Mike Hurley]

I saw one of these for sale on ebay yesterday, it was even registered.

 

eBay item number:

163799507388  ebay number, it is actually a Philips bike.

 

Edited January 2, 2020 by Mike Hurley

[mrsmelly]

21 minutes ago, Dinz said:

Takes me back.

 

There used to be similar when I was a kid. A local had a device consisting of a small two stroke motor that attached under the saddle and a rubber clad small wheel pressed on to the top of the rear wheel tyre and assisted greatly in propelling the cyclist along.

[Dinz]

Even Vincent's did 'em.

[doratheexplorer]

On 31/12/2019 at 11:10, cougie said:

Ebikes are limited to 15.5mph. 

Over that you need insurance and tax. 

 

That machine isn't legal in any way. Avoid.

It would be legal to use on your own private land.  That's about all though.

[David Mack]

29 minutes ago, doratheexplorer said:

It would be legal to use on your own private land.  That's about all though.

I think I'm correct in stating that it cannot be used in a "public place". So if your own private land has a public footpath across it, it can't be used, nor can it be used in areas like private car parks to which the public has access such as pubs or shopping centres.

[MtB]

50 minutes ago, doratheexplorer said:

It would be legal to use on your own private land.  That's about all though.

 

I had occasion to argue this point with a copper back in the day, and this isn't quite true. 

 

Copper held that if the public had unrestricted access to the private land, e.g. through five bar gate that happened to have been left open, then all the laws requiring licence, insurance, MoT etc came into play. After arguing hard I did some independent research and established that strictly speaking he was right. They dropped the case though, never found out why or dared to ask, so my mate got away with it, and so did I. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[doratheexplorer]

17 minutes ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

I had occasion to argue this point with a copper back in the day, and this isn't quite true. 

 

Copper held that if the public had unrestricted access to the private land, e.g. through five bar gate that happened to have been left open, then all the laws requiring licence, insurance, MoT etc came into play. After arguing hard I did some independent research and established that strictly speaking he was right. They dropped the case though, never found out why or dared to ask, so my mate got away with it, and so did I. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

True, I knew that but couldn't be bothered to explain about access.

[David Mack]

What you need is a steam bike.

 

[mrsmelly]

On 02/01/2020 at 13:59, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

I had occasion to argue this point with a copper back in the day, and this isn't quite true. 

 

Copper held that if the public had unrestricted access to the private land, e.g. through five bar gate that happened to have been left open, then all the laws requiring licence, insurance, MoT etc came into play. After arguing hard I did some independent research and established that strictly speaking he was right. They dropped the case though, never found out why or dared to ask, so my mate got away with it, and so did I. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Correct the RTA covers it. ( Driving on land other than a road )

[alan_fincher]

On 31/12/2019 at 11:10, cougie said:

Ebikes are limited to 15.5mph. 

Over that you need insurance and tax. 

 

That machine isn't legal in any way. Avoid.

Presumably not illegal to pedal one at more than 15.5 mph though, rather than relying on the motor?

If so, it would be hard to prove!

[waterdog]

On 02/01/2020 at 13:59, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

I had occasion to argue this point with a copper back in the day, and this isn't quite true. 

 

Copper held that if the public had unrestricted access to the private land, e.g. through five bar gate that happened to have been left open, then all the laws requiring licence, insurance, MoT etc came into play. After arguing hard I did some independent research and established that strictly speaking he was right. They dropped the case though, never found out why or dared to ask, so my mate got away with it, and so did I. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There is probably a bit more "background" to these but this is the gist of it.

 

A guy walks home from the pub after an afternoon session, reaches home just as his wife parks on the driveway with a boot full of shopping. She opens the house door then throws him the car keys and runs inside to use the loo. The police appear as he is unloading the car and he gets done for being drunk in charge and lost his licence for a year.

 

A group of guys return to their hotel after a stag party pub crawl, one of the group had the foresight to leave a stash of booze in a car parked at the hotel so they could continue the party. Similar end result to the above as the car park was classed as having public access.

[doratheexplorer]

8 minutes ago, waterdog said:

There is probably a bit more "background" to these but this is the gist of it.

 

A guy walks home from the pub after an afternoon session, reaches home just as his wife parks on the driveway with a boot full of shopping. She opens the house door then throws him the car keys and runs inside to use the loo. The police appear as he is unloading the car and he gets done for being drunk in charge and lost his licence for a year.

 

A group of guys return to their hotel after a stag party pub crawl, one of the group had the foresight to leave a stash of booze in a car parked at the hotel so they could continue the party. Similar end result to the above as the car park was classed as having public access.

This can be a geniune problem for people with motorhomes when parked overnight outside of proper campsites.

[waterdog]

2 minutes ago, doratheexplorer said:

This can be a geniune problem for people with motorhomes when parked overnight outside of proper campsites.

Don't quote me on this as I'm working from memory but I believe that if there is some sort of door between the "driving" area and the "home" area its OK.

Definite No No, if sitting in the driving area including passenger seat.