Horror thread: Mopeds

[alexthecheese]

Bear with me.

Looking to buy a house next year in my home town and have been looking for houses in the immediate vicinity of the train station, so can commute to London easily by walking to the train station, but there doesn't seem to be many houses in the price range with we want with the right garden, rooms, space etc. etc.

So what I'm thinking is moving to an area about 2/3 miles away from the train station and getting a moped of some sort to get to and from the station, otherwise I'll be walking 30 mins to the station, 35 mins to get to London and then another half an hour on the tube. For example.

I'm thinking of getting something that has a bit of oomph - basically NOT a 50cc P.O.S. that will annoy me and everyone around it with it's nasal cavity exhaust droning away.

Has anybody got any recommendations on what I should be looking at? Apart from riding a 110cc thingy in Thailand a few years back, I haven't a clue about any of this.

Will I need a new license (I passed in '99)? Is it worth getting something as big as 250cc? How much are they for tax, insurance etc.? Maintenance etc.?

Basically any information at all would be cool, so I can start researching properly. cheers.

 

[Finglonga]

A Moped by definition is 50cc and not capable of any more than 31mph. Anything else is a motorbike.

You will be limited to 125cc maximum and have to do a CBT course.

All details you need are here. Clicky.

DO NOT BUY A CHINESE BIKE!!! Stick to the big names.

 

[Gornall]

A Moped by definition is 50cc and not capable of any more than 31mph. Anything else is a motorbike.

You will be limited to 125cc maximum and have to do a CBT course.

All details you need are here. Clicky.

DO NOT BUY A CHINESE BIKE!!! Stick to the big names.

Scooters?

But get an old one, the new twist and go look way too chavvy.

 

[Janesy B]

DO NOT BUY A CHINESE BIKE!!! Stick to the big names.

I must stress this, it's all well and good getting a brand new bike for the cost of a second hand Vespa/Piaggio however if it breaks (which it will do quite frequently) the parts will be hard to get hold of..

 

[alexthecheese]

A Moped by definition is 50cc and not capable of any more than 31mph. Anything else is a motorbike.

You will be limited to 125cc maximum and have to do a CBT course.

All details you need are here. Clicky.

DO NOT BUY A CHINESE BIKE!!! Stick to the big names.

Cheers, I'll read that. After I posted I wondered if moped was the right term, so now I know.

Scooters?

But get an old one, the new twist and go look way too chavvy.

How about this?

http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/b...ia/SPORT-CITY-250/250IE/2007/_/R-NXGN-2003969

Doesn't look chavvy? 20k miles though, sounds like a lot? Though saying that there are others with twice that.

 

[lordrobs]

For a few miles a day I would look at getting a 4 stroke 125. Yes it will be slow but will sound like a sewing machine rather than an angry wasp in a tin can.

Something like this maybe? http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classif...postcode/nr148ns/page/1/radius/1500?logcode=p

Actually, unless you want to learn how to ride a bike with gears maybe a twist and go would be better?

Also, might be better off in the bike sub forum

 

[alexthecheese]

Nah, don't want gears - strictly twist & go. It'll just be a town bike, so stopping and starting without worrying about gears would be better.

Didn't spot there was a bike forum, can a mod please move this to there? Cheers.

 

[Felix]

What about the days when its pouring with rain? You don't want to get to the train station (even in waterproofs) and then sit on train for 35 mins.

 

[Sagalout]

What about the days when its pouring with rain?

BMW C1

 

[Mr_Sukebe]

If you're talking of 35 mins, that's probably around 6-7 miles in a direct line. Do you really need a moped for that? Go get fit and buy a bicycle. Road tax, petrol = zero. Also means that you'll do the equivalent of going to the gym for any hour everyday of the week. Sorted.

 

[alexthecheese]

What about the days when its pouring with rain? You don't want to get to the train station (even in waterproofs) and then sit on train for 35 mins.

Not ideal, but I'm not sure what alternative I have to be honest!

BMW C1

Ick. It's a possibility though.

If you're talking of 35 mins, that's probably around 6-7 miles in a direct line. Do you really need a moped for that? Go get fit and buy a bicycle. Road tax, petrol = zero. Also means that you'll do the equivalent of going to the gym for any hour everyday of the week. Sorted.

I don't think you read my post properly. It would probably be about 3 miles, so your point still stands, but I'd end up sweaty AND wet if I chose to do that, not to mention that it would take longer. It doesn't really appeal tbh, but again, it's a possibility.

 

[apatia77]

To be honest I don't think it's worth getting a scooter just to do 2 miles a day to the station. Get a cheap push bike, it'll be easier to park as in a lot of stations you can just park inside the station.

You won't sweat by doing 2 miles on a push bike, trust me.

 

[VFR_KID]

To be honest I don't think it's worth getting a scooter just to do 2 miles a day to the station. Get a cheap push bike, it'll be easier to park as in a lot of stations you can just park inside the station.

You won't sweat by doing 2 miles on a push bike, trust me.

Second that. and you will save yourself a bit cash. Either way in carp weather you will still get wet.

 

[Jonny69]

Piaggio 125 scoots are probably the best twist and go's. I rode them for about 5 years. They go everywhere, you can park them everywhere, they can carry a lot more than you think if you get some straps. It's probably the most convenient vehicle I ever owned

1997-2002 4-stroke 125 did about 85mpg. Newer ones are even better.

 

[Felix]

Not ideal, but I'm not sure what alternative I have to be honest!

You will get pretty fed up with getting on a train wet. I commute most days on my bike and there are days when you get sodden, literally the water pours out of your jacket and trousers. I am fortunately to have facilities to dry them at work and home but I couldn't see myself getting soaked, sit on the train and then change at work. Just not worth the hassle.

This is where you need to weigh up the cost of living closer but paying more or live further away and have to buy a moped, all the gear and then sit on a train in wet clothes.

 

[Dogbreath]

You won't sweat by doing 2 miles on a push bike, trust me.

2 miles uphill could make you sweat a bit!

 

[monkey_boy]

A 250 would be pointless because the OP would have to do his bike test. Get a 4 stroke 125 scooter, and ride it on a cbt.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classif...00/quicksearch/true/postcode/le11aa?logcode=p

 

[monkey_boy]

You will get pretty fed up with getting on a train wet. I commute most days on my bike and there are days when you get sodden, literally the water pours out of your jacket and trousers. I am fortunately to have facilities to dry them at work and home but I couldn't see myself getting soaked, sit on the train and then change at work. Just not worth the hassle.

This is where you need to weigh up the cost of living closer but paying more or live further away and have to buy a moped, all the gear and then sit on a train in wet clothes.

How wet can you get with a scooter and a goretex oversuit in 2 miles??

The oversuit would even stuff under the seat with the helmet so it didn't need lugging around. Add a topbox and he could take a laptop with him aswell. Scooters are ideal for the OPs situation.

 

[Maccapacca]

2/3 miles, get a pushbike or a fold up, does your work do green cycle.

It's a lot of bother for 2 miles, by the time you've donned the gear, filled it up with petrol, bought tax, got it MOTeed, bought a lock, found a parking space every day you'd have cycled home

 

[monkey_boy]

2/3 miles, get a pushbike or a fold up, does your work do green cycle.

It's a lot of bother for 2 miles, by the time you've donned the gear, filled it up with petrol, bought tax, got it MOTeed, bought a lock, found a parking space every day you'd have cycled home

He'll have to fill up once every couple of months not every day. He won't have to buy a lock every day either and he'd need one for a pushbike anyway. Parking a scooter isn't exactly difficult, even in London. Getting it MOT'd is going to be a big 2 hour job once a year, the tax is £15 and he'd need to 'don gear' for a pushbike too. Rubbish argument is rubbish.