Motorbike license for Piaggio MP3....confused??

[Pjj]

Does any one know where the law stands on this?

I was pulled up by the BiB this evening coming through West London on my Piaggio MP3 Yurban LT 300cc and asked if I had a full motorbike license?

They told me that the past few weeks they have been cracking down on MP3s after a recent fatal collision with a pedestrian and that to drive it I would need a full motorbike license since at 16kw it was over the 11kw limit for a car license and the law changed on 19th jan 2013. They are therefore now confiscating vehicles.... I was let off with the warning but am now rather confused!

I had a look at the Ask the police website

"Q504 What is the law re three wheel vehicles

Driving licence requirements
The driving licence legislation for three-wheelers (tricycles), irrespective of whether they are car or motorcycle based, changed considerably on 19.01.13. The two most important changes were that from 19.01.13, new rider/drivers:

must be a minimum of 21 years of age (for tricycles over 15 kW), and
require a motorcycle licence (category A or A1) to be able to drive them because they no longer fall within category B1.
The changes only affect those taking their test after 19.01.13. Those riders/drivers with existing full entitlement to ride/drive B1 category vehicles gained before 19.01.13 will retain that entitlement. However, when the holders of such licences exchange them, DVLA will add a new entitlement 'category A (limited to tricycles - - restriction code 79)', to their licence."

However it seems to me given I have had my license over 20 years and that I am actually OK? Though BiB never mentioned that point...??

Very grateful for any insights since otherwise this is all rather painful, expensive and I have become addicted to the machine!

If BiB are right not sure where I start with Piaggio who have very convenientlyy ignored all this in their marketing

Thanks

[Pjj]

Mandat said:

What categories do you have on your licence?

Thanks i have looked up the codes and I do have Category A with a marking tricycle restriction code 79(tri) so I must be fine

I guess I am clearly naive but how can the police pull me over and give me a polite grilling that I was unaware of the law and that I could not be riding the MP3!

Where they are clearly being economical with the rules themselves or plain ignorant??

[Pjj]

Thanks Guys

All very helpful I think I have now got there since I misplaced the license and a new one was issued in july 2013 so it explicitly covers a tricycle and from the driving license guidance this covers me for a tricycle over 15kw

Agreed the whole area is a bit of an anomaly and it is one that I took advantage of... I recently discovered scooters to save using a heavily modified GT3 to go shopping in and have become a complete convert initially with a 50cc pizza delivery Piaggio Liberty but then felt as though was kerb crawling too much and would be safer with a bit more presence and actually able to drive in the middle of the lane on my commute. The chance to get a 300cc without having to take 3 days off work hit a chord though I have done CBT to learn the basics which was time very well spent plus I will stand by the machine when it is pouring rain and you are heading round a greasy corner the third wheel is a massive confidence booster

My point is that really plod should know and check this if they are having a crack down. I was pulled over on the Mall just in front of Buckingham Palace they are clearly irked by a loophole that does enable someone to get on a 500cc tricycle and let rip which I sort of understand but they just do need to check their facts if they are as a policy pulling us over and then asking me to check it all on the internet!

I will raise with Piaggio and get back to the forum