Re: kit car you can drive on a motorbike licence?

[lee1980]

Newbie here! did a search could'nt find anything. Is there a kit car that is light enough to driven on a full motorcycle licence with B1 entitlement?

There a are French quadracycles (Aixam, microcar) around but they sound unreliable and are expensive! and you got our relain robins etc lol!
I believe they need to under a certain unladen weight of around 450kg i think, but cc is unlimited.
Wouldve though a light weight frame with a motorbike engine be ideal!!

thanks

Lee.

[lee1980]

Thanks V8, the blackjack zero is under the weight at 450kg, i just checked on dvla its up to 550kg unladen weight for 3/4 wheel light vehicles, the black jack looks great but not practical need to find a vehicle that is more practical!

Thanks

Lee.

[lee1980]

Thanks for replies guys will have to a bit more research i guess, Im sure i read on dvla some where that cc doesnt matter just got to be under 550kg. I guess it also depends on how its registered would need to be classed as a quadracycle for me to drive it on bike licence.

Be great if i can get some sort of kit car that i can drive on my bike licence! and it will be much better than whats on offer from the french lol!

Thanks

Lee.

[lee1980]

Hi Davi, Will let you know whati find out. Well all the Aixams, micrcars etc have and autmatic box with reverse, and forwards is fully automatic variable belt like a scooter!

On dvla it says B1 entitlement is:- Motor tricycles, quadricycles and three- or four-wheeled vehicles with an unladen weight of no more than 550kg.

Might email them and see what they say.

Thanks

Lee.

[lee1980]

Jon Ison said:

I'm surprised at that but...........

It sure opens up the market for you, as said earlier almost all BEC's will come in under 550kgs, the one in my profile pic is well under........

Sorry whats a BEC?

Thanks

Lee.

[lee1980]

AAAaaahhh course! lol What kits use a bike engine but have a roof?

Thanks

Lee.

[lee1980]

FlossyThePig said:

Davi said:

lee1980 said:

Thanks for replies guys will have to a bit more research i guess, Im sure i read on dvla some where that cc doesnt matter just got to be under 550kg. I guess it also depends on how its registered would need to be classed as a quadracycle for me to drive it on bike licence.

Be great if i can get some sort of kit car that i can drive on my bike licence! and it will be much better than whats on offer from the french lol!

Thanks

Lee.

let us know how you get on and what you find out - I seem to recall many years ago there was something to do with having no reverse fitted, but that may be complete boolarks!

DFT website said:

The ECWVTA definitions are:
Category L7e -
Quadricycle - Four wheels, with a maximum unladen mass of 400kg or 550kg for a goods carrying vehicle (not including the mass of the batteries in an electrically powered vehicle) and a maximum net power, whatever the type of engine or motor, of 15kW. The construction requirements are those for a motor tricycle unless otherwise specified in a particular Directive.

Thanks for that, strange how different sites say different things! no mention of it being a goods vehicle on dvla website to be 550kg and certianly no mention of power limit, this might be why all french ones are like 500cc twins!

Have you got a link to where you got that text from?

Thanks

Lee.

[lee1980]

Toltec said:

The other thing you might want to look at is insurance, even if you find a car that is legal to drive would any company insure you?

Yep thats very true, i had enough trouble trying to get a quote on a microcar i was going to buy. all i need to say is have licence to drive the vehicle and that is the B1 entitlement I have, the moment you say i have a bike licence they get confused! As we all have licence to drive its just which categories you have entitlement to!

I also believe that after 2001. When you take your motorcycle test you no longer get the B1 entitlment now. So any new riders wont be able to drive robin reliant quadracycle etc! Luckily i took my bike tst in 98' so i be ok!

Thanks

Lee.

[lee1980]

Thanks seems like we are going inline with european laws again, as i believe in france etc there quadracycles are restricted a lot and here we have so say full powered ones as 15kw is not a lot at all!
Looks like this idea of mine is not going to be possible! me thinks!

Thanks

Lee.

Edited by lee1980 on Friday 25th April 12:58

[lee1980]

V8 GRF said:

Here are the lists of entitlements a licence gives you.

Click

Yeah reading that you would think any 4 wheeler as long as it under 550kg, but other link provided by flossy says different such as power restirction and 550kg is for goods vehicles only, so which is correct?

Thanks

Lee.

Edited by lee1980 on Friday 25th April 13:07

[lee1980]

This is the answer i got from microcar/reliant forum which seems to make sense! but how can i be sure before i buy a kit car and again what about insurance!


The B1 licence covers 3 basic types of motor.

Tricycles
Quads
Small cars

Tricycles can be driven as long as they are not over 450kg with any size engine.

Quads can be driven as long as they weigh no more than 400kg with an engine restriction of as you say 15kw.

Small cars can be driven with any engine size as long as the weight does not exceed 550kg.

In your case, a kit car would be under the small car class and NOT the Quad class.


Quote:
Been asking on kit car forum as well, and they mention many are under 550kg. I get a few different answers as to what you can drive on a B1. As it says in the information thread on this forum top of page the 2 leafelts from dval. A quadracycle should be under 550kg unladen weight no mention of power outpuft or cc of engine etc.

The government did give out a list of 100 small cars which could be driven. All of which are no longer made!

There are a lot of kit cars which are under 550kg. I would ask to see a weighbridge certificate or the V5c before parting with any cash though.

Thanks

Lee.