Mopeds restricted to 30mph

[kasandrich]

As everyone is aware, technichally mopeds are restricted to 30mph. I know the theoretical consequenses of derestriction, .........it ceases to be a moped and becomes a 50cc motorbike, therefore, unlicensed, uninsured, etc. But can anyone tell me the likely outcome in practice, providing assumptions like, bike in good order, not speeding, not riding dangerously, properly kitted rider, in m/c jacket & trouses & boots. ....and mostly, not giving officer a load of abuse!

Is a 16 year old likely to get away with this with a warning, or would the Police be likely to throw the book at him?

In our area (Braintree Essex) the Police had a purge in March, stopping LOADs of mopeds and if they were derestricted then warning them, (my Son was not stopped) this purge was well publicised in the local press. They don't seem to be stopping them anymore and lots of lads are riding them around derestricted, my Son's is restricted, should it stay that way????

My personal opinion is that while I agree that 16 year olds need protecting from themselves, that a moped restricted to 30mph is dangerous, to do a max 30mph, they struggle to do 30mph in a lot of conditions, thus meaning they cannot keep up with traffic flow even in a 30mph limit, this I find dangerous, I would fully support restricting them to 45 or 50mph.

Your opinions please?

[kasandrich]

kevinday said:

The Honda was worst with about 40mph

Ahh, but the Honda (which I had) was a 4 stroke and therefore better torque than the others, my mate had a Suzi, which broke down and I towed him home....He had to admit there was no way he could've towed me with his AP50!

[kasandrich]

crankedup said:

Ang about, is'nt a moped a 2 wheeled motorised bike assisted by pedals? So all these 'hot' new so called mopeds are really tiny motorbikes arn't they?

We are talking about stuff from the 70's, (but I think the suggested 100mph is more than a bit far fetched), but the rules now don't require pedals, but they must be restricted to 30mph.....This is the original subject raised but it doesn't seem to have ad any response.

My Son has a modern moped, 6 gears, 49cc 2 stroke, in unrestricted form it produces 8.9Bhp, and should be good for about 55mph, ....maybe 60 mph on a good day wind behinfd you, but in restricted form as it is, its down to about 2Bhp, max 30mph, and often less, I've just followed him 7 miles, 15 mph in places in a 60 mph limit, huge traffic queue built up behind him but hey its not the boys fault, its the stupid restrictions that are law, if he'd been able to do 45-50 mph he could have kept up with or bettered the traffic flow.

[kasandrich]

chris_w said:

the fact that i had my girlfriend on the back (I believe illegal for mopeds?

Not if you have a full moped licence, which is one of the extras included with a car licence