De restricting 50cc bikes
Discussion
What do you think of 16 year olds de restricting their 50cc bikes/scooters?
I don't want a lecture on how its illegal and it voids my license, insurance and warranty. I'm just saying that dual carriage ways are scary, and imagine having to go everywhere at 30mph, with impatient car drivers up your a*se. My dad is happy for me to be de restricted but my mum it against the idea (although she wouldn't notice if it was ;) ).
Also, I can go on certain parts of the A1...at 30mph :yikes:. This to me seems like a totally stupid law...
I don't want a lecture on how its illegal and it voids my license, insurance and warranty. I'm just saying that dual carriage ways are scary, and imagine having to go everywhere at 30mph, with impatient car drivers up your a*se. My dad is happy for me to be de restricted but my mum it against the idea (although she wouldn't notice if it was ;) ).
Also, I can go on certain parts of the A1...at 30mph :yikes:. This to me seems like a totally stupid law...
ZeeTacoe said:
why don't you just wait 12 months and get a car?
all the power you need for motorways
Cars are boring. When was the last time you went round a roundabout, felt the wheels sliding from beneath you, or managed to lean over so you can reach out and touch the ground, or felt the wind in your (facial) hair (with the visor open
), or had other people nod to you as you go past. I don't really want to wait 10 months. 30mph is too slow, its fine in twisties but as soon as you hit a straight its sloooooooooooooow. Don't want a 125 anyway, looking at a restricted ZX-6R or possibly an R6 if I can get one
Rawwr said:
Grow a moustache any buy a Gixer thou.
I can see a plan forming here, all I need is a fake beard....:scratchchin... >> Edited by m1spw on Tuesday 4th October 22:18
m1spw said:
Cars are boring. When was the last time you went round a roundabout, felt the wheels sliding from beneath you, or managed to lean over so you can reach out and touch the ground, or felt the wind in your (facial) hair (with the visor open
See my profile.
That'd thing would take *any* bike on any corner and was great for the wind in your hair, sans helmet
No lectures here, when I had a 50cc it was duly 'altered' but this was in Italy, where at 14 you could ride a 50cc without license, training, insurance, helmet etc and although it was illegal to alter your bike, the Police had better things to do and I knew of no-one being done for it and all the bike shops sold the 'kits'.
However here in Bliars Britain you'd probably get 3 months in Prison for this Heinous crime, so maybe I wouldn't bother now... although if I was 16 again
just don't tell anyone if you do
However here in Bliars Britain you'd probably get 3 months in Prison for this Heinous crime, so maybe I wouldn't bother now... although if I was 16 again
just don't tell anyone if you do
m1spw said:
why don't you just wait 12 months and get a car?
all the power you need for motorways
Cars are boring. When was the last time you went round a roundabout, felt the wheels sliding from beneath you, or managed to lean over so you can reach out and touch the ground, or felt the wind in your (facial) hair (with the visor open
I don't really want to wait 10 months. 30mph is too slow, its fine in twisties but as soon as you hit a straight its sloooooooooooooow. Don't want a 125 anyway, looking at a restricted ZX-6R or possibly an R6 if I can get one
Rawwr said:
Grow a moustache any buy a Gixer thou.
>> Edited by m1spw on Tuesday 4th October 22:18
Dont buy a restricted R6/Ninja...whats the point?? High insurance, huge embarrasment factor when you constantly get passed by other 600s.
Get a Aprillia 125 and thrash the nuts off it till you get your full licence. Good fun and you wont' look like a plonker.
Rawwr said:
Cars are boring. When was the last time you went round a roundabout, felt the wheels sliding from beneath you, or managed to lean over so you can reach out and touch the ground, or felt the wind in your (facial) hair (with the visor open
See my profile.
That'd thing would take *any* bike on any corner and was great for the wind in your hair, sans helmet
its all relitive though you could then argue that any decent 600,750 or 1000 would kick the Lotus's ass into next week on the straights, its all about what you enjoy in the end, still your car looks like it would be great fun around a track, did you do an trackdays in it? how were they?
Carrera2 said:
Dont buy a restricted R6/Ninja...whats the point?? High insurance, huge embarrasment factor when you constantly get passed by other 600s.
Get a Aprillia 125 and thrash the nuts off it till you get your full licence. Good fun and you wont' look like a plonker.
RS125's still have to restricted though because otheriwse they aren't in the legal power to weight ratio. I also figured that I would have the bike restricted then after 2 years (or maybe a bit less
) the restrictor comes off, I ride it like that till I'm 20 then sell it and get a bigger/better bike.m1spw said:
Dont buy a restricted R6/Ninja...whats the point?? High insurance, huge embarrasment factor when you constantly get passed by other 600s.
Get a Aprillia 125 and thrash the nuts off it till you get your full licence. Good fun and you wont' look like a plonker.
RS125's still have to restricted though because otheriwse they aren't in the legal power to weight ratio. I also figured that I would have the bike restricted then after 2 years (or maybe a bit less
Are they not putting the age for riding big bikes up to 25?
PhillVR6 said:
Carrera2 said:
Dont buy a restricted R6/Ninja...whats the point?? High insurance, huge embarrasment factor when you constantly get passed by other 600s.
Get a Aprillia 125 and thrash the nuts off it till you get your full licence. Good fun and you wont' look like a plonker.
RS125's still have to restricted though because otheriwse they aren't in the legal power to weight ratio. I also figured that I would have the bike restricted then after 2 years (or maybe a bit less
Are they not putting the age for riding big bikes up to 25?
i think it was 24, and not until after 2010 so anyone who passes before then isnt included.
If you want a bit more speed try changing the sprocket at the front for a bigger one, on the flats you might get 40mph, which is a bit more realistic on faster roads.
If you happen to need to do a de-coke of the engine a bit of port smoothing always helps and strictly speaking isn't illegal, as all you are doing is cleaning the engine!!
I had a DT50 when I was 16, fitted a 65 big bore kit, racing reed etc and ported itas well as a few other well chosen mods. It did 60 mph on the flat!!
Whatever you choose you'll still be slower than cars on the faster roads so take care.
Paul
If you happen to need to do a de-coke of the engine a bit of port smoothing always helps and strictly speaking isn't illegal, as all you are doing is cleaning the engine!!
I had a DT50 when I was 16, fitted a 65 big bore kit, racing reed etc and ported itas well as a few other well chosen mods. It did 60 mph on the flat!!
Whatever you choose you'll still be slower than cars on the faster roads so take care.
Paul
m1spw said:
Cars are boring. When was the last time you went round a roundabout, felt the wheels sliding from beneath you, or managed to lean over so you can reach out and touch the ground, or felt the wind in your (facial) hair (with the visor open
And you can do all that on 50 cc, wow, what you got be'neath you mate?
When the wheels slide, you are almost out of the envelope, still I guess at your age, you.v got loads of experience.
Oh and visor open, hope you wear shades, coz the bugs sure hurt your eyes at 30 mph........
P.S. You say cars are boring, but you also said elswhere "But 'nippy' car? NIPPY???? That is not what I would call nippy. Course, I've never been in one but from what I hear they are fast.
Am I missing something here??
Yes 50 cc whatsits are slow, fortunately when I was into biking such restrictions didnt exist, but the roads were I feel a dam site safer then, didnt have cars zipping past, dont think we even had motorways, but I did have a 650cc BSA Clubmans Lightning. The very last thing you want do at your age is get on the wrong side of the law, otherwise when you progress to a bigger bike, you may have difficulty getting reasonable insurance, just stick it out for a while longer, and to be honest, I would'nt risk my life on a dual carriageway on 50 cc.
Anyway mate, take care out there, wish you many years of safe happy motorcycling.
>> Edited by Vipers on Sunday 9th October 06:32
>> Edited by Vipers on Sunday 9th October 06:47
Strangely enough I don't ride a motorbike. This isn't a lecture.
If I'd had a bike when I wanted one, and I'd done all the things that I did in a car, I'd be dead now. I had a number of early accidents, none of which were my fault, but I'd have died on a bike. Once certainly and another time maybe.
First was a bloke who T-Boned my first car, at a junction where he should have given way. I'd avoided him to the point of being on the wrong side of the road, and in fact being on the pavement on the wrong side of the road.
Second, was a drunk driver who missed a bend at significant speed, came across my side of the road, bounced off a wall, and collapsed the entire passenger side of my car.
I had a friend who had a 50cc bike. He died.
I had a couple of other freinds who also had 50cc bikes. I'd always been mechanically minded, and I helped them rebuild their bikes on a number of occasions. They didn't die, but they did melt their pistons on more than one occasion.
Don't get a Hairdryer. They're crap.
If I'd had a bike when I wanted one, and I'd done all the things that I did in a car, I'd be dead now. I had a number of early accidents, none of which were my fault, but I'd have died on a bike. Once certainly and another time maybe.
First was a bloke who T-Boned my first car, at a junction where he should have given way. I'd avoided him to the point of being on the wrong side of the road, and in fact being on the pavement on the wrong side of the road.
Second, was a drunk driver who missed a bend at significant speed, came across my side of the road, bounced off a wall, and collapsed the entire passenger side of my car.
I had a friend who had a 50cc bike. He died.
I had a couple of other freinds who also had 50cc bikes. I'd always been mechanically minded, and I helped them rebuild their bikes on a number of occasions. They didn't die, but they did melt their pistons on more than one occasion.
Don't get a Hairdryer. They're crap.
dilbert said:
Strangely enough I don't ride a motorbike. This isn't a lecture.
If I'd had a bike when I wanted one, and I'd done all the things that I did in a car, I'd be dead now. I had a number of early accidents, none of which were my fault, but I'd have died on a bike. Once certainly and another time maybe.
First was a bloke who T-Boned my first car, at a junction where he should have given way. I'd avoided him to the point of being on the wrong side of the road, and in fact being on the pavement on the wrong side of the road.
Second, was a drunk driver who missed a bend at significant speed, came across my side of the road, bounced off a wall, and collapsed the entire passenger side of my car.
I had a friend who had a 50cc bike. He died.
I had a couple of other freinds who also had 50cc bikes. I'd always been mechanically minded, and I helped them rebuild their bikes on a number of occasions. They didn't die, but they did melt their pistons on more than one occasion.
Don't get a Hairdryer. They're crap.
Hang on a minute, how can you offer advice if you have never ridden a bike? I am not having a dig but the bike 'thing' is either in your blood or not IMO. At 16 I was damned eager to get out the house and find some independence rather than ask dad for a lift everywhere. This guy has already bought his bike and is pleased with it (so his profile would indicate).
He also states that peds are dangerous being restricted to 30mph, and I totally agree here having been a ped owner. But then to go a year and wait for some more safety in the form of more power is even more ridiculous.
m1spw said:
What do you think of 16 year olds de restricting their 50cc bikes/scooters?
I don't want a lecture on how its illegal and it voids my license, insurance and warranty. I'm just saying that dual carriage ways are scary, and imagine having to go everywhere at 30mph, with impatient car drivers up your a*se. My dad is happy for me to be de restricted but my mum it against the idea (although she wouldn't notice if it was
Also, I can go on certain parts of the A1...at 30mph. This to me seems like a totally stupid law...
FWIW I started riding at 16, and bought a Honda SS50. It was 'unrestricted' but topped out at around 40mph on the flat. I live near Heathrow and I was at Maidenhead Technical College for the first year of my first job. Thats a long way to go twice a day everyday come rain snow and occasionaly a bit of sun
I had always played with baby Honda's as a kid; C50/70/90 etc, and having been pulled off my ped by an artic on the first day on the way to school, I was determined to have more power. If they caught me it was a gamble I was prepared to take. I had a shed full of 'C' bits so I removed the head and barrel from a C70, put it in the vice and ground off the 72cc markings. Then I painted it with black heat paint and put the top end back. The SS50 unlike the C50 has a 5 speed box with clucth wheras the C50 has auto clutch and 3 gogs. The SS50 after modification would do about 50mph on the flat which was a worthwhile improvement, but the extra added ability to take off slightly quicker from the lights was where the saftey margin came in. Being stuck to the kerb for the entirety of your jouney is not pleasent and most cars that are 4 or 5 back at the lights don't look for peds on the inside, as they are normally looking in their r/h mirror looking to change lane or overtake on dual carriageways. I never told anyone that I had done the conversion (whole job only took less than an hour!) but I think that as newbies have to take a CBT anyway then the minimum engine size should be at least 70cc. The plus points of my conversion were, as mentioned above and also I could keep up with all the AP50's FS1E's and Gilera/Phantom Super 6's that had had most of their internals worked on in the engineering workshops of the college
The downside was that the g/box internals of the SS50 were not as strong as the C70's and after 8000 miles the box blew up and I needed to source another engine. Needless to say it was rebuilt as before but I ended up selling it to a mate who was sick of playing the piston and rings thing on his 2 stroke
To go on the A1 with a ped is asking for it
but if its your only route the extra power helps. I think I went from 4hp to 7 and it was noticeable 
Incedently this was in 1982 when the new breed of twist n go scooters just started appearing - those were still quicker than normal 'sports' peds of the line. The governent should spend more effort in rider training (like they have) but give slightly more power to first time users after passing their CBT's.
That was in the days when you passed one test and could jump on a 250, but the 250's were not even as fast as the new gen 125's.
Those were the days
Well, I must apologise for not realising that the motorcycle had already been purchased. On the other hand my central obsevation may not have come across well.
Personally I'm all for any form derestriction on 50cc bikes. Those people that I knew that had done so, all managed to survive, and that wasn't true for those who hadn't. I do appreciate that that statement is not particularly scientific.
On the other hand of those that did derestrict, most suffered mechanical failure.
I knew of one chap that modifed his bike with a bigger unmarked cylinder and piston, and that seemed altogether more satisfactory as a solution.
I still will have a bike one day. The main influencing factor for me was that my parents had said that if I didn't have a bike, they'd give me a wedge to buy a car.
I also lived in the country, and I'd had plenty of experience cycling around in the pitch black of night. You know that age old problem, of not knowing where the edge of the road is. I figured that a small bike wouldn't be much better than that.
>> Edited by dilbert on Sunday 9th October 18:08
Personally I'm all for any form derestriction on 50cc bikes. Those people that I knew that had done so, all managed to survive, and that wasn't true for those who hadn't. I do appreciate that that statement is not particularly scientific.
On the other hand of those that did derestrict, most suffered mechanical failure.
I knew of one chap that modifed his bike with a bigger unmarked cylinder and piston, and that seemed altogether more satisfactory as a solution.
I still will have a bike one day. The main influencing factor for me was that my parents had said that if I didn't have a bike, they'd give me a wedge to buy a car.
I also lived in the country, and I'd had plenty of experience cycling around in the pitch black of night. You know that age old problem, of not knowing where the edge of the road is. I figured that a small bike wouldn't be much better than that.
>> Edited by dilbert on Sunday 9th October 18:08
Can't you just agree that cars can be just as much fun as motorbikes? It may be 'in your blood' although where in the genes that is you'll have to inform me
Its more of the usual biking is better thabn car's, etc, bullshit.. You like bikes, but don't spread it on too thick.. It gets boring.
Its more of the usual biking is better thabn car's, etc, bullshit.. You like bikes, but don't spread it on too thick.. It gets boring.
Gassing Station | Biker Banter | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff