Road legal quad bike for commuting?
Discussion
Been toying with the idea in my head for a while now but just been looking on ebay and some of the quads on there have really got the idea into my head.
I currently live 10 miles from work. I drive most days but cycle twice a week so the car is only used 3 days (sometimes 2 depending on hours) and the odd bit here and there on the weekend.
The missus and I are looking at renting a place much closer to both of our works. Around 2-3 miles from my work. Plan is to cycle every day (weather permitting) which would leave the car pretty much redundant apart from on weekends. I had toyed with the idea to look into selling the car all together as it seems a waste to have it just sat there using up its tax and insurance without actually being used but I don't think I could do without some kind of petrol based transport, even if it is just for the odd ride to work and back and some weekend fun.
I realise it is totally impractical (pretty much as a bike would be) but the missus has a car and we both use it.
Does anyone here run a quad as a commuter?
My other questions are really how licencing works? Are they classed as a bike or a car? Can I drive one on my car licence or do I need a minimum of a CBT (if it is a bike?). How tricky would it be to get insurance on one? Would a bike insurance co be the best bet?
Cheers!
I currently live 10 miles from work. I drive most days but cycle twice a week so the car is only used 3 days (sometimes 2 depending on hours) and the odd bit here and there on the weekend.
The missus and I are looking at renting a place much closer to both of our works. Around 2-3 miles from my work. Plan is to cycle every day (weather permitting) which would leave the car pretty much redundant apart from on weekends. I had toyed with the idea to look into selling the car all together as it seems a waste to have it just sat there using up its tax and insurance without actually being used but I don't think I could do without some kind of petrol based transport, even if it is just for the odd ride to work and back and some weekend fun.
I realise it is totally impractical (pretty much as a bike would be) but the missus has a car and we both use it.
Does anyone here run a quad as a commuter?
My other questions are really how licencing works? Are they classed as a bike or a car? Can I drive one on my car licence or do I need a minimum of a CBT (if it is a bike?). How tricky would it be to get insurance on one? Would a bike insurance co be the best bet?
Cheers!
They seem to be driven by pikeys in Manchester, who think arsing around with the mechanicals to make them backfire loudly in traffic and have pedestrians running for cover from a sniper is *hilarious*.
A halfway house might be to investigate the Piaggio MP3 or the Gilera Fuoco - three-wheeler maxi-scooter and sort-of sports-tourer 'bike respectively. Front wheels are narrow-set enough to slip through traffic like a 'bike, but unlike a 'bike, you probably won't fall off.
A halfway house might be to investigate the Piaggio MP3 or the Gilera Fuoco - three-wheeler maxi-scooter and sort-of sports-tourer 'bike respectively. Front wheels are narrow-set enough to slip through traffic like a 'bike, but unlike a 'bike, you probably won't fall off.
Deluded said:
Something like the Piaggio MP3 is a bit "ghey" though. Like it's trying to be something its not. Plus I imagine they will be far more expensive. Can pick up a second hand, if not new, quad for around £1500 which is registered with tax + mot etc.
I suppose the Gilera Fuoco is the un-'ghey' MP3, maybe worth a look?
Looks pretty cool to me, second-hand from £3500, which is more than your quad would cost you, true, but consider other benefits - you could park it in 'bike bays, thus avoiding any parking charges (a quad qualifies as a car and you'd end up paying all the same parking charges), and also, the secondhand market for quads is pretty limited compared with the one for 'bikes, so you'd see a lot more of your Fuoco's £3500 back come sales time than you would with your quad's £1500.
There's also the time-is-money issue of cutting through traffic - can't do that on a quad. I suppose commuting on a quad would be like commuting every day in a Caterham with no windscreen.
Edited by Twincam16 on Monday 10th May 20:22
Twincam16 said:
Deluded said:
Something like the Piaggio MP3 is a bit "ghey" though. Like it's trying to be something its not. Plus I imagine they will be far more expensive. Can pick up a second hand, if not new, quad for around £1500 which is registered with tax + mot etc.
I suppose the Gilera Fuoco is the un-'ghey' MP3, maybe worth a look?Looks pretty cool to me.
You would need a full car licence, you would not be able to drive one on a CBT.
For it to be totally legal it would need to be registered under PLG, dont buy one that is registered as an agricultural vehicle as you can only legally use these for agricultrual purposes. Quads are classed as quadricycles, like the Gwizz electric car.
I would not reccomend it to be honest, ive ridden quads on the road and raced them in competitions for years. They are fun for a bit of a blast about, but I would never want to commute on one. Plus you are pretty much guarenteed that it will be stolen if you park it in a car park. They have very basic ignitions (with one of mine you could just unplug the key from the wiring and it would start straight away). And can pretty easily be loaded into a back of a van, have the road legal stuff taken off and be then flogged on as an offroad quad.
Unless you get one of the larger engine quads and gear it up you will struggle to keep up with traffic.
You should be able to get insured if you are over 21 years old, but its not cheap, I seem to remember people telling me they pay about £600 tpft. As for companies, a quad search on google should produce a few.
EDIT: and i just noticed you mentioned a new quad for about £1500, dont even go there. They are chinese, they fall apart within weeks and spare parts can be hard to come by.
For it to be totally legal it would need to be registered under PLG, dont buy one that is registered as an agricultural vehicle as you can only legally use these for agricultrual purposes. Quads are classed as quadricycles, like the Gwizz electric car.
I would not reccomend it to be honest, ive ridden quads on the road and raced them in competitions for years. They are fun for a bit of a blast about, but I would never want to commute on one. Plus you are pretty much guarenteed that it will be stolen if you park it in a car park. They have very basic ignitions (with one of mine you could just unplug the key from the wiring and it would start straight away). And can pretty easily be loaded into a back of a van, have the road legal stuff taken off and be then flogged on as an offroad quad.
Unless you get one of the larger engine quads and gear it up you will struggle to keep up with traffic.
You should be able to get insured if you are over 21 years old, but its not cheap, I seem to remember people telling me they pay about £600 tpft. As for companies, a quad search on google should produce a few.
EDIT: and i just noticed you mentioned a new quad for about £1500, dont even go there. They are chinese, they fall apart within weeks and spare parts can be hard to come by.
Edited by anonymous-user on Monday 10th May 20:25
Twincam16 said:
Deluded said:
Something like the Piaggio MP3 is a bit "ghey" though. Like it's trying to be something its not. Plus I imagine they will be far more expensive. Can pick up a second hand, if not new, quad for around £1500 which is registered with tax + mot etc.
I suppose the Gilera Fuoco is the un-'ghey' MP3, maybe worth a look?Looks pretty cool to me, second-hand from £3500, which is more than your quad would cost you, true, but consider other benefits - you could park it in 'bike bays, thus avoiding any parking charges (a quad qualifies as a car and you'd end up paying all the same parking charges), and also, the secondhand market for quads is pretty limited compared with the one for 'bikes, so you'd see a lot more of your Fuoco's £3500 back come sales time than you would with your quad's £1500.
There's also the time-is-money issue of cutting through traffic - can't do that on a quad. I suppose commuting on a quad would be like commuting every day in a Caterham with no windscreen.
Edited by Twincam16 on Monday 10th May 20:22
Edited by Fartgalen on Monday 10th May 20:26
Fartgalen said:
Twincam16 said:
Deluded said:
Something like the Piaggio MP3 is a bit "ghey" though. Like it's trying to be something its not. Plus I imagine they will be far more expensive. Can pick up a second hand, if not new, quad for around £1500 which is registered with tax + mot etc.
I suppose the Gilera Fuoco is the un-'ghey' MP3, maybe worth a look?Looks pretty cool to me, second-hand from £3500, which is more than your quad would cost you, true, but consider other benefits - you could park it in 'bike bays, thus avoiding any parking charges (a quad qualifies as a car and you'd end up paying all the same parking charges), and also, the secondhand market for quads is pretty limited compared with the one for 'bikes, so you'd see a lot more of your Fuoco's £3500 back come sales time than you would with your quad's £1500.
There's also the time-is-money issue of cutting through traffic - can't do that on a quad. I suppose commuting on a quad would be like commuting every day in a Caterham with no windscreen.
Edited by Twincam16 on Monday 10th May 20:22
Edited by Fartgalen on Monday 10th May 20:26
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