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Thread: Mini-choppers

  1. #1
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    Mini-choppers

    When in Taupo for a few days over Christmas, I see there is one of the motels along the lakefront hiring out those stupid bloody mini-chopper shitters.

    They are 50cc which means you don't need a bike licence to ride them.

    I observed a couple of "Joanne Bloggs" public riding them through Taupo's main streets, and have a couple of observations to make.

    The rider sits so low on the bike that they cannot be seen behind/in front of cars (let alone all the 4x4's that are on the road these days).

    And Joanne Bloggs obviously thought that playing in the traffic on SH1 was fun. She (and her friend on the other one) were laughing as they wobbled slowly in front of oncoming traffic when turning right at the traffic lights. Cars coming straight through the lights, that had the right of way, had to stop to avoid hitting these two as they very slowly took their time getting across the lanes. The riders were wearing t-shirts, shorts and sandshoes. Oh yes, and a helmet.

    In my opinion, these mini-chopper things are dangerous.

    Sure, they are fine in an off-road situation, but please, not on our public roads. I cannot believe that the LTSA licences them for road use. I intend to write to the LTSA expressing my concern.

    And let's not forget that when someone is killed on one (and I firmly believe that it's only a matter of time) the death will be added into our "motorcycle" statistics.

    My $0.02

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  2. #2
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    I agree. We got a stupid prick who rides up and down our road on one. I sure hope I'm not the one who has to go and scrape him up when he gets run over by one of the many SUV's that trip up and down our road.

  3. #3
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    I agree as well. At the very least they could wear the fluro vests or have a flag on a pole on the back

  4. #4
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    I don't see logic in the LTNZ's "ride a bike with a car license" regulation anyway. Minimotos only make it more of a nonsense. Prediction for 2006: people will be killed riding minimotos on the road; there will be outrage; they will be banned.
    "Standing on your mother's corpse you told me that you'd wait forever." [Bryan Adams: Summer of 69]

  5. #5
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    Mini choppers are ugly ass, pieces of sh#t anyway and I dont see why people would want to drag their ass along the road on something so pathetic.

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by Hitcher
    I don't see logic in the LTNZ's "ride a bike with a car license" regulation anyway. Minimotos only make it more of a nonsense. Prediction for 2006: people will be killed riding minimotos on the road; there will be outrage; they will be banned.
    Fuckin A

    anyone on two wheels and a motor needs a specific licence in my view.

    in fact I reckon that sometimes its harder to ride a little bike in traffic than a bigger one... a big and particularly a big, noisy bike makes the fucker back off a bit.... especially tailgaters who I fucking hate. slowing down to 30kph usually gives them the idea. Fuckers

    I nearly collected one going up Lincoln Road on Saturday morning. Busy as fuck and this turkey just wobbles out into the bike lane (kinda...) then all over the fucking road.

    and the money people pay for these pieces of shit assembled by slaves in China most likely is outrageous! You could get an actual motorbike for that.

    Chopper TV shows have a lot (good and bad) to answer for....

  7. #7
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    My concern besides you would have to be gay to ride one (no offence mean't to actual gay people)... is,the half size makes them seem further away than they are.It will only be a matter of time before one plants its self in the side of a car.Being that low with high bars the injuries will be severe me thinks.

  8. #8
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    I was drag racing my daughter the other night (her on her pushbike, me on the minimoto), and after I'd proven that a minimoto actually CAN beat something, I did a lap of the block. Picture a quiet residential neighbourhood with stuff all traffic, NOT SH1!

    As I'm cruising down the road at prob 45ish top speed, I'm following an Impreza when the thought occurs to me... my head is about level with their bootlid.

    Well if they can't see a bright green Kawasaki with a headlight, not much chance they're gonna see a silver minimoto with no lights at all.
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  9. #9
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    When these bozzos crap off on the road from what is in most cases unregistered and unwarrantable, it goes down statisically as a Motorcycle accident, and the rest of us pay more in ACC levies and insurance premiums.
    Soccer - A Gentlemans game played by Hooligans. Rugby - A Hooligans Game played by Gentlemen.

  10. #10
    We used to hire out FA 50s 15 yrs or so ago,whole groups of people would hire them and they'd race around the place with the horns going,so I disconnected the horns.Lot's of them had obviously never ridden a bike before,and the only protective gear they had was the poorly fitting helmet we supplied.

    Funny...but no body died,or broke bones,although there were a few cases of gravel rash.
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  11. #11
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    meh..... its their fucking fault if they get hit.... i have a full sized scooter, which are the same size as an FXR 150 so i dont think that the rule should interfeer with this sort of thing...


  12. #12
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    30th October 2005 - 20:07
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    I agree with the others, they don't belong on the road, regardless of who's riding them, even if it is someone with 20yrs of riding experience. They are just plain dangerous, it's just a matter of time before something does happen.
    On one news a while back, there was a report on them and they talked to a guy from LTSA and he said they were trying to rule out the loophole that people went through to register these things as mopeds by making a minimum wheel diameter or something like that.

    Madboy you naughty, naughty boy, shouldn't be riding on the road with that race-bred machine!!!

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by Motu
    ..they'd race around the place with the horns going,so I disconnected the horns...
    As one does
    Quote Originally Posted by skidmark
    This world has lost it's drive, everybody just wants to fit in the be the norm as it were.
    Quote Originally Posted by Phil Vincent
    The manufacturers go to a lot of trouble to find out what the average rider prefers, because the maker who guesses closest to the average preference gets the largest sales. But the average rider is mainly interested in silly (as opposed to useful) “goodies” to try to kid the public that he is riding a racer

  14. #14
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    I can't believe MarkAuckland hasn't posted here yet... only a matter of time

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by Weasel
    I can't believe MarkAuckland hasn't posted here yet... only a matter of time
    yes yes indeed lets get the ball rolling.....
    ok it says here that ltsa are going to (possibly) put a minimum wheel diameter.

    now am i crazy or right in saying that....a mini chopper usually has a 10 inch rear wheel... and a 12 inch front.

    Where as your average little scooter has a 10 inch wheel front and rear....
    so does this mean if they do that all the scooters would not be for sale?
    So i do not see that as a logical option.


    It also seems that all the mini choppers are all being tarred with the same brush.
    as to no registration no light's and lack of protective gear.

    Where as....my chopper is registered has working lights and indicators brake lights all work etc.
    For protective gear i don't wear some stupid german illegal helmet.

    I wear a fullface helmet gloves and a leather jacket and proper shoes not jandels. and jeans (huilty as charged i know getting round to finding the gear i wan't) 18 and bullet proof blah frikking blah.

    Everybody and i mean everybody goes on and on about the low seat height.
    and people won't see them and you need fluro gear.

    the type of people that generally buy these things are teens wanting to go for a senseless blat and they go on extremely busy roads. and think they are bulletproof and think they are really cool.

    yes there is a high danger of being hit on one but it's a risk you take the idea is you make yourself visable as on any bike. and soon enough car drivers will learn to look out for bikes more because of this, and maybe bikes will get a little more respect. as so often bikes are just not seen or the car driver thinks they can..."beat the bike".

    I like mini choppers for a bit of fun riding round cruising and if i could afford a bigger bike i would get one ...(hopefully the plan for later this year)
    and some may say also that you can buy a big bike for the same amount of money.

    yes you probably could thats why i wasn't stupid enough to pay full price looked around for a while, and i managed to pick up one in almost new condition which had only done a couple of tanks for $650 thats the only reason i got it if it was full price i wouldnt have touched it.

    thats my opinion anyway.

    Cheers: MA

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