TV1 TONITE -minibikes legality reviewed

[FROSTY]

well TV1 have stuffed it up again. a news item regarding the chopper bikes being used on the road. They instead of showing the road legal bikes showed the little mini bikes--the ones with no lights or indicators

[crashe]

Yeah I was watching it and thinking yay they are gonna BAN the mini choppers.. But then.......there they are showing a item on the mini sport type bikes...

It was like WTF.......

Good one TVNZ :no:

[DingDong]

Ive known the Guy Dean (being interviewd) for a few years... I love those little things.
You can get some of them on the road (lights etc from the factory) but they dont look too safe or very comfy.

The mini choppers are OK... arnt they? they are quite big and look pretty cool... well better than scooters anyway :yes:

[crashe]

Wayne Kohi - The mini choppers are DANGEROUS.
They are not WOF or rego'd....
they are being ridden by kids on the roads with out any protective gear.
Adults are also riding them with out any protective gear.

They cant be seen by car driver let alone a truck driver wont see then.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ok I just spoke to the TVNZ news room, and then got transferred down to the Wellington news room., as that is where the story was filmed from... the woman who did the story is gonna contact me tomorrow..
well we shall see if she does.

So where are they buying all the mini choppers from.
What shops etc...?????
Names of the shops needed.

[Silage]

Those look soooo cool on the track. Does anyone know if there are track races for them in Canterbury?

Gotta be more fun than buckets, not far to fall and can do knee scrapers without leaning over at all.

[DingDong]

Wayne Kohi - The mini choppers are DANGEROUS.
They are not WOF or rego'd....
they are being ridden by kids on the roads with out any protective gear.
Adults are also riding them with out any protective gear.

They cant be seen by car driver let alone a truck driver wont see then.


Not :oi-grr: all these little bikes are being ridden with out WOFs or REG...

Ok young kids maybe hooning around without helmets or legal bikes but thats always happened... I was hooning around the streets on gs1000s and the like when I was a young fulla (with mud tyres I might add) because its good fun.
Sould we ban all mopeds? the FA50 was smaller than these choppers.

[XTC]

GS1000's with mud tyres :rofl:
Glad they've discovered rubber now for tyres..... Still spose you had to make do with whatever in the old days?

[DingDong]

GS1000's with mud tyres :rofl:
Glad they've discovered rubber now for tyres..... Still spose you had to make do with whatever in the old days?

had to replace them every 1.2mtrs :yes: ahhh the Good old days

[TonyB]

Those look soooo cool on the track. Does anyone know if there are track races for them in Canterbury?

Gotta be more fun than buckets, not far to fall and can do knee scrapers without leaning over at all.
They were racing them on Monday nights at the indoor kart track- (Moorhouse Ave?). Not sure if that's still the case.

As for fun- naa, buckets are huge fun- that's why I'm taking it up. May not be as far to fall on a mini bike, but I hope you have a good physio! Riding with your knees up by your ears can't feel normal!

[speedpro]

Those look soooo cool on the track. Does anyone know if there are track races for them in Canterbury?

Gotta be more fun than buckets, not far to fall and can do knee scrapers without leaning over at all.

A guy riding one of the fast ones had a little "lose" in the first corner of the first lap in the weekend. He more or less flipped it. Going by the time it took him to pick himself up I'd say it hurt lots.

[Waylander]

Don'tmind the minimotos much as I've never seen one on the road.It'sjust the minichoppers that need a good looking at. Yea they might look cool but there is absoutly nothing safe about them for road use.

[FROSTY]

the deal with those mini choppers is NO they dont need to ever have a WOF
they are concidered to be scooters and as such under current law you just take in the import paperwork and they get a rego--easy.
The law states that they must be CAPABLE of getting a WOF -well Most of em wouldn't get a wof in a million years.
I've objected to these things from day 1
My opinion is that they need to pass 1 wof before they can be registered
simple really --they get compllied in the same way as any other bike or car
I'll bet ya any amount of money very few of em would pass.

[riffer]

I agree with you mate. Some guys about 5 houses down the street from us bought one about three weeks ago.

I hear the sound of a 2-stroke screaming, run outside thinking people are racing and what do I see - some idiot with no helmet, a hoody and baggy jeans around his thighs doing about 50 km/hr up the footpath.

Where's Darwin's theory of natural selection when you need it?

I'm sure one day he's going to just fly out onto the street and get collected by one of the street racers that frequent McLean Street on Thursday and Friday nights...

I'll make sure I get a photo of it for you. Hell, I might even frame it first. :whistle:

[crashe]

Riffer - you are lucky that the one near you is on the footpath.

I got one just appeared recently around the corner from me....
and they ride around to my street on the road... no helmet and no protective clothing.

Seen a young child on one over in Glen Eden - no helmet a tiny skirt and skimpy top and slide on shoes. The parents brought it for her... and she rides on the road. parents don't care.

Seen a few in New Lynn - again no helmets worn and they are on the road.

Saw one over Te Atatu Peninsula recently.... on the road but at least the rider had on a funny helmet. (one like waylanders) sorry waylander.

Seen another one down Butterworth Drive.... wearing t-shirt and shorts and sneakers and no helmet oh yeah and on the busy road.

Now on none of these bikes did I see a REGO number plate on the bike.

They sell a few in New Lynn at or near the "Tool shop" and a few years back there were a few sold in Henderson West City mall.

They are just so dangerous... accidents waiting to happen.
They are so low that they cant be seen.
They are so not road worthy.

[bugjuice]

I saw one go past me the other day, didn't see any lights on the back, but had a number plate. Made me laugh.. The kids head was the same height as car bonnets (and then there's 4x4s..) just asking for trouble imo

[Waylander]

Saw one over Te Atatu Peninsula recently.... on the road but at least the rider had on a funny helmet. (one like waylanders) sorry waylander.


Yea yea, went and looked at new helmets today and can get anice dark chromed HJC for under $300. Soon as my speakers sell (hoping for that much atleast since I payed twice that when I bought them last year) I'll be picking it up.

[skidMark]

my monkeybike is registered it has lights and all that classed as any other moped the mini choppers usually don't come with lights so they don't bother to put any on and some idiots don't ride with a rego either...

they do not need a wof as they are classed as an under 50cc moped.....but they do need registration and to be to wof standard :weird:

and cus of there WANKERS on thier damn mini choppers that don't register them or get lights on them...people like myself are going to suffer on our fully legal mopeds mine is under same class as any other moped....

how come the few always ruin it for the many :mad:

so does this mean my 2005 minibike which is fully legal will be forced to go off the road.......i better hope not or im gunna b doing sum $H1T stirring considering mine is fully legal ...as my best friend used to own an fa50 it was hardly bigger than my minibike

curse you people who have no respect for laws of the road because of these STUPID mini choppers i might end up with my mini bike off the road and who is going to buy it if they can't ride it anywhere it's no use to me if i can't ride it! :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

[Ixion]

the deal with those mini choppers is NO they dont need to ever have a WOF
they are concidered to be scooters and as such under current law you just take in the import paperwork and they get a rego--easy.
The law states that they must be CAPABLE of getting a WOF -well Most of em wouldn't get a wof in a million years.
I've objected to these things from day 1
My opinion is that they need to pass 1 wof before they can be registered
simple really --they get compllied in the same way as any other bike or car
I'll bet ya any amount of money very few of em would pass.

I didn't know they didn;t have to be complied. That seems stupid. But, don't you still have to have *some* sort of licence for a moped (I know it can be a car licence, but some sort of licence). Most of the kids I see riding them on the road would be too young

[inlinefour]

They are more fecking gay than a scooter. Only a toal pillick who cannot handle a proper bike would actually be dumb enough to put one onto the road. As for racing them, I can't understand for one why a full grown adult would do this. Children yes, I can understand that also. But a teenager or full grown adult, thats just gay also... :rofl:

[Lou Girardin]

Apart from anything else, quite a few of these things are flouting the regs. They're registered as mopeds - less than 50cc and 2 kw - so that riders only need a car licence. But many have 110 cc engines.
And, having seen one of our workers ride to work on his, they've got to be bloody dangerous in traffic. He sits so low, you can't see him beside a car and his vis must be nil in traffic.
Another own goal for LTNZ.

[vifferman]

I was in town one night, and just by Sky City this 'gang' of guys on those mini-choppers went past. Must've been about 15 of them. What a laugh - it was like something out of Monty Python. :Punk:

But I agree about them being dangerous. I dunno how guys can ride them - the ones I've seen are hidden by cars, and can't see through the traffic. I'd HATE that - if I'm following a bus, truck or van and can't see ahead to anticipate what's coming up / about to happen, I *have* to get past so I can see.

Saw one too somewhere up near Wellsford, on one of the country backroads. :weird:

[crashe]

Ok I just had a phone call from the TVNZ news reporter....

She has to talk to her boss.
She is based in Wellington.... and hopefully will do a story on the mini choppers after a little bit more research on the mini choppers.

She has just read this thread and hopefully register to get some of you guys in Wellington to help her out...

She did apologise about putting up the wrong pic at the beginning of the story.

[SimJen]

Well, yes TVOne stuffed up.
I am one of the founders of the NZ Minimoto Racing Club, see our forum for upcoming races http://www.minimoto.co.nz/forum/
We all had the day off work on Wednesday because TVNZ wanted to do a feature on us (or so it seemed). The reporter, while very nice ;) said she was going to focus on the sport and legallity of riding them on the road.
She took heaps of footage including some good on board helmet cam stuff.
Also they did interviews with Fathers/Daughters/Sons to highlight the family appeal of the sport.
They took the bad points from the three interviewees and used them for their own agenda. Typical reporters/media where theres no news they'll make some. As far as I know no-ones been killed on a Minimoto in NZ.
We gave her all the history of Minimoto racing, Valentino Rossi started in them as well as many other top racers. But to no avail.
They didn't even give us a plug???? if you are reporting about the bad side of something wouldn't it make sense to tell people about the good side and give them details about contacting us.....?
Still we are getting the footage shortly so we can put it on DVD.
As for the crash people saw, that was a guy called Grant on Replica B1 Water cooled (good for 80kmhr+) I was the guy behind on a similar bike that just missed him. He was okay and got straight back on. It generally doesn't hurt ;) Although he has broken his collarbone in the past.

[speedpro]

I agree with just about everything being said here but I do have to be amused at who's doing the talking/complaining - motorcyclists. So many reasons why you shouldn't ride a bike and should get a cheap import.

I was talking to some guys who sell these the other day. They were quite proud of the fact that they were registering them as 50s so minimal legal requirements to use, when in fact they had 110cc engines.

[speedpro]

As for racing them, I can't understand for one why a full grown adult would do this. Children yes, I can understand that also. But a teenager or full grown adult, thats just gay also... :rofl:

They race mini choppers?

[crashe]

Can someone put up all the links from past threads about the mini choppers...
so that when the reporter comes back to do a story... she can click onto them.

I have looked and I must be having a blonde moment (even thou I aint a blonde) hehehe (sorry to all the blondes on the site) as I cant find any links...
:whistle: :whistle:

Thanks.

[SimJen]

Originally Posted by inlinefour
As for racing them, I can't understand for one why a full grown adult would do this. Children yes, I can understand that also. But a teenager or full grown adult, thats just gay also...

As far as I know no-one races minichoppers, why would they, they don't exactly look like they can stop? Although a couple of guys race past my work every damn day. All this noise but no performance.
Valentino Rossi still rides them for fun as do lots of other top racers. Riding a minimoto is no more gay than riding a bucket. The top bikes pump out 17hp+ from 50cc and can hit 110+ in only a few seconds. Highsides can be commonplace with riders being thrown a loooooong way.
Most of the guys are big bike racers/riders and this is seen as a cheap form of motorsport.
I suggest you don't knock it till you tried it, many a good road racer has been bitten by the bug. Its not as easy as it looks.
Your welcome to come along and have a ride at one of our meetings.

[Riff Raff]

Those mini choppers give me the shits and we are going to see some fatalities with them soon. The other day there were two teenage boys racing down Great South Road in Takanini (which is 2 lane) - they overtook my ambulance (I was in the right hand lane and they ended up having a near miss with a truck in the process), then lane split down the road. I never saw them until they were going past, and neither did the rest of the traffic. There were some pretty close calls - especially when they got to the roundabout by Walters Road. They were wearing t-shirts and jeans, and pushbike helmets and their speed would have been around 70 or 80kph.

[inlinefour]

As far as I know no-one races minichoppers, why would they, they don't exactly look like they can stop? Although a couple of guys race past my work every damn day. All this noise but no performance.
Valentino Rossi still rides them for fun as do lots of other top racers. Riding a minimoto is no more gay than riding a bucket. The top bikes pump out 17hp+ from 50cc and can hit 110+ in only a few seconds. Highsides can be commonplace with riders being thrown a loooooong way.
Most of the guys are big bike racers/riders and this is seen as a cheap form of motorsport.
I suggest you don't knock it till you tried it, many a good road racer has been bitten by the bug. Its not as easy as it looks.
Your welcome to come along and have a ride at one of our meetings.

Twas not impressed. Although we had the common sense to try out un the country side. I feel more of a dork either on the racing mini bikes or the mini choppers. Could make a garden ornament out of one though. Was much happier hopping onto a real bike afterwards. Yea its cool if others like them, but keep them off the roads as they are just an accident waiting to happen...

[SimJen]

the small cheap minimoto's are fine for beginners, but the watercooled powerful beasts are the way to go. Get one on a track and they make perfect sense :)
Top spec bikes will power wheelie at all speeds.....crazy stuff.

[FROSTY]

As far as I know no-one races minichoppers, why would they, they don't exactly look like they can stop? Although a couple of guys race past my work every damn day. All this noise but no performance.
Valentino Rossi still rides them for fun as do lots of other top racers. Riding a minimoto is no more gay than riding a bucket. The top bikes pump out 17hp+ from 50cc and can hit 110+ in only a few seconds. Highsides can be commonplace with riders being thrown a loooooong way.
Most of the guys are big bike racers/riders and this is seen as a cheap form of motorsport.
I suggest you don't knock it till you tried it, many a good road racer has been bitten by the bug. Its not as easy as it looks.
Your welcome to come along and have a ride at one of our meetings.
Mate I Feel for ya --especially as the item header had CHOPPER bikes on it then switched to your racing.
They so need to focus on these guys with the 110cc BIKES illigaly registering em
They need to look at the quality -or should I say lack of quality of the basic safety components on a lot of these darned choppers.
Im not even thinking of how they sit on the road--Im more concerned about the bloody things falling to bits or parts not working -which quite honestly I predict as being something coming really soon

[Beemer]

There are a couple of those chopper-style ones around Levin, ridden by morons. Thought the story was going to be about them, but no, it was the mini race bikes, something totally different.

And do you know what annoyed me the most? When the female reporter rode up on the bike, obviously to show how easy they are to ride - and SHE DIDN'T EVEN HAVE THE CHIN STRAP ON HER BLOODY HELMET DONE UP!!! I realise it wasn't hers because it was WAY too big, but the guy whose head it was on in the footage had it done up properly. I know she's on tv, but I thought it was only in programmes that they did dumb things like this, not news items!

[inlinefour]

the small cheap minimoto's are fine for beginners, but the watercooled powerful beasts are the way to go. Get one on a track and they make perfect sense :)
Top spec bikes will power wheelie at all speeds.....crazy stuff.

But I think I'll get more enjoyment out of the RD250LC instead...

[SimJen]

yeah RD's are great fun, I still get greater enjoyment out of my Gixxer 600 but then Minimoto is a hobby and its about the people too. :grouphug:

[yungatart]

Saw a couple of these things race at Waipawa Buckets. One of them flipped, and broke a brake cable-the guy looked gutted. He picked it up and walked off the track with it under his arm. LMAO when I saw the cable hanging down looking for all the world like a broken rubber band.

[speights_bud]

Saw a couple of these things race at Waipawa Buckets. One of them flipped, and broke a brake cable-the guy looked gutted. He picked it up and walked off the track with it under his arm. LMAO when I saw the cable hanging down looking for all the world like a broken rubber band.
Hehe saw this happen, i don't think he was too pleased with his new 'race bike' :whistle:

[speights_bud]

As far as I know no-one races minichoppers, why would they, they don't exactly look like they can stop? Although a couple of guys race past my work every damn day. All this noise but no performance.
I agree, i thought people would have figured that the physics behind choppers doesn't exactly favour turning or corners at speed. But suppose they just do it for some people.

[Smorg]

I for one think that mini choppers are fucken moronic there's a whole bunch of them that cruise up and down queen st sometimes and sit at lights revving up their engines. (if you can call them that) Spastics!!!!! :weird:

IF YOUR GONNA GET A BIKE DO A DECENT JOB OF IT

[Waylander]

I still get a good laugh when the minichoppers that hang out at the gas station up the hill from me try and pretend they are one real bikes. I just laugh at them everytime I fill up. Pissed them off one day when I told them my weed eater is louder and has more power than thier bikes. (don't really know about the power but sure is louder:rofl:)

[Smorg]

I still get a good laugh when the minichoppers that hang out at the gas station up the hill from me try and pretend they are one real bikes. I just laugh at them everytime I fill up. Pissed them off one day when I told them my weed eater is louder and has more power than thier bikes. (don't really know about the power but sure is louder:rofl:)


Would not suprise me at all mate. My lil brother bought one i told him off then we put high octane fuel in it and burnt it out in about 5 mins, piece off shit :mad:

[Waylander]

Would not suprise me at all mate. My lil brother bought one i told him off then we put high octane fuel in it and burnt it out in about 5 mins, piece off shit :mad:
Lol should have just took it apart and used it for other things. Like a weedeater or you could make your lawn mower self propelled and never have to actually push it again. (I hate walk behind mowers, one day when I'm rich I'm gonna make a point to have a very large yard just so I can justify having a ride-on mower.)

[skidMark]

Lol should have just took it apart and used it for other things. Like a weedeater or you could make your lawn mower self propelled and never have to actually push it again. (I hate walk behind mowers, one day when I'm rich I'm gonna make a point to have a very large yard just so I can justify having a ride-on mower.)

cmon m8 get on yer bike...

http://www.thefreewheelers.com/graphics/riding_mower.jpg

[Waylander]

cmon m8 get on yer bike...

http://www.thefreewheelers.com/graphics/riding_mower.jpg
BAHAHA How bout I just hook my pushie up to my Virago and ride all over my yard. Nah, The Beast is too good for that. Maybe the Rebel... nah still too good and would turn my yard to mud. minnichop it is lol.

No offence mate but come on, they are just silly. You've got areal bike now so I hope you're riding that as a comuter rather than the mini.

[XTC]

Real choppers are ghey let alone little ones :o
What will these so called dealers do when LTNZ figures out that they are breaking the law re the 50-110cc thing. Probably just disappear and start up as some thing else. Read that a 4yo was killed on a minichopper in the UK. Think Bob posted it a while back. He was riding it on the road.

[Waylander]

Real choppers are ghey let alone little ones :o
What will these so called dealers do when LTNZ figures out that they are breaking the law re the 50-110cc thing. Probably just disappear and start up as some thing else. Read that a 4yo was killed on a minichopper in the UK. Think Bob posted it a while back. He was riding it on the road.
Carefull what you say about real choppers. Some of us on here actually do like them and atleast one plans on building them for a living. We don't go around calling your dream bike ghey.

sounds hipocrite like but what I don't like about the mini choppers is that they are barely visable on the road. Don't have that problem with real choppers. In fact having a chopper kinda draws attention to ya.

[inlinefour]

I still get a good laugh when the minichoppers that hang out at the gas station up the hill from me try and pretend they are one real bikes. I just laugh at them everytime I fill up. Pissed them off one day when I told them my weed eater is louder and has more power than thier bikes. (don't really know about the power but sure is louder:rofl:)

Got a half decient scrub cutter in the garage. I recond these miniwhateverthefuckyouwant2callthem would shit their undies if we put the motor from the scrub cutter into one of those stupid things (sorry I cant call them a bike, maybe a bi?). :rofl:

[Brett]

The amount of times that i have ridden up to a set of lights and one of these little shit bikes has pulled up next to me and revved just cracks me up. I have had some good laughs at their expense!

Racing the mini sports bikes sounds like fun...I would be keen to have a go.

On the road tho...different story, you just can't see the pricks. The amount of people riding them with no gear just astounds me...they must figure that since the bikes are not 'real' motorbikes, that the danger isn't the same...wait till a car takes them out in a T bone at 80kph..they will know about it then.

[Ixion]

I don't object to them , per se. They've got two wheels and power.

I do object to the fact that they are flouting so many of the safety rules (not to mention common sense). And the way they can evade compliance etc.

Surely that whole "ride a moped on a car licence" thing is a pointless historical relic ? What justification can be brought forward for it nowdays ? Though, I'm certain most of the ones I see don't have any sort of license.

And why are the Police happy to (apparently) trun a blind eye to their antics.

[shadow]

They are more fecking gay than a scooter. Only a toal pillick who cannot handle a proper bike would actually be dumb enough to put one onto the road. As for racing them, I can't understand for one why a full grown adult would do this. Children yes, I can understand that also. But a teenager or full grown adult, thats just gay also...

maybe you should have have ago you might be suprised how full on they are on the proper track great fun. gave me the confidence to get knee down on road. they are great fun shame more people arent useing them for their proper purpose not for the road but small race track. They race every monday in chch except school holidays $25 at moorehouse ave gokart track. AS for (toatal pillick who cannot handle a proper bike) hav a go, hey hook a wheelie make sure you have some good gear for when it spits you off before you even know where you fucked up

[inlinefour]

They are more fecking gay than a scooter. Only a toal pillick who cannot handle a proper bike would actually be dumb enough to put one onto the road. As for racing them, I can't understand for one why a full grown adult would do this. Children yes, I can understand that also. But a teenager or full grown adult, thats just gay also...

maybe you should have have ago you might be suprised how full on they are on the proper track great fun. gave me the confidence to get knee down on road. they are great fun shame more people arent useing them for their proper purpose not for the road but small race track. They race every monday in chch except school holidays $25 at moorehouse ave gokart track. AS for (toatal pillick who cannot handle a proper bike) hav a go, hey hook a wheelie make sure you have some good gear for when it spits you off before you even know where you fucked up

Would I want to ride a mini turd around a perfectly good track when I can ride around on a perfectly good motorcycle. I'll be putting the $$$ I DON'T spend on a mini turdster toward a CBR600RR or the ZXR 636 thanks :weird:

[shadow]

Would I want to ride a mini turd around a perfectly good track when I can ride around on a perfectly good motorcycle. I'll be putting the $$$ I DON'T spend on a mini turdster toward a CBR600RR or the ZXR 636 thanks :weird:

600s be awesome to own as well, also good bikes to learn heaps on and go hard on track. as for me i still think mini moto arent a waste of coin,and are welcome in my garage. not hard to have both they dont cost much. dosnt hurt to open your eyes to differant types of riding whether it be supermotard bucket or supersport etc they all have lots of differant skills and a heap of fun to offer

[skidMark]

BAHAHA How bout I just hook my pushie up to my Virago and ride all over my yard. Nah, The Beast is too good for that. Maybe the Rebel... nah still too good and would turn my yard to mud. minnichop it is lol.

No offence mate but come on, they are just silly. You've got areal bike now so I hope you're riding that as a comuter rather than the mini.

gotta finish it first lol

but also ive spent alot of money buying my mini if they banned it i can't sell it no1 will buy it if they can't register it....

but theres no way they can bring new laws into effect and take my road legal one thats already registered off the road can they? :no:

[skidMark]

lol my 1ns bigger than a mini chopper...don't hate me tho just hate my minibike :Punk: ps. u mock my minibike i aint gunna b happy :mad: :rofl:

[FROSTY]

gotta finish it first lol

but also ive spent alot of money buying my mini if they banned it i can't sell it no1 will buy it if they can't register it....

but theres no way they can bring new laws into effect and take my road legal one thats already registered off the road can they? :no:
I can see no reason why not.But as I understand it your MIni is like the old honda monkey bikes--the forks work -the brakes work and it actually has a charging system for the lights.
GUYS -Keep this in mind-with the current fuel crisis we as bikiers are in a position to gain heaps. Think this situation through.
Mr joe average hates busses but cant afford to drive his car to work.
So he buys a scooter (a real one not a mini chopper) He can ride it legally on his car licence. Now there may be 100 joe averages--maybee 5 of em will get the biking bug -increased bike sales means better product range for us.
Second spin off -drivers or at least some drivers will be more carefull around bikes -they are now aware of us when driving their wife and 2.5 children around.
This Is why I'm keen to see the law cleaned up --and pronto

[Lou Girardin]

Don't knock the moped on a car licence rule guys. Anything that'll encourage a cager to get out of his car isn't bad.

[FROSTY]

Don't knock the moped on a car licence rule guys. Anything that'll encourage a cager to get out of his car isn't bad.
Exactly the reason I for one want those death traps off the road. My concern is the old "tarred with the same brush "issue.
Imagine MRS joe average 2.5 kids when her hubbie says Ohhh I think Ill buy a scooter to commute on -Just after a couple of brainless troggs have wiped themselves out on those chopper/scooter things.
If I was her Id say -"over my dead body sunshine"
The average cager wont differenciate between a real scooter and the choppers.

[Ixion]

...
GUYS -Keep this in mind-with the current fuel crisis we as bikiers are in a position to gain heaps. Think this situation through.
Mr joe average hates busses but cant afford to drive his car to work.
So he buys a scooter (a real one not a mini chopper) He can ride it legally on his car licence. Now there may be 100 joe averages--maybee 5 of em will get the biking bug -increased bike sales means better product range for us.
Second spin off -drivers or at least some drivers will be more carefull around bikes -they are now aware of us when driving their wife and 2.5 children around.
This Is why I'm keen to see the law cleaned up --and pronto

Thats a good point. But, how many Joe's will end up coming off (probably not too badly) and (a) give it away, and (b) reinforce the "bikes - stupid dangerous things , I knew this guy Joe, thought he'd be smart save some money on gas, bought a motorbike, and nows he's a vegetable blah blah"

Driving a car doesn't really teach you anything about riding a bike, or a scooter.

Also, I don't see many Joe's managing with a 50cc scooter. Most people have a fair distance to go to work. Most of the 50cc's I see around are students or inner city dwellers (no car parking) . For "ride to work" commuting most people are going to need more power.

I guess maybe if I were dictator (WHICH I WILL BE ! - I'm a Communist, see, just wait until I get this revolution thing sorted), I'd say car license PLUS Basic Handling Skills ,and you can ride up to 250cc.

After all, learners only need the BHS at present. And we can assume that a cage driver will know the road code (Hah :rofl: :no: ). And BHS would at least mean they know how to ride. Under the present rule someone who's never even ridden a pushbike can jump on a scooter and set off down the motorway.

But as I'm not yet dictator, I guess we're stuck with what we've got. BTW, is it any car license ? Learner ? Restricted ? And are they restricted to 70kph?

[FROSTY]

Ixion --mate have you ever ridden the average 50cc scooter (ignoreing the hotted up gileras and the likes) -They dont need to be restricted --they only manage 70 anyhoo maybee 80
There is always gonna be a percentage of cager/semi converts telling horror stories for sure.
Im thinking christchurch/inner subberbs of auckland. wellytown -upper hutt etc and hammyhole--all fairly flat all basicly 50k driving.

[Ixion]

Ixion --mate have you ever ridden the average 50cc scooter (ignoreing the hotted up gileras and the likes) -They dont need to be restricted --they only manage 70 anyhoo maybee 80
There is always gonna be a percentage of cager/semi converts telling horror stories for sure.
Im thinking christchurch/inner subberbs of auckland. wellytown -upper hutt etc and hammyhole--all fairly flat all basicly 50k driving.

Yeah, I knew that. That's why I said that most commuters would need something bigger (hotter 50cc's would probably be not nice in traffic).

Inner suburbs of Auckland, mostly don't work near there. Nearest work would be CBD, and buses to there are good. If you live in inner suburbs (not too many of them are flat in Auckland, BTW) , and work in Wiri, or Avondale etc, 50cc ain't going to be fun. Let alone the Harbour Bridge.

Mind you my Yammy 50cc did 105 kph once (well I reckon it was, speedo only went up to 100). Tad windy that day!

Was just wondering what the actual law was. Assuming I've only got a car licence, and I get hold of a hot RG50 , can I blat it down the motorway at 100kph? Isn't the "50cc on a cage license" limited to ones that can only do 50kph? Or something.
[sigh] Yeah , I know. I'll go google it.

[gav]

Mini Motos, look at this guy! Who does he think he is, Valentino Rossi? Oh wait, it is Valentino Rossi!! :clap:

[FROSTY]

I cant quote the law verbatum but as I understand it the law restricts you to 49cc or below and is phrased to exclude bikes like the RG.
What the hey meybee you're right maybee Joe average will stay away from scooters in droves but what If Im right ---wont that be so cool for us biker types

[Ixion]

I cant quote the law verbatum but as I understand it the law restricts you to 49cc or below and is phrased to exclude bikes like the RG.
What the hey meybee you're right maybee Joe average will stay away from scooters in droves but what If Im right ---wont that be so cool for us biker types


Yeah, don't get me wrong, anything we can do to get more people on two wheels is good. That's why I argue that the gubbernmint should extend the "bike on car license" thing, so that a car license holder can take a Basic Skills Test and ride more than a moped . (even 125cc would be practical for commuting)

[FROSTY]

Yeah, don't get me wrong, anything we can do to get more people on two wheels is good. That's why I argue that the gubbernmint should extend the "bike on car license" thing, so that a car license holder can take a Basic Skills Test and ride more than a moped . (even 125cc would be practical for commuting)
Um er mate --they can -but speed limited to 70km/h like any learner.
They do have road skills but also limited bike control skills.

[Ixion]

Quoting the law verbatim: (thanks google). From our good friends at LTSa.



A motor vehicle (other than a power-assisted pedal cycle) that:

1. has two wheels; and
2. either:
1. has an engine cylinder capacity not exceeding 50 ml and a maximum speed not exceeding 50 km/h; or
2. has a power source other than a piston engine and a maximum speed not exceeding 50 km/h.


So, (a) most of the mini-things are self condemnded, since they claim more than 50kph -
(b) the 70kph limit is irrelevant, cos by law they ain;t allowed to do it. If you tuned up a legal moped so it could do 70kph you'd have to reregister it as a motorbike.
(c) Top speed of 50kph is going to be pretty yuck for commuting
(d) The scooters I see zipping down Queen St are going a lot more than 50kph!

I still haven't found whether a 1L licence holder (or a 1R) can ride a moped.

[Ixion]

More googling. It would appear that you *can* ride a moped on a car learners license (1L). Don't have to have an accompanying person (couldn't anyway). Do have to display an L plate.

The LAW (http://www.legislation.govt.nz/browse_vw.asp?content-set=pal_regs)

says



Licence class


Motor vehicle to which licence relates
Class 1, 1L, and 1R Any motor vehicle (including any tractor) or
combination vehicle, that is not a motor cycle
that has a gross laden weight or gross combined
weight of 4500 kg or less, or, for a special-type
vehicle that is a forklift, has a gross laden
weight of 15000 kg or less

(mopeds are explicitly declared not be motorcycles (not in this regulation))

And


(a)The holder must not drive the vehicle (unless driving a motorcycle, moped, or an all-terrain vehicle) unless the holder is accompanied in the vehicle by a person who— blah blah


So, in theory at least , a 15 year old can go sit the theory test and eye test, pocket his 1L license, and go out and take off on one of those minibikes, with their claimed top speed of 100kph (for the 110 cc ones pretending to be 50cc). And - he's NOT limited to 70kph ! Or subject to the curfew. And can take passengers! Cos all of THOSE things are only for 6L


(c)In the case of a Class 6L licence,—
(i)The holder must not drive between the hours of 10 pm and 5 am; and (ii)The holder must not drive at a speed exceeding 70 km/h; and
(iii)The holder must not drive a motorcycle that has a total piston displacement exceeding 250 cm3; and
(iv)The holder must not carry another person on the motorcycle or in a sidecar attached to the motorcycle.


Which has to be one of the stupidest damn things I have seen in a fair while. I hope that one of the KB cops can tell me I'm wrong.

It MIGHT be reasonable if the intent of the law (that mopeds were only capable of 50kph) were enforced. Though even then , why is a restricted or learner motorcyclist subject to curfew, and "no passnger" limitations EVEN IF HE HAS A FULL CAR LICENSE - while the moped rider , who maybe only holds a learner car license is not! What raving lunatic was responsible for that

[Pixie]

Wayne Kohi - The mini choppers are DANGEROUS.
They are not WOF or rego'd....
they are being ridden by kids on the roads with out any protective gear.
Adults are also riding them with out any protective gear.

They cant be seen by car driver let alone a truck driver wont see then.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ok I just spoke to the TVNZ news room, and then got transferred down to the Wellington news room., as that is where the story was filmed from... the woman who did the story is gonna contact me tomorrow..
well we shall see if she does.

So where are they buying all the mini choppers from.
What shops etc...?????
Names of the shops needed.
I have no problem with idiot behaviour, it vacuums the gene pool.
I do object to the consequences being added to the motorcycle accident stats. :mad:

[skidMark]

More googling. It would appear that you *can* ride a moped on a car learners license (1L). Don't have to have an accompanying person (couldn't anyway). Do have to display an L plate.

The LAW (http://www.legislation.govt.nz/browse_vw.asp?content-set=pal_regs)

says


(mopeds are explicitly declared not be motorcycles (not in this regulation))

And


So, in theory at least , a 15 year old can go sit the theory test and eye test, pocket his 1L license, and go out and take off on one of those minibikes, with their claimed top speed of 100kph (for the 110 cc ones pretending to be 50cc). And - he's NOT limited to 70kph ! Or subject to the curfew. And can take passengers! Cos all of THOSE things are only for 6L


Which has to be one of the stupidest damn things I have seen in a fair while. I hope that one of the KB cops can tell me I'm wrong.

It MIGHT be reasonable if the intent of the law (that mopeds were only capable of 50kph) were enforced. Though even then , why is a restricted or learner motorcyclist subject to curfew, and "no passnger" limitations EVEN IF HE HAS A FULL CAR LICENSE - while the moped rider , who maybe only holds a learner car license is not! What raving lunatic was responsible for that

soooo what ur saying is im on my car learners and i can ride my minbike with nocurfew? :Punk: :devil2: .... :love: that thought please let it be true :whistle:

when i had my accident the cop interviewing me in hospital...take not a biker cop...you are riding that moped illegally you must have a full car license to ride a moped....i was like that is a load of crap...(much more politely) ....i said then why do you think all the collge students and uni students ride them...because they can ride them on thier car learners...then he sits there and goes...

ill have to check on that but im definately sure that is not the case...

THE COPS THEMSELVES EVEN A BIKER COP DO NOT KNOW THE LAWS!!!!! :weird:

[skidMark]

I have no problem with idiot behaviour, it vacuums the gene pool.
I do object to the consequences being added to the motorcycle accident stats. :mad:

was kinda the cars fault for my accident whats one more with the amount of idiots that are crashing ive followed these guys on choppers on my mini they are all over the road slalem through traffic everywhere and try and beat every bit of trafifc there is they can't ride to save themselves :oi-grr:

[speights_bud]

Carefull what you say about real choppers. Some of us on here actually do like them and atleast one plans on building them for a living...
That makes two of us possible-chopper-to-be-builders. I'm still a little undecided

[Ixion]

soooo what ur saying is im on my car learners and i can ride my minbike with nocurfew? :Punk: :devil2: .... :love: that thought please let it be true :whistle:

when i had my accident the cop interviewing me in hospital...take not a biker cop...you are riding that moped illegally you must have a full car license to ride a moped....i was like that is a load of crap...(much more politely) ....i said then why do you think all the collge students and uni students ride them...because they can ride them on thier car learners...then he sits there and goes...

ill have to check on that but im definately sure that is not the case...

THE COPS THEMSELVES EVEN A BIKER COP DO NOT KNOW THE LAWS!!!!! :weird:

Well, that's what the law appears to say. There is nothing in the classes about the moped exemption being limited to full (or restricted). And if it is true that you can drive an a 1L, then the curfew definately does not apply. The absolute height of idiocy is, that it DOES apply on a 1R (restricted). So if you are riding a minibike on a car learners you have no curfew. Move up to a car restricted and you get a curfew.

It is a loophole. The writers did not put in curfew restrictions etc on 1L because they assumed that all 1L drivers would have to be accompanied by a full license holder. Which is true for cars. But they forgot about the exemption for mopeds . And that the curefw etc rules are specifically only for class 6.

So , as I read the law, yes, it is true. And what you told the cop is correct.

I don't agree with it, or approve of it. I really hope that one of our cop members can point out where I'm wrong

Also, I am not a lawyer. Do don't rely on this (or anything else on this site) as legal advice. Or tell the cops "Its true a guy on Kiwibiker said so"

And remember. Piss a cop off enough and he has ways to make you unhappy.

EDIT. Further idiocy. If riding a minibike on a 1R , you ARE subject to the curfew, unless you take a full class 1 (car) license holder as a pillion (hard I guess on a minibike). But you can take passengers if they hold a full car licence , or are your spouse or partner, or a dependant.

And a minibike being ridden on a car license is NOT subject to the 70kph limit. In theory the minibike should not be able to do more than 50kph under normal conditions . But if it does, (cos the conditions are abnormal :whistle: ), then no offence is (apparently) committed. What a bloody abortion of a law,

[Lee Rusty]

the 50cc dont need WOF - the 110cc need WOF Rego and Mc Licence ot be ridden but the riders tell people they are 50's and see to get away with it.
I have seen these things with lists of faults after a weeks use.
Head light brackets break, air cleaners fall off as the motors flex with the movement of the chain, and the aircleaners hit the frame, gear linkages rub against frame and wont change gear, front sprockets crap out after a few days use, chains the same, made of soft shite steel. steering head bearings and wheel bearing crap out - thats just what I can think of off the top of my head, the lights on some are battery operated like a pushbike.
THe 110s have lights but they are not much more than bike lights.
These things are made as a TOY for KIDS in China where they play in caprparks, Here we have adolecent morons using them for transport.
THey come with stickers on the tanks that state NOT OF ROAD USE
the people selling them remove the stickers, using a loophole for mopeds
they get them registered. I know the LTSA is looking into them at the moment with a view to making them illegal on the roads.
THey should be banned - and the importers made to refund all the sales money for selling under false pretences.

The other thing LTSA has under consideration is the getting rid of the 50cc moped licence exemption - they are investigating either a specific MOPED licence or making a mc licence mandatory - if you are thinking of buying one I wouldnt

[Lee Rusty]

licence legality - Mopeds can legally be ridden on a Learner Class 1 Licence

[Gazzar]

I think that the laws around them and other small bikes need to be fixed as peaple looking at buying a bike then find out the cost of a REG for it and some stop there. [ 12 months $ 249.60 ] [ ACC levy $189.02 ]
what I would like to know is what peaple rideing mopeds/ mini choppers/ and UN REG things say to ACC when they fall off them.
As this will make our REG cost more if they say they were rideing a motorbike as to a mini chopper they do not pay anty [ACC]
We need more bikes on the road not idiots with no licence and shit bikes called choppers. :weird:

[NordieBoy]

Ixion --mate have you ever ridden the average 50cc scooter (ignoreing the hotted up gileras and the likes) -They dont need to be restricted --they only manage 70 anyhoo maybee 80
There is always gonna be a percentage of cager/semi converts telling horror stories for sure.
Im thinking christchurch/inner subberbs of auckland. wellytown -upper hutt etc and hammyhole--all fairly flat all basicly 50k driving.

Oi!

Never ignore a hotted up Gilera!

:D

[skidMark]

i think i will shut up im senseing alot of hatred

but before i do...

my minibike is not like these stupid mini choppers which come with no lights are to small and handle ...well they just don't...where as my monkeybike is completely different it isnt so small it has all the lights horn indicators etc

so mine is exactly the same as these little hondas pal mopeds and pgo comets but a tiny bit smaller...mini choppers are designed to look cool...thats it....

so it seems everyone on small bikes is getting tared with the same brush here

because mine is actually legal and no different to a normal moped and i can guarantee people who actually need something for transport not just to show off are going to suffer because of it :oi-grr:

[Motu]

Came across one on the motorway this morning,in the dark...with no headlight! But he had a green fluro vest so I guess that's OK - I saw him didn't I?

[crashe]

Came across one on the motorway this morning,in the dark...with no headlight! But he had a green fluro vest so I guess that's OK - I saw him didn't I?


So this wanker will be splatted on the motorway soon enough... :weird:

How fast was he going? or was it during peak traffic time?

The riders on the mini choppers are so brain dead when they do that.

[Motu]

7.00am,dark and raining - I actualy saw him go past as I was sitting at the Wiri Station/Roscommon rds lights - but didn't go past him until just before the Onehunga Bridge,the traffic isn't heavy on the Sth Western going north and I am on 100kph all the way,so I dunno how he got that far ahead as he was going slow as I went past.His light may of failed on the way,but still they are not something I'd use on the motorway.

[BNZ]

I have heard the people on this forum complain for the sake of complaining before this is a new high (or low?). Boo hoo the kids down the road play around on bikes that do 50ks with no protective gear. How many of you never got a good grazing or a few broken bones as a kid? Not many i guess. How many remember seeing who would start the highest up the street on your skateboard, or in your home made go kart (the type with out the engine!)? Or who would jump off the highest tree into the river etc etc. And i bet there were always some synical old pricks out there who would shout at you to get off the road, get down from the tree, get off the roof etc?

Sure riding down the motorway is fucking stupid, and I gave up reading half this thread as most of it seemed pointless complaining so im sure there were other stupid things done on mini bikes that people moaned about but most of it was just moaning that they would come off the bike? Who cares? Thats part of being young. Better they get it out of there system now right?

[hondacmx450]

Those look soooo cool on the track. Does anyone know if there are track races for them in Canterbury?

Gotta be more fun than buckets, not far to fall and can do knee scrapers without leaning over at all.
if you think you dont get hurt think again and leaning them you have to mate iv raced them and you get hurt and you lean them to but you r right thay r cool fun and i think there is a club down your way go to mini bikes nz .com i think and have fun

[Motu]

I have heard the people on this forum complain for the sake of complaining before this is a new high (or low?). Boo hoo the kids down the road play around on bikes that do 50ks with no protective gear. How many of you never got a good grazing or a few broken bones as a kid? Not many i guess. How many remember seeing who would start the highest up the street on your skateboard, or in your home made go kart (the type with out the engine!)? Or who would jump off the highest tree into the river etc etc. And i bet there were always some synical old pricks out there who would shout at you to get off the road, get down from the tree, get off the roof etc?

Sure riding down the motorway is fucking stupid, and I gave up reading half this thread as most of it seemed pointless complaining so im sure there were other stupid things done on mini bikes that people moaned about but most of it was just moaning that they would come off the bike? Who cares? Thats part of being young. Better they get it out of there system now right?


Been there,done that.....commuted on the motorway on a minibike,with no helmet - in 1971!!, but it was fully street legal..Dunno if I've done more than the one post today in this thread,but on another thread I say it's getting bums on seats and smiles on faces - it's double standards in bikes and attitudes I oppose.

[Lou Girardin]

And i bet there were always some synical old pricks out there who would shout at you to get off the road, get down from the tree, get off the roof etc?
?

Cynical means that you watch them stuff up and then laugh at them.
Grumpiness means that you complain about them. (Endlessly)
I have a nice mix of cynicism and grumpiness.

[Ixion]

I saw one of the choppers today, going along Te Irirangi Drive. he had a number plate and rego, and was wearing a helmet, and riding perfectly sensibly (even by Nana's standards)

No problem at all with them when they're like that

[Motu]

A whole gang went past today,they looked horrible in their fluro vests....

The guy at the tyre shop next door is doing a few mods to his one,got a big sprocket to go fast,replaced the silly 130-80x10 with a 205-65x10 car tyre....you gotta have a fat tyre to handle 50cc.....

[Gazzar]

I have heard the people on this forum complain for the sake of complaining before this is a new high (or low?). Boo hoo the kids down the road play around on bikes that do 50ks with no protective gear. How many of you never got a good grazing or a few broken bones as a kid? Not many i guess. How many remember seeing who would start the highest up the street on your skateboard, or in your home made go kart (the type with out the engine!)? Or who would jump off the highest tree into the river etc etc. And i bet there were always some synical old pricks out there who would shout at you to get off the road, get down from the tree, get off the roof etc?

Sure riding down the motorway is fucking stupid, and I gave up reading half this thread as most of it seemed pointless complaining so im sure there were other stupid things done on mini bikes that people moaned about but most of it was just moaning that they would come off the bike? Who cares? Thats part of being young. Better they get it out of there system now right?

All some of us are saying is that the unreg bikes out there are on paying any part of the ACC so any claims for injury.The bikers that have REG are going to have to pay more each year. Its not the kids its the older peaple that ride on the motorways and in town that pisses me off. :weird:

[Ixion]

A whole gang went past today,they looked horrible in their fluro vests....

The guy at the tyre shop next door is doing a few mods to his one,got a big sprocket to go fast,replaced the silly 130-80x10 with a 205-65x10 car tyre....you gotta have a fat tyre to handle 50cc.....

Well, yeah, be sarcastic about it being a 50cc then. But, see, if he's fitted a real big sprocket on it, that's gonna make it have a REALLY HIGH top speed, ain't it, (Cos he's increased the gearing, see I even know the technomalogimal reason). So he's gonna NEED that big tyre to cope with the high speed. And, anyway, for all you know he may have put a whole bunch of go faster decals on it, too. See, Mr Smarty Pants.

(How the hell did he squeeze a 205 tyre onto a 130 rim?)

[Motu]

(How the hell did he squeeze a 205 tyre onto a 130 rim?)

Don't need no air!

[NordieBoy]

Don't need no air!

:D:D







I'll give you 10 bloody characters...

[Sniper]

Those look soooo cool on the track. Does anyone know if there are track races for them in Canterbury?

Gotta be more fun than buckets, not far to fall and can do knee scrapers without leaning over at all.

Go to indoor go-karts on Wednesdays