New to biking.

[zebtron]

Well, something tells me this thread could be possibly insulting to some but...
I'm interested in biking, but have heard VERY bad things about mopeds. I was given one for my birthday and been messing around (without a licence) on that. I know I'm going to get a lecture on not having a licence, although I have stopped riding without one.
Questions i have are:
A: Are mopeds as dangerous as people make them out to be?
B: What bike would you recommend that's cheap, both in market value and fuel economy.
C: What gear that's cheap but reasonable would you recommend?

Only reason I'm looking at cheap is I can't work and on a sickness benefit so...

[James Deuce]

What sort of license are you talking about not having? If the moped in question is under 2kw then you only need a car license.

What do you mean by "dangerous"?

A chocolate covered coffee bean is dangerous for a diabetic.

It's as dangerous as YOU make it. Ride it in jandals, cycle helmet and ride on the wrong side of the road and you'll get many insights into the concept of dangerous as a state of being, and possibly even dangerous as a lead in to injury or death.

You're not going to be doing more than 50km/hr so motorcycle helmet, jeans, strong leather shoes or boots, motorcycle specific jacket (either leather or cordura), and gloves. Gloves with leather on the palms. If you've ridden pushies as a kid you'll know what taking the skin off your hands feels like.

The best thing you can do is bring that attitude that everyone, and by everyone I mean toddlers on tricycles right through to 44tonne trucks is trying to actively kill you and you should be good to go. Remember that being in the right but dead is still dead. Better to let those who think they have special rights over motorcyclists go about their business without interruption, even if it means giving way when you don't have to.

[awayatc]

First of all Welcome to the world of motorised two wheels.
Started of on Mopeds myself many many moons ago.....
Mopeds are as dangerous as you want them to be as James Deuce said.....
Which one to recommend ..?
Are you after a scooter or a big wheeled motorbike like Moped?...
Like this for example?...
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Motorbikes/Motorbikes/Scooters/auction-158845351.htm

Bigger wheels are better /safer handling....
Motor is easier to access and work on if need be then the scooter types.....BUT need chain and sprockets which scooters don't need...
Ask anybody you see riding a moped what they think about theirs....
Find a local dealership that not only sells but also services them.....Have a yarn to one of the mechanics....
Cheap.....what is cheap? a lot of the Chinese stuff out there is cheap but substandard....So it will be expensive after just a short while.....
Either buy a good brand secondhand, or a new one from a real dealer/real shopfront/real workshop/real service.....

Gear....Good helmet first and mainly.....
For the rest the more you wear the better you are protected if you come off.....
But how likely it is that you will come off is largely up to you...

Good luck, and enjoy
:scooter:

[zebtron]

I don't have a car licence yet either, that's why I'm staying off it for now, though at this point I'm trying to work out whetehr or not to push my mother to sell (she's teh one that got it for me) or to stick with it. My friend says that mopeds have enough power toget you into trouble but not out of. She asys she'd like to see me get a real motorcycle, not , quote, "An oversized hair drier." So what would your thoughts be here? She also said the fact the wheels are so small make it all the more dangerous and that only people with years experience riding motorcycles should ride mopeds. In regards to awayatc, I already do have a moped, but as I say, wondering whether or not I should upgrade on these terms, one thing I *DO* know after a video clip I saw, I'm upgrading from open face helm to full.

[nodrog]

.... She also said the fact the wheels are so small make it all the more dangerous and that only people with years experience riding motorcycles should ride mopeds....

so why did she buy you one then? sounds like mums been on the crack again.

[zebtron]

It was my mother who bought it, 21st birthday present. She knows nothing about bikes etc, just wanted me mobile. And it was done before i had any knowledge of it coming, already bought etc etc. couldn't exactly turn it down. Chances are, if I'd know it was coming I would have just asked Mum to use the 2k to get a half decent second hand bike.

[Badjelly]

...My friend says that mopeds have enough power to get you into trouble but not out of. She says she'd like to see me get a real motorcycle, not , quote, "An oversized hair drier." So what would your thoughts be here? She also said the fact the wheels are so small make it all the more dangerous and that only people with years experience riding motorcycles should ride mopeds...

Hmm, there's some truth to all of that, but only some.

Disclaimer: I've never ridden a moped, but I do have experience on low-powered motorcyles, including an old Vespa 150 that was not much faster than a modern moped.

The whole "power to get you out of trouble" thing is a bit over-rated in my opinion, though some here will disagree. But on a moped you can certainly get into situations where the lack of power means you can't keep up with traffic, and that is generally dangerous. (How heavy are you, by the way?) You definitely don't want to take a moped on the motorway. Narrow roads with steep hills are a problem too. (Eg, southern suburbs of Wellington, where I live.) But inner city and flat suburban streets are not so bad. Mopeds are generally low-geared and have twist-and-go transmissions, which makes them pretty quick off the mark. But I would advise against filtering to the head of a queue of traffic, plonking your moped in front of an SUV or Nissan Skyline or hot Aussie V8, and then taking off slowly.

Small wheels? My Vespa had pretty bad handling, but I don't think the small wheels were a major factor. Yeah, I think actual motorbikes do handle somewhat better than scooters, because of their larger wheels and generally better suspension. Still, the key thing with any vehicle is learning its limits. The moped may have somewhat lower limits, but you can still keep within them.

Oversized hair dryer? Yeah, that's true.

Only people with years experience riding motorcycles should ride mopeds? I must say I find it odd that the law favours vehicles that, in my opinion, are somewhat less safe, and certainly less versatile, than say a 125 cc scooter or bike.

So that's my opinion, for what it's worth.

I'm not sure what you should do. The moped should be an OK machine to learn on, provided you choose the right roads. You say you have no car license? I presume you have no car to learn in? If you got yourself a motorcycle learner license, would you then be allowed to ride the moped on that? I'm sorry, I don't knwo about these things.

[NOMIS]

Well, something tells me this thread could be possibly insulting to some but...
I'm interested in biking, but have heard VERY bad things about mopeds. I was given one for my birthday and been messing around (without a licence) on that. I know I'm going to get a lecture on not having a licence, although I have stopped riding without one.
Questions i have are:
A: Are mopeds as dangerous as people make them out to be?
B: What bike would you recommend that's cheap, both in market value and fuel economy.
C: What gear that's cheap but reasonable would you recommend?

Only reason I'm looking at cheap is I can't work and on a sickness benefit so...


I wont lecture you , I rode 9 months with no licence when i first got my hornet

[Taz]

Just ride the thing safely and be thankful that it was free. Don't bend to peer pressure about it not being a real bike either at least you're mobile and you are 21 so it shouldn't matter what your mates think anymore (as if it ever did).
BTW just what is this moped? It got a name and model?
Andy.

[YAMASAKI]

as far as I'm concerned they're safer than pushbikes, at least your treated as another vehicle (as much as any cage driver treats any other motorcyclist anyway).
Get your car license, go for a ride(treating every car as though its out to get you) and see how it goes.

[zebtron]

I'm not sure what you should do. The moped should be an OK machine to learn on, provided you choose the right roads. You say you have no car license? I presume you have no car to learn in? If you got yourself a motorcycle learner license, would you then be allowed to ride the moped on that? I'm sorry, I don't knwo about these things.

The law is that if you have a bike 50kw or under I believe it is (correct me if I'm wrong anyone else) you can ride it on a stock standard learner car licence. Though I'm trying to work out whether I want to get my car learners licence and then my motor cycle licence or just go straight to motor cycle..... :2thumbsup

[zebtron]

Oh yes, something funny I thought I'd share, a couple of months back, my horn stopped working, so just being a dick when a cop car went past I pushed my horn button.....magically the damned thing worked, so having drawn attention to my self I got home as quickly as I could and off the bloody thing LOL

[YAMASAKI]

The law is that if you have a bike 50kw or under I believe it is (correct me if I'm wrong anyone else)

a 50 Kw moped would be one hell of a handfull:headbang:, I think you'll find that it's 2kW and under

[avgas]

wow you just said "horn", "sickness benefit", and "my mum bought me..."
all in the same page.
i conclude i should not read any more of this thread as its clear to me you need to not get anything more handed to you and fed to you on a silver spoon.

[tate35]

I wont lecture you , I rode 9 months with no licence when i first got my hornet
I must say in this 'pc' age it's really refreshing to hear some of you rode with out a licence...those were the carefree days, wild and free :Punk: :laugh:

[zebtron]

a 50 Kw moped would be one hell of a handfull:headbang:, I think you'll find that it's 2kW and under

More than likely, lol I think that was it....I don't know much about engines at this point, but wanting to learn. And to who ever it was that says I get things on a silver spoon, I don't. It was a 21st birthday present if you read properly.

[fridayflash]

I must say in this 'pc' age it's really refreshing to hear some of you rode with out a licence...those were the carefree days, wild and free :Punk: :laugh:
yea too right! im thinking of handing my licence in :headbang: hehe

[NOMIS]

I must say in this 'pc' age it's really refreshing to hear some of you rode with out a licence...those were the carefree days, wild and free :Punk: :laugh:


hahaha was only last year anyhow.

[Nagash]

Wow.. very rarely do you hear that a moped is dangerous..

You're not exactly going to be ripping it round on a 50cc chick magnet so there's not all that much to worry about. Gear is still important though cause you can still loose a hell of alot of skin at 50k's.

A 250 or a 125-150 is better to go to if you're planning on getting into motorcycling, because an automatic moped with just a hand brake will get you into some bad habits but you can go faster on those bikes so if you do bin at the higher speeds you're gonna do more damage.


So yeah.. the 50cc's fine if you're just planning on commuting around. You'll get seen just as less as you will on any other bike, but odds are you won't be going as fast for it to be as much of a problem. If you want to properly get into biking though, my recommendation would be to sell it and get a motorbike.

Danger shouldn't really be a factor at the lower cc's though. If you're *that* worried about getting hurt, motorcycling's not really for you..

[zebtron]

Danger shouldn't really be a factor at the lower cc's though. If you're *that* worried about getting hurt, motorcycling's not really for you..


I'm not worried per say....but it would be nice to stay alive ;) What my friend means is that you dont have the power to throttle away from dangerous situations i think. And a motorbike is on the list of eventualities, for now i'll learn on this.

[Badjelly]

Danger shouldn't really be a factor at the lower cc's though.

Bollocks. Riding a two-wheeled vehicle in traffic is dangerous, whether it's got a big engine, a small engine, or none at all. Some of us accept that the danger's there and choose to do it anyway.

[James Deuce]

Go do the license thing dude. Whereever possible you should make sure you aren't having to give more money to the bloody Gubbmint than you have to.

[YAMASAKI]

Go do the license thing dude. Whereever possible you should make sure you aren't having to give more money to the bloody Gubbmint than you have to.

I agree. Also part of doing your motorbike license is sitting a basic handling cert, (for which you can do a quick course beforehand) the course is designed for complete noobs and teaches you some REALLY important basic road/survival skills.

[Nagash]

Bollocks. Riding a two-wheeled vehicle in traffic is dangerous, whether it's got a big engine, a small engine, or none at all. Some of us accept that the danger's there and choose to do it anyway.

And that's why you should always fully quote what someone says.

"If you're *that* worried about getting hurt, motorcycling's not really for you.."

[Jez]

Go do the license thing dude. Whereever possible you should make sure you aren't having to give more money to the bloody Gubbmint than you have to.

i promise ill get my license soon ... as soon as i get some coin in hand from the petrol savings im noticing riding my bike than driving the car

license ... soon ... promise :whistle:

[James Deuce]

Relax Jez. There's nothing I can say to that without sounding pompous.

[orographic]

regarding what licenses are required to ride a moped :


You are licensed to ride a moped if you have either a motorcycle (Class 6) license or a car (Class 1) licence.
When riding a moped on a Class 1 or Class 6 learner licence, you must display an L plate. If you are on a restricted or learner licence, you must not ride the moped between 10pm and 5am

so sayth the mighty rode code.:Police:


How ever given that text, the smart arse in me wonders if that means not being able to ride a moped if one has a learner licence for Class 2, 3, 4 or 5 ... ( trucks, you need a full Class 1 to get any of them) :rolleyes:

so if you are sure you are not going to go for cars down the track, i'd vote start the class 6