Scooter, 50km/h, Road Licence

[p.dath]

Ahh, a Moped, not a scooter. Just checked the LTSA web site, and it says this:

http://www.ltsa.govt.nz/factsheets/43.html
You must ride on the road – you can't ride on the footpath or a cycle path. Keep as far left as you can. You may use bus lanes, as long as there isn't a sign forbidding this.

So they are told by the LSTA to keep to the left.

[p.dath]

Does anyone know of any stats relating the moped accidents in NZ?

[WuZards-Eugene]

That changed last month. now if you want to register a moped you'll have to prove it complies (NB register, not licence)

nnooooooooo, they cant change the rules, thats not fair. Ohh well, hopefully they dont check the power output.

[slofox]

now if you want to register a moped you'll have to prove it complies (NB register, not licence)

Shit. Does this mean the SV650S can't be a moped any more..?

[Mully]

Does anyone know of any stats relating the moped accidents in NZ?

No, because the ACC bastards lump them in with motorcycle stats. Then talk about how the costs of motorcycle accidents keeps rising (because scooterati don't like wearing gear.

Shit. Does this mean the SV650S can't be a moped any more..?

Nah, as long as it's registered as one, you can re-licence it.

[steve_t]

Scooters can have a top speed of 150kph+.

What you are talking about are mopeds.

By law, a moped must have an engine capacity of no more than 50cc, power output no more than 2KW (I think); and must not be capable of exceeding 50kph on the flat

So, any hill and a legal moped will be way under 50kph.

Of course many (most?) bikes registered as mopeds are capable of a lot more than 2KW and more than 50kph (and sometimes more than 50cc too). Some are legal, they're the slow ones.

That's because until this month the law made no provision for checking them. You rolled into LTSA, said "I've got a moped to register" and they took your word it was according to the rules . That changed last month. now if you want to register a moped you'll have to prove it complies (NB register, not licence)

BTW if we agree that mopeds should not left hug despite being incapable of 50kph, for lots of god reasons, should not the same logic apply to pushbikes?

Your knowledge and wisdom prevail again, Ixion

[NZDan.gsxr]

Forgive me for not reading this entire thing but I have an electric scooter at home, and my sister on occasion rides it, it looks like a normal 50cc scooter but its electric and absolutely SLOW!!!! I cruise about 30 on it, but my sis is lighter, has a pink jacket... yeah.

Then again, maybe not.

But it could be one of those

[Aaron_newrider]

I used to (4 yrs ago) have a cheap chinese 50cc scooter, dad brought it for me to get to the bus stop in as we lived in the wop wops.

It went about 65kph max. Would scream at 65 though so only when I was feeling adventurous. That was my first "crash" on a "bike" took a corner to sharp and WOOP it went out from under me. Lucky I was ok, found some grass and a big bush on the side of that road.

[Slicksta]

The Jog 50 I been riding round on does 80kph on the flat its funny passing cars eats all them commy scooters with ease

[MarkH]

Lol at those that think a scooter travelling at 35kph should be riding in the right wheel track. By law any vehicle travelling slower than the flow of traffic must drive as far to the left as practicable. Of course a faster bike that can travel fast enough to not hold up the other traffic should 'own their lane', but riding slowly with a queue of pissed off car drivers behind you is not necessarily the best way to go.

Getting a motorcycle license and buying a 125cc scooter is a good option since you can buy a 125cc for not much more than a 50cc - but the arseholes at ACC have whacked up the levies (again) and it costs much more per year to register a 125cc scooter.

[retro asian]

First thing to do on a 50cc scooter is change the exhaust, or drill out the baffling...
Then its usually comfortable to go 50-60 on the straights, and ride in any position (center/right/left) which gets you "seen" by cars (behind, in front and at intersections etc).

Chances are it will still suck on hills. More mods would be required to combat this (best mod is trading up for a real bike).

Moving to the left when cars approach from behind is the courteous thing to do IMO.