What's the 250cc rating based on?

[Wired1]

Why 250cc?
Even when I got my licence it was a joke. In those days you answered 5 oral questions and as long as you got 4 right they gave you a "provisional" licence which a few of my mates used for many years to come. When you passed the written test of 25 questions and did the practical (lead the motorbike cop around the block) they gave you a restricted which automatically became a full licence after 6 months. And during this time you could only ride a bike less than 250cc. Also at this time the RD250 came out and it was deadly - a very light two stroke twin that went like a cut cat. There are plenty of 250cc bikes around now that easily do 180Kmh or more so the rating seems a bit bogus.
Now that I have children I can see the sense in limiting the speed urges of the young male in my household but it would make a hell of a lot more sense to make it a power rating than a cc rating. When I registered a scooter recently that I had restored I found out that it was no longer a moped (which used to be anything under 50cc) but was a motorbike as it produced more that 2kW. The power rating is easily obtainable so why not use it?

[MSTRS:Me]

You are asking the converted. Plenty of previous discussions on this subject. Concensus seems to be 'too hard to implement'. The sensible options always are....

[Motu]

Gather 'round children,and I'll tell you a story.....Once upon a time....250's were little bikes.A 350 was a small capacity big bike - for instance a 350cc BSA B31 was exactly the same bike as the 650cc Gold Flash,just a smaller motor,and all the manufacturers did the same thing.250's were smaller bikes alround,they weren't meant for real manly duties,just an around town bike,nobody took 250's seriously.

Then the Japanese came along and by the early '70's they had dominated the 250 market,the older manufacturers didn't really want the sector....much to their loss.

I'd say whoever put forward the 250 limit was an old fuddy duddy who was bought up in the 250 is small bike era.

[Ghost Lemur]

Don't worry there sunshine, if the 'crats have their way the limit will be 125cc in no time.

[Jantar]

Add to Motu's comments that in the early to mid 70's even the best Japanese 250's were claimed at 33 - 35 HP. They were acyually a little less than this, but the British proposal was to limit riders to 33 HP. So to our politician's thinking 33 HP and 250 cc were the same thing. They couldn't see that a 250 could potentially put out over 50 HP.

[Kornholio]

they gave you a "provisional" licence which a few of my mates used for many years to come

I was told they only lasted 6 mths before they were void....

[Jantar]

I was told they only lasted 6 mths before they were void....

You could renew them for a further 6 months on payment of a small fee.

[Gremlin]

its obvious... Magic 8 ball, of course

[Motu]

You could renew them for a further 6 months on payment of a small fee.

A small fee!!?? I could fill my tank with 50cents! I think I paid my 50cents for the licence refill a couple of times.

[Kornholio]

Oh true that... licenses are overrated anyway

[skidMark]

A small fee!!?? I could fill my tank with 50cents! I think I paid my 50cents for the licence refill a couple of times.

what was the fine for not having a license 50 cents and your fathers most prized chicken?

[Kornholio]

what was the fine for not having a license 50 cents and your fathers most prized chicken?

It used to be $55 for wrong class of license...now its $400

[Waylander]

I don't much care about the bike restrictions as it's safer on a faster bike assuming you can keep your speeding urges under control.

What I want to know is why do the restrict the size of bike for learners but no such thing exhists for cagers.

[sAsLEX]

It used to be $55 for wrong class of license...now its $400

vicious sarcasm >Oh but your pay has gone up accordingly < vicious sarcasm

[Karma]

It's not the 250cc thing that bothers me, it's the 70kph rule... that's just ludicrus.