New to biking.

**zebtron** · 31st July 2008, 00:10

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** · 31st July 2008, 01:15

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** · 31st July 2008, 02:51

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-Mo...-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

**zebtron** · 31st July 2008, 06:44

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:Me** · 31st July 2008, 08:18

Originally Posted by zebtron

.... 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** · 31st July 2008, 10:23

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** · 31st July 2008, 13:07

Originally Posted by zebtron

...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** · 31st July 2008, 13:10

Originally Posted by 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...

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

**Taz** · 31st July 2008, 13:13

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** · 31st July 2008, 13:49

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** · 31st July 2008, 16:07

Originally Posted by Badjelly

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.....

**zebtron** · 31st July 2008, 16:09

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** · 31st July 2008, 16:21

Originally Posted by zebtron

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

, I think you'll find that it's 2kW and under

**avgas** · 31st July 2008, 16:22

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.