Call for mini motorbike ban

**Bob** · 19th February 2005, 01:22

Safety campaigners have called for the currently fashionable minibikes to be banned from the roads.

Thousands of the 2ft tall bikes - which cost around £2,000 and have a top speed of less than 30mph - have been sold in the UK in the last year. But The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents today said they are a danger and should be banned, following the death of a four year old whose minibike collided with a car.

Kevin Clinton, head of road safety at RoSpa, said: "Even if they are legal to ride on the road we are concerned that their small size will make it harder for drivers to see the riders - especially in traffic and at junctions." He added: "The small bikes are more appropriate for off-road use, but even then they need to be used in controlled environments so riders don't endanger others. We are also concerned that users will not be trained to use this specific type of bike."

**scroter** · 19th February 2005, 08:15

all i know is i seen them riding round in hamilhole at night without any lights.

**Coyote** · 19th February 2005, 09:14

Bloody hell, soon they will be banning black tyres

**カワサキキド** · 19th February 2005, 13:35

Originally Posted by alarumba

Bloody hell, soon they will be banning black tyres

That won't be a problem, they will just stop adding the carbon to them that makes them black.

**Jeremy** · 19th February 2005, 13:49

Originally Posted by Bob

Safety campaigners have called for the currently fashionable minibikes to be banned from the roads.

Thousands of the 2ft tall bikes - which cost around £2,000 and have a top speed of less than 30mph - have been sold in the UK in the last year. But The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents today said they are a danger and should be banned, following the death of a four year old whose minibike collided with a car.

Kevin Clinton, head of road safety at RoSpa, said: "Even if they are legal to ride on the road we are concerned that their small size will make it harder for drivers to see the riders - especially in traffic and at junctions." He added: "The small bikes are more appropriate for off-road use, but even then they need to be used in controlled environments so riders don't endanger others. We are also concerned that users will not be trained to use this specific type of bike."

A 4 year old shouldn't be on the road anyway. You certainly wouldn't let a 4 year old ride a bike on the road let alone a vehicle capable of doing 50km/h without any effort from the rider.

**moko** · 27th February 2005, 13:39

I`ve seen them for £600,you can just imagine the build quality you`ll get for that money.More worryingly they`re being sold in shops that dont have any other vehicles for sale and never have done,i.e. alongside stereos and mobile phones.i wonder how many of these are checked over before sale and what kind of mechanical experience/expertise a hi-fi salesman normally has.There`s already been on death on these things and I nearly witness no.2 when I saw a young lad panic as he approached a main road.His Dad shouted at him,a lot of good that did.This was a neat little Yam of some kind but not road-legal,typical slobby chav wanker with no brain and too much money not having the brains to take proper care of his kid.

**thehollowmen** · 27th February 2005, 14:35

we keep seeing people ride them up the road to the carpark around the corner... just in jeans and a tshirt.. .no helmet, no lights, so low, slick tyres... they are accidents waiting to happen on public roads

I think an owners group needs to be created so they can book out the tracks and carparks and have fun without all the danger

**idb** · 28th February 2005, 15:00

Yet again, bureaucrats fighting against the laws of nature.
Idiots will always find a way to kill themselves, it keeps the gene pool strong and means more food for the rest of us.

**inlinefour** · 5th March 2005, 13:22

Originally Posted by Bob

Safety campaigners have called for the currently fashionable minibikes to be banned from the roads.

Thousands of the 2ft tall bikes - which cost around £2,000 and have a top speed of less than 30mph - have been sold in the UK in the last year. But The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents today said they are a danger and should be banned, following the death of a four year old whose minibike collided with a car.

Kevin Clinton, head of road safety at RoSpa, said: "Even if they are legal to ride on the road we are concerned that their small size will make it harder for drivers to see the riders - especially in traffic and at junctions." He added: "The small bikes are more appropriate for off-road use, but even then they need to be used in controlled environments so riders don't endanger others. We are also concerned that users will not be trained to use this specific type of bike."

If they aint legal or cannot do the speed required then they should not be permitted. Also those who are caught on the road offending should have their licience suspended and the bike confiscated

**DEATH_INC.** · 5th March 2005, 13:52

Originally Posted by moko

I`ve seen them for £600,you can just imagine the build quality you`ll get for that money.More worryingly they`re being sold in shops that dont have any other vehicles for sale and never have done,i.e. alongside stereos and mobile phones.i wonder how many of these are checked over before sale and what kind of mechanical experience/expertise a hi-fi salesman normally has.There`s already been on death on these things and I nearly witness no.2 when I saw a young lad panic as he approached a main road.His Dad shouted at him,a lot of good that did.This was a neat little Yam of some kind but not road-legal,typical slobby chav wanker with no brain and too much money not having the brains to take proper care of his kid.

There's a few variety's,but the one thing they all have in common is they're CRAP!
We sell 'em at work and every one we sell I gotta dissasemble and reassemble from new or they fall to bits as you ride 'em out the door......The brakes on some of 'em (cable discs)hardley slow them down let alone stop them.They'll do about 55kph on a good day(cept the tyrshop managers one that I've been at...it'll do about 90).We've been waiting for the shit to hit the fan over these.....

**Lee Rusty** · 5th March 2005, 14:03

pieces of crap get registered with no speedos, useless brakes, no lights,etc.

So where the system is falling down. except when they crash they are counted as motorcycles and up go our ACC and insurance costs.

every thing sold in country is covered by consumer guantee act that "it must be fit and proper for purpose sold" these thing have stickers on them that say "off road use only " but they are being registered by LTSA representitives

If you own one and it craps out as they do after a very short time take it back to the person from whom you brought it and demand satisfaction.
take them to court to get money back or what ever. The quick buck merchants who import this shit are "fly by nites" who dont give a damn about the problems they cause.

**pete376403** · 6th March 2005, 00:43

Too right ban them - theres one around here somewhere, mini chopper thing with raked out forks and engine noise al out of proportion to it's size. Te owner (or his kids) rides it up an down the street about a dozen times each night. I've never sicced the cops on to another bike rider yet but I think thats about to change

**Waylander** · 6th March 2005, 00:57

Damn things are nothin but problems. If a kid rides one then gets a bigger bike he gets a false sense of security and believe in his own immortality, making them a dangerous rider, and like others have said the damn things fall apart easy. Took one out for a spin once and after hitting a small bump at about 10mph the frame bent and came apart under me. Some kid one day is gonna be riding it around his driveway not paying attention and then they take it just out to th edge of the driveway as someone comes up the drive way and runs over the kid. And ofcourse it will be "yet another reason motorbikes are dangerous,"