cheap mopeds for getting to work

Honest John Back Room » Motoring discussion
What is life like with your car? Let us know and win £500 in John Lewis vouchers | No thanks
View Threaded
Fri 7 Mar 2008 12:21
cheap mopeds for getting to work - adverse camber
I know some people have asked about this recently.

I've just been given a flyer from 'Wheels 2 Work'. This is a charity which provides mopeds on cheap lease deals (£5/week) to people aged 16+ who have trouble getting to work because of a lack of suitable transport. The implication of the info I have is that they provide insurance, tax and protective gear and the lease lasts 6 months (presumably the idea is that that gives people time to save up to buy their own or decide that 2 wheels is not for them)

This flyer is from the Craven and Harrogate scheme, but apparently there are 54 schemes across the UK. The HArrogate scheme will initially have 10 mopeds.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 7 Mar 2008 14:42
cheap mopeds for getting to work - Tron
I used to commute on two wheels using a Kawazaki GPz305 and my weekend 'toy' was a Suzuki GSXR1100RW.

I had one incident of and one of nearly being knocked off. Both happened because the other motorists failed to see me and no I was not speeding either. That happened on a track day on the Goose Neck at Cadwell - ouch...

I would not put myself back on to two wheels in todays commuter (or otherwise) traffic on any class of road or sized bike.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 7 Mar 2008 20:13
cheap mopeds for getting to work - b308
I used to commute on two wheels using a Kawazaki GPz305


So did I! About 20 miles each way - and stopped for exacly the same reason, though they actually got me, they weren't near-misses - the third time was the final straw!!

I'd consider going to the station and back (2 miles each way and very hilly!), but I would not go near anything limited to 30mph, far too dangerous - my bike of choice would be a CG125 for that.

Edited by b308 on 07/03/2008 at 20:14

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 7 Mar 2008 20:55
cheap mopeds for getting to work - Waino
An acquaintance of mine has an international racing licence and hares round Europe's circuits on an ex-works Yamaha R1. He refuses to use two wheels on public roads, though, as he says it is far too dangerous!

I must admit though, as an ex-motorbike rider myself, I would have thought that a small machine would be OK for cross-town trips as an alternative to a push-bike.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 9 Mar 2008 07:26
cheap mopeds for getting to work - Garethj
For all the "you're going to get knocked off for sure" people, that's no true. Good road riding is completely different to track riding - the road is like a track that changes shape all the time so you can't just switch your brain off as you aim for the next corner.

A 49cc moped isn't really any different to a bicycle (except you can't use cycle lanes) so it's worth trying if you're just across town. You'll still need to do a CBT for a day I think?

If you're interested in your own safety you'll perhaps read up on it a bit more. There should be nothing much different to someone who already drives a car, except that an accident will hurt more. A few pointers to mull over:

Watch the road surface, it's much more important than when you're on 4 wheels. Shiny surfaces (like manhole covers) or greasy roads need to be treated with caution - no hard braking or cornering.

Look for hazards and interpret them.

Maximise your vision at all times.

You are responsible for your own safety, not the bloke who designed the airbag in your car.

Assume other motorists haven't seen you.

Good luck!

PS
And if anyone tells you "all car drivers are out to get you" it's a fib and is the wrong mental attitude to have.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 9 Mar 2008 08:25
cheap mopeds for getting to work - b308
A 49cc moped isn't really any different to a bicycle (except you can't use cycle
lanes) so it's worth trying if you're just across town. You'll still need to do
a CBT for a day I think?


My experience of both, and a small 125cc motorbike is that there is considerable difference between the three and the moped is the most vulnerable of the three - I would use a pushbike which can go places that a motorised bike can't to be safer, and a 125cc motorbike or scooter which has the power not to get intimindated in towns, but would not touch a 50cc moped restriced to 30mph, its just too dangerous.

In fact is was that reason alone why I got rid of my FZ50 and got the CG which then developed into taking the full motorbike test!

Edited by b308 on 09/03/2008 at 08:27

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

If you cover no more than 100 miles per day and have easy access to a charging point at home or work, then an EV is ideal for you.

Is an electric car right for me?