I'm thinking about buying a 50cc moped for travelling in bristol. lookin for advice for a total newbie. cheers

Question

where i live (bristol, england) we've got the slowest moving traffic in the uk average speed is 16.8mph so i'm hoping this'll get me about faster being able to jump traffic jams and use bus lanes etc. also hoping to save myself a few quid on petrol at £1.29/litre.

i passed my test in '96 so i dont have to take a cbt tho i may anyway. what sort of protective gear other than a helmet should i get for a ride that only does 30+mph? what sort of mileage should i expect? what type of lock? new or second hand bike? should i take off the restrictor to get more speed? what type of helmet? what type of insurance?

sorry to be a bit vague but any help or suggestions/advice would be very welcome.

cheers. jim

Answer 1

Take a look at the Kymco People 50 or the People S50 you wont be dissappointed:

http://www.kymcousa.com/showroom/index_o...

These are some of the most reputable scooters you can get and at a pretty good price.

Answer 2

Forget the moped, look at the EGO Electric Street scooter. About 1k but seems pretty good.

Answer 3

a 50cc is alright, but you'll get bored with it quick. I would atleast go with a 100cc moped.

Answer 4

go second hand, spent about £700/£800 upwards, dont buy a c**p one, its worth looking around. Italian bikes are a good place to look, DONT BUY CHINESE!!

If you deresrict  moped it will cut the fuel economy alot so beware. Four strokes will probably give better economy, but again its worth looking around.

Gloves and nice helmet essential, a normal coat or jacket is fine, dont go spending £100 on a motorbike jacket when your doing 30m.p.h lol

waterproof trousers are a life saver in the rain, make sure youre still dry.

i went 3rd party only (cheaper), but if you can afford fully comp. why not?!

Answer 5

Don't do it! Get a larger machine. Hills in Bristol mean that a 50cc moped with an ordinary-sized adult on board will end up doing a lot less than 30mph. This puts you into conflict with other road users who will get frustrated by your lack of speed. If you take the restrictor off a 50cc bike you will be breaking the law. Any policeman who sees a 50cc bike going faster than 30mph is going to be suspicious. Do a CBT and get a larger machine e.g. 125cc. Bur remember that even a 125 won't get you up hills at the same speed as other traffic if you are in a 60mph zone - for that you'll need a 250cc or bigger. I commuted into Bristol from Cheddar on a 125cc scooter for 6 months before deciding enough was enough and upgraded to a full licence and a 650cc followed by a 1150cc bike.

Bristol is a great biking city - as you mentioned already using bus lanes makes for a quick journey, but don't forget you can also park in the city for free on a bike. Bristol City Council have a bike parking map on their website.