Selling 2nd car for moped/small motorbike

Richard53

SailorSam wrote: »

Which one did you plump for in the end Richard ?
The one i' fancy is £2k at 50 cycles but i'm not sure i can justify spending so much at the moment.

I went for the Wisper 905 Classic:
http://www.electricbikemag.co.uk/showStory.php?storynum=201
It was £1799, so the price of a decent scooter/moped, but of course running costs are negligible. The battery is under warranty for 2 years, and although a replacement would be expensive, when you add it all up it's still way cheaper than a bike or car to run. Way cheaper.


I absolutely love it. I have been riding it regularly to work and back since the clocks changed, and I have lost a load of weight and got a good bit fitter into the bargain. In a few months I reckon I will be fit enough to think about a 'proper' bike again. The bike has two drawbacks that I can see, both to do with the hills I have to climb, with a couple of *really* steep sections. One is that the lowest gear combination is only 37", which isn't really low enough, even with assistance (my MTB goes down to 26" for comparison), and because of the nature of the drivetrain it isn't easy to alter. The second is that the motor acts on the rear hub, so the slower you go, the slower the motor runs - there comes a point where your legs give up and the motor gives up at the same moment. I kind of wish I had paid a few hundred more and got one with a Bosch crank drive, where the motor acts on the crank and benefits from the gear ratios in the same way your legs do. My wife got the Raleigh Motus (crank drive) at the same time, and hers is definitely better on the steep stuff.


But overall I am thrilled with it. I'm just recovering from a dose of flu, and can't wait to get back on it. Range is advertised at about 60 miles, which you can take with a pinch of salt, but I can confirm 30 miles on a charge with full assistance and no sign of battery fade.

bluesnake

I was in a not too dissimilar situation to yourself about 13 years ago. Fed up of tube and fed up of £1.4k+/yr season ticket and so on. Also in my 30's, I just did my CBT, theory, DAS mod1/2, passed lot first time over about 2 weeks. Then picked up a 1 year old 185 Gilera Runner £1300. Nearly got wiped out on my third day due to a driver queued in traffic suddenly deciding to do a U-turn. Also learned quickly to hate road markings in wet weather.

Initially wore a high vis yellow jacket and white helmit, and all drivers were very polite, probably with hind-site because I looked like copper, but when wearing a popper cycle jacket the politeness evaporated.

Things I should not have done: (a)buy a scooter, (b)buy something under powered (c) the scooter's handle bars seemed to be the exact same hight as car mirrors? (d) bigger petrol tank. (e)got something with gears.

On leaving my abode one morning, about two months after getting my scooter, found my scooter had vanished leaving small specks of the paint that coated the disk lock on the ground. We have had people at work whom had their bikes lifted onto trucks and stolen.

tinsoldier

I'm also 31, and I got a scooter for commuting purposes about 4 years ago when my commute distance increased and I couldn't cycle it anymore. What started out as a practical consideration has turned into a love of riding, and I've been on a 500cc motorbike for the last couple of years after taking the direct access route. I love it and am so glad that I took it up. All I would say about using a scooter/motorbike is that it is not as cheap as people think, so if you are taking it up as a money saving tactic, I would suggest you weigh up what the true cost will be as you are looking at potentially a very big initial outgoing. Aside from cost of the vehicle and tax/insurance, there is also:

- The cost of the training/CBT/Mod 1/Mod 2 (check with your local training centre, this can realistically be £600+, and that's assuming you pass both modules first time)
- The safety gear (helmet, gloves, boots, jacket, trousers, if you're buying semi-decent stuff you can expect to shell out £600+)
- Aftermarket security (chain, disc-lock etc - it is not advisable to rely on the bike's steering lock alone, possible £30-£100)
- Any extras for the bike (eg top box or other luggage, screen, heated grips, cleaning and maintenance products, could be another £100+)
- The on-going maintenance (bikes need a lot of TLC, and seeings as if they go wrong it can cost you your life, you need to give it to them...the cost of changing the oil/filter every six months, plus new tyres/brake pads/chain/sprocket every couple of years, plus any unforeseen costs, can all really mount up)

In the year I took my direct access I spent approximately £5k in total on motorbike related things (including the motorbike itself, the single biggest expense). They are cheaper to run but you won't see any kind of return from that initial investment for at least 3-5 years, and possibly even longer. And there is always the risk that you will get really into riding, and suddenly it becomes where a lot of your disposable income goes - believe me, I've seen it happen!

Aside from the money saving aspects of riding a bike, I would encourage anyone to try it, as it is a freeing and joyful experience, especially if you've come from a driving background. My commute to and from work is one of the highlights of my day - I can't imagine many car drivers can say the same thing

Stooby2

Have a look at the second hand market for something a wee bit bigger. There are loads of very well looked after bikes out there going for reasonable prices. One of my colleagues just bought a 10 year old CB500 for £1700 that looks like it's just come out of the showroom and has 8k miles.

Older bikes can also attract cheaper insurance and may come with those extra bits already fitted - heated grips, taller screen, Scottoiler, etc.

[Deleted User]

Can I jump on this thread?

I find it difficult to find a job and have enough money to buy a 50cc moped, but not enough for a car. I live far away from industrial/commercial estates, so I thought it could be a good investment to have a cheap form of transport.

Some jobs start at 6am and I have no public transport.

My only worry is to have my moped stolen or vandalized.

Please talk me out of this idea.