Some questions about Mopeds

chabsey

I've been reading a lot about mopeds on here and there seems to be a general concensus that they're mainly driven by knackers with no respect and little knowledge of the road.

I'm considering buying a 50CC moped to get into work quicker by beating the traffic congestion and am not really interested speed (30-40 is fine for me) or pulling wheelies or wearing my helmet on top of my head, or revving beside people at lights etc. I'd be happy just to get to work in one piece and relatively calmly, I'll leave the racing to others.

I'm thinking of getting an ET2 Vespa, what's the general opinion on this bike? Take into account I'll be using it solely for city driving, and will attempt to avoid using it on things like the dual carriageway, if for no other reason than I have little moped experience and will wait till I'm more confident before tackling busier roads.

They seem to go for about 1000 euros for an 00-01 Vespa in buy and sell, is this about the right amount to pay (assuming the milage isn't huge and the general condition is good)?

I'm a car driver currently and since I'ce started considering a moped I'm paying a lot more attention to them on the road. It's weird cause sometimes I notice a motorbike at lights and the driver has stopped in the queue of traffic, taking up about as much space as a small car in the lane. Other times drivers will slowly move up between the lanes of traffic at lights until they get as near as possible to the top. Which is the right thing to do? Do car drivers get annoyed at moped/bikers zipping up past them at lights?

Also, can you drive a moped on edge of the far left lane, bordering the bus lane and overtake (essentially overtake on the 'inside'..although it's not really the same as doing it in a car).

In some ways I can't believe that there's no test required for a 50 CC bike, sure they can't go fast but someone swerving to avoid a bad moped driver might be going fast and the 50cc moped can cause optentially big accidents.

And finally....I love the look of the ET2 vespa but have seen some mopeds that look similar in design, but have never been able to stop and find out the brand names of them. Can anyone recommend similar styled bikes that might be cheaper or in the same range?

Cheers!

ChipZilla

Originally posted by chabsey
Also, can you drive a moped on edge of the far left lane, bordering the bus lane and overtake (essentially overtake on the 'inside'..although it's not really the same as doing it in a car).

Ha ha, you're keen. Overtaking on the inside is called undertaking. Probably cos you'll be needing an undertaker when some other dickhead in a 4x4 cuts into the bus lane to avoid a holdup and doesn't see you.

chabsey

Ok duly noted. However, I do see an awful lot of people using the bus lanes to creep up the rows of traffic. This doesn't bother me, neither does it bother me when bikers slowly move up between lanes of traffic at lights. But the question is, should they 'technically' be staying put, center of their lane, just like a car, or are they allowed move up at will?

ChipZilla

And you might want to read this:

http://www.oasis.gov.ie/transport/motoring/approved_motorcycle_training_courses_in_ireland.html

before you rip some car driver's catalytic converter off when he has to use you as a speed bump...

chabsey

Thanks for the link. However, you seem to have taken mild exception to my line of questioning. I've never used a moped so I'm only asking questions as I see them from my point of view as both a pedestrian and a car driver.

I'm not going to 'undertake' or 'get used as a speed bump' (at least I hope not!) and I appreciate that your answers are probably born out of having witnessed idiot moped drivers doing just what I was asking about. However, I was only asking...and I'm not about to jump on a bike and zip across lanes without a backward glance! I'd like to stay alive and at the same time enjoy using a moped. I'll learn all about proper road conduct before I ever get on one in a moped but I just thought I'd clue myself up a bit by asking here first.

Anyone got any opinions on the ET2 vespa as a bike? How about the price I mentioned, about right?


Cheers!

giftgrub

Originally posted by chabsey

I'm considering buying a 50CC moped to get into work....I'm thinking of getting an ET2 Vespa

if youre into vespas check out the PX Models, you'll get a second hand PX 125 for about 1200 yo yo's

i personally wouldnt go on the roads on a 50 cc bike...you just dont have the power...you said you werent interested in speed but the extra engine size really helps. plus the fact theyre not made of plastic like some of the mopeds on the market means if, god forbid, you ever get into a scrape the bike wont be flattened

some people can be put off because theyve got manual gears but its a piece of piss to get the hang of

chabsey

Hmmm....the problem (as always) is that a 125 pushes the insurance price way up. I appreciate the need for speed every now and then to get you out of tricky situations but it's a tough call cause I can't afford the combined cost of a more powerful machine with the (huge) increase in insurance premiums. I think I will start on a 50cc and take it from there...I'm so new to the idea of biking that I really wont be able to tell until I use one.

The ET2 Vespa has a metal frame which should help in terms of sturdiness, trade-off in terms of weight and sluggishness (some people claim) but I'm happy enough.


I saw a nice moped today, looked vaguely like a Vespa but I *think* it was a Honda.

MojoMaker

Huge increase in insurance? From group 1 to group 2?

Bear in mind that if you don't actually own the bike - i.e. registered in brother's name or mate's name - you don't actually have to insure it yourself but can still ride it under 3rd party insurance PROVIDED you hold either a Hibernian or an AXA car policy.

With a 50cc it's hop on, hop off riding, but for a 125cc you will have to get yourself a provisional bike licence. Tis an extra factor.

a_ominous

chabsey, I'll add my tuppence worth to this.
Have you gone to any of the bike shops to sit on any of the bikes you like the look of? You mightn't like them as much when you sit on them. Quite a number of shops are AON brokers who insure with Hibernian. They can quote prices lower than Hibernian. There mightn't be that big a difference between insuring a 50 and a 125.

One other thing to bear in mind. If your commute is all urban (30mph speed limit areas) then a 50cc should be powerful enough. If you have to travel on a bigger roads, then the extra power and weight of a 125 might be required. The power to get away from the potential murderers in cages is good and the weight gives you more stability on windy days like the ones we've had this week.

Amongst the scooters, you'll also find differences between 2 stroke and 4 stroke engines. I remember looking around at scooters last year with a mate and there was a 180cc 2 stroke. The 2 stroke engines produce more power for engine capacity but are more environmentally unfriendly (emissions and noise) than an equivalent 4 stroke engine. The 2 stroke engines are the whiney hair-dryer engines you'll have seen about.

seamus

Originally posted by chabsey
I've been reading a lot about mopeds on here and there seems to be a general concensus that they're mainly driven by knackers with no respect and little knowledge of the road.

That would be the consensus of car drivers probably. Myself (and probably all other bikers) get closer to them, and so can spot the difference between the trendy guy who thinks he looks cool, and the scumbag who wants to race you, and the guy who's just trying to get home from work.

I'm thinking of getting an ET2 Vespa, what's the general opinion on this bike? Take into account I'll be using it solely for city driving, and will attempt to avoid using it on things like the dual carriageway, if for no other reason than I have little moped experience and will wait till I'm more confident before tackling busier roads.

I don't know anything about that particular bike, but a vespa is a good idea if you're worried about people treating you like ****. For the most part, people know that scumbags don't ride vespas The problem with 2-strokers is that even with only 1000 miles on one, it could be in rag order if the previous owner didn't look after it. For a 00-01 machine, try get one which has only had one previous owner. This indicates that he bought it as a 2-3 year thing, and probably changed it to upgrade or renew it. If he had it that long, he probably looked after it too. An old bike with loads of owners can indicate that most of them bought it, treated it like ****, and sold it when it began to give them trouble.

I'm a car driver currently and since I'ce started considering a moped I'm paying a lot more attention to them on the road. It's weird cause sometimes I notice a motorbike at lights and the driver has stopped in the queue of traffic, taking up about as much space as a small car in the lane. Other times drivers will slowly move up between the lanes of traffic at lights until they get as near as possible to the top. Which is the right thing to do? Do car drivers get annoyed at moped/bikers zipping up past them at lights?

You're a car driver, you tell us. In the city, drivers of bigger cars and jeeps, i.e. ignorant pricks, tend to get jealous and angry when you overtake them. So they do their best to try get back in front of you or intimidate you out of their way from the lights. They do this all the time of course, not just when you overtake them. You also need to be concious of drivers who will actually move their car in front of you, purposely to block you when driving between the traffic lanes. Usually these will again be drivers of big cars or jeeps. Overtaking stopped traffic, or driving between the lanes is called "filtering", and although the rules of the road advises against it, it's not specifically illegal, unless you cross a continuous white line. It's something I don't advise you to do until you're very comfortable with your bike, and how it handles.

Also, can you drive a moped on edge of the far left lane, bordering the bus lane and overtake (essentially overtake on the 'inside'..although it's not really the same as doing it in a car).

No. Due to the short-sightedness of our Government, bikes can't drive in the bus lane. Most do though, and most Gardai will turn a blind eye, as long as you leave the lane and rejoin the traffic when you see them (i.e. don't be cheeky and stay in the lane despite them).

In some ways I can't believe that there's no test required for a 50 CC bike, sure they can't go fast but someone swerving to avoid a bad moped driver might be going fast and the 50cc moped can cause optentially big accidents.

There is a test. The only exception is if you have a full car licence.

Stephen

That Vespa-like Honda you saw was probably the 50cc Honda Shadow - nice looking moped but its very low to the ground.

tk123

I had an ET2 before my VanVan and i'd NEVER go back to it. Vespa's have pressed metal bodies so they are heavy. Also the wheels are small so they aren't as stable on the road. I find my bike much easier to handle than the vespa beacause the weight is distributed more evenly and the wheels are big so they really hold the road - and it's got nice suspension... and it's got wider handle bars so you have a better view of the rear...Also Vespa's tend to get bumped and scraped and it really taked the look off them when there's a dent in them - but maybe you're not that worried about that - i am cos i'm a girl!! As for similar bikes - Ovetto's are ok and they are a lot lighter...

rymus

Originally posted by seamus
You also need to be concious of drivers who will actually move their car in front of you, purposely to block you when driving between the traffic lanes. Usually these will again be drivers of big cars or jeeps.

Most annoying thing evarrr :mad: I love the ones that think they've blocked you but you're still able to squeeze through and give a loud "haw haw" as you pass by.