Advice Needed!

Mr Benevolent

First off, this is a bit of an odd question and might not be very Motors related, but you're a sensible bunch and this is the first port of call. I recently got a job and my first thought was 'Great, now I can buy a car!'

Fat chance. While I'm not on minimum wage, I'm not making enough to justify a car. It'll cost me a fifth of my wages to keep it running, insured and taxed, in that order (I'm talking about a 1.3 Micra btw, I don't even have a year's named driving experience, and I'm 31). I can afford it, I just can't justify it when I could be saving it for more useful things during a recession.

So I need an alternative mode of transport, ideally one that doesn't take me 70 mins (by bus, including walking time) to travel 5 miles! Cycling is not an option, but a retrofitted electric bike is. Maybe a moped? Segway? Superbike? I need options! Basic my aim is to half my journey time whatever the weather and cut my current €1k a year Dublin Bus bill to something approaching zero!

Cosimo Salvatore

I'd definitely go for the segway or alternatively one of these. Although if I'm honest, I'd simply get a car and try and make it work. And if I'm even more honest, it wouldn't be a Micra either. Everyone has different tastes though. That's just my muddled up and worthless opinion anyway.

Mr Benevolent

Cosimo Salvatore wrote: »

if I'm honest, I'd simply get a car and try and make it work. And if I'm even more honest, it wouldn't be a Micra either. Everyone has different tastes though. That's just my muddled up and worthless opinion anyway.

I'm a car fan and a Micra would definitely not be my ideal car, but it's the cheapest. Insurance works out at €1250 TPFT, petrol is about €1200 a year and tax (not really a concern) is €310. I wouldn't use it for anything other than going to work and very occasionally driving 80km which is covered by the train route anyway. So that's €3k including servicing to shave about an hour a day off my commute. Not very efficient.

A moped is an option alright.

Cosimo Salvatore

That's quite true, insurance is a killer. That's not just a moped by the way, that is the Vespa, The Coolest Moped in the World (in My Opinion)

Anan1

I saw a review for some kind of mountain bike with built in li-ion batteries recently - looked cool and you can pretty much breeze up hills. Should bring you 5 miles in 15 minutes.

biko

+1 for moped.
http://www.donedeal.ie/find/all/for-sale/Dublin/moped?source=all

ted1

you really need to say where your going between.

Mr Benevolent

ted1 wrote: »

you really need to say where your going between.

It's 5 miles of urban commute (between Baldoyle and Santry in North Dublin). The traffic rarely gets above 50kph, lots of traffic lights etc. Like I said, whatever from of locomotion I use it'll rarely be used outside the work commute.

Edit: Apparently I'd need 16 hours of training to get a provisional licence on a moped. It's off to the electric bike shop so.

-Chris-

Defo moped. I had one for a while and there's not much cheaper motoring available.

Confab

Confab wrote: »

Edit: Apparently I'd need 16 hours of training to get a provisional licence on a moped. It's off to the electric bike shop so.

Confab wrote: »

, I don't even have a year's named driving experience, and I'm 31).

Well done on the job anyway
Presumably you have at least a provisional for a car? If you pass the car test you get a full A1 license too, might be an easier option if you can drive

ted1

honestly for a 5 mile journey you can't beat a push bike, you've ruled that out. would you try a electric bikeif no tthen its a moped.

Esel

Unless the electric bike is pedal-assist only, you will need to register/tax it, and have driving licence and insurance.

Absurdum

How about a (cheaper?) car and a push bike which you can use when the weather is decent, you'll save on petrol and maintenance.

unkel

Confab wrote: »

Cycling is not an option

Out of interest, why isn't it?

BTW I thought you owned a Rover 75, or am I mixing people up here altogether?

Anan1 wrote: »

I saw a review for some kind of mountain bike with built in li-ion batteries recently - looked cool and you can pretty much breeze up hills. Should bring you 5 miles in 15 minutes.

You read last weeks Sunday Times?

15 minutes in Dublin city traffic with traffic lights every couple of hundred meters seems a tad optimistic though?

johnos1984

Buy a Mazda

http://www.roadraceengineering.com/suitcasecar.htm

Mr Benevolent

unkel wrote: »

Out of interest, why isn't it?

I'm quite lazy.

BTW I thought you owned a Rover 75, or am I mixing people up here altogether?

Nope, am a big fan of them and I'll be buying one in the next two years, but I've never owned one.

unkel

unkel wrote: »

15 minutes in Dublin city traffic with traffic lights every couple of hundred meters seems a tad optimistic though?

+1

A 20mph won't be seem on any yoke in urban areas. I also wouldn't feel safe averaging 20mpg on an electric bike, 'twould want very very decent brakes for the traffic lights you mentioned :pac:

unkel

I used to do a 6 mile commute into Dublin city centre on a bike. To work was downhill with the prevailing wind in my back and it took about 25-30 minutes in a hurry (not stopping for traffic lights and I am was a fit and experienced cyclist). Back home took more than 40 minutes taking it handy

Satanta

I used one of these for a couple of years:

http://www.wisperbikes.com/905se-City-S.php

Excellent machine. Most of my travel was for short trips in the town, and it coped with hills exceptionally. Would definitely recommend.

langdang

Any electric bikes I've seen have looked overpriced.
Is there decent bike parking facilities there? If an old beater of a bike was damaged or robbed from the train station it's no big deal but an electric bike damaged/robbed would be a disaster.

What's insurance like on a moped out of interest? Predicting a resurgence of moped driving over the next while!

Anan1

unkel wrote: »

You read last weeks Sunday Times?

That could well be where I saw it!

unkel wrote: »

15 minutes in Dublin city traffic with traffic lights every couple of hundred meters seems a tad optimistic though?

I wasn't really thinking city centre TBH, I was seeing the OP rolling along at a steady 20mph! Surely it'd be doable in 30 mins without much effort, though? Sure you'd walk it in 75!

privateBeavis

RoverJames wrote: »

If you pass the car test you get a full A1 license too, might be an easier option if you can drive

I'm in the same boat, recently got new job where cycle is just a bit out of my comfort zone. I've been looking at the different electric bike/moped/scooter etc options. This electric bike seems reasonable price I thought:
http://www.ciebike.ie/shark.html
with bike to work scheme get a bit off too.

Looking at mopeds you need to find one thats rated "Mopeds with a maximum speed of 45kph and an engine size of up to 50cc", and looking at other threads apparently not all 50cc mopeds/scooters fall within the 45kph limit?

However I thought if you want to get an A/A1 permit you have to do the IBT (16 hrs training!), but you think if i have my car licence i can get A1 without the IBT?

privateBeavis

privateBeavis wrote: »

However I thought if you want to get an A/A1 permit you have to do the IBT (16 hrs training!), but you think if i have my car licence i can get A1 without the IBT?

I think so, on my car license I have the less than 50cc bike too

Mr Benevolent

RoverJames wrote: »

I think so, on my car license I have the less than 50cc bike too

Yes but that's not the A1 licence, that's the M licence - mopeds only. All full B licence holders get an M licence as well, but no higher.

In other words, I either have to spend €500 on training to ride a little moped or get my full licence (without good access to a car).

They make it easy, don't they?

MorganG831

Right get a scooter?

mawk

your motoring costs seem quite high, you should be able to knock quite a bit off them. im 24, and as I had a claim this year i have no no-claims, and checking my new premium its 750 on insure.ie (up from 400 ughh) so try for more quotes.

a 1.3 micra is neither the cheapest car to buy nor run. or insure for that matter. they are surprisingly fast for the state of them.
i bought myself a 1l seat ibiza a while back for 500e and drove the ****e out of it for 2 years, services were done by me and petrol averaged 20-25/week with a longish commute. very cheap car.

you also say that it would save you an hour per day, thats 5 per week and 250 per year. 250 hours of my life is worth the premium imo. it also completely expands your world. new areas open up for adventures! driving is brilliant

Confab

Confab wrote: »

Yes but that's not the A1 licence, that's the M licence - mopeds only.

oops, that's what I meant, whatever the less than 50cc license is :pac:

antomorro-sei

How much would a Vespa cost, and cost to run?

Mr Benevolent

Right, feck this, I'm going to buy an electric bike kit. It's good compromise between convenience and exercise, and even if I'll be lucky to buy the whole kaboodle for less than €1000 it's worth it.

Esel

Just be sure to get a 'pedal-assist only' one. Some shops will tell you you don't need registration / licence / insurance on the other types, but you do.

Grey_Goose

Mr Benevolent wrote: »

Right, feck this, I'm going to buy an electric bike kit. It's good compromise between convenience and exercise, and even if I'll be lucky to buy the whole kaboodle for less than €1000 it's worth it.

Approx 18 months on. Would love to hear how you got on with your bike if you went ahead and purchased?