bike for sightseeing

shovel

Hi all.
I'm looking into buying a bike/scooter to use for sightseeing/shopping when we go away in our campervan.
I'll give the basic facts and am looking for recommendations.

1) bike experience,a honda 50 from a while ago
2)No bike licence,but would do test if need be
3)will be 2up most of the time
4) Looking at bike/scooter up to 125 cc.
5)Recommendations for bike sales in limerick/kerry/cork area.

BIG question..how do you test drive a bike..insurance etc

CJhaughey

You will need a bike licence, so the sticky at the top of this forum is a good starting point.
125cc there are a huge variety, geared, semi-auto and twist and go.
For a campervan you will be looking as light as possible, sub 100kg so as not to eat into the payload of the van.
Size. How big is your garage, or are you planning on getting a hydratrail? or planning on putting on a rack on the back? even a 100kg bike will affect the handling and braking a lot.

You'll need a bike licence if you are going to test ride any bikes.

Lee Honda have a good selection of bikes AN 125 and MSX 125 would be popular sizes.

listermint

Youd have to ensure your camper can take one weight wise. That you'd be able to get on on to it and off it credibly and that your current camper license allows the additional weight.

Tbh... I'd probably just tell you to get two electric bikes. Much more sensible and can probably go more places where a bike could not or would not be allowed

shovel

Thanks for the replies.
I would be carrying the bike in the rear garage.
I had looked at electric bikes but they are not for us
Thanks for giving me a couple of models and i will check out lee honda

Mjolnir

No one has mentioned yet but you need a full licence to carry a pillion.
You'll need to do theory test, get a learners permit, do ibt and wait 6 months for the test.
Depending on the combined weight a 125cc could struggle in many aspects.

Mjolnir

No one has mentioned yet but you need a full licence to carry a pillion.
You'll need to do theory test, get a learners permit, do ibt and wait 6 months for the test.
Depending on the combined weight a 125cc could struggle in many aspects.

Mjolnir

honda grom are a right little yoke and don't have a huge foot print couldn't tell ya the model designation in letters though

CJhaughey

Mjolnir wrote: »

honda grom are a right little yoke and don't have a huge foot print couldn't tell ya the model designation in letters though

Post #2 MSX125

This is mine

Mjolnir

CJhaughey wrote: »

Post #2 MSX125

This is mine

Nice lil yoke, they're supposed to be a great lil hooligan bike to mess around on and have the craic

CJhaughey

Mjolnir wrote: »

Nice lil yoke, they're supposed to be a great lil hooligan bike to mess around on and have the craic

They are a lot of fun. I have put stiffer fork springs in mine, which is not a simple job but the stock ones were way too soft, I could bottom them pushing down on the bars with the brake on.
I tidied the tail section up removing that big ugly thing and have a new exhaust coming from the US.
Its a real hoot, and takes no space. I bought it for the back of my van so wanted something small and light.

Mjolnir

CJhaughey wrote: »

They are a lot of fun. I have put stiffer fork springs in mine, which is not a simple job but the stock ones were way too soft, I could bottom them pushing down on the bars with the brake on.
I tidied the tail section up removing that big ugly thing and have a new exhaust coming from the US.
Its a real hoot, and takes no space. I bought it for the back of my van so wanted something small and light.

They're class and cheap as fu€k to buy new compared to a lot of bikes.
The undertails ruin a lot of bikes thats the kind that needs a nice small tidy to keep the look right.
Yet to see one in person

Mjolnir

CJhaughey wrote: »

They are a lot of fun. I have put stiffer fork springs in mine, which is not a simple job but the stock ones were way too soft, I could bottom them pushing down on the bars with the brake on.
I tidied the tail section up removing that big ugly thing and have a new exhaust coming from the US.
Its a real hoot, and takes no space. I bought it for the back of my van so wanted something small and light.

They're class and cheap as fu€k to buy new compared to a lot of bikes.
The undertails ruin a lot of bikes thats the kind that needs a nice small tidy to keep the look right.
Yet to see one in person

lalababa

Bit of a rigmarole to get licence and full licence. Two 50ccs might be an easier option. You can get the old style ones with the pedals (lighter)and hang them off the back.
Tomos UK kind of thing.

Mjolnir

lalababa wrote: »

Bit of a rigmarole to get licence and full licence. Two 50ccs might be an easier option. You can get the old style ones with the pedals (lighter)and hang them off the back.
Tomos UK kind of thing.

50cc would still require an ibt plus the other person may not have a licence and have to go through it all anyway.
So in theory you're paying for for the ibt twice and two 50cc's plus two rounds of tax and insurance doesn't make any sense.

CJhaughey

With a Garage you probably have limited height, I know the MSX is very low compared to most of the other bikes I had/have. The highest point is the mirrors and they can be swapped out for ram mount ones which fold up to make the bike very low.
If you fancy a really cool looking machine, a close cousin is the new Monkey 125.

shovel

The garage opening is 47 inches in height. I measured a few bikes and they are about 44 inches in height.
Is the license really an awful "rigmarole".
What about cost of insurance??
Is 50cc a waste of time with 2 up?

Mjolnir

shovel wrote: »

The garage opening is 47 inches in height. I measured a few bikes and they are about 44 inches in height.
Is the license really an awful "rigmarole".
What about cost of insurance??
Is 50cc a waste of time with 2 up?

You'll still need to do an ibt and have a full licenece for 2 up on a 50cc.
AM is under 49cc and not capable of going over 45km/h.
50cc will fall into A1.
No its simple process get the permit, do the ibt, get insured wait 6 months pass your test all in all it will most likely take a year given current back logs
50cc would struggle with any amount of substantial weight especially on hills.
Insurance will depend on your individual circumstances, there wouldn't be a huge difference as a lot of 50cc will be scouters and they tend to be robbed and wrote off often enough.