50cc bike for a 16year old?
- Thread starter Ian H
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That's shocking info by Honda!. May be worth hanging on a year and straight to a 125cc.
We've had a few Yamaha 125's in YZF125r etc with blown engines due to low/ no oil. Completely customer neglect thought. I recomend if you buy one to run on Motul 300v fully synthetic oil and get into the habit of checking level weekly/ fortnightly at most.
We've had a few Yamaha 125's in YZF125r etc with blown engines due to low/ no oil. Completely customer neglect thought. I recomend if you buy one to run on Motul 300v fully synthetic oil and get into the habit of checking level weekly/ fortnightly at most.
We went to Robinson’s in Rochdale today.
They didn’t have any 50cc bikes so we looked at the Yamaha MT125 with the idea of me buying it, using it for a year then letting Jamie take it over on his 17th.
The guy in the shop said the Chinese bikes they had (Keyway & Benelli) were great and reliable with routine maintenance.
He said because they were cheap the were often not looked after and run into the ground. The Honda copy is this:
https://unitedkingdom.benelli.com/product/tornado-nakedt
His advise was very similar to the advise on here. He said forget the 50cc, get him to wait a year, get any 125 and look after it, change the oil every 3000miles.
They didn’t have any 50cc bikes so we looked at the Yamaha MT125 with the idea of me buying it, using it for a year then letting Jamie take it over on his 17th.
The guy in the shop said the Chinese bikes they had (Keyway & Benelli) were great and reliable with routine maintenance.
He said because they were cheap the were often not looked after and run into the ground. The Honda copy is this:
https://unitedkingdom.benelli.com/product/tornado-nakedt
His advise was very similar to the advise on here. He said forget the 50cc, get him to wait a year, get any 125 and look after it, change the oil every 3000miles.
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Do you have a full bike licence or do you need CBT too?
Honestly there is little difference between a bulk standard commuter and you can pick one up well under £1k.
Just get one with disc brakes and electric start. It will be a lot easier to take a test on say an SR125 than any of those mini race replicas.
Honestly there is little difference between a bulk standard commuter and you can pick one up well under £1k.
Just get one with disc brakes and electric start. It will be a lot easier to take a test on say an SR125 than any of those mini race replicas.
Are you sure about that? Not arguing as I’m not completely sure but I knew mopeds used to be 50cc or less and able to be propelled by pedals (MOtorised PEDal bikes), then it went to 50cc restricted to 30mph. As I read it, the details below only describe the maximum speed for AM class mopeds with no cc restriction. Only P and Q class mopeds show a maximum engine size of 50cc so perhaps the AM class of Honda mopeds can be either 50 or 125cc but restricted to 28mph and the user can have the 125 model derestricted when they reach 17 years old. That would make sense for them to be able to keep a bike they are familiar with when they reach 17 years old. Why not phone a Honda dealer or even Honda customer relations for clarification?
Edit: Looking at the Honda chart that Ian has posted, a 16 year old can ride a 50cc moped with just a CBT. To ride a 125cc moped they need the CBT, plus theory test plus practical test.
From the .gov site: https://www.gov.uk/driving-licence-categories
Mopeds
Category AM
You can drive 2-wheeled or 3-wheeled vehicles with a maximum design speed of over 25km/h (15.5mph) but not more than 45km/h (28mph).
This category also includes light quad bikes with:
- unladen mass of not more than 350kg (not including batteries if it’s an electric vehicle)
- maximum design speed of over 25km/h (15.5mph) but not more than 45km/h (28mph)
You can drive 2-wheeled vehicles with a maximum design speed of over 45km/h (28mph) but not more than 50km/h (31mph).
Its engine size must not be more than 50cc if powered by an internal combustion engine.
Category Q
You can drive 2-wheeled vehicles with:
- an engine size not more than 50cc if powered by an internal combustion engine
- a maximum design speed of no more than 25km/h (15.5mph)
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yes i’m sure - see
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1986/1078/schedule/9/made
The definition of moped is clear. All he gets with a full moped license is to ditch the L plates.
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1986/1078/schedule/9/made
The definition of moped is clear. All he gets with a full moped license is to ditch the L plates.
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They sound Italian, because they are Italian.
But that is 32 years old legislation. I’m pretty sure things have changed. The link I put up is current and on the .gov site right now and it clearly does not show any maximum engine size restrictions, just maximum speed restrictions for AM licence holders. I’m surprised too but it’s there in black and white. 
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But that is 32 years old legislation. I’m pretty sure things have changed. The link I put up is current and on the .gov site right now and it clearly does not show any maximum engine size restrictions, just maximum speed restrictions for AM licence holders. I’m surprised too but it’s there in black and white.
You’re right things have changed. The extra wheel was added in 1997 but the definition of Moped hasn’t changed. The link you are referring to doesn’t mention engine size because Moped is defined the RVCU regs. Even if it was shimmed down some how a 125 (mod’d to 50) wouldn’t comply because it wouldn’t have the correct plating.
In 2013 the moped actually lost 2mph going from imperial to metric definition
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