# Scooter for motorhome?



## dw1 (Sep 9, 2010)

What licence would I need to drive a small scooter with my better half clinging on for dear life? Is there anyway I can get away with just my car licence?
cheers

David w


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

Simple answer.

No !!


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## motormouth (Jul 3, 2010)

Actually, I think you can, providing your car license was obtained prior to 2001. This would entitle you to ride a 50 cc scooter, without L plates. I also think you can carry a pillion, but I would double check this with DVLA etc.


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

50cc MOPED with 2 up   ??? Dangerously underpowered :roll: 

Most struggle with one person let alone two. (in fact I dont think any 50cc ones have more than a single seat)

Thats why I have said no !


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## salmonfisher (Jan 3, 2011)

*Scooter for a motorhome*

Hi David W. I will haveago at this. I have had the same problem. As I understand If you have held a full licence since before 1960,you can ride a 50cc scooter and carry a passenger. As long as you dont take or sign up for a CBT test. If you do then you your wife can't be on the pillion. As I said I have had the problem, to be safe I suppose one should take a CBT and test. I have explored Electric bikes and bought one and will buy another both folding. Lots less bother no fuel to buy, 9pence a charge, 15miles radius, the dont get stolen of the rack as they are insid the M/H. The cost of fitting a towbar, scooter adaption and a 500pounds scooter aprox 1500pounds. All the best John. [Sorry to disagree MrPlod]


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

Correction:
"Full car licences issued before 1st Feb 2001 automatically gave you a full moped licence. You could ride without L plates, even endanger a passenger all without taking any training"

If you are both lightweight (no rose-tinted specs now) this MAY be OK for your anticipated short-duration use. I know a motorhoming couple who went up alps on a 50cc moped.

But please don't kid yourself. I really don't recommend it. Then again as I have a 250cc scooter on the motorhome, I would say that!

Dave


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## motormouth (Jul 3, 2010)

Mrplodd said:


> 50cc MOPED with 2 up   ??? Dangerously underpowered :roll:
> 
> Most struggle with one person let alone two. (in fact I dont think any 50cc ones have more than a single seat)
> 
> Thats why I have said no !


Sorry to correct you again, but lots of 50 cc scooters have two seats. My missus had a TGB 50 cc which certainly had 2, although no ever ever sat on the back. She was also told when we bought it that she could have it de restricted so it would go about 50 mph. If she was 16, then they couldn't do this and top speed would be about 30 mph.


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## hannah29 (Feb 13, 2006)

we are just in the process of selling ours. hubby had his license prior to 2001 so was covered but he has also done his cbt only so he can carry our 13 year old on it when abroad. He could carry pillion in this country without a cbt but not abroad.
we are upgrading now so he is going to do his full license shortly as he wants to use the bike in other ways and not just when away in the camper.
they havent had any weight issues, bearing in mind he is quite a large chap (17 stone) and a 13 year old weighing in at about 7 stone. its not fast but what do you expect with a 50cc!!!
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290553782965&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

"He could carry pillion in this country without a cbt but not abroad. "

How does that work then? Do you have a reference? I believe that if you are legal in the UK you are legal in the EU.

Dave


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Do your bike test and get a 125 or as big as the van will take. 50cc is a waste of time and dangerous if your in fast moving traffic.

Its well worth it as it will completely transform your motorhoming experience. We have had so much fun on ours and it becomes a biking adventure as much as a motorhome one. We can easily rack up 100 miles in a day. Last year we went all the way up to the snow line at 7500 ft in the Pyrenees. I though the bike was going to blow up mind.


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Tried to help you along Hannah29.
Made one bid at least.

Ray.


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## soundman (May 1, 2005)

_(Its well worth it as it will completely transform your motorhoming experience. We have had so much fun on ours and it becomes a biking adventure as much as a motorhome one. We can easily rack up 100 miles in a day)_
We have just got back from a 150 mile ride on our 250cc Vespa, in glorious sunshine too.
Bedale, Leyburn, Masham, Ripon.
Where were you Barry?
Soundman


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

soundman said:


> _(Its well worth it as it will completely transform your motorhoming experience. We have had so much fun on ours and it becomes a biking adventure as much as a motorhome one. We can easily rack up 100 miles in a day)_
> We have just got back from a 150 mile ride on our Vespa, in glorious sunshine too.
> Bedale, Leyburn, Masham, Ripon.
> Where were you Barry?
> Soundman


In a dark room with a hangover!

Pity as its been a great day weatherwise up here.


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## Roger7webster (Oct 10, 2006)

Dave - Are you towing your 250cc scooter? If not how do you over come the weight problem or is there no problem with a very short over hang aft of the rear wheels??


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## Ken38 (Mar 24, 2009)

Perhaps Mrplodd could add a modern update but in my motorcycling days a Honda 50 had two seats but was not a moped.
So your car licence "moped" class needed a vehicle that could also be pedalled. These were really low powered vehicles that sometimes needed help on a hill!
A Honda 50 certainly could handle two people around the town but on fast roads it was really only good up to 40mph so lot's of lorries put the squeeze on you overtaking. Nasty place to be! My dad had one.
Things have changed a lot but I suspect the horrible modern 50cc machines are power limited. I don't think they still have working pedals at all.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Highwaycode/DG_069867
The link gives details. It states mopeds are now under 50cc, weigh less than 250kg and restricted to 31mph (UK) and 28 mph(EU). Such machines are death traps. You get cut up by everybody including milk floats.
By the way if you use a moped abroad on your car licence your travel insurance will probably be invalid. There was a TV program about a poor chap who got paralysed and his father had to pay a fortune to get him home despite having the best "Platinum" policy. He needed a full motorcycle licence for the insurance to be valid.


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## Autoquest (May 16, 2007)

http://lightbiker.wordpress.com/2010/03/14/piaggio-mp3-400-lt-on-a-car-licence/

Try this on a car licence


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Autoquest said:


> http://lightbiker.wordpress.com/2010/03/14/piaggio-mp3-400-lt-on-a-car-licence/
> 
> Try this on a car licence


Looks dangerous to me!

How to you lean it into corners? Not sure it will fit on me rack either!


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

Roger7webster said:


> Dave - Are you towing your 250cc scooter? If not how do you over come the weight problem or is there no problem with a very short over hang aft of the rear wheels??


You got it in one. I have the Maxi chassis which gave 820kg of payload and a short overhang of a panel van. So a 150kg bike with rack and towbar worked out fine.

Dave


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## soundman (May 1, 2005)

barryd said:


> Autoquest said:
> 
> 
> > http://lightbiker.wordpress.com/2010/03/14/piaggio-mp3-400-lt-on-a-car-licence/
> ...


A friend bought a Piaggio MP3 this week and I had my first ride on it the other day. I found the experience good fun. It really does corner well.
Armitages are now building a side loading trailer for it.
At over 200kg I think the rack is out of the question.
Soundman


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## soundman (May 1, 2005)

DABurleigh said:


> Roger7webster said:
> 
> 
> > Dave - Are you towing your 250cc scooter? If not how do you over come the weight problem or is there no problem with a very short over hang aft of the rear wheels??
> ...


I don't know if you have ever weighed your Vespa Dave, but at the last MOT my Vespa weighed in at 170kg  Piaggio give dry weights in their spec.
It's not only the scooter that's putting on weight as it gets older! :lol: 
Soundman


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

Yes, I knew 150kg was dry. But the rack is strengthened and the weighbridge data is fine.

Had a problem with my Vespa recently. Thought the problem was a low idle speed as it started stalling at lights etc when cold. Researched it and it wasn't as simple as a throttle set screw like the old days. I did see one reference to battery condition, and as it wasn't spinning the engine anything like it used to I replaced it. It is several years old anyway. Now it idles fine! Spooky.

Dave


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## bulawayolass (Jul 27, 2010)

Look at getting a cycle rack and a couple of electric bicycles. top speed 15mph, not need licence, insurance, mot and get aprox 20+mls/charge. Can use the pedals if you want and will get you about the locality.


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## dipsticks (Aug 2, 2007)

> You got it in one. I have the Maxi chassis which gave 820kg of payload and a short overhang of a panel van. So a 150kg bike with rack and towbar worked out fine.
> 
> Dave


Dave

What work was carried out to increase the 'S' value of the towbar and towbar mountings on your van to accomodate the heavy scooter ? I would be interested to get similar modifications myself.


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

Towbar mod here:
http://www.motorhomefacts.com/ftopicp-681020.html#681020

Rack was slightly strengthened version of Watling's offering. 4 bolts, welded gusdets.

Dave


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## Mike48 (May 1, 2005)

You should not only take the towbar manufacturers guidance. My vehicle handbook specifies a maximum towbar loading of 100kgs so my logic suggests that this requirement must be related to the ability of the chassis to support the weight of the rack and scooter.

I have spoken to a few towbar makers (including Watling) who were prepared to look at the possibility of manufacturing a bespoke towbar to include providing additional chassis mounting points but they were not that keen to do it. All made it clear that a bespoke arrangement for a panel van would be expensive.

The most helpful people I spoke to were this firm here:

http://www.bridgwatertrailers.co.uk/motorhomeracks.html

PWS in Poole were the next most helpful but I was slightly concerned because they claimed that as long as the weight of a scooter and rack would not exceed permissable axle limits a standard towbar would possibly be OK subject to inspection.

The whole subject has confused me to the point that I don't know who or what to believe especially as DA Burleigh has arranged a successful outcome with a scooter heavier than one I wish to buy.


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*50cc*

I would advise against the idea of a 50cc moped with two up. Indeed, I would suggest you take the test and get a decent size bike with decent power if you are going to have a pillion.

Otherwise, consider towing a 4 seat car with a motorbike engine!


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## Autoquest (May 16, 2007)

soundman said:


> barryd said:
> 
> 
> > Autoquest said:
> ...


I think I should have bought one instead of my Burgman :?


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## ramblingon (Jul 15, 2009)

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/QPod-City-50c...ultDomain_3&hash=item4158305100#ht_934wt_1064

Just what you need? :lol:


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