shootgun Posted June 27, 2016 Report Share Posted June 27, 2016 Anyone got any experience using one? I have just landed a new job in Central London and i really consider buying one due to the time and the cost of travel by car, also there is moped parking on site , but not for cars. The nearby car park charges £200 pcm , which is a bit steep imo. The comute will be around 25 miles round trip. Any advice? What to look for, what to avoid, what makes? Many thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Longman Posted June 27, 2016 Report Share Posted June 27, 2016 Don't buy anything that is Chinese waste of time and money. Anything from Japan honda, Suzuki, Yamaha would be perfect. Older Peugeot's used to be good but the newer models are made under licence in China (****)in other words!! Have a good look about many 50cc peds get punished by there 16 year old riders... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Geordie Posted June 27, 2016 Report Share Posted June 27, 2016 Plenty of them about for peanuts! As said previously, stick with Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha etc and not the Chinese stuff! A good 49cc scoot in good serviceable cond, can return around 70+mpg and are great for getting through traffic! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Munzy Posted June 27, 2016 Report Share Posted June 27, 2016 Out of interest how long would a 25 mile journey into central London take on a moped? I don't know anything about mopeds so don't know how fast they go! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amateur Posted June 27, 2016 Report Share Posted June 27, 2016 A moped might be a little underpowered in traffic. In the late 60's I used to commute 15 miles to central London on a Honda CB125s, which was very nippy, and paid for itself within a year compared to the train fares, but you would need L-plates for that. Later I moved on to an MZ 250, and more recently a Kawasaki GT 550, both excellent, reliable commuter bikes. Basically you want something that starts every morning without fail, keeps going whatever the weather and is simple to fix if it does go wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amateur Posted June 27, 2016 Report Share Posted June 27, 2016 You would need to allow 90 minutes, including changing out of your riding gear. You will need good weatherproof, robust gear, because you will come off it if you are new to riding in traffic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
four-wheel-drive Posted June 27, 2016 Report Share Posted June 27, 2016 Plus some good life insurance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walshie Posted June 27, 2016 Report Share Posted June 27, 2016 (edited) When I worked in London, it was about 15 miles each way. Half of that was fast A roads and the rest was solid traffic. I bought a Honda Dylan 125 and used it daily for 3 years with only normal servicing and no major bills. It was outside 365 days a year. When i stopped working there, my wife used it for another 3 years and we sold it for £500 less than we paid for it 6 years prior. It averaged 88mpg and could just about wheeze to 70mph if you held the throttle open long enough. 60mph easy and that's with a bit of a porker riding it (but she's good with the kids.) I can't recommend Honda highly enough. Edited June 27, 2016 by walshie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amateur Posted June 27, 2016 Report Share Posted June 27, 2016 Surprisingly in all the years that I commuted by bike, I was only offed once by a short-sighted idiot on a Honda 50 who cut across ne, misjudging his power Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shootgun Posted June 27, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 27, 2016 Thanks guys, some interesting views and advices here, keep'em comming! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxy bingo Posted June 27, 2016 Report Share Posted June 27, 2016 do you have a full motorbike licence or will you have to take your CBT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shootgun Posted June 27, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 27, 2016 do you have a full motorbike licence or will you have to take your CBT I'll have to take my CBT i'm afraid, never rode a moped in my life Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TONY R Posted June 27, 2016 Report Share Posted June 27, 2016 The best option i feel would be a step through or in old money as they called them back in the day a scooterete. Honda 50 70 90 all tough and reliable, chain even with a chain guard on needs maintainance and adjustment which is not dificult or time consuming, but its a job to be done, and depends how you view it, it might be a chore you dont want, only you can answer that. Bike i think you should go for in this catagory is the yamaha townmate T80, they are old but still around in good order at under 500 quid, they have a nice engine and a reliable shaft drive, that needs no more maintainance than an oil change, and the shaft drives on Honda motorcycles and yamahas are great not fragile and no trouble unlike some popular european shaft drives that can give issues. The towmate is a great little bike the bike of choice for long distance riders charlie borman he of thje long way round and such spin offs used one on one of his expaditions. If you are wanting a scooter proper honda zoomer or rukus in the states as they are called are great but expensive and the feeble 50cc engine is lame, a more acceptable and practical option is a chinese rukus clone these can be the small GY6 engine which personaly i would avoid or the 150cc lifan gy16 engined model which is closer to the rukus proper in style compared to the smal one, and its faster. Dont be frightened of chinese now, they were a bit crude in 2000 but they have been improving over the past 15 years and i have a small ATV i load in my VW t30 nvan for foxing its got a gy16 lifan engine in it a 200cc one and its been perfectly reliable i have had it since 2004, and its never given one single problem. This lifan engine is a chinese clone motor bbased on the tough little honda CG125 push rod engine, a popular comuter bbike and cbt trainer which has been around since the 1970s. The Chinese 150cc rukus clones are belt driven and low on maintainance and wont break the bank, my lads mate he has had one two years and rides it like he stole it everywhere, its been totaly reliable i have riden this myself, and if i were goiung to buy a scooter its what i would buy. But of thoose two options i would still have a townmate, they are a nice little run about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cuffy Posted June 27, 2016 Report Share Posted June 27, 2016 (edited) Do your cbt , get a 125 . It'll be much safer than a sloped . Edited June 27, 2016 by cuffy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxy bingo Posted June 29, 2016 Report Share Posted June 29, 2016 Do your cbt , get a 125 . It'll be much safer than a sloped . I agree don't go below a 125 they are way under powered Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveboy Posted June 29, 2016 Report Share Posted June 29, 2016 If you go for a scooter get one with big wheels (Honda sh125) small wheels are rubbish. The honda sh125 also has linked brakes and ABS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mentalmac Posted June 29, 2016 Report Share Posted June 29, 2016 I would suggest you get a 125cc motorbike (An older Honda CB125 would be find, or an SG125 - bulletproof (take you're cbt, it's a doddle). Cheap to buy, cheap to run, cheap to fix and disposable at the end of it all. I commuted 60 miles each way every day for 2 years. A journey that would be about £4000 a year for trains, which are unreliable and would also have to drive to statioj and pay for that too - so total price of £5k a year roughly. I Brought a honda hornet 600cc for £750 - cost me £120 to insure and negligible in tax, and then £8 per day on fuel... So a saving, but also amazing as I didn't worry about traffic, trains, anything like that. My realistic advice would be that you must get the best gear for any weathers... I.e good waterproof winter gear, good boots, nice warm bike gloves etc... I fitted a set of heated grips to my bike and that made it better. It's such a better way to deal with getting in and out of the city. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shootgun Posted June 30, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 30, 2016 Thank you gents, much appreciated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LowStandards Posted July 1, 2016 Report Share Posted July 1, 2016 I'd say London is perfect for a 50cc, just what they were built for. I'd get a 4 stroke if it was me for reliability If you passed your car test before sept 2001 (double check that date) you can just jump on a 50, no test, no L plates, ideal! I rode a moped for years and never felt it underpowered (well they are, woefully, but you understand what I mean) and I never felt in danger, just don't hug the kerb, make your road presence known and you'll be fine... And saying 'you will come off' is just idiotic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.