Hi folks!
I'm Johnny from Leeds, West Yorkshire in ye olde Englande. I have been considering knocking together a motor bicycle for years but never got round to it. Now I have the time due to a recent divorce! Anyway I used to collect and restore Raleigh Chopper bikes a few years ago and I have owned all kinds of push irons over the years. I have a couple of basic questions - well a lot actually, but to begin with, and I guess other members in the UK might be able to answer this, I wanted to know what the legality of motor bicycles is on UK roads. I have heard you cant operate a motor bicycle on UK roads unless you have it taxed / registered and insured, and because the DVLA / VOSA etc are quite strict about this its unlikely that any DIY motor bicycles would ever be licenced as road legal. So getting caught riding one on the road in the UK would result in prosecution and a fine etc.
I would like to have a motor bicycle to be able to get out from the city where I live which is Leeds in West Yorkshire to the Yorkshire Dales and Lake District to go camping and walking regularly. I can cycle out there but its a 60+ mile trip just to get to the Lake District so by the time I get there I am already knackered! I can get part way into the Yorkshire Dales by going down the Leeds - Liverpool canal which goes via Skipton, and then I could cut onto rural backroads where its unlikely to run into any police, but I wouldnt like to end up getting nicked with all my kit in the middle of nowhere only for the law to confiscate my bike and I end up having to walk home and weeks later have to return for a court appearance. Do you know what I mean?
Anyway I have heard about these motorized push trailers that I thought might be ideal as I could build one with a bigger engine than my bike frame would accommodate, plus I could make it into a dual purpose pusher / load carrying trailer that I could use to carry my tent / camping equipment on. I guess as well it would look less suspicious to any police that I might pass when you see them parked in those layby things on the look out for speeding motorcyclists / boy racers etc and they would be less likely to pull me as you see a few cyclists pulling trailers these days. Also with a trailer whenever I got to the campsite in the middle of the Dales I would be able to detatch the trailer and still have a normal bike that I would be able to use on the trails around the hills and dales without having to carry an engine on the frame.
Anyway I hope to get to speak to a few of you over the next few months while I try and create my motor bicycle. If anyone has any tips or advice they can share with me then I would be extremely grateful.
many thanks!
Johnny
I'm Johnny from Leeds, West Yorkshire in ye olde Englande. I have been considering knocking together a motor bicycle for years but never got round to it. Now I have the time due to a recent divorce! Anyway I used to collect and restore Raleigh Chopper bikes a few years ago and I have owned all kinds of push irons over the years. I have a couple of basic questions - well a lot actually, but to begin with, and I guess other members in the UK might be able to answer this, I wanted to know what the legality of motor bicycles is on UK roads. I have heard you cant operate a motor bicycle on UK roads unless you have it taxed / registered and insured, and because the DVLA / VOSA etc are quite strict about this its unlikely that any DIY motor bicycles would ever be licenced as road legal. So getting caught riding one on the road in the UK would result in prosecution and a fine etc.
I would like to have a motor bicycle to be able to get out from the city where I live which is Leeds in West Yorkshire to the Yorkshire Dales and Lake District to go camping and walking regularly. I can cycle out there but its a 60+ mile trip just to get to the Lake District so by the time I get there I am already knackered! I can get part way into the Yorkshire Dales by going down the Leeds - Liverpool canal which goes via Skipton, and then I could cut onto rural backroads where its unlikely to run into any police, but I wouldnt like to end up getting nicked with all my kit in the middle of nowhere only for the law to confiscate my bike and I end up having to walk home and weeks later have to return for a court appearance. Do you know what I mean?
Anyway I have heard about these motorized push trailers that I thought might be ideal as I could build one with a bigger engine than my bike frame would accommodate, plus I could make it into a dual purpose pusher / load carrying trailer that I could use to carry my tent / camping equipment on. I guess as well it would look less suspicious to any police that I might pass when you see them parked in those layby things on the look out for speeding motorcyclists / boy racers etc and they would be less likely to pull me as you see a few cyclists pulling trailers these days. Also with a trailer whenever I got to the campsite in the middle of the Dales I would be able to detatch the trailer and still have a normal bike that I would be able to use on the trails around the hills and dales without having to carry an engine on the frame.
Anyway I hope to get to speak to a few of you over the next few months while I try and create my motor bicycle. If anyone has any tips or advice they can share with me then I would be extremely grateful.
many thanks!
Johnny
