Villiers beach cruiser

[harry76]

Well I ended up going to the Queensland department of transport the other day and asked to see their motorized bicycles rules. It took him a while but he found a book that had been previously updated...... Well the new rules were extremely clear: first paragraph it outlines that a motorized bicycle is one fitted with an electric motor only. The second paragraph clearly states that internal combustion engines are illegal.

Very dissapointing, I'll still occasionally continue to ride my bike, and may finish my unfinished petrol builds, but I'm seriously considering making any new projects electric power........... Seems logical, I love the petrol engines more but I'm not liking the idea of my pride and joy being confiscated

 

[cobrafreak]

Then register it as a motorcycle and jump through the hoops. Buy a motorcycle wreck that is totalled but has the registration papers and cut the VIN off and weld it to the new frame.

 

[rustycase]

or get ned kelly's armor !

 

[harry76]

Then register it as a motorcycle and jump through the hoops. Buy a motorcycle wreck that is totalled but has the registration papers and cut the VIN off and weld it to the new frame.

Ive thought about that Cobrafreak, in fact i was dicussing doing so just a while ago in this thread. Not really any good for this bike though, as it is too underpowered, but i did consider maybe doing so with my Honda 5.5/Indian build, but then i would still need full fenders etc..... just wondering if the performance of these engines would be worth the trouble/expense?..... If the power is a little low i could always do something similar to Lurkers V-Twin

So unfortunately it seems in Queensland where i live a bike like this Villiers is in no mans land: too small to register but still big enough to draw unwanted attention from police..... i think i will just occasionally ride it from now on and see what happens, hopefull it wont get confiscated.

When my budget permits i will begin a vintage electric bike build, i just need to learn about electricity as im a newbie

 

[harry76]

or get ned kelly's armor !

Its Summer here now, no way im putting metal armour on...... LOL.

Its stinking hot here, mid to low 30's (celcius) and very humid but as Ned Kelly would say "such is life"

 

[MEASURE TWICE]

Ive thought about that Cobrafreak, in fact i was dicussing doing so just a while ago in this thread. Not really any good for this bike though, as it is too underpowered, but i did consider maybe doing so with my Honda 5.5/Indian build, but then i would still need full fenders etc..... just wondering if the performance of these engines would be worth the trouble/expense?..... If the power is a little low i could always do something similar to Lurkers V-Twin

So unfortunately it seems in Queensland where i live a bike like this Villiers is in no mans land: too small to register but still big enough to draw unwanted attention from police..... i think i will just occasionally ride it from now on and see what happens, hopefull it wont get confiscated.

When my budget permits i will begin a vintage electric bike build, i just need to learn about electricity as im a newbie

Sorry to hear that information, but now it is not a mystery anymore.

When I was in my teens, I thought city cops would just confiscate the spark plug and you would walk it home. Not too much a loss. Now I am not sure if that was always the case,

I was once thinking I would be approached but was not. I leaned my motor bike up against the fence at the park that was of a decade earlier the 64 Worlds Fair Grounds at Flushing Meadow Park in Queens NYC. I then stood in front of the motor trying to make it like I was resting my legs after riding a plain old bicycle. The thing had no pedals and was not at all even considered a motorized bicycle. Mostly I liked riding it off road. As far as confiscation, I suspect if they got a big enough space in the squad car trunk, or a rack, or got a van to come they would take it away. If they don't have to return it at all, I am unsure about that. There might have been heavy fees. Sometimes the fees make it like car collision with insurance and they call it a total.

I will try to get this sticker for California DMV, not quite a regular registration for motorcycle, just Off Highway Vehicle from the state to use in private and government run motorcycle parks. I hope I can get it OK’ed.

I suppose you may not be really considering off roading in your parts with that machine, but I think the way you made it you have a strong frame that could handle it!

Measure Twice

 

[harry76]

No plans on taking this off-road..... If I did I would motorize my Santa Cruz downhill bike with a clone, this motor is too underpowered and not responsive enough to warrant taking it off road...... In saying that, when I do ride this bike to work I ride the back way into work and take a forestry trail, so technically I have, and will continue to take this off road

 

[MEASURE TWICE]

Hey, learn to ride side saddle and you'll be hiding the engine in atleast one perspective......NOT!

You can the use the idea I had of while stopped to hide the engine like I did. I will never know what would have happened if I didn't. I might have possibly taken the bus home and thats not fun.

Measure Twice

 

[harry76]

Well ive ridden the bike a few more times since, i rode it last weekend to a local car show, i didnt enter it but i did get a lot of attention in the carpark...... i rode the bike last night to afternoon shift at work, rode to work with no problem, but on the way home i was pulled over by another policemen, this time a motorcycle coppa...... he told me internal combustion engines are illegal, and at first i thought he was going to be a prick, but he did say he liked my bike, but informed me of the fines that could be dished out. He seemed to think it was an EPA thing why theyve banned internal combustion engines...... i then asked if a steam powered bicycle would be legal, he just smiled and said if i could do it why not, he said hed love to see it.

So moral of the story is i think i need to either build an electric bike, or somehow try and somehow register an internal combustion engine build...... or both

 

[rustycase]

Whew!

I'll bet you were sweatin' bullets, Harry!
Glad to hear he let you off the hook.

So no mopeds there in Oz?
...there's just SO much I don't know about what's beyond my own back yard. lol

mmm Here ...they won't put em in the trunk... they call up the tow truck and cart em to the impound yard... (a little bird told me)
rc

 

[harry76]

I was glad he let me off but frustrated a little.

I managed to ride it daily for a couple of months, with daily rides passed the police station..... but since then ive been pulled 2 out of the last 3 rides. It seems they were both happy to give me a warning, but im more worried if i get pulled up again by the same policemen.

Yes we have mopeds here, but we have stricter roadrules and what can and cant be registered.... is that what you were getting at? Or did you mean i should get a moped? If so they dont really interest me.... i have seen some highly modified Honda Dax that ive liked but wouldnt be legal to ride here.

I think i will save and build a vintage style electric bike as they are legal here, but can still be modified as they dont have to follow the same road laws as a moped or motorcycle.

 

[harry76]

I came across this cool video of a bike with three Villiers engines..... im guessing its the one CamNZ showed us from NZ.

Villiers Vantage 3 - YouTube

 

[rustycase]

I was thinking u might use the id and reg from a salvaged moped on the villiers???
sounds like there's a good chance for being impounded if u get seen riding again...
not good.
Best
rc

 

[harry76]

I thought about taking the identity from a moped, but it wouldnt be worth it with the Villiers, at least not without a gearbox attached to get a little more usable speed.

Ive thought about maybe using a clone 6.5hp or bigger, but like i said id need full wheel guards, chain guards, blinkers etc...... none of this would be needed for the electric bike, and with the electric i can legally ride on the shoulder of the road to pass all the traffic on my way to and from work

 

[MEASURE TWICE]

I was glad he let me off but frustrated a little.

I managed to ride it daily for a couple of months, with daily rides passed the police station..... but since then ive been pulled 2 out of the last 3 rides. It seems they were both happy to give me a warning, but im more worried if i get pulled up again by the same policemen.

Yes we have mopeds here, but we have stricter roadrules and what can and cant be registered.... is that what you were getting at? Or did you mean i should get a moped? If so they dont really interest me.... i have seen some highly modified Honda Dax that ive liked but wouldnt be legal to ride here.

I think i will save and build a vintage style electric bike as they are legal here, but can still be modified as they dont have to follow the same road laws as a moped or motorcycle.

Are different cities and towns in Austraila have major differences in the laws for motorized bikes? I have noticed not much from others on this site from Austraila getting pulled over. I suppose maybe if there is not as much policing in some areas then maybe they just have not been told anything yet?

Measure Twice

 

[Goldy]

Been watching the responses to your problem and all I can say is "Man that sucks, it sucks big time!!!" After building a nice bike like that, only to find out you're not allowed to ride it....I wouldn't suggest you do anything illegal, but if I were in your shoes (and I have been with one of my motorcycles) I would be trying to find some way to make it road legal, even if it did include lights and fenders.

 

[dmb]

this is the new way of robbing you. instead of a gun they use a pen. nice and clean.

 

[harry76]

Are different cities and towns in Austraila have major differences in the laws for motorized bikes? I have noticed not much from others on this site from Austraila getting pulled over. I suppose maybe if there is not as much policing in some areas then maybe they just have not been told anything yet?

Measure Twice

Im not 100% sure if the laws are the same Australia wide, but these are unfortunately the new laws for Queensland, i believe the laws changed around 2 years ago making internal combustion engines illegal.

Not sure why no-one else has been targeted, could be the cops are only just starting to crack down on them or ive just been unlucky on the last few rides, because i have been riding my motorized bikes for around a year (66cc Kroon) and was never even looked at twice by the cops........ but this bike draws a LOT more attention, i even got the thumbs up by some cops driviing past..... but i guess my luck had to change eventually :-(

 

[harry76]

Been watching the responses to your problem and all I can say is "Man that sucks, it sucks big time!!!" After building a nice bike like that, only to find out you're not allowed to ride it....I wouldn't suggest you do anything illegal, but if I were in your shoes (and I have been with one of my motorcycles) I would be trying to find some way to make it road legal, even if it did include lights and fenders.

Yeah in a sense it does suck that im not allowed to ride it.... but it certainly hasnt been a waste of time as i thoroughly enjoyed building it, i learnt a lot and got a little confidence to try things i havent done before rather then paying someone else to do it, and made something i take a lot of pride in..... ive still got all those things even if the cops say i cant ride it on the road.... and it still looks good in my "man room" and will be a cool mode of transport for car shows etc.

So its not the end of the world, but i will need at least one MB i can legally ride so im seriously considering saving money to build an electric one..... i know nothing about electrics but after my other builds im keen to jump in and learn.

The unfortunate thing is all the other internal combustion engines i collected, i may end up having lots of petrol bikes i cant ride....... legally that is

 

[harry76]

this is the new way of robbing you. instead of a gun they use a pen. nice and clean.

They didnt even need to use the pen, just the threat of using the pen was enough to scare me a little and take all the enjoyment out of my rides as im nervous about getting caught again and looking over my shoulder :-(