Help settle an argument
Discussion
Just been having a bit of an argument with a mate. I've just been bought a 50cc bike for my 16th, but he says its a scooter as it has a 50cc "scooter" engine. I'm saying its a motorbike as it looks and rides like a motorbike, and has the same general characteristics. It looks like this one:
So, the argument boils down to whether a mode of transport should be named after what it looks like or the engine it has. Yes, this bike has a scooter engine but it is designed as a motorbike. But if it should be called a scooter, surely all cars with motorbike engines should be called bikes - it looks like a car but has a bike engine. And to a lesser extent, the Ford F150 has the engine from the Ford GT, so is it a supercar, or a pick up truck?
Help, please?
>> Edited by m1spw on Saturday 13th August 18:42
So, the argument boils down to whether a mode of transport should be named after what it looks like or the engine it has. Yes, this bike has a scooter engine but it is designed as a motorbike. But if it should be called a scooter, surely all cars with motorbike engines should be called bikes - it looks like a car but has a bike engine. And to a lesser extent, the Ford F150 has the engine from the Ford GT, so is it a supercar, or a pick up truck?
Help, please?
>> Edited by m1spw on Saturday 13th August 18:42
Well a truck will, generally speaking, be intended for use as a truck. That's why it has that name.
Same thing with a supercar. Intended purpose is what defines the type of vehicle, not necessarily the appearance although that can be a design parameter.
The scooter/bike thing isn't as black and white as that, but I'd say you have a scooter (although I'd call it a moped).
>> Edited by DanBoy on Saturday 13th August 18:43
Same thing with a supercar. Intended purpose is what defines the type of vehicle, not necessarily the appearance although that can be a design parameter.
The scooter/bike thing isn't as black and white as that, but I'd say you have a scooter (although I'd call it a moped).
>> Edited by DanBoy on Saturday 13th August 18:43
planetdave said:
Ride it down to the pub that your local Hells Angels hang out at and they will give you a definitive judgement on it.
Excellent advice - but don't forget to initiate
the conversation using the Secret Hells Angel
Introduction technique:
1) Deliberately spill the pints of the three largest, greasiest, most maloderous and evil looking Bretherin.
2) Immediately, enquire "Right, which one of you bitches wants to dance?"
Informed and erudite discussion on the formal classification of twin-wheeled vehicles will be forthcoming in an instant.
When you get the V5 it will say it is a moped, which is what it is, regardless of what style it is. Doesnt matter wether it is a scooter style moped, trials bike style moped, cafe racer style moped, ordinary motorbike look-a-like moped, or 50cc monkey bike moped, its technically a moped. Although strictly speaking a moped is supposed to be able to be actually 'pedalled' too, but you dont see that much now so it isnt in the DVLA definition.
>> Edited by Balmoral Green on Saturday 13th August 19:13
>> Edited by Balmoral Green on Saturday 13th August 19:13
Who is old enough to remember the great days of being 16 and having a moped back in the seventies? 1976 'R' reg or earlier (pre-restricted) of course. I had a Garelli 50 which was as big and as fast as they got, well, 60 mph anyway. Other 'peds in our pack were the Suzuki AP50, the Yamaha FS1E, and a Honda CB50 which was new and restricted, so we had to wait for him to catch up 
Balmoral Green said:
Who is old enough to remember the great days of being 16 and having a moped back in the seventies? 1976 'R' reg or earlier (pre-restricted) of course. I had a Garelli 50 which was as big and as fast as they got, well, 60 mph anyway. Other 'peds in our pack were the Suzuki AP50, the Yamaha FS1E, and a Honda CB50 which was new and restricted, so we had to wait for him to catch up
Guilty of a Yamaha FS1E "M" reg
Yep. Had a yellow FS1E with the front disk. Could just touch 50mph. Used to have to wait for my chum with the trail bike Honda (I think it was an MT50, or something like that) restricted to 30mph.
As mentioned earlier, I had to be able to demonstrate to a policeman that I could pull a lever and “pedal” my beast. My chum did not, as he had fixed pegs and was restricted.
I would refer to the hog in the original post as a moped. For me, a scooter has to allow a “step through” motion with the leg when mounting the saddle.
As mentioned earlier, I had to be able to demonstrate to a policeman that I could pull a lever and “pedal” my beast. My chum did not, as he had fixed pegs and was restricted.
I would refer to the hog in the original post as a moped. For me, a scooter has to allow a “step through” motion with the leg when mounting the saddle.
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