How many ebikers are motorbikers?

[flecc]

(has anyone ever been pulled over on a cycle?)

Yes, I was once about three years ago, only half a mile after leaving home. Apparently a cyclist had been reported as being seen suspiciously hanging around our local primary school, and the police officer driving up to investigate happened to see me just coming from that direction on my way to the supermarket.

No problem as I've been security cleared for work with young people with a record of work with the Met Police Z division youth and community section.

So the one time I was pulled over in 63 years of cycling it wasn't for a cycling matter!
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[The Maestro]

Been pulled over once. I don't agree with road tax for motorcycles, fortunately they let me off when I said someone stole the disc. Actually that did happen to me the year before so not entirely untrue.

 

[flecc]

Been pulled over once. I don't agree with road tax for motorcycles, fortunately they let me off when I said someone stole the disc. Actually that did happen to me the year before so not entirely untrue.

They often get stolen, and that fact led to an amusing moment for me. As a precaution I always forged a copy to go in the bike tax disc holder, and was once pulled over in St John's Wood for a tax check. The police officer scrutinised the forged disc closely and declared himself satisfied.

Being my usual mischievous self, I told him it was a fake, at which he laughed, assuming I was kidding. So I said, "no, really it is" and produced the pukka item from my motorcycle jacket pocket.

He wasn't sure whether to be embarrassed or amused at first, but settled for laughing about it. It was probably a valuable lesson for him about how good tax disc forgeries can be.
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[Footie]

Luckily never had anything pinched from my bikes - yet.
However, I did loose the number plate off my Suzuki A100 …. Twice.
I changed the cogs and tyres, I also modified the exhaust and ported the barrel.
Dam thing used to shake like hell doing 75mph (top speed was supposed to be 60mph) – but could that thing fly
I could burn off any GP100 going
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[The Maestro]

They often get stolen, and that fact led to an amusing moment for me. As a precaution I always forged a copy to go in the bike tax disc holder, and was once pulled over in St John's Wood for a tax check. The police officer scrutinised the forged disc closely and declared himself satisfied.

Being my usual mischievous self, I told him it was a fake, at which he laughed, assuming I was kidding. So I said, "no, really it is" and produced the pukka item from my motorcycle jacket pocket.

He wasn't sure whether to be embarrassed or amused at first, but settled for laughing about it. It was probably a valuable lesson for him about how good tax disc forgeries can be.
.

Yes people definately used to steal them. I'm not sure how much they do now when I'm sure the police can tell whether the bike is taxed from the number plate. Seems a bit pointless displaying one at all since a quick forgery can fool a casual observer and if someone really wants to check they can use the number plate.

 

[flecc]

Yes people definately used to steal them. I'm not sure how much they do now when I'm sure the police can tell whether the bike is taxed from the number plate. Seems a bit pointless displaying one at all since a quick forgery can fool a casual observer and if someone really wants to check they can use the number plate.

That's right, forgery has become pointless since the PNC check system has been perfected. Rather perversely, the DfT have made forging the discs much more difficult now with the latest refinements, just when it's not necessary any more.
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[Django]

They often get stolen, and that fact led to an amusing moment for me. As a precaution I always forged a copy to go in the bike tax disc holder, and was once pulled over in St John's Wood for a tax check. The police officer scrutinised the forged disc closely and declared himself satisfied.

Being my usual mischievous self, I told him it was a fake, at which he laughed, assuming I was kidding. So I said, "no, really it is" and produced the pukka item from my motorcycle jacket pocket.

He wasn't sure whether to be embarrassed or amused at first, but settled for laughing about it. It was probably a valuable lesson for him about how good tax disc forgeries can be.
.

When I was 18 I had two bikes - a Yamaha 350LC and a Honda XL125. When the LC broke down I resurrected the XL but, unfortunately, the tax on the latter had run out. My naive solution was to transfer the disc from one to the other, reasoning that I had paid tax for one bike and was using one bike.

The result was a £100 and a criminal conviction for 'Fraudulent use of a vehicle excise licence'. I still have to declare it today.

One has to wonder about the sense of turning a teenager against the state when a simple word of advice would suffice.

Ah well!!

 

[flecc]

The result was a £100 and a criminal conviction for 'Fraudulent use of a vehicle excise licence'. I still have to declare it today.

One has to wonder about the sense of turning a teenager against the state when a simple word of advice would suffice.

Ah well!!

That is sad and I agree, completely unnecessary and cruel. I was very much opposed to the change in the law which meant all criminal records were retained for life, rather than the former position where records gained before the age of 18 were destroyed at that point, enabling a fresh start with the wisdom of more maturity.

I'd fix that point later, meaning that records of all lesser criminal offences prior to 21 years old would be destroyed as one reached that age, that alone being a big incentive to maintain that new clean status in adulthood. Sadly our politicians aren't noted for imagination.
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[Orraman]

Nostatga

Just after the war motorbikes were hard to come by, particularly for apprentice mechanics aged 14, employers had just given up the practice of charging for an apprenticeship.

I played pick and mix with two 250cc Francis Barnet Cruisers, one of 1935 and one of 1937 and the resultant machine was well tested long before my 16 birthday and my licence.
Fully streamlined with engine fairing and built in extended legshields, built like a tank with a forged I section downtube, downtube? The biggest springiest saddle and a postage stamp sized sponge for my permanent girlfriend.

A succession of 50cc for the callant and the lass.
On his 9th birthday my son was overjoyed to receive an old BSA 175 Bantam and a hacksaw. "Hacksaw dad?" To hack the frame and bronzeweld yourself a trials bike, and he did. After that we both went to Montesa in a time when trials and rough riding were 'Acceptable' for the joy of it.

I still own a Montesa 123cc but it has been borrowed? for a granddaughter.

Nostalgia, I doubt the wonderful days of motorcycling and of the farm handyman as I knew them are done.

Dave

 

[Mussels]

When I was 18 I had two bikes - a Yamaha 350LC and a Honda XL125. When the LC broke down I resurrected the XL but, unfortunately, the tax on the latter had run out. My naive solution was to transfer the disc from one to the other, reasoning that I had paid tax for one bike and was using one bike.

The result was a £100 and a criminal conviction for 'Fraudulent use of a vehicle excise licence'. I still have to declare it today.

I made that mistake too, fortunately I obtained a military conviction that doesn't count in the real world.