Riding Honda 50cc (4hp) Gyro Trike on B1 car licence?

[Jimo]

Capitano, I’ll PM you.

Jim

[DTO]

I see it going to be on the road soon , So which licence & category was it classed as ?

[Jimo]

DTO. It’s classed as a Tricycle by DVLA for £20 annual tax and is now on the road so to speak - except that neither of us can use it due to the countrywide lockdown.
Cost of comprehensive Tricycle insurance was crippling at £469 for Catherine who has 40+ Years of accident free car driving but has not ridden a bike before.
By contrast my comprehensive bike insurance has just cost me £139 comprehensive for 4 bikes from Peter James & Co Ltd.

Jim

[DTO]

Looks like the perfect weekly shopping vehicle

[Jimo]

Yes - actually not bad, first thing to notice was that the Canopy is higher reving most likely because of its much higher weight, it’s noisier due to the semi enclosure of the canopy and roof but it’s got plenty of grunt and accelerates well, riding it is much like a normal scoot where one gently leans into bends and out of same, it’s brakes are very good at its 30ish speeds while visibility through the large screen is generally good although not tried in rain with screen wiper going - but it should be reasonablely better due to its large wiper blade which covers at least 85% of the whole screen. Parking is a doddle - achieved by raising the brake lever when the scoot is vertical thereby locking the frame vertically and simultaneously locking both rear wheels of the limited slip differential making the scoot extremely difficult to move. Once the key is removed in the Lock position the parking lock lever cannot be moved to the Unlock position. Lights are powered from the internal generator and only operate when the engine is running, with dipped beam sharing two headlamps while main beam uses only a single lamp, indicators and horn run off the 12v battery - there is no self cancelling of indicators - having to be manually switched to either L, R or Off.

The engine is a 2 stroke of 49ccs mounted between axles located beneath the rear of the machine inside a plastics cowling above which is mounted a reasonable large lockable box ideal for one persons weekly shop.
Power is provided from a 12v 7ah battery - used mainly for the starter while a kick start is provided for emergency use, petrol is contained in an under seat 1/2 gallon tank and mixed with oil from an adjacent under seat tank by engine driven pump. Fuel contents are shown on a speedo mounted gauge and contents are sufficient for about 45 - 50 miles.


Jim

[Jimo]

I’ve looked on the web all round the country for a winter cover for the Canopy, because of its odd shape no existing cover fits, so I contacted OXFORD & Co and asked for them to make one to add to their range, their reply was ‘Not Interested’ in making an individual cover - so I told them I’d go look elsewhere and find a more cooperative company....
Not only did I find such a company just before Covid struck but they said that the latter has caused delays in their work and they would be open for business post Covid.

Two weeks ago I re-contacted them (www.cover-zone.com) re the job, pleased to help they said, with deposit paid they are sending their specialist next week to measure up the bike for a Taylor-Made ‘Apollo’ heavy duty cover in BRG (my colour choice) that will last for 7 years, pretty good that, the cover will be made in the next few weeks - with its special carry bag and will be delivered to me.
Most likely too, the cover will be added to their product list and available for other Canopy users.


Jim

[Normsthename]

I took my Bike Test in 1979 at the tender age of 17 and used to drive Plastic Pigs (Reliant Robins etc) using the B1 entitlement.
They stopped issuing B1 on Bikes a few years ago.
I have never passed by car test (One of lifes regrets.........)
But I drive my Renault Twizy on my B1 licence.



It is classed as a Heavy Quadricycle.

[MrGrumpy]

I’ve looked on the web all round the country for a winter cover for the Canopy, because of its odd shape no existing cover fits
Two weeks ago I re-contacted them (www.cover-zone.com) re the job, pleased to help they said, with deposit paid they are sending their specialist next week to measure up the bike for a Taylor-Made ‘Apollo’ heavy duty cover in BRG (my colour choice) that will last for 7 years, pretty good that, the cover will be made in the next few weeks - with its special carry bag and will be delivered to me.
Most likely too, the cover will be added to their product list and available for other Canopy users.

Sound like a good firm! Dare I ask how much a bespoke cover costs though?? I'm sure that the cost would cause palpitations to a tight spender like me!

[Jimo]

You’re right Grumpy - it cost £350 but that includes special pattern measuring so that the cover fits, not the usual baggy type of thing.... - if one wants quality it comes at a price - but of course subsequent units once pattern is made would be cheaper.

Jim

[Jimo]

Who the bl..dy hell keeps sticking € in my mail?

Jim