Legal

I am actually wanting this bike to be completely road legal, yep for those that know me this might seem a bit strange. A bicycle with an engine on it does it really have to be legalised ....well yes actually. 

If it has less than 300kw power (just to let you know thats very little power) then you would not need to make it legal. Its got a lot more than that so will need to "do the right thing".

It is actually not that complex, although I am yet to go through the process. I have researched the internet and emailed the good people at NZTA and got a very fast clear response. 

The bike will require being registered as a moped, that is provided it is less than 50cc and does not exceed 50kph. I my view that means that you are not allowed to drive it any more than 50kph but that doesn't mean that you can get up to 50kph really fast and have the potential to go much faster, not that I would ever drive exceedingly fast (although my 14 years as motor racing driver might cloud your thinking).

The bike will require a few things, lights, reflector and horn and be relatively road worth, which I am sure I can manage. 

Here is the fact sheet if you are interested - http://www.nzta.govt.nz/resources/factsheets/43/mopeds.html

Once I have got through the process I will update you on just how arduous the process is ! 

Still more progress

Well it seems I have put countless hours into the bike over the past weeks, yet if you look at it there probably doesn't look like much progress and I hate to say it, there is still heaps of work yet to do!
I must say that I am really enjoying building the bike but I sure wish I could just get it finished. My deadline is to have it done by the end of June when we leave to go back to NZ for a few months. I am very keen to do some of the NZ bike trails and there sure are some beauties. 
Here are just a few of websites but there are some other really good websites - 
http://www.nzcycletrail.com/waikato-river-trails
http://www.otagorailtrail.co.nz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=26&Itemid=57
http://aucklandmtb.co.nz/trails/
http://www.arc.govt.nz/parks/whats-on-in-parks/activities/mountain-bike-tracks.cfm
http://www.newzealand.com/travel/media/features/recreation-&-sport/cycling_north-island-mountain-bike-trails_feature.cfm

Am rather keen to have a go at some of these with the new bike.
Just to explain the engine just clips in and out so in just a minute or two the engine can be taken out and put in your back pack. Ideal if you want to drive from home up to a mountain bike trail using the engine and then just unclip it and ride the trail like all the other mountain bikers. Note to self - mountain bikers just don't like people using engine on trails designed for bicycles.


Or the bike is ideal for boarder crossings. Yep it is very difficult to take a motorcycle through a boarder crossing as you just need lots of paper work but not for a bicycle. Just put the engine in your back pack and pedal your way through the crossing, once on the other side put you engine back in and you are away !!!