crocs Posted March 30, 2020 Share Posted March 30, 2020 A recent post on electric scooters has disappeared (Derek probably, quite rightly, removed it as it was a cynical advertising attempt). But, it did make me think. How can these be ‘road legal’, as claimed? Isn’t there controversy about them not being road legal whilst at the same time not being ‘pavement legal’? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barryd999 Posted March 30, 2020 Share Posted March 30, 2020 Why was it removed. It seemed like market research into a product we may well benefit from. Should we not be encouraging business in these difficult times? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Den Posted March 30, 2020 Share Posted March 30, 2020 Hi Robert I removed it. With his website being advertised, it seemed a very under the counter way of a advertising stint. Pleased you think it was the proper thing to do. Den Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pagey Posted March 30, 2020 Share Posted March 30, 2020 also they are totally illegal in the uk to use in public places Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robinhood Posted March 30, 2020 Share Posted March 30, 2020 crocs - 2020-03-30 6:21 PM But, it did make me think. How can these be ‘road legal’, as claimed? Isn’t there controversy about them not being road legal whilst at the same time not being ‘pavement legal’? They are street legal if they are registered and insured. (and conform to the appropriate regulations, which is presumably what the core of the "street legal" referred to). TBF, the offer for the street legal ones envisaged registration, and the price included number plate and first registration fee - you'd still have to find someone prepared to insure you, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted March 30, 2020 Share Posted March 30, 2020 Den - 2020-03-30 6:24 PM ...Pleased you think it was the proper thing to do. Den I’ve occasionally wondered whether there were forum Moderators other than Keithl and me... Regarding any thread felt to be flouting forum rules, it’s much better that a Moderator moves the thread to the “Admin Quarantine” forum rather than deleting the thread, and adds a comment explaining why the thread was moved. That way the forum’s Administrator can be asked for advice, or the thread can be edited to make it acceptable and then moved back to the forum it came from. Croc’s original posting suggested that I probably removed the original scooter thread, but I don’t delete threads as, once this is done, there is no means to get them back. I thought the scooter thread hovered on being ‘unauthorised advertising’ rather than ‘market research’, but the subject was of interest to motorcaravanners and several forum members had already replied before the thread was deleted - now it’s gone and cannot be recovered. For the record, the relevant website is https://www.tubby-tyre-scooter-company.co.uk/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted March 30, 2020 Share Posted March 30, 2020 The legally on electric scooters was being looked into prior to CV-19. p.s. link added. https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/electric-scooters-uk-legal-road-law-licence-a9306121.html p.p.s. it looks like the company does produce some models which are UK legal as electric mopeds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldi Posted March 30, 2020 Share Posted March 30, 2020 Good evenink, There are electric scooters which vespa do where you need a crash helmet etc, and then there are the kiddie type which may be able to go on pavements like invalid scooters( though sometimes I wonder if a small percentage of these scooters are not invalids at all) where you do not need a crash helmet. I think its all determined by power, after all you cannot have old folk on invalid scooters going at 70 MPH. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barryd999 Posted March 30, 2020 Share Posted March 30, 2020 Derek Uzzell - 2020-03-30 6:53 PM Den - 2020-03-30 6:24 PM ...Pleased you think it was the proper thing to do. Den I’ve occasionaly wondered whether there were forum Moderators other than Keithl and me... Regarding any thread felt to be flouting forum rules, it’s much better that a Moderator moves the thread to the “Admin Quarantine” forum rather than deleting the thread, and adds a comment explaining why the thread was moved. That way the forum’s Administrator can be asked for advice, or the thread can be edited to make it acceptable and then moved back to the forum it came from. Croc’s original posting suggested that I probably removed the original scooter thread, but I don’t delete threads as, once this is done, there is no means to get them back. I thought the scooter thread hovered on being ‘unauthorised advertising’ rather than ‘market research’, but the subject was of interest to motorcaravanners and several forum members had already replied before the thread was deleted - now it’s gone and cannot be recovered. For the record, the relevant website is https://www.tubby-tyre-scooter-company.co.uk/ Pity he got binned because the two most important considerations I gave him was weight and range and those two most important considerations appear nowhere on the website. Maybe ok for tootling around a village or country lane not far from the van but thats about it looking at it and of course no pillion. none starter for motorhomers I would say. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeamRienza Posted March 30, 2020 Share Posted March 30, 2020 I have seen similar in France and might give some consideration to something like it in future when pedal assist is more of a problem. As BarryD states, the information that was missing were weight and dimensions. There is an option (£45) for a double seat on the scooter. I had a look at the website which was fine but a little basic. A road legal version with suspension, double seat, lights, indicators, mirrors etc cost about £1750 which I assume is heading towards a decent 2nd hand Honda. The posters site does lay out the information on legality including the need to have registration, insurance etc. He does give a link to an insurance company/broker who must offer the appropriate cover. I hope the poster had sight of the replies people made before the thread was deleted. Thought he might have popped up on some of the other big forums, perhaps Barry you might contact him and allow him to carry out his research on fruitcakes were he would get sound advice !! (Seriously) without a major marketlplace. Davy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted March 31, 2020 Share Posted March 31, 2020 This link includes (January 2019) information on maximum range (30 miles) and weight (65kg) https://irp-cdn.multiscreensite.com/9fa12eb1/files/uploaded/Brochure%2011th%20January%202019.pdf The weight will vary according to the specification, but probably by only a few kilograms. There’s also a Facebook page that quotes 30 miles as the range. https://www.facebook.com/tubbytyrescootercompany/ There’s a review on Page 12 of this magazine https://issuu.com/mortons-digital/docs/otw_20122019-preview The company’s UK website has a FAQ section and I note the following: QUESTION: Can anyone ride your scooters? ANSWER: Off-road, yes, however for legal use on the road, the rider will need to be 16 years or older, they will need to have completed a Compulsory Basic Training (CBT) course (if necessary), they will need a crash helmet and they will need motor insurance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deneb Posted March 31, 2020 Share Posted March 31, 2020 I haven't looked at the website, but I would caution anyone thinking of buying one to first make sure that they are fully type approved, and run the type approval number past DVLA to ensure that they would register it, and also check with an insurer that it could be insured. Plenty of people bought so called "road legal" mini-motos and scooters over the years which DVLA wouldn't register and we used to seize hundreds every month for no insurance and end up crushing them because without a V5 and insurance they could not be reclaimed. If they can't be registered, they can only be used on private land with the landowner's permission. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted March 31, 2020 Share Posted March 31, 2020 The FAQ section of the website states that the two road-legal versions are "supplied tested and registered for you..." and a link is given to a possible insurance provider. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tubby Tyre Scooter Posted April 1, 2020 Share Posted April 1, 2020 Hello Everyone Firstly, thanks ‘crocs’ for starting this thread. I didn’t anticipate my post would upset the forum police. My original post was a genuine attempt to gather some relevant market research from a group of relevant and knowledgeable individuals. If I broke any rules, then I apologise. I am grateful to everyone who has posted, replied and commented in this thread. It’s great to hear people’s varying views and opinions on the subject of electric scooters, even if some are factually slightly incorrect. Whilst I have the floor (so to speak), I thought I’d shed light on some of the open comments posted. Our electric scooters are entirely UK road-legal. They are individually tested by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) and receive a certificate of compliance. We then DVLA register our scooters for our customers, and they receive a V5. We handle everything, the customer just needs to arrange motor insurance, which can be obtained from Bikesure. You must ride them on the road, not on the footpath. You’ll need a crash helmet and have completed a CBT course. If you passed your UK car driving test before February 2001, then you’re exempt the CBT ! Please don’t assume similar looking scooters are road-legal. They’re most definitely not – they do not have DVSA approval – to my knowledge, we are the only provider of this style of scooter which are UK road-legal. We also produce versions with a double seat option as well as a number of other additional features. Range is up to 30 miles, top speed is 28mph, kerb weight (without rider) is around 65kg (model dependent), Max Gross Vehicle Weight (scooter+luggage+rider/s) is 200kg. Charging time from flat is 6-8 hours from a standard household socket. That’s it. I hope I’ve not contravened too many rules with this post ! Thanks Derek Uzzell for your considered view - I appreciate it, and for sharing the links and additional information. Best regards everyone and stay safe. Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will86 Posted April 1, 2020 Share Posted April 1, 2020 The moderators who do their best to control the content on this forum are not police and I see it as quite out of order to refer to them as such. They are normal everyday people who have a dedicated interest in Motorhomes and the problems that arise in their everyday use. Its not helpful when people add titles that don't befit their purpose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ocsid Posted April 1, 2020 Share Posted April 1, 2020 Thanks Steve for a detailed clarification, I am sure it is a product filling a need and having an attraction. As you suspected, it would appeal to many motorhomers as a local powered mobility option, just as e-bikes have so strongly. I would like to know a bit more about the tyres, or more any specific challenges living with them. Plus, if recovery services like the AA, etc. are up to speed in dealing with them. I note the warranty does not cover punctures or surprisingly defects, I presume the latter owner incurred defects not any inherent in the build of a tyre? That clearly indicates they are able to be punctured. Is there anything at the roadside that can be done about that, as can with a bike? It being a big heavy lump, just thinking pushing one with a flat some ten miles back to the motorhome is at whatever age going to be difficult enough, and probably getting it transported to place of repair not that practical. If more car like, like those with no spare, is there a gunge and inflator repair? Is the tyre industry's infrastructure, eg Kwik fit etc yet set up to support these scooters, or is the repair replacement still a niche situation through yourselves? Finally, as initially posed, are any of the recovery services able to offer support, to the stranded? Thanks John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barryd999 Posted April 1, 2020 Share Posted April 1, 2020 I would have thought you would get standard breakdown cover like you would take out for any bike. However with just a 30 mile range your never going to be far from the van. leave it, get back to the van and go pick it up. at 65kg you might get some interest in the double seat version. Its 35 KG less than the lightest of motor scooters. Not for me but I can see some might find it a fun and useful addition. Main use I can see would be parking at an aire or spot outside of town and using it to get to where you want to be for sightseeing or shopping without taking the van. For shopping though ideally you need a top box and under seat storage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ocsid Posted April 1, 2020 Share Posted April 1, 2020 Barryd999 - 2020-04-01 3:00 PM I would have thought you would get standard breakdown cover like you would take out for any bike. However with just a 30 mile range your never going to be far from the van. leave it, get back to the van and go pick it up. I used to have it for a motorbike, which I suppose this is, but never for my push bike or more recently e-bike, but you are probably right cover would be available. I just imagine that roadside tyre repair of replacement from say the AA, could be "challenging", at least till these things become mainstream. For shopping, as now I suspect it will only be for the day to day needs, not the week's main shop and just as with my bike, a rucksack suffices. More recently I have panniers, which I like and no doubt an accesory serving that role in some manner, maybe like the Brompton bags will be available, but I note the website on accessories is not yet up and running. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tubby Tyre Scooter Posted April 1, 2020 Share Posted April 1, 2020 Hey John (Ocsid) Thanks very much for your post. Regarding the tyres - I hear your concerns. Firstly the warranty question - we won't supply the scooter in the first place with any visible tyre defects, so if the tyre becomes defective we assume it is resulting from the type of use which has caused the defect - much the same with car tyres - but we're open minded - if the tyre falls apart on the scooter for no reason, of course we'll cover it. As the tyres are tubeless, a small puncture could temporarily be repaired at the roadside with tyre sealant. Having said that, the tyres are quite substantial so I believe a puncture would be quite rare, however you never know ! As with all tubeless tyres, a big gash in the tyre wouldn't be fixable. We hold a stock of tyres and we dispatch to you on the same day - a new tyre won't break the bank. We're currently a growing manufacturer, so realistically the AA, RAC or whoever won't be familiar with the tyres, or the internal workings of one of our scooters, although depending on your cover, they might recover you back to your Motorhome. Finally, we're in the process of creating a service plan which, for a nominal monthly fee, means we'll come to you and service your scooter annually ensuring it remains tip top. I hope I've answered all your questions. Best regards Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinM50 Posted April 1, 2020 Share Posted April 1, 2020 A few years back, probably early noughties, a friend invited me to sail with him relocating his boat from Pisa to Cannes (yeah tough eh). We flew to Pisa and had a couple of days there messing about with his Gopeds, he had a lcoker full of them . You can find them here https://goped.co.uk. Great fun, but noisy and smelly. I thought at first it'd be a bit dangerous esp over Italian cobbles but it was OK and no safety issues. I asked matey if he had any crash helmets but his 9 yr old and 13yr old thought that was hilarious so I bit the bullet and rode without and after ten minutes was perfectly happy with the experience. The plus point with the Goped is it's quite light and when we went into restaurants or shops, just collapsed the handle and used it as a carrying handle. On a later trip in his boat to UK he did get stopped by the police on one, but just pleaded ignorance and was told to not use it again. Might be different now, The Goped is about half the cost of the Tellytubby thing but of course is still petrol and smelly and noisy. Noise is esp annoying, a harsh two stroke scream. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tubby Tyre Scooter Posted April 1, 2020 Share Posted April 1, 2020 Barryd999 - 2020-04-01 3:00 PM I would have thought you would get standard breakdown cover like you would take out for any bike. However with just a 30 mile range your never going to be far from the van. leave it, get back to the van and go pick it up. at 65kg you might get some interest in the double seat version. Its 35 KG less than the lightest of motor scooters. Not for me but I can see some might find it a fun and useful addition. Main use I can see would be parking at an aire or spot outside of town and using it to get to where you want to be for sightseeing or shopping without taking the van. For shopping though ideally you need a top box and under seat storage. Hi Barryd999 Thanks for your post. Yes, we also saw the scooters being convenient for a quick trip into town for provisions and for exploring the countryside or coast. We're currently working on a storage box, yet think a rucsack would still work. Cheers Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tubby Tyre Scooter Posted April 1, 2020 Share Posted April 1, 2020 ColinM50 - 2020-04-01 4:45 PM A few years back, probably early noughties, a friend invited me to sail with him relocating his boat from Pisa to Cannes (yeah tough eh). We flew to Pisa and had a couple of days there messing about with his Gopeds, he had a lcoker full of them . You can find them here https://goped.co.uk. Great fun, but noisy and smelly. I thought at first it'd be a bit dangerous esp over Italian cobbles but it was OK and no safety issues. I asked matey if he had any crash helmets but his 9 yr old and 13yr old thought that was hilarious so I bit the bullet and rode without and after ten minutes was perfectly happy with the experience. The plus point with the Goped is it's quite light and when we went into restaurants or shops, just collapsed the handle and used it as a carrying handle. On a later trip in his boat to UK he did get stopped by the police on one, but just pleaded ignorance and was told to not use it again. Might be different now, The Goped is about half the cost of the Tellytubby thing but of course is still petrol and smelly and noisy. Noise is esp annoying, a harsh two stroke scream. Red :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted April 1, 2020 Share Posted April 1, 2020 Tubby Tyre Scooter - 2020-04-01 4:18 PM We're currently a growing manufacturer... Steve I was under the impression that your Northamptonshire-based company retailled these scooters, but they (or their constituent components) were made in China - is this not so? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted April 1, 2020 Share Posted April 1, 2020 Derek Uzzell - 2020-04-01 6:31 PM Tubby Tyre Scooter - 2020-04-01 4:18 PM We're currently a growing manufacturer... Steve I was under the impression that your Northamptonshire-based company retailled these scooters, but they (or their constituent components) were made in China - is this not so? Similar have been sold in France for some time now. p.s. this was posted on another forum last year. https://postimg.cc/1fJMhbCC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted April 2, 2020 Share Posted April 2, 2020 As Steve has said above there are other big-tyre electric scooters, but the ‘on road’ Tubby Tyre versions are UK road legal. The reason I asked about the manufacturer of these scooters was prompted by a statement on the Amplitude Media website https://amplitudemedia.co.uk/portfolio-item/tubby-tyre-scooter-company-portfolio/ that says "THE TUBBY TYRE SCOOTER COMPANY The Tubby Tyre Scooter Company is a Midlands-based retailer of cool, eco-friendly, road legal, electric scooters. When Tubby Tyre approached us late in 2018, they were about to launch their first scooter range and wanted help from a local creative agency to create a launch campaign. They turned to Amplitude Media for help. As long as something is well made I’m generally unconcerned over where it comes from - but I'd still like to know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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