Monkey Bikes in the UK getting pressure to be banned
02-23-2005, 12:44 PM
#1
50 NUT
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Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: San Francisco, CA
Age: 47
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Monkey Bikes in the UK getting pressure to be banned
Hey guys this isn’t that new of news to the guys on the UK monkey bike forum's but i thought it would be interesting to share it with you all because you might find it interesting to see the public view of the bikes out there. It will also give you a view as to how popular these bikes are in the UK. They are pretty much the cousin to our XR/CRF's. Below is a pic of my Monkey Bike for those of you that don’t know what they look like.
This was posted up on the uk monkey bike form and was taken from paper the Evening standard, London.
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Also I'm not sure if the author has made a clear distinction between minimotos & Monkey bikes since the text clearly implies Monkey bikes yet shows a pic of a Minimoto which I can't retrieve electronically.
Here it is.
Author(s): PAUL SIMS
Publication title: Evening Standard. London (UK): Feb 18, 2005. pg. 29
Source type: Newspaper
SAFETY campaigners today called for fashionable miniature motorbikes to be banned from the roads.
Thousands of 2ft tall "Monkey Bikes" - which cost around Pounds 2,000 and have a top speed of less than 30mph - have been sold in the UK in the last year.
Robbie Williams is the proud owner of one of the two-wheelers, which have become increasingly popular with teenagers.
But The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents today said they are a danger and should be banned.
The news comes the day after a fouryearold boy was killed when his 50cc bike collided with a car in Belfast.
Under the current law riders must be over 16 - and hold a provisional licence - before they can take a Monkey Bike out on the roads.
But in reality there are no checks to prevent underage riders and little understanding of the law associated with the toy-like bikes.
Kevin Clinton, head of road safety at RoSpa, said: "Even if they are legal to ride on the road we are concerned that their small size will make it harder for drivers to see the riders - especially in traffic and at junctions."
He added: "The small bikes are more appropriate for off-road use, but even then they need to be used in controlled environments so riders don't endanger others. We are also concerned that users will not be trained to use this specific type of bike."
The Japanese Monkey Bike, which cost up to Pounds 1,895, was created by Honda during the Sixties. The Duke of Edinburgh is a fan, and is said to race round Windsor Park on his model.
David Blackwell, managing director of Monkey Bike UK, said the problem was the cheap imitations of the bike which are now flooding the market.
"Every Jack-the-lad is selling them down the car boot and that's where some of this market is going at the moment," he said.
"Half a dozen are getting together, putting in Pounds 5,000 a piece to buy a container full of them before flogging them at a boot sale to the public, without documentation or the proper training.
"With the lack of quality and the fact they are being sold out of the back of Transit vans there are certainly issues over their safety."
Monkey Bikes are a particular problem in Kew, according to Liberal Democrat councillor Jane Arneil, of Richmond council. She has had several complaints from residents who say the bikes are so small they are hard to see from behind the wheel.
She says: "I have asked police to educate and stop the youths from playing this dangerous, illegal game and also to target any shops that may be selling the bikes inappropriately."
This was posted up on the uk monkey bike form and was taken from paper the Evening standard, London.
------------------------------------------------------------
Also I'm not sure if the author has made a clear distinction between minimotos & Monkey bikes since the text clearly implies Monkey bikes yet shows a pic of a Minimoto which I can't retrieve electronically.
Here it is.
Author(s): PAUL SIMS
Publication title: Evening Standard. London (UK): Feb 18, 2005. pg. 29
Source type: Newspaper
SAFETY campaigners today called for fashionable miniature motorbikes to be banned from the roads.
Thousands of 2ft tall "Monkey Bikes" - which cost around Pounds 2,000 and have a top speed of less than 30mph - have been sold in the UK in the last year.
Robbie Williams is the proud owner of one of the two-wheelers, which have become increasingly popular with teenagers.
But The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents today said they are a danger and should be banned.
The news comes the day after a fouryearold boy was killed when his 50cc bike collided with a car in Belfast.
Under the current law riders must be over 16 - and hold a provisional licence - before they can take a Monkey Bike out on the roads.
But in reality there are no checks to prevent underage riders and little understanding of the law associated with the toy-like bikes.
Kevin Clinton, head of road safety at RoSpa, said: "Even if they are legal to ride on the road we are concerned that their small size will make it harder for drivers to see the riders - especially in traffic and at junctions."
He added: "The small bikes are more appropriate for off-road use, but even then they need to be used in controlled environments so riders don't endanger others. We are also concerned that users will not be trained to use this specific type of bike."
The Japanese Monkey Bike, which cost up to Pounds 1,895, was created by Honda during the Sixties. The Duke of Edinburgh is a fan, and is said to race round Windsor Park on his model.
David Blackwell, managing director of Monkey Bike UK, said the problem was the cheap imitations of the bike which are now flooding the market.
"Every Jack-the-lad is selling them down the car boot and that's where some of this market is going at the moment," he said.
"Half a dozen are getting together, putting in Pounds 5,000 a piece to buy a container full of them before flogging them at a boot sale to the public, without documentation or the proper training.
"With the lack of quality and the fact they are being sold out of the back of Transit vans there are certainly issues over their safety."
Monkey Bikes are a particular problem in Kew, according to Liberal Democrat councillor Jane Arneil, of Richmond council. She has had several complaints from residents who say the bikes are so small they are hard to see from behind the wheel.
She says: "I have asked police to educate and stop the youths from playing this dangerous, illegal game and also to target any shops that may be selling the bikes inappropriately."
02-23-2005, 12:47 PM
#2
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Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Jerzey
Age: 34
Posts: 1,082
Re: Monkey Bikes in the UK getting pressure to be banned
Hey Brad, could you post some pics of you riding that? I wanna see it in action.
It definatly bytes that they are trying to ban them in the UK, i dont know if it will really happen. I remember hearing rumors that Kerry would try and ban ATV use, but thats never going to happen, nor, do i think it was true.
It definatly bytes that they are trying to ban them in the UK, i dont know if it will really happen. I remember hearing rumors that Kerry would try and ban ATV use, but thats never going to happen, nor, do i think it was true.
02-23-2005, 12:48 PM
#3
50 NUT
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Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: San Francisco, CA
Age: 47
Posts: 1,627
Re: Monkey Bikes in the UK getting pressure to be banned
Originally Posted by f1fty
Hey Brad, could you post some pics of you riding that? I wanna see it in action.
It definatly bytes that they are trying to ban them in the UK, i dont know if it will really happen. I remember hearing rumors that Kerry would try and ban ATV use, but thats never going to happen, nor, do i think it was true.
It definatly bytes that they are trying to ban them in the UK, i dont know if it will really happen. I remember hearing rumors that Kerry would try and ban ATV use, but thats never going to happen, nor, do i think it was true.
02-23-2005, 03:39 PM
#5
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Join Date: Jul 2003
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Re: Monkey Bikes in the UK getting pressure to be banned
Originally Posted by adamf4i
gettin insurance for it 
i want to see pics also
i want to see pics also
Yeah you have to have insurance for it to ride in on the road out here.
02-23-2005, 06:41 PM
#6
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Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Basking Ridge,NJ
Age: 35
Posts: 37
Re: Monkey Bikes in the UK getting pressure to be banned
i remember seeing them on insomniac. these guys drive around the city pack it up in drunk peoples car and drive them home safe and sound. whatever gets the job done
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