Rules for riding 50cc Mopeds

[JonH]

Hi, I am new to this forum and just in the process of buying a house in the South of France. This is a holiday home with a view to spending more time there as i reduce work commitments. We drive down regularly and will continue to do so, however there will also be times when we will fly. We are very happy to use bikes to get around but it would be really useful if my wife & could use mopeds. Nothing too powerful, just to get to the local villages/towns for cafe and to buy essentials.

With a clean UK driving licence since the 1980's can we buy and insure a 50cc moped without doing any tests etc? I have done CBT before in the UK, but never got around to doing the full bike test.

Many thanks

[mint]

Instead of buying mopeds, why don't you buy one of those little sans permit cars?

Does anyone know whether JonH and his Mrs can insure one of those here if they are non resident?

[HoneySuckleDreams]

With an English licence you can ride up to 125cc without taking "the code" ...theory (but in French), but you will have to do an 8 hour riding introduction. In my case, it was actually about 3 hours on the bike, but still had to pay for the 8.  It maybe more relaxed for a 50cc, no 3 son had to do a certain number of hours induction, but he was only 15. It's only an "induction" - there is no actual test that I could see.

I can't comment on the sans permit cars other than if you do drive one everyone will think you've been done for drink driving

[JonH]

Thanks for the replies.

So I still have to do some kind of induction even for 50cc's ?

[HoneySuckleDreams]

[quote user="JonH"]Thanks for the replies. So I still have to do some kind of induction even for 50cc's ?[/quote]

I don't know for definite...but someone else on this forum will be along to say yay or nay. I only have my experience to go on and No3 son did, but he has never held a UK licence.

I would doubt you personally would need to do anything for a 50cc bike but as you don't hold a full bike licence I can't say for certain, sorry

 

[nomoss]

My french licence specifically shows that I can drive motorcycles which are both under 125cc and under 11kW.

My UK licence, which I exchanged for the french one, did not have any motorcycle entitlement.

I doubt whether one could legally drive a 125cc 'bike as above without a licence which shows entitlement.

No licence is required fo a 50cc moped whose speed is limited to 45km/hr for someone born before 1st January 1988.

[Chancer]

[quote user="nomoss"]My french licence specifically shows that I can drive motorcycles which are both under 125cc and under 11kW.

My UK licence, which I exchanged for the french one, did not have any motorcycle entitlement.

I doubt whether one could legally drive a 125cc 'bike as above without a licence which shows entitlement.

No licence is required fo a 50cc moped whose speed is limited to 45km/hr for someone born before 1st January 1988.

[/quote]

 

Do you mean that in swapping the license you gained the sub 125 categorie?

For the final sentence, does that relate to France or the UK or both? Do you really mean no license or you can ride a moped using the car license?

In 1975 at the age of 16 must have I needed a license to ride my moped (although I took no test) because when I took my car test on my 17th birthday it already carried a lot of endorsements from my driving cars underage and I would not have paid for a license unless it was needed.

My father never ever took a drving test, he just paid for his license at the post office and got behind the Wheel.

[nomoss]

[quote user="Chancer"]

 

Do you mean that in swapping the license you gained the sub 125 categorie?  Yes

For the final sentence, does that relate to France or the UK or both? I don't know about UK now - our daughter drove a 50cc moped legally there at age 16 in 1981, but I believe that has changed now.

Do you really mean no license or you can ride a moped using the car license? The 125 restricted licence comes with a car licence. Moped as stated above

[url]http://vosdroits.service-public.fr/particuliers/F1464.xhtml[/url]

In 1975 at the age of 16 must have I needed a license to ride my moped I think not, as daughter didn't need one in 1980 (although I took no test) because when I took my car test on my 17th birthday it already carried a lot of endorsements from my driving cars underage and I would not have paid for a license unless it was needed.

My father never ever took a drving test, he just paid for his license at the post office and got behind the Wheel.

[/quote]

[Chancer]

A long time ago and memories are hazy but I think you are right, I had no license for the moped and when  applied for my provisional license so that I could take my driving test it came pre-loaded with endorsements [:'(]

I can now recall the examiner scratching his head, 17 year old taking test immediately on his birthday and his license is already endorsed for motoring offences [:-))]

Come to think of it they probably couldnt enforce a driving ban on a non license holder so I was very Lucky.

[JonH]

Excellent thanks for this advice. So 50cc is OK, which is what I thought.

Given that we are not going to be resident for a while I will keep UK licence, but maybe in time do the 125cc assessment if my 50cc hairdryer doesn't give me enough of a buzz.....

[AnOther]

For reasons I don't understand because I didn't have it on my UK licence when I exchanged it for a French one I got given A1 and having that was all I needed to insure a 100cc scooter.

I'd put off getting one before that because of the training and I think that is the crux of the matter in France, you have at least A1 or do the training.