Restricted 33bhp License / Restriction Kits / 33bhp Bikes

[johanek]

Reflections on my experience of having a 33bhp restricted license


My two year restricted period is just coming to an end - I did my test on a 125cc bike in Jan 2007. I chose to do the restricted test despite being easily old enough to do DAS because there would be less days training and thus cheaper, and also because I was riding a scooter around London at the time and my motivation was to be able to carry my girlfriend pillion. However it was so much fun riding a geared motorbike it made me want something bigger and better!

So I write this to pull together all the info I found when researching my situation once I had my licence, to help anyone considering it who also wants to ride a larger capacity bike in the future.


The problems with the 33bhp license

The biggest problem is the lack of bikes available that fall within the power limit. As far as I'm aware, no manufacturer makes a bike designed to be within the limit, aside from the Kawasaki Ninja 250R. So you're limited to an older bike that happens to fall within the limit, or restricting a larger bike. More on that later...

If you do DAS, the 500cc bike you're riding a full size motorcycle with 'full size' responses to the controls - they are physically a similar size to a typical 600cc bike, and weigh a similar amount. You need to learn the right techniques to ride it well enough to pass the test, particularly the slow speed maneuvers, U turn etc.

The 125cc bikes you learn and test on with the restricted licence are significantly smaller and lighter. It is very easy to muscle around, and get what you need done without particularly good machine control.

If you are old enough to do DAS, and want to ride bigger bikes, it's worth doing DAS to be trained on how to ride a big bike well.


What bike can I get?

As mentioned above, there are two options. Buy a bike (usually an older model) that falls within the power limit, or get a restrictor kit fitted that reduces the power output of a bigger bike.

When it comes to bikes that fall under the limit, Bat Motorcycles has a list at: https://www.bat-motorcycles.co.uk/33bhp.asp

Frankly, most of those bikes are very old or as rare as hen's teeth. The Bros 400, CB400 and Goose 350 are the most readily available to my knowledge. Note that not all editions of these models fall under 33bhp though, so double check.

There may be some modern 250cc bikes that fall under the limit - the Ninja 250R is the only one I know of. Also various maxi scooters up to 400cc fall under the limit, if you're interested in riding those then the restricted license may be suitable for you.


Restriction Kits

So the other, more viable option, is to restrict a larger bike. This generally involves placing some washers into the carbs to restrict the air flow intake, but it is sometimes achieved by other methods. Most of these kits are supplied by FI international, but some manufacturers may also be able to provide them for their bikes.

The problem with these kits is that they are very expensive for what they are. You'll be paying around £200 for some washers. Really, that's all they are - washers of a particular size. The other side of it is that you receive a "certificate of restriction" which can only be validated by a dealer, so you also have to pay for fitting your washers.

Frankly, the whole restrictor kit business is a bit of a scam. The certificate of restriction has no legal founding. It may be convenient to provide to your insurer if they ask for it, but it proves nothing. More about that later.

Another downside of restrictor kits is that they are modifying the way the fueling is designed to work. Anecdotal evidence suggests that they will make your bike run rich/lean. My experience was that my bike ran rich - I experienced carbon fouling on the spark plugs.

If you can live without a certificate, it may be possible to buy a kit from ebay or similar - they do pop up occasionally. Sometimes they even come with an unused certificate - you could get a local mechanic to sign it then instead.

Otherwise, there are regularly a limited number of used bikes for sale with kits already fitted. The certificate won't have your name on it, but it will have the identifying marks of the bike on it, so this may suffice. However, used bikes with restrictor kits sell at a premium.

Suzuki have been running a deal for some time where if you purchase a selected new bike from them they will provide a restrictor kit free of charge. This is a good option if you're looking to buy a new bike. But if you can afford a new bike, and you are old enough to do DAS, then you can also afford to do DAS and just get the bike you want. https://www.suzuki-gb.co.uk/promo/000058/

If you go down the restricted bike route, check with your insurer what their policy is regarding providing certificates to help you decide what you should do.


Taking out the restrictor kits

It seems common practice to obtain a certificate of restriction, or other proof that the bikes power output is less than 33bhp, and then remove the restriction kit. Anecdotal evidence suggests that getting into trouble with the Police for doing this seems extremely unlikely, as most Police seem unconcerned about restriction, or unaware of the restriction law. How would the Police confirm that a bike has been restricted correctly? By running a dyno test? What if the bike has been in an accident and doesn't run anymore? These questions have never been satisfactorily answered. Circumstantially, it appears the restriction law is not a priority, hence why so many riders remove the kits.

The problem arrives when it comes to insurance. Should you have an accident and your insurance company gets involved, you can be sure they'll be interested if you claimed your bike was restricted.

It's up to you if you want to take the risk. But, if you are old enough to take DAS, why do all this faffing around or take the risk? Just do DAS.


My Advice on the restricted license

If you're not old enough to do DAS, and you want to get something bigger than a 125 (and can afford the insurance!) then you've got no option - you have to deal with the restriction.

If you're coming up to your 21st birthday, you should seriously consider waiting to do DAS. I know how difficult it can be to wait for something you really want, but later on you'll only end up waiting for your restriction period to finish - or take out the restriction kit early.

If you're sure that, for the next two years at least, you'll want to stick to a small bike or a scooter and you want to carry pillions or travel on the motorway then the restricted license may be a good choice for you. But don't think that if you change your mind then the pathway to a bigger bike is easy within the restriction period!

I may be sounding like a broken record at this point, but it's because I feel I made the wrong choice in doing the restricted license without investigating what the implications were. If you're old enough to do DAS and may want to ride a bigger bike in the next two years, then just do DAS. There is a reason why most people old enough choose DAS over the restricted license, and I've listed them above.


References:

N.B. I may have liberally used the information in these pages without explicitly quoting

https://www.visordown.com/forum/forummessages.asp?dt=4&UTN=320311&last=1&V=1&SP=

[johanek]

Hi,

I thought I'd post this as there didn't seem to be anything around bringing together all the details of the implications of the restricted license, despite there being plenty of threads about restriction etc

There's nothing in there about the legalities of the license or the test itself - that's already well covered

The focus is on people like me who are over 21 and thinking about doing the restricted test - but I believe the info in there is useful for those who already have one or don't have the option of doing DAS.

Hope it's useful. Let me know if there is anything incorrect, that needs changing etc.

[cicatrez]

Nice little read. I'm 22, and just want to get my test out of the way before the new ones come in.. I'm in london, and 125cc seems ample for these roads. doing the test on my bike would prob be easier then having to learn on a larger, heavier,faster bike.
some other 33hp bikes include the hyosung GT250R and the kawasaki gpz305.

As you mentioned many times.. only do the DAS if you can afford a bigger bike, insure it, maintain it and really are able to ride one.
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'02 Honda City Fly

[daemonoid]

I'm nearer the beginning of my restriction (3 months in as a 28 year old) and currently I'm happy with it.

You mention the ninja 250r, the other option along the same lines is the hyosung gt250r which is what I've got.

You seem not to have much trouble with the restriction itself merely the p1ssing around you need to do to abide by the restriction? I think over the coming years more manufacturers will produce 33bhp legal bikes as the 250r is kwak's best selling bike!

Good piece, I don't personally agree with the point you keep re-iterating about doing DAS instead, but the rest is well put. Out of interest what bike were you on? My personal thought is that 33bhp is 'enough' for a first bike and i want to learn to ride properly and I also like being able to really wring the neck of my bike without accidentally ending up doing 150mph in third
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current: ducati monster 750
past: hyosung gt250r, bajaj pulsar 180, hyosung gt 125 comet
@thomasgarrard | www.straitjkt.com | www.racingseven.com

[johanek]

Well, the restriction has been in place for some time - 10 years at least. I know the idea was mooted in the mid-late 80s. In all that time, no serious 33bhp solution has been introduced, aside from restrictors and the couple of bikes mentioned.

The trouble I had was due to my own ignorance and lack of information about the subject. I thought there would be a market of bikes readily available - the fact is that there is not, and a little bit of extra time and money when I was doing my test would have saved some hassle. There are a lot of ifs on the "do DAS" statement, but I really think it makes sense.

I ended up with a GPZ500 that came with the restriction kit fitted & certificate in someone elses name. I never had any reason to use the certificate, no accidents and I try to keep my nose clean. But I also like to prepare for the worst...

I agree that 33bhp is enough for a start, but I wish there was a better choice of bikes. There are a ton of Japanese 250s that would do the trick, but they all seem to be imported into countries like New Zealand that allow learners to ride 250cc bikes.

[Kickstart]

[johanek]

I take that back then. The only one I could find is the Honda VTR250. The others available are awfully close though i.e. <40bhp. Again, not enough bikes designed to meet the spec

[daemonoid]

I don't know what more you want... that bat list you linked to is over 50 bikes, there's then the two 'sports' 250s mentioned in this thread, not forgetting the 125 2 strokes that produce ~30bhp (aprilia 125rs, honda nsr125 etc.). And of course all the classic bikes - only the top end bikes put out over 30 bhp if you look pre 1970.

You only have to like the look of 1 of them and you're set for 2 years!
____________________
current: ducati monster 750
past: hyosung gt250r, bajaj pulsar 180, hyosung gt 125 comet
@thomasgarrard | www.straitjkt.com | www.racingseven.com

[johanek]

There may be 50 bikes on that list, but most of them are either as underpowered as a 125 (CB250, GS250) or 250cc dirt bikes. The rest are very old bikes. For example, the only relevant bikes I can see on ebay at the moment are a handful of 30+ year old CB400s.

I'm not saying it's impossible to find something, but the options are extremely limited.

[iooi]

Good post

[RichieZX6R]

I thought most of the old 400's (CB etc) produce around 50ish bhp. I had a 1994 Superfour that was around this. or are we talking about the 1970's etc CB4's?
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Current: Kawazaki ZX6R 51
Past: Kawazaki ZX6R 96 - Honda CBR 600F4 05 - Dragstar 125 02 - Honda CB 400 SF 94 - Honda NSR 125 51 - Gilera Runner XV125 04

[Kickstart]

[Noxious89123]

It would of been a far better thing if the government had just said that learners can ride anything upto 250cc. That used to be the law iirc, and many people never even bothered to move to anything bigger than that!
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'06 Honda CBR125RW-6 ~ '00 Honda CBR600F-Y ~ '07 Honda CBR600RR-7 ~ Bikeless
'53 Ford Ka 1.3 ~ '03 Vauxhall Astra SRi 1.8 ~ '52 Vauxhall Astra SRi 2.2 ~ '53 Vauxhall Astra GSi

[Newbiker0507]

Good thread...it's certainly made me think again about what I'm doing...as I'm teetering on the edge of doing the DAS or doing the A2. I cannot afford to do the DAS and fail...whereas I can afford to do the A2 at least twice.

[chris-red]

I found the DAS bikes (GS/CB 500) are much smaller than most 600.

Restriction is usually best off being bought from a dealer. Triumph Charged me £60 to restrict my Speed Four this included the kit and fitting.

Most modern bikes do not use carbs therefore not carb washers they use throttle stops.


Do not ever give those theiving bastards at FI a penny.

There are a few bikes that are under 33bhp standard,

All 125's (barring some tuned sport/mx bikes)

Here are some from an list I found on the net there are definately more. My personal choice would be a WR250

Honda
Rebel 250
GB250
Steed 400
CB400
FT500
XL500S
XL500R
BROS400
GB400TT
NV400C
VRX400
MAGNA250
CB250RS
CB250NH
XLR250
XLR250Degree
XR250
Kawasaki
KE175-D
Z200-A
Estrella 250
KL250-C
Z250-A
Z250-B
Z250-C
EL250-D/F
KL250 D7
KLX250-G

Kawazaki
Ninja 250


Suzuki
Goose 350
DR350S
Intruder 400
DR250S
Desperado 400
DR400S
SP400
SP370
GS250T
GSX250E
GT200
GT250E
LS650F
SB200
LS400Savage
LS400Tempter
SX200
VS400
TS185ER
TS250ER
GN250
DR350SE
LS650P
RV200

Yamaha
DT175MX
RD200DX
RS200
SRV250
XS250SE
XS250
XT250
SRX250
Drag Star 400
SRX400
SR500
SR250
XV250
XT350
SDR200
TT250
Serow 225
SR400
SR500
Tricker 250
WR250
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Well, you know what they say. If you want to save the world, you have to push a few old ladies down the stairs.
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WANTED:- Fujinon (Fuji) M42 (Screw on) lenses, let me know if you have anything.

[poppy_garden]

ok, so.. as for a cert of 33bhp

in theory.... if my mate timmy down the road had a dyno, made from a scaffold pipe and 2 skateboard wheel's and a few nuts n bolt's

and he signs a scrap of paper saying ''my'' hayabusa is only making 33bhp ?

where would the law stand on this?

i know it's stupid, but theres notthing stoping me doing it? is there?

smell loophole?

[steppen22]

As a week long 33 bhp'er (old enough to do das by a long shot), I'll say that

I don't mind having a low powered bike. most of my time on the bike will be functional - work, etc. I don't want a missile becuase I know how I feel after work and having all of that power will get ... used.

I don't want to lose my license: I know my own mind well enough to say that I have a side of myself that is too immature for a big old sportsbike.

It's not the idea of restriction that bothers me.

But I think the 33bhp restriction is too... arbitrary (does anyone know the thinking behind this figure - why not 31 or 34 etc?). 50 bhp I think would be reasonable: you'd be able to shop around a greater diversity of bikes, but you'd not be able to consider those with silly power and speed.

I don't mind, really. Don't think it's a big deal, just means it's a little more tedious trying to find the right bike.
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no regrets, no retreat, no apology.
I've made mistakes in the past, and I apologise for FUCK ALL.

[The Original Muzza]

[cicatrez]

going along the same lines..
What does a garage need to have in order to be able to write a certificate for fitting a restriction? a qualification? ( kinda like an MOT?).
if there's nothing.. I don't see why a person just buys the washers. fits it. then writes up there own cert, saying its restricted. if you were a part time mechanic?
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'02 Honda City Fly

[Kickstart]

[poppy_garden]

[Kickstart]

Hi

In which case just type one up. It has no legal status. The police can still quite happily decide to test it.

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[mickm]

hello there. i have read many threads such as this describing what the law states and what you can and cannot do.

Does anyone actually know the consequences of getting caught on a restricted license while driving without a restriction kit?

is it a slap on the wrists or something that will act as an actual deterrent?

[Kickstart]

Hi

Effectively you are riding without a licence.

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[steppen22]