Micro cars

[SpiritMr89]

Anyone had or know about them?

Mate of mine picked one up last week (Aixiam??)

They seem weird and a complete death trap to me.

Someone that hasn't driven a car since being in the army in the 80's. Can you buy one and go for a drive.
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Hello

[Shaft]

[stinkwheel]

Looks like they are small and light enough to count as a category B1 car? Which you'd be able to drive on a full motorcycle licence. If you fancy being overtaken by spotty youths on twist and go mopeds and cyclists.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Easy-X]

In France aren't they the ones that piss-heads use when they've lost their licence?
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Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter

[Kawasaki Jimbo]

[stinkwheel]

Effectively a bubble car. I think they have their place in urban transport. It's still a very long way from the wackiest bubble car design ever made
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Polarbear]

[slowasyoulike]

Avoid at all costs. I briefly had an electric Aixam, it couldn't even hit 30mph, and this was before all the electrical faults kicked in. There was no proper dealer network, so no spares, just beardy chancers importing these plastic deathtraps and some equally useless electric scooters (Vectrix). Can't remember the name now but their Ltd Co was would up within 2 years of launch.

The conventionally fuelled ones are equally wank - both were powered by stationary (i.e. generator) engines that aren't designed to be revved (diesel =Kubota, petrol = Lombardini). I've driven a diesel one and the acceleration is glacial even when compared to a push iron. You'd be better off buying a Chinese 125 or, better still, repeatedly slamming your head in a door until you pass out.

[Skudd]

They are Quads with a roof or a Quad is a car without a roof. Anyway I hate Quads.
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Famous last words of Humpty Dumpty. " Stop pushing me "
Petty Anarchists look at "1984".............. The Visionary looks at "Animal Farm".

[stinkwheel]

You'd probably get a classic Izetta or Bond Bug for less money.
____________________
“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Freddyfruitba...]

[droog]

This bloke was an uber 'early adopter' - he was driving an electric micro car in the UK back in 1977!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfHx0FsZXKQ
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Even more boring in real life . . .

[Kawasaki Jimbo]

This guy too:

https://www.lrukforums.com/threads/electric-vehicle-conversions-nothing-new.261260/

https://www.lrukforums.com/attachments/unnamed-2020-06-14t123641-238-jpg.151937/

https://www.aircraftrestorationcompany.com/blenheim

https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55f810a5e4b0e5bde7f7a7d4/1550682310735-ZDXQ4CLDP2KYLUUNVH28/ARCo-Bristol-Blenheim-Flying-Feature.jpg?format=1500w

[Skudd]

Do these battery cars deliver milk to your door in the morning too?
____________________
Famous last words of Humpty Dumpty. " Stop pushing me "
Petty Anarchists look at "1984".............. The Visionary looks at "Animal Farm".

[stinkwheel]

What we really could do with in the UK are more kei cars. There are a few in the UK but they make loads of them in Japan.

A lot of them are really very cool but they are also small, light anf fuel efficient. It's a market a bit like the 250cc Japanese sportsbikes of the early 90's, if they qualify as a kei car, they are cheap to tax, exempt from the most rigorous inspections and (I think) you don't need a full licence. As such all the kids buy them and they want something cool so it's a competative market. To qualify as a kei, they have to have an engine no bigger than 660cc and must fit inside an imaginary (small) box.

Mrs stinkwheel really wanted a Honda S200 but the cost of importing one was getting silly.
____________________
“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Easy-X]

Kei "bike" ?

https://powersports.honda.com/street/minimoto/navi

https://www.motorcycle.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/jonnum_honda_navi-484_web-1.jpg


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Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter

[Robby]

[stinkwheel]

[defblade]

https://youtu.be/hScjggOSAUU
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Honda Varadero 125cc => Suzuki Bandit 650 33bhp => 77bhp =>
BMW K1200R Sport 163bhp => Aprilia Shiver GT 750 95bhp

[SpiritMr89]

Drove the bloody thing last night.

What a death trap. Used to driving things that weigh 300x that. But was frigging scared. Over 40mph it seemed like it was driving on sheet ice and just drifting over the road.
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Hello

[UncleFester]

S660 @Stinkwheel?
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Module 1 and 2 passed - October 2014. Happy owner of a 2017 Z1000SX, ex owner of a YBR125 / CB500 / VFR800.

[thx1138]

I saw one, where windows were an optioinal extra, and it was already silly money,

[Fat Angry Scotsman]

[Bhud]

Can't imagine it being a big success in this country. Not safe, not cool, too expensive. People already get on a bus to get to Asda or Lidl, all the way across town, or jump in a big 4x4 to go to Sainsburys a couple of hundred metres away and across the road. Too much of an ask, culturally. Not much sense, practically.
In Spain and France, maybe.

[Fat Angry Scotsman]