There have been many investigations by the Department of Labour Inspections towards mini motos. These bikes have had a good look over in order to see if they are safe for people to ride.
The company are worried as there are allegations that there are serious construction and design faults with these bikes.
The director has said that it is hard for regulations to be put onto these bikes as it is hard to categorise them, they are not motor vehicles as they are not intended for use on roads, nor are they toys as they have a combustion engine, so categorising them and making them stick to regulations is not that easy.
They tested one bike which was the ‘CMM Superminicross 125cc’, they have said that this vehicle is likely to cause anyone riding it serious cuts, burns or injuries.
These are a few of their findings which they feel make the bike unsafe:
– a finger can easily be inserted up to the sprocket since the chain guard near the sprocket is insufficient;
– there is no chain guard near the gear cog to prevent trapping between the gear cog and the chain;
– the lateral protection of the exhaust heats up to 84?C and the bend of the exhaust pipe in the foot area heats up to 230?C;
– the product contains sharp edges, such as the panels for protecting the underside and the brake pedal;
– the intake air filter falls off when touched and it is in a position where it can easily be hit by a foot;
– the operation of the fuel shutoff valve is awkward since the plastic parts of the bodywork make it difficult to operate;
– the throttle (air) does not stay in position;
– the noise level is excessive;
– the warning information and instruction manual are incomplete.”
Therefore they belive that there should be some form of regulation put onto these bikes, they are campaigning to the government to ensure that these bikes are safe for people to use, as they currently are not!
