I never understood why 3-wheeler cars could be driven on a motorbike licence whereas 4-wheel ones can't. It's surprising that once the Powers That Be realised the unintended consequence of this law, they didn't change it.
It's good that they didn't, for all those motorbike riders who were also licensed to drive 3-wheelers.
Only the ones with no reverse gear.
I thought it the lack of a reverse gear that alows motor-cyclist to drive them.
originally yes but that has changed a number of times
currently
There is still a belief that if you pass a motorcycle test that you can drive a 3-wheeler like a Reliant Robin, this is no longer the case. For those who took a motorcycle test and gained Group A on their license before February 2001, this gave them the full Group B1 entitlement. However, passing your motorcycle test after February 2001 does not give you full Group B1 entitlement. For those who passed a car test (Group B), although the driving license may not be explicitly marked with Group B1, it is included because Group B is the main category and also covers the sub-category B1
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A close friend had one; this must have been late '60s. Not new, and I've no idea what model, but it gave him no end of trouble: gearbox and big end bearings, mostly. Give me my old MG any time.
Old cars like that, if looked after, do OK. Problems start when they've not been maintained. If you buy one S/H and you don't know the history you've no idea if it has been looked after. There are stories of old cars doing fantastic mileages without major problems - just regular maintenance and replacement of service parts.
The Isetta bubble car was originally manufactured in the UK as a 4 wheeler, but was soon changed to 3 to improve sales. (the original BMW version had been 3 wheel for a little while before they added the 4th wheel because of stability problems)
I think that changed sometime in the 1960s. I've been trying to find definitive information on when, though.
And mine (KR200) has 4 'reverse gears'. ;-)
Ironically I drove my 3 wheeler on my car licence but my Uncle drove his Regal / Robin on his bike licence.
Similar complexity with towing trailers etc.
Do people still get Category K (mowing machines or pedestrian-controlled vehicles) as std these days ... not that many people would have the use ... except our daughter ironically. ;-)
Cheers, T i m
Is that the one where you stop the engine, switch to a different contact breaker and start again?
I wonder why they didn't apply the same logic to the Messerschmitt KR200 that was much longer and so effectively narrower?
The Messerschmitt 'Tiger 500' was a full 4 wheeler so that didn't really apply?
Cheers, T i m
Yup. ;-)
It has a std ignition switch but that can be pushed in before turning to enable reverse mode (and the alternative set of points). [1]
A big relay managed the Dynastart so that you also got starting and charging, even in reverse. ;-)
Cheers, T i m
[1] Because you weren't supposed to engage reverse starting until the engine had come to a halt from forwards, those of us that preferred reverse quicker than that (like when doing the driving event at the International Messerschmitt rally), knew to stall the engine after killing the fwd ignition before starting quickly in reverse. ;-)In article , "Dave Plowman (News)" writes
Only in your mind.
Yup. A series 'A' engine will last indefinitely if you replace big ends every 30,000 , main bearings every 60,000 and rebore it and replace the pistons every 90,000...aqs long as you decoke asnd rehrind the valves at the same time you do the main bearings..
I passed my three-wheeler test in late 1966, using a car with a reverse gear, so it was before then. It also gave me permission to drive things like motorcycles, motor mowers, etc, none of which I ever did.
I've not worked on many A series engines but I'm surprised the big ends only last 30k miles, or even the mains only 60k. 30k is only about
3years driving and replacing the big ends isn't a small job, I'd expect it to be a well known issue if it was a common problem.In message , "Dave Plowman (News)" writes
ISTR you had to blank off the reverse on a 3 wheeler Morgan to drive on a bike licence.
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Hmm.. the chassis rot eventually made passing an MOT doubtful so I took it off the road for a full rebuild. Sadly, Morgans had just stopped supplying the series 11 chassis so I had to *make one*. The so-called Ash frame is only the bit around the cockpit. The actual chassis is a thumping great Z section H frame in mild steel.
Well funademntally if you doidnt change the ends then you diod a full regrind at 60k when you did the mains.
I weas chaning big ends every six months on my spitfire 1500 at one point when I was doing 160 miles a DAY.
Never had an A series that wasnt more or less hot by 80,000 miles
Contraisiwe my defender TD5 never was run in till it had 30k on the clock
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The parking lights that aren't legal when you need parking lights!
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