The Rules

Rules, rules, rules - sometimes they can seem a bit over the top. But if you know what they are it’s easier to stay safe, enjoy your scooting and avoid getting slapped with a fine. Here are the biggies.

The basics

Weight limit

  • Each bike is designed to carry a maximum weight.
  • If a bike is carrying more than it is designed to, it can become dangerously difficult to handle and the added pressure on the tyres can cause a blow-out at any time.
  • Over time, a bike that has been carrying excess weight will literally start to fall apart.
  • For some of the smaller bikes the maximum design weight can be less than the weight of an average kiwi man, so it's worth checking.
  • And remember to allow for the weight of your riding gear as well as the stuff you might want to carry, like textbooks, your laptop or a bit of shopping.

Registration - moped or motorcycle

  • Registration is when a bike first goes on the NZ Vehicle Register and gets its number plate.
  • All bikes must be registered as either a moped or a motorcycle.
  • If your bike has a power output of more than two kiloWatts (2kW), is more than 50cc and has a maximum design speed of more than 50km/h it must be registered as a motorcycle rather than a moped.

Vehicle licence

  • There is a regular fee you have to pay to use the roads.
  • Petrol and non-petrol bikes each have three different rates depending on whether they're a moped, a motorcycle under 61cc or a motorcycle that's over 61cc.
  • A petrol-powered moped is the cheapest.

Rider licence

  • To ride a bike classed as a moped, you need a New Zealand driver licence of any class, so a car driver licence is OK.
  • To ride a bike classed as a motorcycle however, you must have a motorcycle licence.

Import inspection

  • If a bike has an engine bigger than 50cc or a maximum speed of more than 50km/h then, when it is imported, it has to meet all the technical requirements for a motorcycle.
  • Bikes classed as mopeds aren't given this inspection, so whether they're new or used, you can't automatically rely on them being up to the same minimum standards. It's a really good idea to get an independent pre-purchase inspection and regular safety checks.

Warrant of fitness

  • Bikes that are classes as mopeds don't need a Warrant of Fitness, unless their engine size is more than 50cc.
  • If you ride a moped, it's up to you to make sure it has all the legally required equipment. If not you could be fined or taken to court.
  • Bikes that are classed as motorcycles must have a Warrant of Fitness and be kept to warrant of fitness standard.

Minimum equipment for a moped

All mopeds must have:

  • legal tyres - all the way around the tyre, it must be easy to see the tread covering at least 3/4 of the tyre width
  • a horn that can be heard at least 100m away by road users in normal traffic conditions
  • mudguards, if it is practical to fit them
  • adequate footrests and pedals for the rider.

All new and second hand mopeds made on or after 1 January 2006 must also have:

  • a rear reflector visible from 100m away when light shines on it
  • direction indicator lights
  • at least one service brake on each wheel
  • front and rear lights:
    • One or two headlamps - permanently dipped or able to be dipped by the rider - that light up the road ahead for at least 30 metres
    • At least one rear-facing lamp that can be seen from 100m away
  • one or two rear brake lights
  • a rear-view mirror that gives you a clear view behind the moped.

There are fewer requirements for older mopeds.

For more information on rules for bikes and riding see www.landtransport.govt.nz.

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Exceeding your bike's weight limit is dangerous - it can affect handling and cause a tyre blow-out.

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