Motorcycles used on private property (MuPPs)

ADVICE FOR POTENTIAL BUYERS AND USERS OF MOTORCYCLES USED ON PRIVATE PROPERTY (MUPPS)

What are they?

Petrol driven mini motorcycles
Go-peds
Quad bikes
Electric and petrol driven mini scooters
Some off-road motorbikes

Dover District Council and SE Kent Police are seriously concerned about the number of MuPPs being used illegally in the district.

What is the problem?

A huge risk of collision
Potential injury or death to pedestrians and riders
Damage to parked cars
Concerns about noise.

There is also a fear that retailers may not be making customers aware that there is almost nowhere that MuPPs may be legally ridden and the industry itself has grave feelings about cheap imports and their quality and safety issues.

If you don't have somewhere to use it, don't buy it!

MuPPs are fun items and not designed for road use. They cannot be ridden on the road unless the vehicle is licensed, taxed and insured.

The rider must be over 16 years old and wear a safety helmet.

They also cannot be ridden on:

footpaths
cycle paths
pavements (even being pushed)
bridleways under any circumstances.

They cannot be ridden in:

parks
car parks
woods or common open spaces.
farmland without the landowners permission.

They can be ridden on private land with the land owners permission but noise levels that might affect the local community adjoining that land must be taken into consideration.

YOU COULD END UP BEING PROSECUTED AND YOUR BIKE BEING CRUSHED.

So what action can be taken against you if you ride your MuPP illegally or in a manner considered to be anti-social?

The police or a council officer may issue a warning to you to stop riding your vehicle. If you ignore this warning your bike may be seized by the police and you would have to pay to get it back (currently a minimum of £120 plus storage costs).
Under the Police Reform Act, the police now have new powers to seize motor vehicles that are used to cause alarm, distress, or annoyance to members of the public.
You could be fined up to £1,000
You could receive points on your driving licence (even if you have no licence the points will be endorsed when you apply for one)

What the bike industry is saying...

“The clear purpose is to prevent little Johnny from fatally kebabing himself on a poorly made bit of componentry”
British Dealer News (article Dec.2005)

“Many of these machines are of lower quality, produced by unregulated factories...do not meet European standards for safety.”
The Motorcycle Industry Association (www.mcia.co.uk)

“...now children and adults are riding them all over the place - often illegally...and there is the noise issue.”
British Dealer News (article Dec.2005)

“It is important that parents and young people are fully aware of the legal requirements and responsibilities of owning and riding a minibike designed for off-road activity”.
Craig Carey-Clinch The Motorcycle Industry Assoc. (www.mcia.co.uk)

I don’t buy into the notion that youngsters are buying these minimotos with the idea of terrorising people in their neighbourhoods. It’s just that they haven’t thought through where they are going to ride them. They buy them off eBay or whatever, get them delivered in a box and then end up criminalised...”
Dave Luscombe - Auto Cycle Union (British Dealer News article Dec.2005)

You could end up being prosecuted and your bike being crushed.

For further advice contact:

Kent Police on 01304 240055 or
Dover District Council Community Safety Unit on 01304 872163

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