ULEZ alternative bike

[Buzz]

Hey ho...


Seeing as the ULEZ is now definitely moving out to the North and South circular in Oct 2021 I'll have to get a new bike, I live in Camden so it'll cost me £12.50 just to ride round the block.  The FZS600 is the only bike I've had so has anyone got any suitable suggestions for a new one?  Weekend rider, usually 2 up, occasional European tour, top-box is essential but not wing rack as I've got soft panniers. 


The old girl only cost me £1,200 6 years ago, costs peanuts to run and insure plus no one has ever tried to pinch her even though she lives on the street.


i know it's still 3 years away but what would you get?


Cheers...Buzz

[darrsi]

Great, I didn't even know they were expanding that quick.  :'(

[steeeve66]

I'm in the same boat, so to speak, with my CB500 - which I use to commute. My FZS1000 is OK to use I think but it's too big to head to London Bridge on a daily basis.
I was seriously thinking of a T-Max or Burgman..

..should I hang my head in shame?

[robbo]

As I understand it as a rough guide any bike registered before 1st July 2007 won't conform, and must be Euro 3 compliant. I thought I read that this was commencing on 8 April 2019, which seems to be very short notice.

[mtread]

I'm still not so sure ULEZ will reach the north and south circulars. The cost of so many ANPR cameras to cover such a big area will be enormous. Easy for the existing congestion zone, the cameras are already there.

[robbo]

I think the North and South Circs are included as from 2021 October. What a nightmare. Just thought, if the Ace was on the other side of the North Circ,  they'd lose a fortune as older bikes would have to pay the charge.

[Arfa]

In same boat, but I commute daily to London Bridge, so I'm stuffed from this coming April. :-(

Steeeve66: are you sure the FZS1000 is exempt from ULEZ? Thought it was too old, and only the FZ1 was good.

I've been looking at just grabbing a cheap FZ6 S2, maybe an FZ8, or even a Honda CBF600, CB600F Hornet, or Suzuki SV650 k9. It'll be my commuter hack and weekend fun, so needs to be cheap to run, not too precious as it'll have the odd scrape in town, but still fun when off work.

[robbo]

My FZS1000 is a 2005 and is not compliant as from next April. I've just checked it on the TFL website.

[steeeve66]

In same boat, but I commute daily to London Bridge, so I'm stuffed from this coming April. :-(

Steeeve66: are you sure the FZS1000 is exempt from ULEZ? Thought it was too old, and only the FZ1 was good.

I've been looking at just grabbing a cheap FZ6 S2, maybe an FZ8, or even a Honda CBF600, CB600F Hornet, or Suzuki SV650 k9. It'll be my commuter hack and weekend fun, so needs to be cheap to run, not too precious as it'll have the odd scrape in town, but still fun when off work.

My mistake - FZS isn't exempt...

You can check here:
https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/ultra-l...ecker-ulez

[darrsi]

This will turn into one of the biggest money making scams ever, and i betcha the roads will still be shit.
Accidentally going into the ULEZ area without knowing will result in a £160 fine, or £80 if paid in 14 days.
They must be dribbling at the thought of all the money coming their way. Dick Turpin had nothing in comparison to this government.

[Robbie8666]

out of interest I have just checked to see if my bike would be charged (Triumph Thunderbird Nightstorm) but when I put the reg in it came up with my old bike (CBF1000) that I transferred the number off prior to selling it!)

wonder what would happen if I rode in and then got a ticket and I challenged it as it isn't the bike they thought it was! (as my NIPS post proves DVLA have correct bike for that plate)

[Bretty]

I'm watching this thread with interest. In same boat living in Hampstead. I thought the £12/day charge just applies for owning a bike in the zone?! I'm surprised there have not been mass protests organised. Enough bikes could bring the north and south curcular to a standstill for a day!!! That would get people listening. I'm surprised the bike shops, ace cafe and the bike shed are not all rallying to get these things organised. It's in none of their interests that this zones comea into place.

Personally I'll be looking for a bike that has exempt / classic status. Worse for the environment and potentially more dangerous to ride. But f*ck them. I'll even put a little extra oil in the tank, make it more Smokey!! I'll show them low emission.

[robbo]

Way to go Bretty. Get a non popular classic that has "historic vehicle" status and fill yer boots. The country's gone mad. I wonder where a Royal Enfield diesel figures on all this.

[darrsi]

As I understand it as a rough guide any bike registered before 1st July 2007 won't conform, and must be Euro 3 compliant. I thought I read that this was commencing on 8 April 2019, which seems to be very short notice.

Congestion zone is 2019, then expanding to within the North/South Circular in 2021.

[dazza]

I work in London on the underground at night and this could potentially cost me £300 a month.
There are around 10,000 contractors in the same boat. Not to mention all the office cleaners, lift and escalator engineers, bus drivers and mechanics and anyone else who lives outside London and commutes in using their own vehicle.
I would love to see London grind to a halt if we all boycotted the city for a week next April.

[darrsi]

I work in London on the underground at night and this could potentially cost me £300 a month.
There are around 10,000 contractors in the same boat. Not to mention all the office cleaners, lift and escalator engineers, bus drivers and mechanics and anyone else who lives outside London and commutes in using their own vehicle.
I would love to see London grind to a halt if we all boycotted the city for a week next April.

I know they ultimately mean well, but it will certainly stitch up A LOT of people.
And the fact that there is zero discount for people living within the zone is quite appalling to be honest.

[Buzz]

Especially galling when the study for allowing motorcycles to use Bus lanes revealed that we contribute 0.1% of the NOx in London


P37, Section 5.1.2 - http://content.tfl.gov.uk/pt-emissions-study.pdf 


"Motorcycles and mopeds make a very low overall contribution to road traffic pollution because of the relatively low numbers in operation in London. They contribute around  0.1% of NOx emissions and 0.6% of PM10 emissions occurring in Greater London"

[darrsi]

Especially galling when the study for allowing motorcycles to use Bus lanes revealed that we contribute 0.1% of the NOx in London


P37, Section 5.1.2 - http://content.tfl.gov.uk/pt-emissions-study.pdf 


"Motorcycles and mopeds make a very low overall contribution to road traffic pollution because of the relatively low numbers in operation in London. They contribute around  0.1% of NOx emissions and 0.6% of PM10 emissions occurring in Greater London"

London was all about campaigning for people to either use bicycles or motorbikes to ease congestion, and ultimately reduce pollution, yet they still stab you in the back and mug you off.


And now i read earlier that they want to put a tax onto online shopping to make trading competition fairer for shops. You seriously can't make this shit up.