Hi from Middelburg, Netherlands

[SaxAnton]

Hello, I am new here, Anton is the name and I live in the South-Western part of the Netherlands, in the quaint old town called Middelburg.
I was build in 1954, and have had quite a lot of motorcycles, mostly British build ones, like BSA's, Triumphs, Nortons etc, but also a couple of other European bikes like BMW.
I worked on motorcycles most of my life, and have ridden most makes on the planet,
Nowadays, I am a great fan of motorised bicycles and my two-wheelers are restricted to Sachs 301 Engines bikes, mostly Spartamet, and a Hercules Saxonette Classic.
I have four working models and a set for spares.

The so-called 'Berceau frame' model, the nicest one to look at IMHO, from1986

The Saxonette, before the engine was fitted back in, this is in 'train-transport- mode' (bicycles OK to transport, but no engines allowed on the trains)

Anyway, I hope to find people here that have as much fun as I have with these small motorbicycles!

 

[bluegoatwoods]

Welcome aboard. Some nice looking bikes you've got there.

 

[Happy Valley]

Hello and welcome to MBc.
I'd be interested in knowing more about the Sachs bike engines, displacement, horsepower and such and if there were sold as an aftermarket kit or already mounted.
Thanks.

 

[HybriDude]

G'day from Australia Anton
Beautiful looking bikes. Are they legal?
Could you please give us a brief summary of what engine assistance is permitted on pedal cycles in the Netherlands?
Can you register a motor-assisted pedal cycle and use it like a moped?

 

[machiasmort]

SaxAnton,
Welcome aboard to MBC. My family has it's roots in the Netherlands. Fine Country of Seamen you are! I preffer land travel myself also! Good to have you with us.

 

[SaxAnton]

Thanks guys!

Yes, they are (still?) legal! These bikes were developed in the early 1980-ish.
Although we have a 'flat' country, there is nearly always wind to fight against.
Sparta teamed up with Sachs to make the SpartaMet, "Met" means "with" in Dutch.
At first they were especially very popular with the older people, youngsters were laughed about when they rode them.
The engine Sachs came up with was developed with a lot of know-how Sacghs already had and it is proven to be a good one!
You can cycle as on any 'normal' bicycle, it only feels as if you have some heavy luggae on the rack.
The displacement is a 33 bore by 36 stroke, giving a whopping 30 cc of displacement.
Horsepowers? Well, not even a pony, as we say!
The manual I have says 0.5 KiloWatt/0.7 HP at 3750 rpm.

It has a centrifugal clutch in the crankase, it is actualy part of the crank when engaged.
Then, in the older models it had a set of 6 gears (!) to get to the right ratio to the rearwheel, the newer models have a skew gear.
The Dutch version is set to a bit faster top speed than the German models, as we have different laws to comply...
The German models have a different set of gears, wich gives them a speed of around 20 KM/h, the Dutch go 'faster' at 25 Km/h limit.
We have different Moped laws, for mopeds in Class A that can go up to 25Km/h you do not need a helmet, and than there are the real mopeds, in class B, for that you need a helmet, but they can go up to 45Km/h.
Class A are also called 'snorbrommers' (25 Km/h)> no helmet
Class B is a 'brommer'. (45 Km/h) >helmet required.

The German version, with the different gearing is a bit better in tackling hills, so both models suit their terrain best, I think?
The limit is actually set in the CDI module, and when the limiter is removed, the Dutch version goes around the 30 KM/h mark.
There is quite a bit of people trying to squeeze more power out of the engines and I know some people who ride for over 6000 kilometers without problems, with an engine that goes up to 40 Km/h!
I have not been so lucky untill now, my 'fast' engine (35km/h) got into trouble when the magnets in the flywheel came loose, and hit the coil...

As I told earlier, yes, the are legal, in the 1980s all you needed was a mandatory insurance.
You got a small numberplate at the back with the year of insurance on it, and a different color every year.
Nowadays you also have to have a drivers-license of some sort, that can be you car or motorcycle license, or a special one for mopeds.
And, what we also have and is frowned upon a lot: a 'real' license-plate and the paperwork that comes with it!

We don't like that AT ALL... As you have to transfer every bike you buy or sell at the postoffice, and EVERY bike you own has either to be insured, or it costs you 10 Euro to suspend it, something you have to prolong (and pay) every year
That was done with the argument to have better control over them so that there would be less thefts...
There have NEVER been so many mopeds stolen as since these laws came about!

Anyway, they are great fun, both to ride and to work on!
My bones do not like me to run around with big BSA sidevalve engines anymore

 

[SaxAnton]

G'day from Australia Anton
Beautiful looking bikes. Are they legal?
Could you please give us a brief summary of what engine assistance is permitted on pedal cycles in the Netherlands?
Can you register a motor-assisted pedal cycle and use it like a moped?

As I have not answered your questions correclty in my previous post, I'll try it here:
Overhere, you cannot build your own motored bicycle, sad to tell you///
The only motored bikes allowed are factory-made ones, that had rigorous government testing (expensive!).
Kits are NOT allowed!
Wich is very sad ofcourse! Yes, the Dutch seem to have a name as being a 'free' country', but I don't know a country that has as many lwas for EVERYTHING... Well maybe Germany?

Only models and makes that were present in the Netherlands before these (silly) laws came about, ie around 1965-ish? The older clip-on engines like Berini, Mosquito, Cyclemasters etc are still allowed to have, these are ofcourse great fun, but spares are a problem.
I actually came accross the Spartamet as a fun bike to ride, after a friend of mine needed some space and 'planted' a set of BSA's in my shed. One of them was a BSA Winged Wheel, I got it running for him, and what fun that was! A lot faster than these sachs engined bikes, frightening fast, even!
So, when the opportunity came to buy a Spartamet, I did, and since then most of my big motorcycles have gone, but the Spartamet collection grew!

 

[fetor56]

G'day Anton...welcome to MBc.

 

[HybriDude]

As I have not answered your questions correclty in my previous post, I'll try it here:
Overhere, you cannot build your own motored bicycle, sad to tell you///
The only motored bikes allowed are factory-made ones, that had rigorous government testing (expensive!).
Kits are NOT allowed!
Wich is very sad ofcourse! Yes, the Dutch seem to have a name as being a 'free' country', but I don't know a country that has as many lwas for EVERYTHING... Well maybe Germany?
QUOTE] Thanks very much Anton.
Australia is worse and possibly getting even worse.

MBs are actually illegal and a regulatory review currently under way aims to keep it that way.

I've made a very study of it and it simply does not make sense - road safety, sustainable transport, oil depletion, active transport. It is no wonder that modern life is so disfunctional.

 

[Happy Valley]

Thanks for all the info!
Cheers.