Gardaí ‘admire’ the innovation as they seize homemade motorbike in West Cork

Gardaí ‘admire’ the innovation as they seize homemade motorbike in West Cork The ‘bicycle’ was taken off the road Cork Gardaí have seized a home-made motorbike complete with petrol can, exhaust pipe and engine attached. In a funny message about the contraption, gardaí said they had some ‘admiration’ for the innovation involved. Units in West Cork were on patrol when they spotted the cyclist driving the heavily modified bike this week. An image released by gardaí shows a petrol tank mounted to the top bar and a petrol engine rigged above the pedals. The improvised vehicle didn’t measure up to road safety standards according to gardaí who ensured the bike was removed from the road. The bike had an exhaust pipe attached near the feet of the ‘motorcyclist.’ It is understood the tyres and brakes would not comply with road safety standards. According to the Road Safety Authority once an engine has been added to a bike it’s treated as a mechanically propelled vehicle (MPV) and needs to follow all applicable laws which include being registered, taxed and properly insured. A Garda spokesperson said: “Cork West Road Policing Unit stopped this ‘bicycle’ with a petrol engine attached which is classed as a mechanically propelled vehicle. The ‘bicycle’ was taken off the road. “We admire the innovation but it’s extremely important that is checked over and made safe if it’s to be used on a public road,” they added. Meanwhile in Dublin, thirty-two scramblers have been seized in the last ten weeks, including eight last weekend.