WHEN is a motorbike not a motorbike?

The answer seems to be when it has three wheels and is classed as a car.

But is has left the owner of a trike, who has been fined for parking his beloved vehicle in a motorbike space, scratching his head.

Graham Rosamond, 57, from Shirley, Southampton, has been parking his bright red trike in parking spaces outside Debenhams in Southampton city centre for two years.

It was converted from a Honda Goldwing bike and, because it weighs less than 500 kilograms, is registered as a motorbike. The Securicor driver had never had a problem until a month ago when he arrived back from a shopping trip to find a £30 fine stuck to the trike.

After appealing to council parking chiefs, Mr Rosamond has been told he cannot park a trike in a space allocated for a motorcycle, and has paid the fine.

But his fight continues and he has taken his appeal to council legal chiefs.

"I can't understand it," he said. "It is registered for tax purposes as a motorcycle. You can't park a motorcycle in a car space or in a multi-storey car park, unless it's on the ground floor. I don't know where to park it.

"I haven't taken it into town since which is a shame because it's a very popular sight with the people of Southampton. It's my pride and joy."

A council spokesman refused to comment on Mr Rosamond's case.

But he added: "People cannot park them (trikes) in motorbike spaces.

"They are only for two-wheel motorbikes. Trikes must be parked in car spaces."