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That other thread was a bit long in the tooth and the OP was weak, so hopefully this one's better. Hooray! Why scooters? We ride scooters because we want to. There are bigger, faster, sure, but we didn't buy them. We bought scooters. Scooters are motorcycles. They have two wheels, and a motor: criteria met. Just because our engines are swingarm-mounted, and we have step-through frames, doesn't make it any less a motorcycle.  1. Will I save money? It is possible to save money riding scooters, but unlikely. While recurring costs are tiny, they repay slowly, and it takes quite a while for the initial outlay to be repaid. I'll expand on this later.  2. It can only go xx miles per hour, how dangerous can it be? Scooters are motorcycles, and they crash just like bigger bikes. The Hurt Report found that most motorcycle accidents occur below 30mph, speeds any 50cc bike can achieve. Those speeds can be fatal. Please, take rider's training courses, such as the Motorcycle Safety Foundation's Basic Rider Course. You may balk and say that MSF teaches things you don't need to know on a scooter (shifting, likely), and that the bikes might handle differently from scooters, and that's true. However, more carries over than you think, and there are ways to be more targeted: some MSF schools offer a Scooter class, and many will let you take the class on your own bike provided certain criteria are met (my school would let me use my own bike provided it was road-legal, insured, and over 125cc). Get trained, wear gear.  3. I don't need a license, right? In the USA, scooter-related laws vary quite a bit state-to-state. Please, find your state's Department of Transportation or State Patrol website before asking about laws. The information is out there. In most states, bikes with engines lower than 50cc get fewer restrictions. Typically, this means you don't need a motorcycle license (a regular driver's license will suffice) and you may not need to insure and/or register the bike. Some states enact more restrictions, but many officers have no idea where scooters exist legally (HOWEVER, DO NOT USE THIS FACT TO RIDE ILLEGALLY!). .jpg) 4. How about parking? Parking varies city-to-city. Some places offer dedicated motorcycle parking, some ignore scooters, others might be strict as hell. Generally you can park in those white-line-hashed-out areas in parking lots or bike racks and nobody cares, but sidewalks can be tougher. Cars will get mad at you when you take an entire parking space, and there have definitely been cases of scooters getting moved so cars can take their spots, feeling themselves to be more deserving. gently caress those people, but be aware they're out there. For perpendicular and slanted parking spots, I suggest parking as close to the edge as possible, so you're visible right away and aren't hidden between the cars beside you. When you park on the street, park perpendicular to the curb, with your back wheel against it. Like this:  5. How can I keep my bike from getting stolen? You can't. Locks and alarms might serve as okay deterrents, but ultimately you're taking about a 250 pound (for a 125-150cc) bike. It can easily get picked up and tossed in the back of a van like an eight-year old boy. Carry insurance or budget for replacement. .jpg) Websites Forums: ModernVespa: for modern Vespas and related bikes. ModernBuddy: for Genuine bikes. ScooterBBS: Vintage-focused but brand-open. StellaSpeed: Stellas, PX/P-series, and generally a good resources for classic bikes. scoot.net: Classifieds and rally galleries. ScooterTime: Modern focused, brand-open, great resource for the Vino 125 and Zuma 125. ScootDawg: the best site for Chinese bikes. TotalRuckus: Ruckus, big and small. UrbanScootin: Honda Metropolitan-oriented. Vespa Maintenance: A good resource for old Vespa owners, particiularly P/PX, with nice maintenance walkthroughs. Scooter Help: like the above, but with a bit more variety in bike, including some Lambretta stuff. Adventure Rider: ADV might seem out of place here, but they have a great scooter section, and given the nature of the crowd there you get some different perspectives on our small-wheeled beasts. News/Blogs: TheScooterScoop: General scooter industry news from a guy who's worked in it. 2StrokeBuzz: My favorite scooter news site; no official industry affiliation that I know of, but he definitely gets more inside scoops than most. Scootin' Old Skool: Orin's a blogger, not a reporter, but he writes well and occasionally gets treated like press. Nice guy, too. Scooter in the Sticks: Pretty pictures and introspective writings from a dedicated Pennsylvania rider. Scooter Lust: Somewhat female-oriented, has recently had some pretty great Scooter 101-type posts. Stores: US: Scooterworks: Pretty much the default scooter store, they're also sisters with Genuine Scooter Company. Very good customer service. If you need very specific parts for your Genuine bike, call them: they can get stuff directly from Genuine that's not on their site (for example, I can buy pre-painted body parts for my Stella instead of the primered parts they have on the site). Scooter Mercato: These guys are pretty new but immediately gained a lot of support from StellaSpeed, probably thanks to some ads. But they have a good selection, very good prices, and good shipping rates - more for your dollar than Scooterworks. Scooter West: Yet another retailer. Perhaps more modern-bike stuff than the above shops, but I haven't ordered from them. American Scooter Center: I'm not too familiar with this company, but they seem to be well-regarded. Europe: SIP: carries a lot of European aftermarket parts, a big deal in the classic Vespa/Stella community but also has lots of modern parts. Ships to USA. Easyparts: "has not only original parts for almost any scooter make you can think of, they also provide online illustrations and parts list for the scooters - great when you want to see how something is assembled." US shipping unknown. (thanks, Mathturbator!) I think I address the most frequently-asked questions, but if anyone has anything to add, let me know! edit: thanks sigtrap 
Gay Nudist Dad fucked around with this message at 00:51 on May 2, 2010 |
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Apr 23, 2010 08:14
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A Very Basic Buyer's Guide A Note on Chinese Bikes There's a flood of lovely, Chinese-made scooters on the market, frequently retailing for a third the cost of a comparably-engined Japanese bike. They are not worth it. They're copies of Japanese bikes made with absolutely no quality control. They'll probably take a lot of work to keep running and you probably won't have a dealer to rely on (and if you do, they can't get parts from the maker). Basically, don't buy them. Displacement Scooters cover a very wide range of engine sizes. This breakdown is from a Scoot! Magazine buyer's guide from a couple years ago, and it's still relevant:
Brands
I think I got the most important points, but if you have suggestions, let me know!
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Apr 23, 2010 08:15
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This sounds dumb but how do scooter transmissions work? Are they just automatics? Because a lot seem to just have 2 brake levers and no clutch ? They seem just ride'n go.
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Apr 23, 2010 08:28
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infraboy posted:This sounds dumb but how do scooter transmissions work? Are they just automatics? Because a lot seem to just have 2 brake levers and no clutch ? They seem just ride'n go. Modern scooters use constantly-variable transmissions, or CVTs. Howstuffworks.com has a good writeup here. Scooters use pulley-based CVTs. Vintage scooters use more traditional manual transmissions, but instead of using a foot lever like a motorcycle to select gears, the left part of the hand grip rotates. This can be seen in this video from Orin of Scootin' Old Skool.
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Apr 23, 2010 08:35
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My and a friend went on a sick scooter ride the other day from the river (where the marina police busted us), to City Park (where I sat in a fire ant pile). Then we did some off roading. The Elite performed just fine, but I don't really like taking the risk of loving something up that I've spent so much time making nice. Port: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZB-afpS1OTw On the way home I developed a wicked vibration noise, which I tracked to the muffler. Took it off and had a hole that had worn through from a bracket which was vibrating. It was silly loud without the muffler, I didn't even have the balls to ride it down the street. No Muffler: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0p3GKNH6JhM Luckily, I found another 1985 Elite 150 on the side of the road in a trash pile. It had obviously been underwater in Katrina but had a lot of salvageable body pieces. I took the muffler off that bad boy along with the glove box, and seat. Cleaned and painted everything and put it on my scoot. Now it's very fresh 
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Apr 23, 2010 14:35
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I'd love it if someone gave me a blur 220i.
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Apr 23, 2010 22:07
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Hey guys I heard scooters were gay so I wandered into this thread!!!! Really tho, I'm planning a trip on my RV-90 (which may as well be considered a scooter), with some friends on their Yamaha Jogs. Milwaukee to Chicago, which is a long distance, when you average 30 mph or so. Whats the best way to plan and pack for a scooter trip? We'll be hotel-ing it, but each of us only have the stock luggage racks on our bikes.
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Apr 23, 2010 22:50
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I posted a couple of pictures at the end of the last thread showing a fabrication project I'm doing on a Lambretta and I said I would get some updated pictures so here are 2 more: Click here for the full 1000x563 image.  Click here for the full 1000x563 image.
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Apr 25, 2010 18:50
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Got a new scooter today. It's a Honda Forza NSS250, known as the Honda Reflex in the US. I haven't ridden it much yet 'cause I don't have insurance, but the test ride and the ride home from the dealer were pretty fun. Has a top speed of about 120km/h I'm told, I've only had it up to 100km/h so far but it feels like it has plenty of power.  Better pictures soon.
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Apr 28, 2010 09:33
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Open24hours - that is awesome! Looks fantastic, and I bet it's fun to ride If anyone in Europe needs a place for parts-shopping, https://www.easyparts.nl has not only original parts for almost any scooter make you can think of, they also provide online illustrations and parts list for the scooters - great when you want to see how something is assembled. The site can be a bit confusing - click Genuine Parts in upper left corner and pick your bike. Edit: I don't know if they ship to the US?
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Apr 28, 2010 23:25
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Mathturbator posted:Open24hours - that is awesome! Looks fantastic, and I bet it's fun to ride Cool, I'll add this to the op. Charlie Bubblegum, that cutdown is insane - any idea what it weighs now?
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Apr 29, 2010 00:49
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Scootin' goon checking in. I'm teaching English in Taiwan right now, and scooters are basically the norm around here. I have to say prior to leaving the US I always though scooters were kinda silly, but they are actually pretty fun. Here is a shot of my beast:  Its a 100cc "Yamaha" (its origins are rather dubious, and I suspect its Chinese copy) I'm definitely considering picking one up when I get back to the states, but I given this is like a scooters paradise here I'm not sure I could obey the rules. Lane splitting down ~2ft corridors between cars at red lights to the scooter zones at red lights, total disregard for speed limits, running red lights if the traffic is light... Anyways I was gonna make a thread specifically for my Taiwan scootin' adventures so I'll save the rest for that.
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Apr 29, 2010 04:32
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HappyHelmet posted:Anyways I was gonna make a thread specifically for my Taiwan scootin' adventures Please do!
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Apr 29, 2010 15:13
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Gay Nudist Dad posted:Cool, I'll add this to the op. I haven't got a clue to be honest, but I'm sure I can find out! At a guess I would say at least half of what it originally weighed, because I can just about pick it up and move it around now, whereas when it was a full frame it would take two of us lifting one end at a time! I will try and get it weighed since theres nothing else really to go on it, just some body filler, gear cables and electrics, and a fabricated tank (made from an old petrol can) which is being welded inside the legshields at the front, as opposed to in the body itself, the reason being that it will weigh the front down more and give more grip The engine in it has been tuned very well too!Just to add, when its done it will be painted satin red and cream (burgundy red) with all stainless nuts and bolts, powder coated rims and hubs, all chrome trim (headlight rim, grips, kickstart etc) and I will be putting it in custom shows in the UK at most of the scooter rallies. Charlie Bubblegum fucked around with this message at 15:35 on Apr 29, 2010 |
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Apr 29, 2010 15:31
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Phat_Albert posted:Please do! Already started working on it. Should be ready sometime this weekend.
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Apr 30, 2010 05:47
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One of the funnest (and funniest) things I've seen/experienced since I started riding was belting from the city out to Bondi, me on my 1000 and another guy on his 60's 2-stroke Lambretta, painted up in grey mottled camo with shark's teeth and RAAF roundels. Cruising one-handed in 6th at 90km/h whilst he's tucked in, flat-chat. Just plain old loving awesome. And the noise, oh, the noise. REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEningningningREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEningningningREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!
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Apr 30, 2010 14:25
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I've yet to take a picture of my Piaggio Zip, much less post it here, but I have a technical issue with it: The indicators seem to work randomly - they will never work when the engine is off and ignition on, but they sometimes work when I'm on the go. They seem to work more often when the scooter is hot, but I've only been on short trips with it, so I don't know for sure. I tried measuring the indicator switch with a multimeter, and checked out OK (I think), and I drenched the switch in contact cleaner, so I guess the problem is elsewhere. The indicator relay is integrated into the rectifier, so it's not a cheap fix if that's the problem. How do I troubleshoot this? Anyone experienced something similar? What can I conclude from the theory that it seems to work better when the bike has been run for 5 minutes, does that point to the rectifier being weird?
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Apr 30, 2010 19:55
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Well! I just got and installed some parts on my Stella. Should give me a couple horsepower: -PX200 air filter (same size, but WAY less restrictive than stock) -Sito+ to replace the restrictive, catalyzed stock exhaust -new jetting from the general advice on StellaSpeed: 55/160 idle, 160 air corrector, BE3 mixer, and 98, 100, 102, and 104 main jets I put in the 104 to begin with; better to err on the side of richness. Though I intended to take pictures, when FedEx guy came I just tore right into it. The Sito+ has a much more distinctive "pop-pop-POPpopopop" sound than the stock exhaust - and lets a lot more 2t smoke come through. Awesome. gently caress Earth. I'm about to go on my first ride with it, but I can't really get it dialed in yet.. there's a plastic bolt/screw that covers the mixture screw on the back of the carb box and I cannot get that loving thing off. It's awkward to get at it, and when I can the plastic just bends or breaks before it loving turns. rear end in a top hat. edit: okay, took it out, butt dyno says at least like 1/3rd gain. If I had a working speedometer, I'm guessing my 4th gear top end went from ~50 to ~60. Huge improvement. And since I'm new to tuning, can anyone give me some input on this spark plug? This is after ~20 minutes of city riding, and on the last few blocks to my house I held WOT in 3rd as long as I could, then closed the throttle, went to neutral, shut it off, and coasted to my driveway. This plug was not new. 
Gay Nudist Dad fucked around with this message at 03:25 on May 1, 2010 |
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May 1, 2010 02:30
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This is more of a general cycling question but since I am a scooter owner and I don't see any specific thread about helmets I'll post it here. I have a decent helmet, it's comfy and fits well. During the hot months (which is about 3/4 of the year where I live) it gets really hot when I'm idling at a stoplight or heavy traffic, and putting the windshield up doesn't help too much. I was thinking of buying of those modular full face helmets where the whole face/jaw part swings up. I've seen plenty of people use them and they look nice. Are they less safe? If not, do you guys have any specific recommendations? I'd prefer one of the ones with the dark visor that drops down inside the helmet because I've found that wearing glasses inside a helmet is a pain in the rear end.
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May 4, 2010 10:49
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Well! Flip-up helmets are less safe than integral helmets, that's a fact (that some will probably debate). Are they safe enough for you? Probably. When discussing crashes, nothing is certain as you may have a high-speed crash and come away completely unhurt, or trip and fall in your driveway with 0 mph and break both legs and suffer severe spinal injuries. That said, I would feel fine wearing a decent flip-up helmet, as it should be able to withstand the forces you might encounter when crashing from a scooter. Half-face helmets are poo poo, but a closed flip-up helmet will probably be ok, and I won't worry about wearing one. Now, an open flip-up helmet is a completely different case 
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May 4, 2010 15:59
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Yeah, there's differing opinions out there on modular helmet safety, but I'd say any helmet that has moving parts is going to inherently be less safe than a helmet without them. But that doesn't mean it's unsafe, especially at the speeds you'd likely be doing on a scooter. I use a modular helmet myself, and I really really like it. It's really nice to be able to flip up the bottom to get some air or take a swig of water or whatever. Mine's an HJC CL-MAX. Looks great, feels great, thankfully haven't had any opportunities to test its safety. I did read a crash safety article comparing it to a handful of other helmets (some modular, some not) and it came out quite well.
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May 4, 2010 16:11
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TylerC 2.0 posted:the scooter in the top left there, what is that, its so cool!
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May 5, 2010 00:08
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Senator Woofington posted:the scooter in the top left there, what is that, its so cool! That's a Honda Ruckus.
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May 5, 2010 01:16
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Question: I put a nasty scuff on the side cowling of my s150. I've picked up all the parts i think i need to repair it - primer, sandpaper, official paint, clearcoat, rubbing compound - but i don't really know what the order of operations is. There's two main areas of the scratch. One area, about the size of a nickel, wore down to the metal. I've already sanded out the little spots of rust that appeared there and put a coat of primer over it to seal it. The other area, about the size of a CD, surrounds that first spot and is made up of straight linear scratches that have not worn to the metal. What should I do next?
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May 5, 2010 20:25
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so, I'm thinking of switching teams... I was in Paris a few days ago and I was checking out all the maxi scoots people ride around on there. Got me thinking again about a Yamaha TMAX. Anyone here have any experience or thoughts to share? They look perfect for touring with a pillion... loads of space and apparently they're pretty fun to ride? I've got an Aprilia Pegaso 650 now which I love but I've been thinking of something I can take the girlfriend touring around on. I admit, ever since I sat on a Majesty 400 at a bike show years ago I've had a secret little lust for big scoots.
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May 6, 2010 17:24
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Just a heads-up: There's a very real limit to the amount of lean you can get on a scooter  I parked my GSXR motorcycle and went for a ride on my scooter, and promptly crashed because I carried too much speed into a turn, causing the sidestand to dig into the asphalt and fling me and the scoot down the road. It's been scuffed and the steering is a bit out of whack, but nothing serious.
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May 6, 2010 17:35
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Mathturbator posted:Just a heads-up: There's a very real limit to the amount of lean you can get on a scooter Yeah, I've only been riding for a few months, and I've almost ate it on a turns taking turns to tight. Especially when I for to op the kickstand up, whoops!
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May 7, 2010 06:36
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I enjoy staring down motorcyclists while revving my engine at red lights. On my Honda Spree 
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May 7, 2010 15:08
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HappyHelmet posted:Yeah, I've only been riding for a few months, and I've almost ate it on a turns taking turns to tight. Especially when I for to op the kickstand up, whoops! I thought most scooters had kill switches in them that kill the engine if you had the kickstand down, or bring it down while it is running.
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May 7, 2010 18:31
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TLG James posted:I thought most scooters had kill switches in them that kill the engine if you had the kickstand down, or bring it down while it is running. Newer one probably do, but mine is an old piece of poo poo. It pops up pretty easily though so if I forget it usually just makes a whole lot of noise, and scares the poo poo out of me. I did almost bite it once though trying to make a left hand turn, and it popped me back up for a second. Almost sent me off the road.
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May 8, 2010 01:38
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Well! That was fun. Got stranded by my Stella for the first time. Spent ~2.5 hours riding this afternoon - everything from sustained 50ish to in-town traffic to some speedy twisties. My first big shakedown run after setting up the Sito+ and P200 air filter. It rode beautiful the whole time. Smooth, powerful. No troubles. Until there were troubles, anyway. I pulled over on a low-traffic road to piss, and left my bike idling on the side of the road, which was not level. So she was tilted to the engine side quite a bit. In hindsight, she was idling smoky, but I didn't really pay attention. Anyway, couple minutes later (had to be hidden from the road for the pissing, you see) I get back on and start riding away... first gear seemed a bit weird, get into second and it cuts out. I clutch it, then let it back out, it catches, then stalls again. I clutch in and coast to the side of the road, find a level place to park, and start freaking out. I tried starting it a couple times, checked my fuel, petcock, carb box, etc., everything looked good. Once I felt the engine had cooled a bit I took out the spark plug, and it was very black and sooty. Carbon fouled. I called my roommate to bring me some of my spare sparkplugs (which I kept meaning to put in my glovebox), and when he got there I swapped the plug for a fresh one and it started right up and got me home. So. I figure I might be idling slightly rich, and it was just compounded with the engine-side tilt to get to the point of fouling. Or, maybe I'm running rich on the main jet (SI 20/20 carb), and the plug was getting black before I even had it idle. I'm not really sure, but I don't *think* this is the case; I've checked the plug a couple times since the install and it's been tan, I posted a pic up the page. I tweaked my idle mixture screw again, so here's hoping. Gay Nudist Dad fucked around with this message at 03:24 on May 9, 2010 |
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May 9, 2010 03:21
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nooo second page Got new stickers! The "current riding" stickers were giveaways/for sale at the last couple rallies in town, and the girl leaning on a Vespa is from a 1970s Vespa print ad. Apparently it was the logo of an all-girl scooter club in Seattle and Portland that is now defunct; there was a woman handing the stickers out at the last rally.  And this is for my fellow Kurt Vonnegut fans. I had it printed by SA's own (former) http://kitschstickers.com/ 
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May 12, 2010 18:33
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What does the "I am currently riding a scooter" mean? Reference from something?
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May 12, 2010 19:26
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I don't know but I want to put it on the bottom of the belly pan when i get my next trackbike, so when I'm leaned over in a corner you can read it 
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May 12, 2010 19:34
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Phat_Albert posted:What does the "I am currently riding a scooter" mean? Reference from something? I just find it hilarious and meta, but I think it's a play on the "I'd rather be fishing/skiing/molesting" stickers. e: http://www.obviousoctopus.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1_11&products_id=344 From a local Bellingham company! Gay Nudist Dad fucked around with this message at 19:43 on May 12, 2010 |
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May 12, 2010 19:40
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Hey guys! New goon here. I got my account a while back but mostly forgot about the site and only recently started posting. I figured that I should see if there are any scooter-fags around here and it looks like we've got a few. I've had mine for almost a year now, It's a 1959 Allstate Super Cruisaire, and it's been a blast. I joined my local scooter gang and have met a bunch of new friends and gone on a ton of adventures. I'll be headed to the Tampa 2 Stroke rally this weekend, and I was wondering if there would be any other goons there. It looks like Gay Nudist Dad is the only vintage bike that I see. Does anyone else have a vintage?
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May 12, 2010 20:54
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Man, I consider my '82 Spree fairly vintage compared to the scooters some of my friends ride (Zumas, mostly) - I didn't even know what an Allstate Super Cruisaire was. Looks friggin' sweet, though.
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May 12, 2010 21:16
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Yep, the only way you could get a Vespa in the US back in those days was to order it out of the Sears catalog. It's a Vespa VNA made in Italy that has been stripped down a bit and Sears re-branded it with their Allstate logo. Once I buy a forum upgrade, I'll post some pictures. I gotta admit that I'm kinda bummed that there aren't any vintage scooter goons. Oh well, I guess that's what modernvespa.com/forum/forum19 is for
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May 12, 2010 21:34
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You can host images for free on https://www.waffleimages.com. Only works on SA
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May 12, 2010 21:52
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Z3n posted:You can host images for free on https://www.waffleimages.com. Only works on SA see, like I said, I'm new. Thanks for the heads-up I'll look into it when I'm bored at work tomorrow
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May 12, 2010 22:18
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