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Post by prodigit on May 9, 2013 11:21:15 GMT -5
yeah, I already owned a 257cc scooter, a 150cc scooter, a 50cc scooter, a few mopeds, and motorcycles. I wanted a new experience. This 125cc is about as close as I can have to the 'perfect' setup.
I find the 150cc scooter I have, has a lot of acceleration power, good for 2 people, but uses more gas than I would have wanted.
First I want to change sliders on my ATM50 to 5.5 grams. If that works out, I'll change sliders of my 150cc, to heavier ones. The 150cc is tuned to go to 5k RPM, which brings it very close to it's torque band. I don't need all that power, in fact, most of the time, I only use 25% of the throttle.
So if I increase slider weight, RPMs will go lower, resulting in better MPG.
However, I think that at best would give me 5-10MPG's more (from 66MPG to ~75MPG).
This motorcycle has a very comparable engine, 127cc instead of 150cc, and manual gears, instead of a CVT. Automatically I suspect that MPG's are going to be higher on it than on the 150cc scooter I have.
I believe 100-125cc is the perfect scooter engine size for 1 person, that doesn't need to be on the highway too often (say max a few exits).
Combined with a manual gearing system allows you to choose from the 2 top gears on the highway (3rd for higher RPM, more torque; 4th for lower RPM, better MPG).
With a CVT there's not a lot of 'gear' choosing to do on the highway. With this manual geared bike neither, but once I change the sprocket, perhaps I could ride in 3rd without losing too much top speed.
I'm a little bit skeptical of the rigidity of the structure (or frame). I'll see how it handles 60MPH, however, only after the breakin, which should be 4-6 weeks from now.
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Post by urbanmadness on May 9, 2013 11:50:14 GMT -5
I can't wait for you to get this thing and see a review/assesment. I like the rocketta sport bikes (250) but they aren't legal here in California niether is the bike you are looking at. I think there is only one 250 scooter, right now that's carb certified. You can get older one's but out of the new chinese bikes, looks like there is only one, currently, and I don't care for it.
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Post by wheelbender6 on May 9, 2013 21:17:27 GMT -5
That engine is based on the Honda cub style motor, with the horizontal cylinder, which has been produced since the 60s. Most of the Honda cub motors had an automatic clutch (no clutch lever). It is well proven technology.
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Post by skuttadawg on May 10, 2013 9:06:11 GMT -5
I always wanted a HondaCT90 that has 3 gears but looks like a moped . A buddy had one with knobbies and it was fun to ride 1969 model
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Post by skuttadawg on May 10, 2013 9:37:43 GMT -5
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Post by prodigit on May 10, 2013 15:02:39 GMT -5
On some website, they actually say the motor is a copy of a cross bike's.
I've seen lots of cross bikes with 125cc engines in the past, so I can believe what they're saying.
It's either a 100cc engine with a 125BBK, a 125cc engine natively, or a 150cc engine with a 125 BBK (which would be strange, as most of the time they try to get as high cc's as possible).
However if it where a 150cc engine with a 125cc BBK, (or SBK, small bore kit), the engine would last longer, and the fuel efficiency would go up compared to the stock 150cc engine.
Cross bikes are known not to have very good gas mileage; and I don't know if that's because of their low gearing, or their inefficient engine.
I'm sure the engine is adapted to normal city, meaning gears are adapted for higher speeds, instead of fast acceleration, and air filter is not the dust/sand-type.
We'll see. Estimated delivery is next week (may 17). I'll keep you posted!
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Post by scootnwinn on May 10, 2013 15:22:14 GMT -5
What is a cross bike??
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Post by hank on May 10, 2013 15:36:39 GMT -5
Hi Rob I think he means Moto Cross Take care and ride safely dear friend Yours Hank |
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Post by scootnwinn on May 10, 2013 15:40:16 GMT -5
Moto Cross bikes have normal clutches. I have seen small dirt bikes for learners with auto clutches but never a serious off road machine with one.
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Commuting is the best part of my day!
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Post by trailheadmike on May 10, 2013 16:22:17 GMT -5
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Post by prodigit on May 10, 2013 17:54:40 GMT -5
The transmission could always be something different from motor cross bikes, as it's something that can be installed separate from the engine. A typical Motorcross bike (or dirt bike, same engine):  One thing I do worry about is at the product spec page they say "Front/rear suspension" and "/' (meaning none). I can clearly see the front suspension, but from the pics, I don't know if I can see the rear suspension. I suppose it uses a monoshock. Anyone can see it from this pic?:  I see a little yellow cylinder, which I presume is the rear shock/suspension; but am not sure. I certainly hope it's not a hard tail with those tires! |
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Post by carasdad on May 10, 2013 18:59:57 GMT -5
I always wanted a HondaCT90 that has 3 gears but looks like a moped . A buddy had one with knobbies and it was fun to ride 1969 model Fly Scooters sells a clone of that SO CLOSE to the original...ya won't notice until you get close. MSRP is $1,799..but shop I worked at and all other places sold them for $1,200. We took the powder blue model...got OEM Honda decals and rode it around the beach. Many old timers that used to own the blue version were even fooled and asked my boss at the time...how he kept it so pristine..  Here is a link to them.. www.motorcycle.com/specs/flyscooters.html |
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Post by scootnwinn on May 10, 2013 19:09:15 GMT -5
That cylinder is your rear shock. Motorcycle engines, with few exceptions, are not separate units and can not just be swapped out.
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Post by prodigit on May 10, 2013 20:09:13 GMT -5
Amazing they can actually build something like that for such a price! I'm still looking where the weakness would be, other than the smaller/weaker frame.  Probably the suspension will be hard as , non adjustable; set for 200-300LBS people; I'm only 160 (170 at best), and I always suffer from hard suspension on new bikes. Lucky over time they wear out a bit, and become softer. The foot pegs from the passenger look to be a bit on the high side (like for a teenager or kid). Can't wait for it to arrive! |
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Post by prodigit on May 10, 2013 21:06:25 GMT -5
Since I have nothing else to do but to speculate, until the bike arrives, I thought of writing down some stuff that I'm thinking about.
Brand/type scooter
-----------------------HP value posted on the web
--------------------------------Top speed declared on website
-------------------------------------------------Real top speed
------------------------------------------------------------MPG on website
----------------------------------------------------------------------------Real MPG
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Weight
TaoTao ATM50-----3.6HP--30-35MPH----48MPH---100MPG-----99MPG----225LBS
TaoTao EVO150-----8HP-----55+MPH----63MPH-----80MPG-----70MPG----300LBS
BMS TBX 260 EFI---14HP-----85MPH-----80MPH-----65MPG-----80MPG----380LBS
MC-05-127---------7.5HP------60MPH-----55MPH-----70MPG-----85MPG----231LBS
MC-05-127(34T)---7.5HP--------MPH-----60MPH--------MPG-----100MPG---230LBS
This bike 125cc, 7.25HP; the HP value is double that of the ATM50, and half that of the BMS260, and about the same value as the EVO150; which leads me to believe that top speed will be in between the two, 60 to 65MPH.
Taken into consideration that the body of this bike is lighter (about the same as the ATM50, but ~80-180LBS lighter than the other 2 bikes) and probably more aerodynamic than both other bikes, but more human bodyparts of the rider are more outside of the frame, cleaving more through the wind than with the scooters, causing less good aerodynamics.
So looking at these numbers, I hope to get 60MPH out of the bike, and should be able to get 80MPG out of it (not 70).
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