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Post by oldchopperguy on Jul 27, 2014 1:14:31 GMT -5
Last week, being incurably stuck in the past, I was looking at the old Kymco, thinking: "...Hey, old Minnie Mouse DOES look sorta retro". Especially with wide-whites and saddlebags. And, that big old muffler is right outa the FORTIES! But SOMETHING'S MISSING... What that muff NEEDS is a FISHTAIL extension on its teensy stubby butt.
So... I perused eBay, and sure enough, nice fishtails are STILL popular on Harleys, Indians, modern choppers and baggers... and listings abound (for fifty bucks EACH or more...) but I found a fellow who butchered one putting it on his Hog and listed the last foot CHEAP. Deal done... $8 and a couple bucks shipping.
Fortunately, the old Kymco's "chrome muffler" is actually a cosmetic stainless-steel set of covers over a painted muffler, and the 2-piece end-cap was "adaptable" to a stub auto exhaust pipe (through hammer and hacksaw "engineering" too "marginal" to warrant a photo how-to...). The cut-down fishtail is secured to it with a simple set-screw... Easy enough, and rock-solid.
Today it cooled down... LOL! from 102 to only 99... Well, this IS July in Texas... And I AM sorta glad right now, that the Mouse is water-cooled... So I rode to a big mall parking lot to take some pix. I was amazed to have a flock of DUCKS come in at eye-level, landing just yards away. (I'm glad old Minnie is WHITE... A few of the ducks made a bombing-run... LOL!). After quacking their approval, they all WALKED away down the road. C'mon, guys, you DO have WINGS! 
Here's the exhaust close-up. Except for a few hammer-marks, it dang-near passes for "factory" I think... Maybe? Nah, Taiwan factories probably wouldn't do it... Just TOO "Western"... 
Here's a generic side-view... The Mouse is certainly not a Harley, but I do like the way the fishtail follows the angles and shapes of the rear plastics and tail-light! Took me an hour to figure what length to cut it to compliment the scooter shapes! 
I know, all you guyz and galz younger than 65 are thinking; "Duh... WHY?" It's OK. It's an old-geezer thing. Just a little tangible homage to biking days of 50 years ago. I kind of like to pat the fishtail before starting up (while she's STILL cool...). Reminds me just a tad of days gone by. So far, young riders think it's different in a nostalgic way... Old-timers just give me a knowing "wink" of gray-haired approval. Good enough for me...
Of course, the same technique could be used to extend any muffler with a megaphone, baloney-sliced pipe, etc. Worth a try for something REALLY different, and totally NON-Asian!
Half the fun of "things 2-wheeled" or 3-wheeled for that matter, is putting your own mark on them... Making them your own, whether a 50cc or a 502 CID Boss Hoss... A VW Bug, or a Ferrari. Anyway, Minnie Mouse is definitely digressing back to her Rat-Roots... Now, I just GOTTA get some RED on those rims!
Ride safe! And, hammer it, cut it, bend and paint it 'till ya love it!
Leo (going back to the fifties, as fast as 19hp will take me...) in Texas
PS: For those enquiring minds who want to know... The extension is totally free-flowing, bigger than the little "wee-wee" exhaust, so it doesn't affect running at all. However, it DOES move that loud BRAAAPPPP! above half-throttle a foot further back... Not QUITE so irritating to my old ears when pouring it on under an overpass... LOL!
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Post by Paladin on Jul 27, 2014 4:55:55 GMT -5
Looks sharp! Fishtail is the only way:  |
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Post by earlylight160 on Jul 27, 2014 8:58:32 GMT -5
Looks great to my 72 yr old eyes Leo. Brings back lots of fond memories. 
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Post by Kwagga on Jul 27, 2014 8:59:12 GMT -5
@ oldchopperguy You are right - it must be an 'old geezer' thing.  ? But then, you're old enough to play how you want. Looks cool and unique. Sent from my Lumia 1320 with Tapatalk |
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Post by SylvreKat on Jul 27, 2014 10:31:52 GMT -5
So does the fishtail do anything except improve the appearance and move the putt-putt sound a foot back?
Otherwise, looks good to these non-grey-haired eyes.
>'Kat
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Post by oldchopperguy on Jul 27, 2014 16:02:02 GMT -5
Thanks!
I turn 68 in October... Good heart, good blood, good cholesterol... But... BAD arthritis!
Keep the shiny side up, the greasy side down...
Leo
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Post by oldchopperguy on Jul 27, 2014 16:09:48 GMT -5
So does the fishtail do anything except improve the appearance and move the putt-putt sound a foot back? Otherwise, looks good to these non-grey-haired eyes. >'Kat
Kat,
Nope... Absolutely NO purpose but cosmetic... Sorta like that melon-guy, Dr. Sabagh from France, his magic melons, and Cyndi Crawford... Or was that Dolly Parton's melons? I get things mixed up these days... LOL!
Just taking old Minnie Mouse back a half-century or so...
Ride safe!
Leo
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Post by oldchopperguy on Jul 27, 2014 16:11:18 GMT -5
Kwagga,
You GOT it! You DEFINITELY got it!
Way to go...
Leo
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Post by oldchopperguy on Jul 27, 2014 16:14:22 GMT -5
Looks sharp! Fishtail is the only way: Thanks! That's a cool old thumper there! A big, BIG single! Don't know which is cooler; the fishtail exhaust, or "Thumper" on the gas tank! Life is GRAND... SHORT, but GRAND! |
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Post by spandi on Jul 27, 2014 16:47:13 GMT -5
JEEZ, good eye Leo! BTW, I think your fishtail is just Ducky!  |
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Post by earlylight160 on Jul 27, 2014 17:06:14 GMT -5
Leo,
I had bad arthritis in both hips and finally had both hips replaced (not at the same time, but 8 months apart). Sure is nice to be able to walk again. I was having to use a walker prior to the surgery. I remember my mother telling me (when she was about 65) that "Ya gotta be tough to get old." Lots of truth in that statement. *LOL*
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Post by oldchopperguy on Jul 27, 2014 20:38:57 GMT -5
Leo,
I had bad arthritis in both hips and finally had both hips replaced (not at the same time, but 8 months apart). Sure is nice to be able to walk again. I was having to use a walker prior to the surgery. I remember my mother telling me (when she was about 65) that "Ya gotta be tough to get old." Lots of truth in that statement. *LOL* Whenever I go to the VA, I'm always amazed and inspired by the considerable number of Harley Big Twins, Honda Interstates and a handful of hard-core choppers with handicapped plates... Sometimes I'll watch, and see old guys my age, some double-amputees "walking" on crutches sans legs... throwing a crutch over their Hog, pushing-off with the other crutch, then down the road... THAT is SOME American Spirit!
Keep ridin' till ya fall over...Leo |
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Post by oldchopperguy on Jul 27, 2014 20:51:51 GMT -5
JEEZ, good eye Leo! BTW, I think your fishtail is just Ducky! I have NO idea where they came from! LOL! Yeah, just happened to recognize old "Thumper" even small in that pic. How appropriate! Not sure exactly what bike that is, looks like maybe a Yamaha 500cc single. Those were neat rides! Regular "stump-pullers" and about as British as fish and chips!... So long as the "fish" is sushi... I've always been a sucker for a big single. I think that's one of the "features" I like about scooters... Most are still singles, and SOME with pretty potent motors! My own old Kymco does have the strong torque of a single, AND the rpms of an Asian engine. A nice combination, and does so with less vibration than singles of my younger days. Much smoother than old Harley V-Twins of my youth! Unlike SOME things today, motor-vehicles (with 2 wheels, OR more) just keep getting "gooder and gooder"... LOL! Enjoy the ride!Leo |
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Post by shalomdawg on Jul 28, 2014 0:24:20 GMT -5
howdy and wheee from another old enough to know better but too young to resist
lotsa miles and smiles to ya
ken
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Post by Kwagga on Jul 28, 2014 0:25:31 GMT -5
For those that don't know:
Kymco is a great scooter brand. Kymco have to be going something right if BMW and Kawasaki use them to manufacture their motors. BMW 450, 650 & i3 Hybrid, as well as the Kawasaki J300 scooter. They used to be part of Honda until they split.
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