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Post by bandito2 on Oct 12, 2014 22:21:56 GMT -5
Lets see, I have and have had several scooters, many for various reasons. First one was a Yamaha Riva 200 that I used on a late night/early morning motor carrier paper route just off the U of M campus in Ann Arbor MI. years ago. It was very agile being able to turn around in the width of a driveway and easy to deliver papers from the sidewalk. (when the cops were not around) Easy to load papers into soft side suit cases used as panniers, easy to toss papers from and great on gas. 2nd was a 50cc Yamaha Razz so my son could ride around the neighborhood with dad. 3rd was a 1987 Helix that I used for commuting back and forth to work and on trips over to Oshkosh Wisconsin for the experimental aircraft show. I eventually sold the Helix to buy an engine for my ultralight airplane.......several years later sold the plane and got back into scooters. Returned to scooters with a 2004 Honda Reflex Sport used for commuting to work mostly; the first of several Reflex scooters to follow. 2 different 2001's a 2006 ABS Sport and a 2007 Sport. Sold the 2006 after it got fixed up to order. The 2007 has been stripped of its body plastics and is getting a Vetter streamlined fairing built for it. Carbon fiber work that I am doing myself, a taller rear wheel (car tire) and a taller final drive gear set installed to lower RPMs all in effort to improve fuel economy and yet be able to attain and maintain freeway speeds. The first 2001 was sold as a basket case as it was bent beyond my ability to repair, the 2nd 2001 will likely be sold as a basket case as well, but mostly because of a lack of enthusiasm for the older Reflex. And I also have a Honda FSC600A Silverwing that does the long trip duty. No more commuting for work is needed, so all my riding now is for pleasure.  BTW, The Helix was the only scooter I got new from a dealership. All the rest were used bikes I got off ebay, most of which needed varying amounts of repair. I'd like to sell off a couple of my current Reflex scooters and get a 2013 PCX150. Looks like fun for local rides and would even be better on gas than the Reflex scoots. (except maybe for the Vetter streamlined Reflex when it is done.) Heck, I could even do a streamlined fairing for a PXC150 and get at least a higher top speed without straining it too much. I am more inclined to tinker with aerodynamics as a way to improve performance over twiddling with the engine. Though tweaking the drive train interests me too. I think mostly scooters are a convenient, easy to own and operate, good low cost mode of transportation with the added benefit of fun factor. That's my take in a nutshell. |
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Post by rockynv on Oct 13, 2014 3:48:41 GMT -5
To go from spending $70 or so a week on gas just to commute to work to just $7 or $8 every 10 days. This also helped me put off replacing my van for 4 years and eliminated the need for some of its more expensive maintenance. With the roughly $4,000 a year I have saved over the past 4 years I have been able to get new kitchen appliances and better care for the material needs of my family.
In Tampa Florida the reality is that you can commute year round rain or shine on a reliable scooter.
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Post by SylvreKat on Oct 13, 2014 7:30:44 GMT -5
Got mine to save my Taurus, since nobody domestic makes full-sized wagons (heck, they don't make many compact wagons, either). I figure every mile on the scoot is one less on the wagon.
And of course, ever since then we've had summers of rain, summers of massive wind-gusts, summers of workman's comp knee....
>'Kat
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Post by spandi on Oct 13, 2014 8:07:30 GMT -5
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Post by retrorider on Oct 13, 2014 19:31:58 GMT -5
My job can be VERY FRUSTRATING. Without a way method of release or escape, it can overwhelm and destroy a persons self worth and mental health. I react badly to certain drugs, get a hangover after 3 beers and couldnt find any soothing and calming quality within a church. I discovered (fell in love with) scooters when my daughter needed cheep transportation for college and wanted a Honda Metropolitan. I thought it would be a good distraction from idocracy, but I was wrong... It has been a great distraction that has brought many hours of relaxation and fun. I chose a china GY6 because I wanted to be able to spend hours tinkering and modifying at the same time as soothing my battered psyche. In case your wondering... I teach elementary school.
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Post by t84a on Oct 13, 2014 19:41:00 GMT -5
I'm all about 2 wheels. I own 2 motorcycles (a crusier and a sportbike) and 3 bicycles. Like posted earlier, I'd rather ride than drive.
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Post by wheelbender6 on Oct 13, 2014 21:09:29 GMT -5
The i-road looks like fun, spandi. Its a leaner, and it is an open air vehicle. No windows in the doors.  |
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Post by spandi on Oct 13, 2014 21:48:29 GMT -5
The i-road looks like fun, spandi. Its a leaner, and it is an open air vehicle. No windows in the doors. Thank you. I think in the future Vehicles of this type will become commonplace as a means of alleviating congested roads (and parking) due to single driver needs.  |
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Post by SylvreKat on Oct 13, 2014 22:14:18 GMT -5
I dunno, spandi. I mean, it looks neat and all. But there's no butt.  How do you haul a 6-foot painting in it? A girl's gotta have her standards, you know.... (besides that a 30 mile range just won't cut it with me) >'Kat, sticking with her trusty old wagon |
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Post by spandi on Oct 14, 2014 1:57:10 GMT -5
I dunno, spandi. I mean, it looks neat and all. But there's no butt. How do you haul a 6-foot painting in it? A girl's gotta have her standards, you know.... (besides that a 30 mile range just won't cut it with me) >'Kat, sticking with her trusty old wagon Here's when it will happen Kat, 300 mile range and 5-10 minute charging. Then the IC engine will be a thing of the past.  |
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Post by SylvreKat on Oct 14, 2014 7:13:09 GMT -5
I'll even take one hour charging with 300 mile range. As long as they make a full-size wagon. Not an SUV. Not the abomination known as a crossover. (shudder!) Not a hatchback. A true wagon.
But will any of us be alive still when this happens?
>'Kat
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Post by xyshannen on Oct 14, 2014 7:37:59 GMT -5
Kat, howbout we put a trailer on it fer ya?
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Post by seamus26 on Oct 14, 2014 8:16:46 GMT -5
I originally bought the ZNEN 150 last year as a cost saving measure / experiment. I had never been a PTW rider in my life (at 45), so it was all new to me. I started a spreadsheet to track expenses (everything down to tags, registration and gear) to compare my mileage with both of my cars. I have it figured down to how much each vehicle costs me per mile and how many miles I have to ride until the scoot pays for itself based on a floating gas price average. Then I found out what a blast it is to ride. The plan was to break this scooter in, give it to my wife and buy a second one. The problem was that I didn't want to give it up.  Still, we did buy a second scooter - a year to the day from the first purchase - to add to the stable. I found a 1979 Vespa P200E locally for a good price. Being an old kick start 2t, it's a totally different animal. I enjoy both bikes immensely for totally different reasons. The ZNEN is my go to bike for leisurely rides now. The Vespa has really made me appreciate technology. There's a lot to be said for an electric start four stroke CVT bike with a windshield. It is so stinking easy to ride. The Vespa feels more like a race car. Crashing through the gears with that 2 stroke pumping through the Sito+ pipe makes me feel like I'm always on a track in Italy. I started collecting parts this week for some winter Vespa projects. It's a bike that simply BEGS for me to tinker with. I'm actually looking forward to getting up to my elbows in it. |
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Post by JerryScript on Oct 14, 2014 10:12:42 GMT -5
I've been riding two wheels for most of my life, never understood the desire to be in a cage, after all cagers spend extra on a convertible or sunroof! I've only owned a couple of cars, each one for less than two years apiece, and never truly enjoyed driving them. I my old Honda CB550 till it died, then rode mountain bikes for years, then about 6 years ago I upgraded to an electric bicycle, an eZip. Top speed on the e-bike was just under 30mph. Trouble with e-bikes is, no one expects you to be going that fast. I had four accidents caused by cagers assuming I was traveling less than 15mph like most bikes, and either turning in front of me, or pulling out in front of me. Two of the accidents were somewhat bad, one I put my foot up to push off the car, missed and hit the car's tire pushing my foot under it (painful), the other a car pulled in front of me to turn right and hit his brakes, causing me and the e-bike to roll up and over the car (I did a bunny hop at the last second, possibly saved some broken bones, but the e-bike took most of the damage).
After those accidents, I realized I was too fast with no visibility to those around me. My nephew had recently purchased a scooter, and the build quality (a Znen) convinced me to purchase one as well. With my recent e-bike accident history, I went with high-visibility as a prime motivator, and choose a yellow scooter with matching yellow helmet. I have been riding it for over a year now, and have had zero accidents and only one close call, which I like to think is due to the higher visibility of the yellow.
To me, the difference is that I have fun on my daily commute, while I watch cagers road raging or looking bored to death! I've also noticed the smells inside of friends cars, who wants to be caged up with musty odors when you can have fresh air in your hair?
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Post by surfpick on Oct 14, 2014 10:33:54 GMT -5
Ya, I think that any scooter that is close to the same color as the pavement can be dangerous, especially in this age of cell phones causing many drivers to only have half their mind on their driving.
I'm thinking of adding a small flagpole & pennant to my rig to make me even more visible.
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