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Post by floridagull on Oct 19, 2015 11:12:26 GMT -5
The reason(s) for my desire for a 50cc scoot - whether or not I put a BBK in it, or buy one with a BBK already installed:
My wife loved riding in the Scoot Coupe - partly because we were sitting side-by-side, and partly because we didn't have to wear helmets. I do have my motorcycle endorsement but, in Florida, <50cc scooters and mopeds are exempt from the helmet laws. The roads where we would ride on the weekends or in the evenings for a bit of fun are primarily 35 mph speed limit or less, with a few at 40-45 - but that would be for a mile or so at most. An Ice Bear 50cc trike, if it had a large enough weight capacity, would fit the bill well - or a 50cc 2-wheeled scoot with a large enough weight capacity. Although some states appear to have an exemption in their helmet laws for 3-wheeled vehicles, Florida does not - you have either a 4-wheeled vehicle, or 3 wheels or less.
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Post by ricardoguitars on Oct 19, 2015 12:44:52 GMT -5
The reason(s) for my desire for a 50cc scoot - whether or not I put a BBK in it, or buy one with a BBK already installed: My wife loved riding in the Scoot Coupe - partly because we were sitting side-by-side, and partly because we didn't have to wear helmets. I do have my motorcycle endorsement but, in Florida, <50cc scooters and mopeds are exempt from the helmet laws. The roads where we would ride on the weekends or in the evenings for a bit of fun are primarily 35 mph speed limit or less, with a few at 40-45 - but that would be for a mile or so at most. An Ice Bear 50cc trike, if it had a large enough weight capacity, would fit the bill well - or a 50cc 2-wheeled scoot with a large enough weight capacity. Although some states appear to have an exemption in their helmet laws for 3-wheeled vehicles, Florida does not - you have either a 4-wheeled vehicle, or 3 wheels or less. A 35mph crash in enough to kill you, don't get fooled by the "inoffensive" look of this things, I have broken my leg twice on accidents riding less than 35mph wearing full gear, the helmet took a beating on both accidents, without a helmet best case scenario I would be needing help to do basic stuff like going to the bathroom.  |
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Post by SylvreKat on Oct 19, 2015 22:10:53 GMT -5
I went down in a roundabout, doing probably 5 mph or less. The big scrape on my helmet's jaw is proof enough that no speed is safe to go without. I'm so glad I don't know how bad the scar would've been on my own jaw if I hadn't been wearing all my gear.
And I've told this story before too. I went down in a footrace, trying to keep up with two sprinters (which I most definitely am NOT!). Slid a few feet along the asphalt track. Having asphalt picked out of my knee afterwards was nowhere near any definition of fun. Considering my very best mile speed was about 6 minutes, you can figure out how slow I was going. I still have the scar on that knee, almost 30 years later.
Leo tells a story of his buddy who hit his helmetless head at a stop, and died.
Please do reconsider the not wearing helmets. There's some helmets that have excellent airflow. Get them in something light (white is good) to help reflect the heat from your head. And some nice light-coloured mesh jackets and gloves. A friend of mine actually tried with and without--wearing a jacket actually keeps you cooler than not.
>'Kat
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Post by JerryScript on Oct 20, 2015 2:31:57 GMT -5
When I was 22, I drove halfway across the country on my Honda CB550. Driving into Salt Lake City, a pair of semi's went by me while it was raining, I was prepared for the gusts of the first, but the second caught me and started a tank slapper. On dry pavement, you can often recover from a tank slapper, wet road is another story. I slid across three lanes and close to 100 yards down the wet median. The wet mud saved me from the worst, mostly had trouble getting my helmet off since mud and grass got shoved into it as I slid. If I hadn't been geared up, I would probably be dictating this to a home nurse after she unceremoniously cleaned my backside.
It's simple, gear WILL save you, no gear and your road jelly!
ATGATT!!!
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Post by floridagull on Oct 20, 2015 14:01:37 GMT -5
I appreciate all of the comments about helmets - I really do. Perhaps I'll save up for a trike scooter, which will be a bit more stable, and probably make the wife happier...
However - when does driving defensively and being careful and responsible come in? I can't get a picture of the Scoot Coupe to post from work - but I wouldn't feel the need to wear a helmet while driving one - it is like a little car, with 2 wheels in the front, a 150cc engine in the back, side-by-side seating, and even seat belts (ok - lap belts...). I would put an Ice Bear trike scooter (or one of the scooters with 2 wheels in the front) in the same category.
Recently, a family that we know went on a trip around the world (seeing different peoples and different cultures, etc.), and the teenage girl of the family posted in a blog about the trip that they were in Amsterdam, where they rented bicycles. She was shocked and amazed that they "were not even offered helmets, and none were available". I think the Europeans have a better idea about these things than we do, in some cases. I mean, come on - if we've come to the point where we try to eliminate every single thing that could potentially harm us, we are going to live very drab and humdrum lives.
When I was a child (circa 1970), there was a neighbor boy down the street who, while trying to climb his picket fence, did not succeed and impaled himself in the abdomen with the top of a fence post. While this was a tragic and horrible accident (the boy did survive with no lasting effects), there were no calls to ban pointy fence posts, no lawsuit against the fence manufacturer, and no parents insisting that we wear abdominal protection from that point forward. The message? If one is going to climb a fence (or a tree, or whatever) - BE CAREFUL!
I have been lucky, I suppose - I have had my motorcycle license for about 30 years, with no accidents. Most of my riding (on a Yamaha SECA 650 and a Suzuki GS450-LH) was done in Northern NJ, a decidedly NOT light traffic area. Things down here, in general, are much calmer.
Individual responsibility and defensive driving are paramount, whatever one drives. JMHO...
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Post by JerryScript on Oct 20, 2015 14:04:53 GMT -5
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Post by ricardoguitars on Oct 20, 2015 14:22:38 GMT -5
You don't wear gear because you might crashed because you did something stupid, if you think you would do such thing, you shouldn't be considering driving anything, not even a car; you wear gear because of someone else doing something stupid that might cause you harm, which is very probable. Remember that there are two kind of riders, those who have crashed, and those who will crash; when you decide to ride any vehicle you have to accept that it WILL happen no matter how careful you are, you don't decide if you will crash or not, it just happens, is not a question of "if", but "when".
Sorry for the lecture, I'm just trying to help sharing my experiences. I consider myself a responsible driver, but in both occasions elements outside of my control caused the accidents, one was a slippery substance on the road that caused my scooter to skid and crash on the curb, the other was a reckless cager on the phone that got in front of me on a corner where I had the right of way.
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Post by scooter on Oct 20, 2015 17:14:33 GMT -5
I appreciate all of the comments about helmets - I really do. Perhaps I'll save up for a trike scooter, which will be a bit more stable, and probably make the wife happier... However - when does driving defensively and being careful and responsible come in? I can't get a picture of the Scoot Coupe to post from work - but I wouldn't feel the need to wear a helmet while driving one - it is like a little car, with 2 wheels in the front, a 150cc engine in the back, side-by-side seating, and even seat belts (ok - lap belts...). I would put an Ice Bear trike scooter (or one of the scooters with 2 wheels in the front) in the same category. Recently, a family that we know went on a trip around the world (seeing different peoples and different cultures, etc.), and the teenage girl of the family posted in a blog about the trip that they were in Amsterdam, where they rented bicycles. She was shocked and amazed that they "were not even offered helmets, and none were available". I think the Europeans have a better idea about these things than we do, in some cases. I mean, come on - if we've come to the point where we try to eliminate every single thing that could potentially harm us, we are going to live very drab and humdrum lives. When I was a child (circa 1970), there was a neighbor boy down the street who, while trying to climb his picket fence, did not succeed and impaled himself in the abdomen with the top of a fence post. While this was a tragic and horrible accident (the boy did survive with no lasting effects), there were no calls to ban pointy fence posts, no lawsuit against the fence manufacturer, and no parents insisting that we wear abdominal protection from that point forward. The message? If one is going to climb a fence (or a tree, or whatever) - BE CAREFUL! I have been lucky, I suppose - I have had my motorcycle license for about 30 years, with no accidents. Most of my riding (on a Yamaha SECA 650 and a Suzuki GS450-LH) was done in Northern NJ, a decidedly NOT light traffic area. Things down here, in general, are much calmer. Individual responsibility and defensive driving are paramount, whatever one drives. JMHO... Even Superman runs into kryptonite once in a while. When that day comes, there won't be anything you can do to stop it. I had my first bike wreck last year and it was a no win situation. I got out with a few cuts and scrapes, but I have a whole new outlook on "me vs a world full of "stupid" people". I had the choice, legally, to not wear a helmet. I'm sure glad I did. I still like to have the choice, and as a "free" person, I'd like it to always be my choice, but it's a helmet on every ride for me from now on. |
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Post by RapidJim on Oct 21, 2015 8:59:08 GMT -5
Weight capacity is the amount of rider weight that the frame of the machine in question can "safely" handle. This number is an estimate from the manufacturer. Saying that, one must realize that some "DEALERS" will embellish those numbers. I use information on my website directly from Ice Bear.
Depending on the machine, ie stripped vrs full body, there can be a lot of difference in weight capacity. The Pluto PST50-5, a stripped down no body style trike) very light frame and has a net weight of 286 llbs and a weight capacity of 220 llbs, the Q6 PST50-17 is a full bodied machine, heavier frame with a net weight of 308 llbs and a weight capacity of 441 llbs.
Keep in mind, that no matter what the weight capacity is, with a 50cc the more weight the slower the machine will be, where this is true of any machine, it is more noticeable on a 50cc..
On a side note, I have noticed that 50cc trikes do better speed and hill wise than a 50cc scooter. I attribute most of this to the gearing required for the trike section. I would also not be surprised if the motors are using a 44mm piston (like VIP and Peace sometimes use) instead of the common 39mm or if they use a different cam. I have yet had one in the shop with a top end issue to find out, one day I will .
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Post by floridagull on Oct 21, 2015 9:58:09 GMT -5
Thanks Jim! The variety of numbers provided on the internet for all scooter products seems to be inconsistent at best...  So, at least in terms of Ice Bear trikes, the information provided on the Ice Bear site is accurate, and the only 50cc trike with a larger than 220 pound weight capacity is the Q6/PST-17? |
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Post by cato on Oct 21, 2015 13:26:34 GMT -5
I've seen those little small frame 'sunny' style scooters with 50cc four strokes in them with 2 big 'ol whales on them. Like a 350lb dude with a 300lb woman on the back holding bags of groceries. suspension was totally bottomed out and the tire looked like a donut a dog sat on it was so flats. had a line of cars behind them and seemed oblivious that they should get on the shoulder or something. I think chassis rating is critical and I can't believe that little things didn't squash flat  |
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Post by SylvreKat on Oct 21, 2015 22:20:51 GMT -5
Not just scooters, cato. My brother's friend was VERY big and VERY large. When he got in the passenger side of the car, the whole side very noticeably sagged.
>'Kat
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Post by RapidJim on Oct 22, 2015 8:41:13 GMT -5
Thanks Jim! The variety of numbers provided on the internet for all scooter products seems to be inconsistent at best... So, at least in terms of Ice Bear trikes, the information provided on the Ice Bear site is accurate, and the only 50cc trike with a larger than 220 pound weight capacity is the Q6/PST-17? Yeppers |
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Post by horace on Oct 23, 2015 14:17:43 GMT -5
Hey FloridaGull, Just a thought...... The riding season is coming to an end in many parts of the country.... maybe take a few months to save up a bit more money---- Around March or April contact RapidJim ( a respected/reputable Icebear dealer ) tell him what you want then go from there...... You may keep an eye on your local craigslist as well... either way, like I said before get something YOU want. I have seen many riders buy a scoot that doesn't match their needs, only to let it sit and take a loss on the resale. As for riding gear, we all know the risks involved--- Saying All the Gear all the Time is one thing, accually doing it is another thing...... You do You Boo If you have a MC endorsement it doesn't really matter what displacement the ride is. have fun and do whatever you think is best for YOU and yours!!!!!!!! Good Luck!!!!!!!!! |
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Post by horace on Oct 23, 2015 14:26:47 GMT -5
Side note--- I remember a story not to long ago about a biker..... They were protesting new helmet laws by NOT wearing a helmet.... Got into an accident and died.... Take that for what it's worth, Ironic but, a choice was made. Stay safe and keep an eye on the other guy when it's your turn, you have to go. Heck you never know when your time is up..... A lightning strike or drunk driver could be just around the corner.... Worring to much may result in never doing anything. |
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