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Post by rockynv on Dec 17, 2015 1:29:34 GMT -5
Leo would probably love the twin disks up front on the Sport City as they are the same used on 500cc and larger bikes. With a new tire on dry pavement you could end up doing a Stoppie in a panic that would make Tom Cruise take note.
The Sport City on dry pavement stops faster than any car I have ever driven however you do need to watch out for plastic street lines, symbols and writing that starts out as a plastic panel almost 1/2 inch thick and is melted onto the roadway in great quantities at intersections (think of a product called Saw Slick on a wet road) which is like riding on a SlipNSlide when its wet when you go over them.
Driving by a car wash can also be dangerous from all the soap residue and hot wax in the final rinse that ends up on the road where they exit the car wash.
Busy fast food establishments can have fryer grease on the roads nearby which can be more slippery than Black Ice when wet.
A lot of things to watch out for many of which you won't see directly.
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Post by dollartwentyfive on Dec 17, 2015 2:45:00 GMT -5
rocky mentions another advantage scoots, their phenomenal stopping power.
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Post by rockynv on Dec 17, 2015 5:13:37 GMT -5
rocky mentions another advantage scoots, their phenomenal stopping power. You have to experience the Sport City. With the 15 inch 120/70-15 tire and the large twin disks up front it catches many by surprise. Some will wear through a front tire in a few thousand miles doing pretty close to stoppies at about every traffic light when they first get one. A 326 lb bike with brakes designed to stop a 500 lb bike and the tires to match makes for a great combination. |
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Post by ricardoguitars on Dec 17, 2015 17:32:35 GMT -5
Leo would probably love the twin disks up front on the Sport City as they are the same used on 500cc and larger bikes. With a new tire on dry pavement you could end up doing a Stoppie in a panic that would make Tom Cruise take note. The Sport City on dry pavement stops faster than any car I have ever driven however you do need to watch out for plastic street lines, symbols and writing that starts out as a plastic panel almost 1/2 inch thick and is melted onto the roadway in great quantities at intersections (think of a product called Saw Slick on a wet road) which is like riding on a SlipNSlide when its wet when you go over them. Driving by a car wash can also be dangerous from all the soap residue and hot wax in the final rinse that ends up on the road where they exit the car wash. Busy fast food establishments can have fryer grease on the roads nearby which can be more slippery than Black Ice when wet. A lot of things to watch out for many of which you won't see directly. That reminds me another safety tip, if you have to stop aggressively (specially at intersections and stop lights) and you have a cager behind you, get on the side of the lane right away to avoid being rear ended, the cager might not be able to stop as fast as the scooter, cars (specially big ones) need more braking distance than scooters. |
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scooter safety.
by: onewheeldrive - Dec 17, 2015 23:03:48 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by onewheeldrive on Dec 17, 2015 23:03:48 GMT -5
Several years ago I wound up buying reflector tape that came in strips of red and silver, to help out with being more visible, without going too crazy with it.
I cut a few little red strips and put them on both rear turn signal arms. I put a silver strip that underlines the "Tank Urban Sporty 50" stickers just below each side of the seat. I underlined the stickers on the panels just to the side of the floorboard the same way. Lastly, I put 1 more silver strip vertically on each side of the front panel.
Run the best lights that you can, especially if you've modded the scooter to go much faster than what it's designed for. The headlights on the 50cc aren't that great for even a stock scoot designed to go maybe 35, let alone 45+ or so with mods.
If you have a sticky throttle, don't ride it. You will not stop in time if you need to stop quickly.
When you wear your helmet, keep it strapped--- don't just throw it on and go.
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Post by rockynv on Dec 18, 2015 0:53:18 GMT -5
Leo would probably love the twin disks up front on the Sport City as they are the same used on 500cc and larger bikes. With a new tire on dry pavement you could end up doing a Stoppie in a panic that would make Tom Cruise take note. The Sport City on dry pavement stops faster than any car I have ever driven however you do need to watch out for plastic street lines, symbols and writing that starts out as a plastic panel almost 1/2 inch thick and is melted onto the roadway in great quantities at intersections (think of a product called Saw Slick on a wet road) which is like riding on a SlipNSlide when its wet when you go over them. Driving by a car wash can also be dangerous from all the soap residue and hot wax in the final rinse that ends up on the road where they exit the car wash. Busy fast food establishments can have fryer grease on the roads nearby which can be more slippery than Black Ice when wet. A lot of things to watch out for many of which you won't see directly. That reminds me another safety tip, if you have to stop aggressively (specially at intersections and stop lights) and you have a cager behind you, get on the side of the lane right away to avoid being rear ended, the cager might not be able to stop as fast as the scooter, cars (specially big ones) need more braking distance than scooters. On my old bike (Lance Vintage 150) the top case partially hid the brake lights and despite pulling to the side I had a kid in a pickup truck push my cane which was strapped to the luggage rack into my thigh leaving quite a bruise. I installed a piece of PVC trim board on the sissy bar on that bike above the top case, painted it black to match the bike and installed running board lights for stop and turn signals. That eliminated the close calls on that bike and made it much more visible. The Sport City has a 32 inch seat height and fairly high mounted brake lights like the Aprilia Sport Bikes so visibility has not been a problem due to the bike. Wearing a highly reflective jacket called "Silver Ignitor" by Xelement has also helped. I use a folding cane now and keep it stowed in the top case to eliminate any danger of having a repeat performance on that one. If the wooden one had snapped the jagged end could have pierced the thigh and been pushed though the muscle to the knee which is something I really want no part of. I saw a hang glider snap thr tubular frame on his kite and get cookie cuttered in a similar fashion and I have visions of a metal cane doing that so no more canes on the luggage rack or anywhere they could potentially get rammed into you in a mishap. |
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Post by dollartwentyfive on Dec 18, 2015 8:27:59 GMT -5
Several years ago I wound up buying reflector tape that came in strips of red and silver, to help out with being more visible, without going too crazy with it. i would also recommend that a highway yellow, or hunter orange, vest be worn. forget the "i might look stupid" line the visibility angle can't be overstated. there have been plenty of MC accidents where the cager has said "i didn't see him". i've almost been nailed twice like this. cagers simply need to be made aware that 2 wheelers are out there, and to specifically look for them. another good idea along these lines is a "3 piece headlight" this is 3 separate lights pointed in slightly different angles, one straight ahead, one slightly to the left, and one slightly to the right. maybe 15 degrees between them. modulating lights wouldn't hurt either. night riding isn't something i do much of, simply because of the road hazards. although i did a lot of it on my 50cc. in my opinion, a sticky throttle needs serviced. your throttle needs to close if you let go of it. this is more important for a "twist and go" type of ride than a motorcycle because a motorcycle has a clutch to disengage the engine. speaking of helmets, i recommend a full face. it protects your entire head, you don't need goggles, and it keeps the bugs out of your nose and mouth.. i've worn mine in blazing heat with no discomfort. and gloves, let's not forget the gloves. a really good pair can be gotten on the cheap at walmart. pure cowhide, but you have to add your own lacing. i wore those with a lining of jersey bought from the dollar store. |
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Post by ricardoguitars on Dec 18, 2015 10:36:02 GMT -5
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Post by dollartwentyfive on Dec 19, 2015 3:05:08 GMT -5
i could never understand the "i have a right to not wear a helmet" mindset.
OTOH, i guess i would rather die than to be made a permanent vegetable.
i feel naked without mine, it's like i'm committing the mother of all sins if i ride without it.
a fullface will protect your head from all kinds of airborn nasties.
the only problem i ever had with mine was fogging in cold weather, but i found that opening the visor just a teeny bit prevented most of it.
the only other "problem" i had was a bee got in mine.
it crawled in there when i went into walmart.
talk about freaking out.
a simple check would have caught that though.
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Post by SylvreKat on Dec 19, 2015 8:36:53 GMT -5
... the only problem i ever had with mine was fogging in cold weather, but i found that opening the visor just a teeny bit prevented most of it. the only other "problem" i had was a bee got in mine. it crawled in there when i went into walmart. talk about freaking out. a simple check would have caught that though. Mine fogs even in the summer. Guess I'm just hot.  As for bugs, I remember a Dawg posting how a bee managed to go in the air intake while he was riding.  THAT would seriously freak me out! >'Kat |
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Post by rockynv on Dec 19, 2015 11:22:02 GMT -5
i could never understand the "i have a right to not wear a helmet" mindset. OTOH, i guess i would rather die than to be made a permanent vegetable. i feel naked without mine, it's like i'm committing the mother of all sins if i ride without it. a fullface will protect your head from all kinds of airborn nasties. the only problem i ever had with mine was fogging in cold weather, but i found that opening the visor just a teeny bit prevented most of it. the only other "problem" i had was a bee got in mine. it crawled in there when i went into walmart. talk about freaking out. a simple check would have caught that though. People are in the mistaken belief that they have that right here in Florida however there is a big "IF" attached which is only "IF" mandatory minimum personal injury insurance is in place. Since many insurance companies here no longer honor PIP if your not wearing a helmet, jacket, long pants, gloves and boots then you can't legally go without a helmet. Even with a helmet if your missing the other required elements you can be denied PIP. People with a full health and injury personal health care policy are finding they also can be without coverage if they are not wearing their gear. I would not have walked away from my accident this past spring if I had not been wearing a full face helmet so I have that reinforcement of ATGATT in my life. I have not gotten into the habit of leaving a helmet out on the bike and always take it with me. Who wants to wear a helmet that has been sitting out in the Florida Sun or has one of our Face Sized Spiders curled up inside of it not to mention yellow jackets, hornets, stinging flies, flying wood roaches, fire ants, lizards or potentially a pygmy rattler or coral snake. |
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Post by dollartwentyfive on Dec 19, 2015 16:11:36 GMT -5
People are in the mistaken belief that they have that right here in Florida however there is a big "IF" attached which is only "IF" mandatory minimum personal injury insurance is in place. Since many insurance companies here no longer honor PIP if your not wearing a helmet, jacket, long pants, gloves and boots then you can't legally go without a helmet. Even with a helmet if your missing the other required elements you can be denied PIP. People with a full health and injury personal health care policy are finding they also can be without coverage if they are not wearing their gear. in indiana, it's required to show proof of insurance to even get your license. on top of that, if you get this proof, then let it lapse, then that carrier will refuse you any more coverage. you can't get insurance with them anymore. helmet laws here are: if you have a MC permit, then you must wear a helmet. if you have the endorsement, you dont. mine hasn't saved my life yet, but it has kept me from getting seriously injured. a half face would have worked too, but a full face just provides a lot more protection. i can only imagine what it would feel like getting hit by a junebug at 65MPH with a fullface, you don't have to worry about your glasses being blown off by the wind, or grasshoppers, locusts, or anything else like that. it provides vital protection for your chin and throat. maybe i need to do the same. i always left mine on the floorboard, and it has always been there when i got back. it's odd that i think about it. i would chain up my ride, but leave my helmet vulnerable. |
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Post by urbanmadness on Dec 19, 2015 20:29:58 GMT -5
A helmet is something you hope never needs to be used.... It needs to be worn at all times, but you hope that you never "need" it.
As for braking. A lot of what has been said applies to small bikes. Riding a bigger bike, (500 class and higher), you do tend to drag the rear brake more. IE. in a u-turn. On the wing I'll even drag the rear a little on an on-ramp. It keeps the bike a bit more settled. I even drag the rear brake in parking lots. By dragging the brake and slipping the clutch, I can ride my bike slower then most people walk. I am by no means a great rider, just a halfway competent one. The rear brake is a stability tool, the front brake is a stopping tool.
One thing I haven't seen in this thread, and it is a very important, can't stress it enough, is your head. You turn your head and look where you want to go. Keep you head up and look straight ahead during stops, and you will avoid having to "Catch" the bike. This really is a habit that comes into play with bigger top heavy bikes, but something to be mindful even when you riding a fairly forgiving small scoot, develop good habits now. If you find yourself going a little wide in a turn, turn your head and look further inside the turn and give her a little throttle.... that's right I said giver her a little throttle. Hitting the brakes in that situation will actually make the bike stand back up out of the lean and make you turn even wider. Hitting the throttle, makes better use of the available traction, raises the bike and gives you a little more clearance before you scrape the pegs (or center stands in the case of scooters).
NEVER drag your feet.... Your feet belong on the pegs or floorboards.
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Post by dollartwentyfive on Dec 20, 2015 3:37:07 GMT -5
NEVER drag your feet.... Your feet belong on the pegs or floorboards. doing this, putting a foot down, during a skills test will cost you your endorsement in indiana. you bring up a good point with the running wide topic. it's one of those odd aspects of 2 wheels that i don't fully understand. in a cage, you can simply turn the wheel sharper, but 2 wheels seems to negate that. any ideas why a biker runs wide? yes, i know a decreasing radius will cause it, but why can't a biker seem to correct for it? shifting winds can also cause it. |
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Post by rockynv on Dec 20, 2015 8:12:09 GMT -5
NEVER drag your feet.... Your feet belong on the pegs or floorboards. doing this, putting a foot down, during a skills test will cost you your endorsement in indiana. you bring up a good point with the running wide topic. it's one of those odd aspects of 2 wheels that i don't fully understand. in a cage, you can simply turn the wheel sharper, but 2 wheels seems to negate that. any ideas why a biker runs wide? yes, i know a decreasing radius will cause it, but why can't a biker seem to correct for it? shifting winds can also cause it. Target fixation on the tree, curb, etc that you are trying to avoid. As I have mentioned before look at the ground and you will end up on the ground. Notice what you want to avoid but look at where you want to be. |
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