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my bike
by: oldchopperguy - Jan 1, 2017 21:01:59 GMT -5
Post by oldchopperguy on Jan 1, 2017 21:01:59 GMT -5
Well, boyz & gurlz...
All this moped talk got me interested in these little 50cc or so wonders. I've never been too interested in the 50's because I'm just too heavy for 3 or 4hp. That being said, these pedal-starter REAL "mopeds" today have a BIG following! And, the riders are showing AMAZING talents in making them LOOK good and GO fast...
I'm not sure about availability of the Euro-style mopeds in the USA. One might have to do some searching... but they do have a lot of appeal for the small-displacement enthusiast!
Here are some pix I found of real, genuine mopeds WITH pedals AND class... Definitely something for the 50cc enthusiasts to think about when considering a mild (or wild) custom that turns heads and doesn't cost $10-grand to build... And is NOT a scooter. Different, but pretty sweet!Enjoy!      
I think we scooter-jockeys often think of 50cc rides as scooters... usually smaller versions of 150's. These "mopeds" opened my eyes to a completely different genre of "bikes". These rides have appeal that might well interest the big-bike rider who enjoys the "bobber" or "café racer" style of bike, but in a small, lightweight version which is very affordable to buy, or build and maintain. For cruising the neighborhood, or just plain fun transportation, how could you beat one of these?  They just make this old biker smile!Ride safe!Leo in Texas
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Post by oldchopperguy on Dec 30, 2016 22:35:06 GMT -5
Dollartwentyfi,
Have a bone for bringing up an interesting subject!
I'm an old-school biker from more than a half-century ago... We usually referred to our Hogs as "bikes", but often tongue-in-cheek called them our "scooters"...
Most definitely, a scooter IS a bike... But I must admit to feeling like I'm "pushing the envelope" calling my step-through 250 a bike... I usually just call her a "scooter" or affectionately, "the Mouse". But yeah, a SCOOTER is a bike!
Ricardoguitars is absolutely right about scooters not being "mopeds". But all around the world, somehow, our beloved scooters have been saddled with that irritating moniker.
I absolutely HATE the term "moped". When I was a little nipper in the fifties, "mopeds" were popular. From the venerable "Whizzer" to the singularly ugly European mopeds like the front-wheel-drive "Solex", they were cheap, slow, and often didn't require licenses... Cool for kids on a budget and too young for a driver's license. And of course, they were REALLY "bikes"... LOL! "Moped" is a European term from way back. We hated that name even 50 years ago... LOL! When we were kids, riding a Whizzer or any other motorized bike with pedals, we called them "motorbikes". Ah... MUCH better name for an American ride!
I'll call my aging Kymco a "bike". Or a "scoot". Or a "scooter". Or "Minnie" or "the Mouse" but NEVER, EVER will I call it a "moped". Even if the rest of the world does... LOLOLOL!
If it ain't got pedals, it ain't a moped. Period.
Now once in a great while, I used to call my first Chinese 150 things NOT appropriate for a family site... HeHeHe...
Whatever you call your ride, ride safe!
Leo in Texas
PS: Since you really are wanting another Chinese 250, you might start looking around. This time of year there may be SUPER-affordable deals on all sorts of "bikes" including just what you want. Just an idea...
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Post by oldchopperguy on Dec 30, 2016 22:11:05 GMT -5
[/i]Something to ponder: Now that everybody has cell-phones, and PHONE BOOTHS are gone... Where DOES Clark Kent now hide to morph into Superman? Enquiring minds want to know... LOL![/quote] I believe the definitive Clark Kent/Superman showed us already, when Christopher Reeves entered a revolving door as Clark, revolved it very quickly several times, and emerged as Supes. Sigh. I miss Reeves' Supes, when the Man of Steel didn't have to be all broody and moody and dark and crap.[/quote] ___________________________________________________________________________
Kat... I had forgotten about the "modern" movie Superman and the revolving door! I guess I'm incurable "old-school". To me Clark Kent/Superman just has to be George Reeves. Yeah, there were several good "Supermen" in early movie serials, but for little nippers of my generation, Superman was the TV hero George Reeves. Just like the "Lone Ranger" was ONLY Clayton Moore, and "Tarzan" was ONLY Johnny Weissmuller... Especially for adoring adolescent hero-worshippers, there is ONLY one genuine, bonafide "real-deal" star character.
His untimely death in 1959 (7th grade for me) was traumatic for little fans. The official cause of death was suicide, but not likely. George WAS depressed over the Superman series being cancelled, but he had just received news that it was reinstated. He was at a party celebrating the decision to keep the show going. Most of his TV pals figured everybody was drunk, and somebody started playing with a 9mm Luger war-trophy and it was accidentally discharged through careless handling. We'll never know for sure...
My teacher actually told us the slug that killed him must have been made of Kryptonite just to make us feel a little better... We were already in mourning, reeling from Russia beating us in the race to launch a satellite, with their little "Sputnik". And now, SUPERMAN was killed? What next??? Cheesh... Those were simpler times than today. I wonder what kind of scooter Superman would have ridden in the fifties? Gotta be a Cushman Eagle... And of course, it would have been able to fly!Ride safe, and watch out for Kryptonite-potholes!Leo |
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Post by oldchopperguy on Dec 29, 2016 22:22:54 GMT -5
Ah, I think maybe there were more steel balls involved than just the cages... LOL! Those old guys were mighty macho!
Just sayin'...
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Post by oldchopperguy on Dec 29, 2016 22:11:27 GMT -5
Whew, hard choice!
Both of their alter-ego superheroes wore tights, with their underwear outside... EEEEWWW! But Bat Man wore lavender boxers, and Superman wore blue briefs... A guy's gotta be pretty macho to do either! LOL!
Clark Kent at least generated SOME girly-interest from Lois Lane... and Superman operated without the help of a side-kick... So Clark Kent gets my vote by a small margin. Oh, yeah, AND Superman could FLY!
Something to ponder: Now that everybody has cell-phones, and PHONE BOOTHS are gone... Where DOES Clark Kent now hide to morph into Superman? Enquiring minds want to know... LOL!
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Post by oldchopperguy on Dec 29, 2016 22:01:03 GMT -5
Looks nice! Maybe you could adapt a different windshield? It IS winter and hard to sell a bike... So... Try getting it for less than a grand, and pretend it's additional "closing cost" on the new digs!
Ride safe,
Leo in Texas
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Post by oldchopperguy on Dec 29, 2016 21:48:41 GMT -5
Oldcoot,
Welcome to the site! Have a bone on the Old Chopper Guy!
No worries about looking for a Kymco when your Aprilia wears out... I don't think Italian scoots ever do wear out... LOL! Of course, because they didn't sell all that well, those incredible Kymco "My Road" 700cc road-burners can still be found NEW on the floor for HALF-PRICE... Hmmm... Good thing I have too much arthritis to climb on them... LOLOL! I managed to get on one when they first came out a few years back and that big twin makes plenty of giddyup for cruising any speed you want, and it rode like a Harley... But still, too much arthritis and too little budget for the 9-grand masterpiece!
Thanks for posting the Kookie T-Bucket pickup roadster! It is my all-time favorite street rod, and the FIRST of the breed! Norm got every angle, proportion and styling que just right on the first try!
Only change I'd have made would probably to have powered it with a blown flathead... Just old-school me!
Ride safe!
Leo in Texas
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Post by oldchopperguy on Dec 26, 2016 23:39:17 GMT -5
Nice Christmas message! Have a bone on the Old Chopper Guy! It's a great time of year, and your post makes it all the better!  Stay safe! Leo in Texas |
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Post by oldchopperguy on Dec 23, 2016 19:00:13 GMT -5
Aw, thanks Leo. I forgot about the steel balls. I've seen those on tv. I think a family even did it on Am's Got Talent one year. Looked massively terrifying!! Dad used to have an old-old football "helmet", dunno from his youth or maybe from his dad. It had ear protection and that was really about it. Amazing that anyone survived these things (football, Walls of Death, etc) with what amounted to no protection  >"Kat
Yeah, survival in the early days of motor-power IS amazing! Seems like more riders, flyers, football players and such did better back then than today, with our new equipment. Obviously, people were smaller (having less "kinetic energy" in an impact). Being "goofy" from head injuries was not really noticed much, and a "normal" life-span was as short as 45 years in many cases. So... early death from consequences of injury may often have been considered "natural causes"... Like a civil-rights worker getting shot in the forties: "...round THESE parts, gettin' shot IS a "natural cause of death" for carpetbaggers pokin' their noses into stuff what ain't their business..."
I was fortunate years ago, to have known an old (very old) WWI pilot who flew in France. He worked his way to Europe on a tramp steamer when he was 9 years old and joined the French Air Force at 11... They'd take ANYBODY willing to fly against the Hun... He crashed while attempting to solo, and cracked his head wide open... The French "surgeons" drained the blood from the "helmet" and then, expertly left his leather skull-cap on, buckled tight to keep his brains in until his skull healed... Whew! What marvelous 1917 medical technique! Musta worked, 'cause he was 101 when I met him and he made it many more years! I asked the feisty old codger what he attributed his long, healthy life to. He growled: "...Plenty of good red meat, Cuban cigars and a fifth of Jack Daniel's a day..." Hmmm... "OH, and, yeah, a good bar-room brawl at least once a month. Keeps me quick and spry...".
Even today, death from football injuries is not uncommon in high-school, college AND the pro-leagues. It's kept pretty quiet though until somebody captures the event on a cell-phone camera.
Ride safe, and keep yer' head inside that helmet!Leo |
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Post by oldchopperguy on Dec 23, 2016 18:41:31 GMT -5
When it is that cool, perspiration is not likely to be a problem unless one is actually overheating themselves from being overdressed. Wearing layers that can be opened for better circulation would help prevent overheating. Rain suits can help block the direct blast of air to reduce wind chill effect, but if they don't have adequate venting built in, it can get uncomfortable... especially if it is already warm. Tire grip becomes less effective when it is 45° F or less. Car tires, especially winter tires have more silicates in the rubber compound for better grip for use in wet and cold conditions. I use a car tire on the rear of my scooters  Makes it hard to do donuts in the driveway, but possible with determination.   Woo-HOO! "Scooter Snow-Angels"! Have a bone for that one! Leo in Texas |
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Post by oldchopperguy on Dec 23, 2016 1:58:10 GMT -5
1) although it was very gentlemanly of the guy at :30 to give the lady a push-start, why does he have a jumpsuit and some kind of helmet, while she has street clothes and no headgear? 2) what is with taking lions with you on this thing? 3) does anyone still operate a Wall of Death? >'Kat, going nowhere near the inside of one of these things with Peej! I don't know about that lion... Certainly would add some excitement if it got frisky during the ride! Anything to add more danger was considered a plus back then... I'm sure the more macho of the riders must have tossed kerosene around the wall, setting it on fire to enhance the experience! I'm old enough to have known a couple of the old geezers who rode the "wall of death". Certainly dangerous (I never tried it so I can't say from experience)... But they told me it was not too difficult once you got practiced at it. I was particularly impressed by the gals doing it sidesaddle, no hands... Whew! Back in the early days, decent helmets didn't even exist... Just leather aviator skull-caps which only kept your brains available for the autopsy. Even when rudimentary helmets did arrive, old-timers shunned them as being "sissy"... Like early WWI pilots attitude toward parachutes... duh... I'm sure anything as popular as the wall of death MUST still be around. Nowadays though, it's often a steel-mesh ball, and the riders go "round and round" and also "loop the loop" often with several riders blasting between each other looping and circling. Now THAT really IS dangerous!Too much testosterone for this old guy... I limit my scooter thrills to the occasional nose-dive down a steep freeway entrance ramp, seeing if I can get the old mouse past the  -mark... LOL! I actually DID get her to 99 on the speedo once (with a tailwind) and that's an honest 96-mph. Those little 12" wheels must have been doing 8K rpm... 
Ride safe, there are splinters waiting in that wall of death!Leo in Texas |
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Post by oldchopperguy on Dec 23, 2016 1:29:29 GMT -5
Nice vid!
Winter riding CAN be an adventure... Back in my brain-dead youth, I rode all year long on my chopper in Chicago. Kick-starting that 250hp Hog, with 13:1 compression on a below-zero day was NOT for the faint-hearted... LOL! You definitely DO have to watch for slippery stuff. One sunny January day it got up to 50, or 60 degrees and I was a happy camper. No traffic on the "Congress Expy." and I was enjoying the dry highway at near the century-mark... Then, a sweeping curve went under an overpass... The shaded overpass had preserved the ice frozen on the road... LOL!
"Old Blue" went sideways, tossing me over the side, between the steel uprights of a sign and into a 20-foot snowbank at about -mph. Thankfully, I did go BETWEEN the uprights, as did Old Blue. I penetrated that snowbank about 20 feet and ducked fast as my faithful Harley was airborne and right behind me... When it went out from under me on the ice, it slid upright until the tires hit dry pavement, flipping it into the air, never touching the road. Old Blue went into the snowbank un-damaged!It did smack me pretty good on the way by... LOL! But, after an hour of digging and pulling, my head quit hurting, and I had her out and upright again, and completely undamaged! She started on the third kick and I rode VERY carefully home.
I learned a monumental lesson about 2-wheels and ice that day... I was only 17, so I had a LOT left to learn about EVERYTHING... Had I not gone BETWEEN the legs of that sign, and/or that snowbank NOT have been there like huge feather-pillow, I would never have reached 18.
Something to consider!Ride safe, ESPECIALLY when there may be ice (or oil, pea-gravel, wet diagonal railroad tracks, etc.) afoot! Leo (lovin' my big, barn-door GIVI windshield this winter) in Texas
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Post by oldchopperguy on Dec 20, 2016 17:59:05 GMT -5
seamus26,
Great post! Have a bone on the Old Chopper Guy!
I'm an old big-bike guy from the sixties who, due to arthritis and short budget, have gone to scooters... You're absolutely right about the new CVT trannies, AND the old Vespa. I got MAJOR improvements with my first Chinese 150 by roller experimentation. I found 11 grams were too light, giving great acceleration but a top speed of only 45-mph at 10K rpm!
Then, going to 12 grams, I got a top speed of 65-mph on the flat, at 8K rpm... but ZERO acceleration and no hill-climbing ability...
So... I staggered 3 each 11 gram, and 3 each 12 gram, effectively giving me "11/5 gram". BINGO! Good acceleration, good hill-climbing AND a top-speed of 62-mph at 8,500 rpm.
Now, for the old-school VESPA! I had forgotten how cool they were! All the fun of clutch n' gears AND over 60-mph on a sturdy steel scoot... So long as you don't mind the clutch and gears all being on the twist-grip... LOL!
You CAN find professionally restored vintage Vespas in the $2K to $4K price range. And, you MIGHT find a left-over NOS Stella 2-stroke with gears clone squirreled away at some obscure dealer. Neat rides, but not exactly cheap.
Thanks for the post, I really enjoyed it! Even as an old-school Harley chopper and bagger guy, I must admit NOTHING shouts "cool, Euro-hooligan scoot" like a vintage steel, 2-stroke Vespa with some checkerboard graphics and speed-parts decals... Lots of class on 10" wheels!!!
Ride safe,
Leo in Texas
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Post by oldchopperguy on Dec 16, 2016 15:30:50 GMT -5
Great pix... Your stock 150 header looks mighty familiar... I don't know WHAT the Chinese are thinking with those undersized, welded-up monstrosities... I do think a better header like your slick stainless one is a MAJOR factor in getting these to run right! That awful restriction right at the exhaust-port with the factory pipe has GOT to rob power, interfere with tuning and cause a lot of heat where you don't need it... Nice post! Leo in Texas |
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Post by oldchopperguy on Dec 16, 2016 14:32:39 GMT -5
The Stinger on the end is to build back pressure, the purpose for the back pressure is to build a certain amount of Heat, the purpose of the Heat is That the Sound Waves work much better in a Higher Heat Medium, this not only helps Pull out the Exhaust there is a fair amount of crankshaft rotation or Duration that Both the Exhaust Port and Transfer Ports are Open, The Sound Waves also Pull in more Intake Charge. The GY-6 is Most happy with as little back pressure as possible. so Im still calling bunk to a Two Stroke Expansion Chamber on a Four Stroke GY-6. it will run but not as good with a pure free flow setup. Here are a couple images of the Latest in Four Stroke Pipe Technology from the Pipe Gods  
Back in the day... (early sixties) we raced karts. Soon, the expansion/contraction pipes replaced the shorty straight-pipes on our McCulloch and West Bend 2-stroke kart motors. They indeed are tuned for a specific rpm use, with the air/fuel-charge being pulled THROUGH the cylinder and partially into the chamber, then RAMMED back into the combustion-chamber for a minor, but true "supercharging" effect. A 2-stroke will run best with the chamber-pipe at its proper rpm. I still remember the window-breaking scream of a trio of methanol-burning McCulloch MC10's at full-song at my back... Whew! Be still my beating heart! Now, the chamber pipes WERE a lot quieter... Dang...
But, when we understood the way the chamber-pipes worked, we learned by experience that they would also improve performance on a 4-stroke... NOT by the complex pulling and ramming of the charge, but by the brain-dead-simple reverse-venturi effect of the first part of the chamber pulling the exhaust from the cylinder. Period. It's not MAJOR like with a 2-stroke, but it's there, and, far better than a straight-pipe OR low-restriction muffler. You could get the same effect with a megaphone exhaust, but... THAT is LOUD... and offers no back-pressure. The engines do require SOME back-pressure for good running, but not much.
Trust me on that one... My old 150 GY6 had a noticeable improvement in idle, throttle-response and WOT performance with the 2-stroke chamber pipe. It worked on our old Briggs and Cushman Eagle flatheads, and just as well on the GY6 OHC motor.
It's a totally different phenomenon than with a 2-stroke where the chamber pipe actually interacts with the intake as well as the exhaust... On the 4-stroke motor, the chamber pipe simply scavenges the exhaust slightly better than either a muffler OR a straight-pipe. It's the reverse-cone first-part of the chamber that helps scavenge a 4-stroke. On my old 150, I experienced better overall performance, AND easier tuning with the chamber pipe, just like I did with archaic 4-strokes of the 1960's. It really DOES work... Honest! Try one for yourself, and I don't think you'll be disappointed! Ride safe,Leo in Texas |
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-mark... LOL! I actually DID get her to 99 on the speedo once (with a tailwind) and that's an honest 96-mph. Those little 12" wheels must have been doing 8K rpm... 