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Post by oldchopperguy on Nov 8, 2016 21:04:52 GMT -5
I don't want to seem to be a doomsdayer but that setup is just oldie foolish and dangerous,,,he must have rigged trailer brakes,,,not that hard to do ,,,and by the looks of it he's been at it a while,,,and has put many miles on the setup,,,it's just not my cup of tea,,,but whatever rings your bell I guess,,,motorcycling (scootering included) means something quite different to me,,,lite agile with great turnability,,that rig reminds me of Road dog ,, the guy that was a railroad man,,,and built this huge monstrosity of a bike,,,like 12-15 foot long,,,couple thousand pounds at least,,,,crazy talk!!!!!!! I do honestly agree, but being a tad oldie-foolish myself, I still get a kick out of this guy! He's probably been riding that pile of stuff so long he is totally at home on it. I never thought I could feel "at home" on a scooter after more than a half-century of riding big bikes, but here I am... No, his freight-train on two wheels is not my cup of tea either, but it still makes me smile! Ride safe! Leo in Texas |
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Post by oldchopperguy on Nov 7, 2016 18:22:14 GMT -5
One set of horns was not enough. He has two sets of horns on it. Yeah, and, looks like a pair of antlers on the trailer too! Now, I don't feel so guilty about my 1940's illuminated swan on "Minnie Mouse's" nose... LOL! This fellow definitely embodies the real essence of the freedom of the road!  |
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Post by oldchopperguy on Nov 7, 2016 18:16:52 GMT -5
YIKES!!! I'm killing myself trying to get my rides lean and smooth and shucking all excess weight with TI and drilled fasteners and having billet parts cut ,,,this guy is piling on the stuff,,,one thing you can say is he has balls,,,I wouldn't ride the thing,,,
I don't think RIDING it would be the big problem... Rather, STOPPING it!Reminds me of a guy I saw decades ago on a Honda Gold Wing... He was pulling a FORTY-FOOT-YACHT on a trailer behind the Honda... You hardly noticed the bike in front of the boat! That boat HAD to weigh at least 15,000 pounds. Hope he had trailer-brakes!I never tried pulling a trailer behind a bike. Don't really want to, but it's done all the time. I guess it's OK if the setup is done right. I'd just hate to end up with something that set up a high-speed wobble... It would allow a rider to haul a bunch of stuff. Handy for touring! Of course, so is a nice SUV... LOL! I have an old lawn-edger frame that when turned upside down, absolutely looks like a factory-made teensy trailer frame, and a pair of 4" aircraft tail-wheels. Add a pair of mountain-bike coil-overs for suspension and it IS tempting to make a little trailer, though it would require title and license, etc. At my age, with aches and pains, I'll probably just stick with two wheels until I absolutely need to go to a three-wheeler. Hope that's still at least a decade away, but not holding my breath. Dang, I love carving those sweeping curves on "Minnie Mouse", and that 9-grand bark from her little thumper mill echoing off the trees... Once I learned to ride a bicycle as a little nipper, I was hooked on "things 2-wheeled". Guess I always will be. Ride safe!Leo in Texas |
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Post by oldchopperguy on Nov 6, 2016 21:52:35 GMT -5
One picture is worth a thousands words, or so they say...Many members have posted great pix of their rides loaded-down for a road-trip... But THIS old fellow takes the prize in my book. Talk about all the comforts of home... LOL!  Couldn't resist posting this one... That old Kaw must have been made pretty "bullet-proof" to haul this load, and, it looks like it's been hauling this stuff for many, MANY years and miles. Ya just GOTTA respect an old geezer who lives the gypsy road-life like this! Way to go old guy! Enjoy!Leo in Texas
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Post by oldchopperguy on Nov 6, 2016 21:28:23 GMT -5
Wheelbender6,Oh, yes, YES, YES!!! Thanks for posting. Gotta check out the killboy.com site!THIS is NOW definitely a Harley. No matter where the frame was made... Reminds me of the "shotgun" conversions of my youth where we took a military Harley 45 and shoehorned in a knucklehead or pan-head 74 motor. Now I want one of these with a new Indian "Thunder Stroke" mill... Yup! Have a bone on the old chopper guy!And ride safe! Leo in Texas
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Post by oldchopperguy on Nov 4, 2016 10:41:24 GMT -5
"Minnie Mouse"... A 2007 Kymco Grandvista 250. 18,355 miles on her clock. Sadly, I only put on the last 3,000... The original owner "broke her in" nearly 100% on the highway. He said the mouse has been from New York to California, and from Canada to Mexico. All ridden near WOT riding 2-up with his Wife and loaded down with luggage.  Only maintenance needed was done by my dealer when the original owner traded her on a new fuel-injected Kymco 300. That included a new belt, battery, brake-pads, muffler and tires. All hoses, electrics, etc. are original '07 stuff and soft, pliable and good as new. She doesn't use a drop of oil or coolant... All electrics are still perfect including that irritating "Darth Vader" digital dashboard with bar-graph tach and temp gauge. Even the electric folding mirrors still work as-new. Perhaps the MOST amazing "bullet-proof" part is the SEAT upholstery... Zero wear showing after all these hard years and miles!
She's as reliable as my family Honda Accord.Like Kat, some health-issues and bad weather have kept me from riding much this season, but here in Texas, we do get a good number of riding days even in the winter... So... I'm looking forward to putting some miles on the mouse yet this year. This particular Kymco has proven to be an excellent buy even 9 years old, and with 15K miles already on her clock when I got her. Only mod done by original owner is a one-tooth up-gear in the final drive. She'll still do an honest 80-mph+ on the flat with no wind, and cruise 65-70 up and down hills in the wind. Unfortunately, THAT is still NOT fast enough to be really safe in local  - -mph freeway traffic, but she can still get me down the road if I REALLY "watch my six" while "crawling along" at 70...
I rode Harleys for a half-century, and am AMAZED at how satisfied I am with a decade-old Taiwanese SCOOTER!
Ride safe, mile after mile!Leo in Texas
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Post by oldchopperguy on Nov 2, 2016 21:51:35 GMT -5
It might be a good deal, but I think you can find good used 250's for around $1,500 (even name-brands) especially now at the end of the riding season.
It would pay to check around. Also, considering the season when people are not wanting to spend on anything but Christmas items, you might pick up this one for a grand.
One of our members just snagged a nice fuel-injected Kymco 250 for $600 and his old Chinese 150 if I recall.
Lots of good stuff out there cheap...
Ride safe,
Leo in Texas
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Post by oldchopperguy on Oct 31, 2016 13:05:29 GMT -5
w650,
WOW! I'm REALLY liking what I see in the SSR V-twin bikes, and even the vertical single... These bikes have a truly unique look that appeals to both the old-school, and modern rider!
Thanks for the post! Have a bone!
Leo in Texas
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Post by oldchopperguy on Oct 30, 2016 10:27:37 GMT -5
mrsunsett,
One somewhat simple and affordable alternative for better lights at night is to add auxiliary LED driving lights. I did that on my old Kymco and took some pix to show the difference. The factory headlight was "OK" by scooter standards, but I was STILL not seeing those pesky unpainted curbs extending into traffic lanes (my neighbor recently TOTALLED a new $40K Jeep on one!!!) and I was also having "near-misses" with potholes and debris.
Below are some pix to show the difference between the factory light only, and with the driving lights on.
  My "installation" is simplicity itself... An aluminum tent-pole found in a dumpster and a couple of U-bolts. I did make SURE to use fender-washers and rubber biscuits to spread the stress on the plastic and have had no issues with cracking. My factory low-beam headlight comes on automatically when the engine is started, and has no on-off switch. If the ignition is on, the headlight is on. With 60 extra watts coming on when illuminating them, I did take the added precaution of running heavy wire direct from the battery for the LED's and a low-draw automotive solenoid on-off switch (wired into the factory running lights) to prevent the LED's being lit unless the headlight is on. Probably not necessary, but I like to err on the side of caution.   
These small (flashlight-size) LED's are 30 watts each (only a few watts more than factory headlights) but put out the equivalent of about 60 watts of incandescent bulbs. They REALLY make a difference. Now I can see a football field ahead, and, mounted fairly low, and aimed slightly to the right, they don't seem to bother oncoming traffic at all. I always turn them on at night, and after a full season, I've had no oncoming traffic flash their brights at me.
These are "pencil" or spot-beam LED's, but you can also find "flood" style. I only use these at night, and have had no problem with them running down the battery. Many varieties of this type of auxiliary LED light can be found on eBay quite cheap. Even ONE would be a MAJOR improvement over standard Chinese factory headlights and only used at night, would probably not cause too much battery drain. On a scoot that won't be ridden over 40-mph or so, a single spot-style reaching out should be enough for safer night riding. Even the flood-style has considerable reach, AND a lot of peripheral lighting too (more like a factory headlight on steroids)... LOL! Even a smaller, 15 watt LED makes a LOT of light on a scooter! These lights offer a lot of light for the buck! Hope this might help...Ride safe! Leo in Texas
PS: One note: LED's do NOT like AC current. All my Kymco's lights run on DC, but many scoots use AC for some of the incandescent bulbs. It's easy to avoid problems by simply running LED's direct from the battery. If you need LED's on an AC circuit as with some model's head and tail-lights... It's best to use a bridge-rectifier to convert the AC power to DC for the LED's.
On my first Chinese 150, the tail-light and stop-light ran on DC, but the headlights ran on AC. So I connected extra LED stop/tail-lights into the factory DC wires, but used a bridge-rectifier to connect an LED aux. light into the factory wiring. It would have been easier to just hook direct to the battery... Duh... Live and learn.
You can tell which lights are AC or DC by a simple test: If the lights can come on with the engine not running, they must be DC, running off the battery. If the lights only work with the engine running (not just having the ignition on) they are most likely AC, requiring the stator to be running.
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Post by oldchopperguy on Oct 30, 2016 10:00:42 GMT -5
'gull, in KS you can limited-drive at 14. Leo, I like spinach (for real). Adds great taste to salads. Okay, adds great vitamins to salads. All I could actually TASTE was the maters and cheese and fake-crab and real-bacon bits and crunchies and cranberries. Sigh. I really REALLY miss salads!  I also like spinach candidates, too. My Wife can't eat salads and wishes she could. Just can't digest 'em... As for me, I'm about LIVING on romaine lettuce... Great weight-loss stuff. And goof fer ya. I'm gaining a whole new respect for rabbits. Cheesh... In my heart, I always KNEW Popeye was right!Have a bone! Ride safe... Leo in Texas |
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Post by oldchopperguy on Oct 29, 2016 22:24:09 GMT -5
Getting on [img style="max-width:100%;" src="  - There still are only guys and gals - XY or XX chromosomes within your genes are what they are...  Why can we not vote until 18, not drink until 21, not drive until 15, but can decide we are not what our genes determine at any age? Makes absolutely no sense...  Getting off of [img style="max-width:100%;" src="[img style="max-width:100%;" src="[img style="max-width:100%;" src=" ... Thank you! 
Ah, of course, you're RIGHT... The real story is always in the jeans. Or is that genes? No matter, either one will do... Have a bone!
I totally agree, but... our brain-dead government politicos would argue with you. Of course, they are WRONG, but sadly, they make the rules.
One more reason to think long and hard, and then VOTE! Without suggesting WHO, or which PARTY to vote for, check out which party and candidates are offering the sweet chocolate sundae America WANTS... and which one offers the bitter spinach America NEEDS. And man, this floundering nation REALLY needs a BIG dose of spinach, common sense, law and order, and a really SHORT leash jerked up tight. Time to put this rotting train back on the rusty tracks.
You just can't stay healthy on chocolate sundaes. Personally, I'm votin' fer spinach. But then, I am a tad old-school... My e-mails are so clean and boring that I don't care WHO sees 'em.
Ride safe, and listen to yer' chromosomes, NOT the media... LOL!  Leo in Texas
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Post by oldchopperguy on Oct 27, 2016 10:44:18 GMT -5
Can't make up my mind on this one...I suppose it might depend on just which of the FIVE, or is it currently around TWENTY different sexes the media and government now believe exist... Sure was easier when there were only guyz and galz... Cheesh!
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Post by oldchopperguy on Oct 26, 2016 22:37:44 GMT -5
Spandi,
Yeah... and Coke was a favorite soft drink, too... It WOULD rot your TEETH, but NOT your BRAIN...  And a goose was, ah, well, that's a different subject... LOL!
Ride safe, and have a bone on the old chopper guy!
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Post by oldchopperguy on Oct 25, 2016 16:49:07 GMT -5
I almost forgot to mention.... im 6"1... so for my wife... the mirrors Re perfect... for me... a little low... so if they were an inch higher, it would be perf for us both. But yes the styling is awesome, a ruggedness that my wife likes..
I'm your same height, and long-waisted with short legs, so I understand about the mirrors... I was really surprised when I first got on my Kymco and looked for the mirrors... Duh... They fold out electrically (for LANE-SPLITTING according to the manual...). I will NEVER ride SO close to vehicles that I have to fold my mirrors... CHEESH! I do believe the Taiwanese are more adventurous than I am.
I fold 'em to maneuver into tight parking places, but NO lane-splitting for this old geezer...But it's WHERE they are that got me. They're down at "knee-level". Now THAT took some getting used to. But once adjusted, they work fine. Just in a weird place. The placement must have been done by a crotch-rocket jockey used to having his nose on the gas-tank, and his handlebars down at the front axle... Trust me, you can get used to anything... Well, almost anything. I'll never get used to politics... LOL! Ride safe! Leo in Texas |
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Post by oldchopperguy on Oct 23, 2016 8:49:45 GMT -5
I understand the whole concept of brand name being better than Chinese Leo, but let me tell you my sad tale of contradiction. In 2015 I bought a 2010 Kymco Like 50cc two stroke to flip. "It has an electrical Gremlin" the sweet young lady who owned it said. For $300 I bought a $2200 MSRP machine to flip. "How hard can working on a two stroke be," thought I. Then the fun began. After a lot of digging I discovered that the $75.00, plus shipping, starter motor was burned out. Then once I did get it started it ran badly and didn't make voltage. Another $100 with shipping for a stator. At that time my wife passed away and I just didn't have the heart to work on it so I took the scooter to a local small engine/lawn tractor/ATV/Snowmobile shop and said install the stator. They discovered that the scooter had about 60 psi compression with a burned piston and scorched barrel. I said, "Fix it". A 72cc big bore kit from Ebay was installed and the scooter now runs like a top. The bad news. $660 for the top end work done at low shop rates, $200 for a stator and starter motor, $300 original purchase price. Moral of the story for me. If a stupid owner can smoke off a $2200 scooter by failing to keep it in two stroke oil what do you think all the Bozos yelling "Chinese crap!" are up to? Somehow my 8 year old Bashan is running just fine. I let a shop fix it to illustrate the flaw in Brand Name ownership. A repair of those "Reliable" scooters cost an arm and a leg. If I had taken it to a "Real" Kymco dealer that $660 repair would have been closer to $1000. Ungabunga just had to replace his PCX's clutch at a mere 10,000 miles. He did it himself at considerable savings over a dealer repair. I'm not so naive to think a Chinese scooter is a Honda but I would take a $2000 Chinese 250 over a $3500 Honda 150 any day of the week. You need a license for both.
First, my most sincere sympathies in the loss of your Wife. Losing the one you love is heart-breaking. Time does heal, but life will be different from now on. Have a bone on the old chopper guy...
There surely ARE exceptions... You also did get a raw deal on the Kymco too. Being an old go-kart racer from the '60's I can attest to the speedy destruction lack of oil can bring to a 2-stroke. And, yes, if you'd have gone to a Kymco dealer it would have cost a mint to fix.
I'm an old Harley guy, having built and ridden many (probably too many...) big bikes over the last 50 years, and scooters are a whole new game for me. I have arthritis which makes it hard to climb onto big motorcycles anymore, not to mention I can't afford them on Social Security anyway... LOL! The flat-floor Chinese 150's seemed to be the best deal for me. I got and rode one for seven years, and it was a nightmare concerning a plethora of "Chinese bugs" but when I got them all worked out, it was trouble-free. And dirt-cheap. All-in-all, worth the wrenching for the money spent. I only "traded up" to the Kymco 250 because local traffic speeds have increased a LOT. And, I also need to get on the freeway sometimes. For safety, I needed a lot more speed to keep up. I did test-ride everything I could, and honestly did find the used name-brands to generally ride better than even new Chinese models. That's just me, and if I had gotten the Kymco 2-stroke you did, I would have a different outlook... for sure!
One of the great aspects of scooters, is that there are SO many choices, both new and used. And most all of them cost less than motorcycles and are easier to fix. Every rider will have his/her favorite and most will be different!
Now that you have the 2-stroke fixed, it will probably be a lot of fun!Ride safe!Leo in Texas |
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-mph freeway traffic, but she can still get me down the road if I REALLY "watch my six" while "crawling along" at 70...
