Tell me about your motor scooters/mopeds

In My Humble Opinion
21

I have two scooters - a Vespa GT200 and a Piaggio BV500. The Vespa can be seen (and read about) here from my homepage.

A good place to get scootering advice and talk is the Modern Vespa Forum, which despite its name is not limited to discussing Vespas, but is primarily focused on “modern” (automatic CVT transmission) scooters, a.k.a. “twist-and-go”.

In general there is a continuum of bike size/engine power from moped => scooter => sportbike/cruiser, but the lines are getting increasingly blurred.

In most states, there is a legal definition of “limited power motorbike” based on engine size or max speed – typically under 50cc, or in NY State, any bike that can’t go faster than 30 MPH. These limited bikes are “mopeds” and cannot go over bridges or on the highways; however, you don’t need a motorcycle license to ride one, just a driver’s license. (You still need to register/plate the vehicle, of course.)

A “scooter” properly refers to a bike that is faster/more powerful than a moped (typically 125-150cc), with smaller wheels relative to a standard motorcycle (10" wheels are standard) and a step-through frame (you sit on top of the engine, rather than straddling it). These are ideally suited motorbikes for dense urban riding, which is why they’re so popular in the narrow streets of cities Italy and France, and comfortable going up to about 50-60 mph (or faster if you’re a small and light rider). Higher speeds than that are not really recommended on 10" wheels, though people regularly speak of taking highways for short stretches on them, and they are highway legal.

“Classic” or “vintage” scooters have a manual transmission with the clutch being a “twister” on the left hand grip, since there is no foot peg like there would be on a motorcycle. Most modern scooters have CVT automatic transissions, though there are still new produced scooters with manual transmissions (the Stella and the throwback Vespa PX150).

Where things get blurry is that a class of “maxi-scooters” are becoming increasingly popular. With larger engines (200cc to even 850cc), larger wheels (12 to 16 inches) and higher top speeds than standard scooters, they are basically step-through, automatic CVT transmission motorcycles that are highway-class.

I did learn to ride a “standard” motorcycle, but since nearly all my riding is done within NYC I much prefer the CVT/auto tranny for the same reason I prefer an auto tranny in my car for city driving: I find dealing with a clutch in city traffic a pain, and even on the highway, I don’t see the romance factor of it. And scooters have underseat storage, which is also nice.

I’m glad to see you don’t equate “scooter” with “not as dangerous as a motorcycle to ride”. While it’s true that the typical scooter will not go faster than 60 MPH, that is more than fast enough to get you seriously hurt, and most motorcycle accidents happen at speeds under 40 MPH and in city riding (the most common scenario being the driver who “didn’t see you” making a left turn from the opposite direction right in front of you in an intersection). The pavement will hurt just as much if you hit it at 30 MPH whether you’re coming off of a Harley or a 50cc Vespa. Wear your gear (full face helmet and gloves are a must).

22

Déjà vu! We have a red 1978 Sachs Balboa that looks almost exactly like the one in the picture. Also a gold 1978 Puch with about the same body shape as the Sachs. We call them “the Sucks” and “the Push.” Actually they are fun little rides. But yeah, they can be a bitch to start, and you don’t want to pedal them very far.

We are also still hoping to fix up my 1983 Yamaha 180 scooter, similar to a Riva. Boy, could that thing go. I used to get funny looks zooming up the highway at 60 mph on what basically looks like a big Spree. I rode it all through college, but then it developed starting problems, which is a known issue. We bought a service manual and hope to have the time and space to take it apart someday and track down the problem. (A scooter shop had it for a month and accomplished nothing, so we’re not terribly hopeful.)

23

There are many kits available, like these. Surely one of them would fit your requirements?

I’m considering an electric assist myself, probably the BionX. 28-mile range at highest power, which isn’t bad at all. Not cheap by bicycle standards, but cheaper than a moped.

24

I called the place the lady got it from, and they were extremely helpful. In fact, they kept talking themselves out of revenue. :slight_smile: The guy told me what oil I need and how often I need it, and that I should get it from an auto parts store, and that I don’t really need to bring it in for a checkup if it’s running because a 2-stroke should take care of itself, and that they’ll be glad to order a replacement mirror for me, although they come in sets of two, but not until after the holidays. They were really nice and really helpful, and explained everything but didn’t talk down to me at all - they seem like they’re the place to go to. Which is surprising - usually when I talk to people at shops like that, they’re kind of unpleasant and superior.

25

I weigh 240 lbs.

It’s silly to hope that a 49cc scooter would be useful to me, isn’t it?

26

I built one myself, already, and not from a kit. I don’t like the transmission systems in any of those example. Friction drive to the rear or front wheel is something I want to specifically avoid. It causes undo wear on the tire and can slip in wet conditions. The engine placement above the wheel, front or aft raises the center of gravity which effects handling.

The engine should be mounted above the crank, as in a typical motorcycle.

Chain drive to the rear hub is what I’m aiming for. Automatic clutch and pedal start are also necessities - a tricky combination. No example exists as far as I know. I will have to build it myself.

27

The scooter site I’ve been reading cites weight loads for 150 ccs to be around 350 pounds, so you can always go up and just get a motorcycle license. The 50 cc ones I’ve seen seem to have weight limits from the 160 area to around 250, which I think may be pushing it a bit.

28

I’m right about 250 as well and my 150cc Elite will get me to 60 flat out. I’m in the process of rebuilding it to sell and buy a CH250 instead. I’d LOVE to have a GT200 but they are way too spendy and the Hondas are cool to me who grew up in the 80’s/