Scooter Location

[dakotamouse]

I really like the the looks of the Genuine Buddy, and the Stella, too.

I had my scooter before they became popular and before there so many choices in scooters. I have thought about upgrading from a 50cc, but haven't yet. In Arkansas, if you have anything over a 50cc, you must get a separate motorcycle license and that involves both a written and driving test. Also, they must be licensed, registered, insured, and all of that good stuff. I don't have to do any of that with my Yamaha Zuma, and I have found very few instances where I really would like or could use the extra power.

I'd like the extra get up and go of the 150 so I won't have cars "ticked" at me when I get away from a stop light. I don't mind the licensing procedure. They have a seprate system for scooters in ND. If I can work it out I'd like to take the ABATE cycle program before testing.

[angib]

Did you mean: is it safe to ride with only two people on board?


(Please note Mother is decently riding side-saddle, like a lady should.... And smiling, despite the rain)

If the bikes weigh much, you need to consider their effect on the trailer's stability. Wherever you put them (unless you can get them inside the cabin!), they will reduce stability.

Andrew

[teardrop_focus]

I don't know, is this a scooter? It scoots... but only after one pedals away from every stop because of it's single-speed geariing. That's what keeps it legit as a motor-assisted bicycle.



It's a bit on the heavy side @ approx 60 -65 lbs. I don't want it over the tongue of my tear, so I might add a rear rack to a receiver at the back of the trailer. Then to balance the tongue weight I need I could add some small ballast.

Crazy? Yes.



It's all still in the planning stages anyway. :-)~

[ERV]

Criss, What is the name of that? Looks pretty cool. Is it very noisy when you are out and about? I have been looking at getting the wife and I some new bikes. Been on the Schwinn web site and saw that they are making electric bikes now and no chains, they have drive shafts. They say they will go around 60 miles on a charge. Thats way to long on a bike seat for me.
But we do have a store fairly close so I might take a look at them. But like Jan and Bills wife said here already, the exercise will do me (us) good.
Erv

[kennyrayandersen]

Did you mean: is it safe to ride with only two people on board?


(Please note Mother is decently riding side-saddle, like a lady should.... And smiling, despite the rain)

If the bikes weigh much, you need to consider their effect on the trailer's stability. Wherever you put them (unless you can get them inside the cabin!), they will reduce stability.

Andrew

I actually Saw that in Xian this last week end. I’d seen pictures, but that was the first time to see a whole family on a scooter – it was a mom dad and 2 kids (oops on that 1-child policy!). I tried to snap a pic, but don’t know if it turned out because I haven’t had time to go through them yet. If it turned out I’ll post it.

[kennyrayandersen]

A bicycle rack somewhere on the teardrop or tow vehicle has appealed to me, but I have not gotten around to adding that. Does anyone have suggestions or photo about how to add a hitch receiver to the back of the trailer?

Bill

PS Little Guy makes a trailer with a tongue platform large enough for one ATV or two scooters. It has ramps to drive or push the vehicles on and off. Lifting even a small scooter would be difficult for me due to recent back surgery. I thought this might be an idea for someone about building a trailer with similar feature.

The only problem there is that could put the tongue weight up a lot or, if it’s balance properly with the bikes/ATVs on, then when you take them off it would actually be pulling up. If you are towing with a pickup truck or something, them it probably is no big deal because you could balance without the bike and then add them to the tongue later because the pickup will have the capacity to take a lot of load on the receiver), but a lot of folks on the board tow with a small to medium car, which I don’t think that’s such a good configuration for.

[Wimperdink]

Here it is in all its glory with its army map bag saddle bags. I've since mounted a couple of fishing pole holders and the back rack carries the tackle box and other gear.

we must have posted at the same time -- I didn't see the pic. This kind of moped is doable because it only has a 50 cc motor -- doesn't weight so terrible much -- not much more than a downhill MTB. TDDriver on the other hand is driving a 80 mph speed demon and at a portly 370 Lb -- that's half what a tear weighs! -- that would trow off the balance even if the frame was strong enough.

This moped weighs in at no more than 70 lbs. I balanced it on the back tire on a bathroom scale. The tongue weight on the tear is another 75 lbs.. And the rack I built weighs in at about 20 lbs with its heavy guage C channel. That puts me at 165 lbs on the hitch. The hitch is rated at 200 lbs so It will be fine. One of these days I'll mount a ball on that rack.

[wlooper89]

The only problem there is that could put the tongue weight up a lot or, if it’s balance properly with the bikes/ATVs on, then when you take them off it would actually be pulling up. If you are towing with a pickup truck or something, them it probably is no big deal because you could balance without the bike and then add them to the tongue later because the pickup will have the capacity to take a lot of load on the receiver), but a lot of folks on the board tow with a small to medium car, which I don’t think that’s such a good configuration for.

I agree. It looks like a lot of weight on the trailer tongue to me too. I am gradually coming to the conclusion that bicycles or walking will be more our style anyway. We already carry a lot of camping gear. So the question becomes when is it enough or too much?

Schwinn makes some light and nice looking hybrid electric bicycles, but they are pricey.

Bill

[ERV]

Well I went and looked at the Schwinn electric, very nice but way to much for me. And also looked at some scooters. Not bad in price, Kind of heavy to haul around tho, and the wife said she would not ride one anyway. So I ended up getting two Trex Cruisliners, Got all the gear to got with them, front and back lights,bags,mirrors. They are an old school looking bike, but have a 3 speed hub, no chain de-railers and stuff to goof around with. Got a fairly good price, both bikes and all the gear for $875. They will look good with the tear. And I will get in shape too.

Erv

[teardrop_focus]

I put that one together from a Chinese bicycle engine kit. I had the Schwinn Cruiser; one from the late '70s or early '80s.

You can find out more about them on a site like www.motorbicycling.com.

I want to look at those electric Schwinns; how much were they?

[ERV]

Hi Chris, You don't want to look to close, ha. The ones I priced out went for about $2000 for each one. That was without the bags, lights and mirror for mine. They look really nice and the charge time is only 30 minutes. But that price is just nuts.
How much noise does that little motor make? Would people just mad at the camp grounds if you road it around? I see they make a little 4 stroke too. Might be something to look at in the next few years. Ha.
Erv

[wlooper89]

My trailer does not have a hitch receiver and I am wondering if this would work to carry a bike rack between the tow vehicle and trailer tongue. I believe it would add to the tongue weight as perceived by the tow vehicle but maybe not affect the balance of the trailer. In the video it appears the vertical part of the bike rack is almost directly above the hitch ball, so I would imagine there is room for at least two bicycles. I am thinking about clearance with the tongue jack.

http://www.etrailer.com/p-V75090.htm

The video link below the picture shows a short demo of how it would work.

Bill

[Mini Renegade]

Here it is in all its glory with its army map bag saddle bags. I've since mounted a couple of fishing pole holders and the back rack carries the tackle box and other gear.



As for bring it with, I havent figured it out yet. I don't really want the extra weight on the trailer tongue as its aluminum and 1 piece and I have no way to put it on the back. I have built a scooter carrier for the car which is basically some u channel thats just big enough for the tires to sit in. Its all mounted to a receiver that slides into the car hitch. I'm considering taking that unit into a welder to get a hole drilled and a ball welded and bolted to it so that I could have the trailer hooked on to the receiver that holds the scooter. I'll get pics on of these days. Its hauled scooters all over the place but not a trailer too.

In the mean time, someone gave me an old mobility scooter that no longer worked.... A soldering iron, some screwdrivers and an hours work later, I have a 3 wheeled electric mobility scooter thats a lot of fun to cruise around on. It will fit through the doorway of my wazat and will probably be my quiet campground toy. It too will get fishing pole holders and a basket before its done.

Tomos pedal and pop, not seen one for years! they used to sell trhem next to bmx bikes in the local bike shop!

[ERV]

Bill, That is what I made to carry mine. I have a pickup and made it longer to go toward the bumper more. That lets me keep the bikes as close to the truck as possible. The other thing is my bike rack clamps to the beam not into it with a pin. If I get a chance I will take a pic and show you later today. Got the bike carrier on ebay. Welded the top receiver myself. The longer you make your drawbar the less weight it will carry. Works good for me.
Erv

[ERV]

Bill
Here are the pics of my hitch set up. Even if you have to take it some where it should not cost to much. Just have it all laid out for them with the measurements and a small picture. I know when I went looking for a drawbar that was a little longer, the prices were pretty high. That piece that is on the top came with the bike rack, so all I had to get was the leg that goes up to it. But I think you can see how close I can get to the truck with this setup.















I put these in my album too. I think they get bigger if you open them there. Still have not got the computer thing down yet. Hope this helps you out.
Erv