Question before I buy

[Oldgunner]

I am new to scootering. I have a 2009 Kymco People 150, and will be taking my licensing class in April. I have been running on a permit and have found that I enjoy it , so I decided I might get a 50cc for occasional use as well as being in the garage for the rest of the family to enjoy.
Today I looked at the Benelli sprint and the Benelli Breeze and I was impressed by them.
Questions remain however. I am 200 lbs and may be carrying up to 15-20 lbs at times. I live in the foothills of the Alleganys. Not the Rockies mind you, but I will occasionally hit fairly steep hills, which at most may be 1/4 mile in length. Will I be getting off the scooter to help push it up the hill ?

[skyrider]

I had a chinese scoot a while back and had to put in 4.5g rollers to get me up hills. I'm 200 lbs. Even used it in the mtns, but very steep hills it barely made it. I'd consult with shops in your area and see what they suggest.

[Oldgunner]

Originally Posted by skyrider

I had a chinese scoot a while back and had to put in 4.5g rollers to get me up hills. I'm 200 lbs. Even used it in the mtns, but very steep hills it barely made it. I'd consult with shops in your area and see what they suggest.

Thanks skyrider I appreciate your help. Now, on those very steep hills where it barely made it..does that mean you had to push with your feet, or was it just very slow ?

[DisillusionedPrepper]

Barely made it means forced lower rpm, and turn around if you need foot power.

I've been modifying these 50cc GY6s for about 5 years, and for MY 200lbs, this is what works...
20mm cvk carb, drilled open (oem) air box, those Ebay shorty mufflers, 6-7 gram rollers, 2000 rpm control spring in the rear pulley section, 1500 rpm fly springs in the clutch.

These engines make about 3.5 HP, and 3lbs of torque. Obviously not enough to move more than itself up a hill.
I can provide more info on the upgrades if you want.

The idea behind the upgrades is to improve torque over RPM. The carb/air box/exhaust mods allow the bike to breath better, and MAYBE nudge you closer to 4HP. They cost less than a hundred bucks, and take about 1/2 hour to install. I do these changes in about 10-15 minutes.
The CVT mods, springs, and rollers/sliders, take about 40 minutes, and cost about 35 bucks. This is where you are tuning the CVT to be more efficient, and capable of dealing with hills.
The spring/roller mods allow the pulleys to reset to a lower ratio at lower RPM (hill), and make for a MUCH better all around bike.

The shop that you chose to buy from will be familiar with these mods, and SHOULD do them all for you pre-delivery WITH AN OEM WARRANTY!!!
If they claim this or that about the warranty, that only means one thing to me. They are not familiar with what those mods do, and are not 100% confidant in their work.

There is little to no point in buying a bike that you cannot ride in your area so that BS about voiding warranty is just a cover story for "We're not sure what will happen if we install this for you."
If they understand what an air fuel ratio is, and know how to set that correctly, you have good times in front of you.

[Oldgunner]

Thanks for your help guys.. If I am to go into a 50cc, for my needs, would a 2 stroke such as a Buddy of Roughneck 50 serve my needs better? I know they produce more power, but does it translate to better hill climbing power?

[DisillusionedPrepper]

2t engines are more fun (for me) I have a 2005 Kymco ZX50 that is modified for LSR racing. To date the best run was 87MPH.

So yeah... They have more HP/torque out of the box BUT the same CVT mods will apply.
These bikes are made/built for general purpose commuting, and were designed in countries where people weigh much less than us fat, lazy Americans.

Bottom line?
2T bikes are better suited for the US market but the CVT needs the same mods I listed for the 4T machine.
2Ts are also MUCH more finicky, and require much more maintenance. Buy only the best 2T oil, frequent spark plug changes, fuel, and air filters are bought by the dozen, and fresh fuel is a must. If the bike sits for three months... change the fuel.

4Ts require much less maintenance. Oil changes, and valve adjustments are about it.
Fuel, and air filters are about half as critical, and a spark plug may well out last any/all of us.

If you like to tinker w/ your engines a 2T is great fun. If you can't be bothered... 4Ts are better.

Here's my ZX50

[skyrider]

Sounds like Mtn bikes(the kind that you pedal) would fit the bill for you and the family

[Oldgunner]

Disillusioned prepper:
Thanks for your very informative answer..you provided me with much useful info.

Skyrider;
Strange you should mention it but we already have mountain bikes, and I use mine whenever weather permits, but my move to scooters is more recent.

BTW: What was it in my questions that caused you to assume we needed mountain bikes?

[DisillusionedPrepper]

You're welcome Gunner.

Since you have a couple mountain bikes around, one of these engine kits might be fun for you. They sell for around $100.00 complete, and take about 2 hours to install.

I've installed several over the years, and they do a heck of a job for the money. You can even buy a spare complete engine for 60.00.
No tags or DMV crap either.
http://www.ebay.com/bhp/bicycle-motor-kit

[Oldgunner]

Wow! I'm an old guy, so I remember when I was a kid and the "Whizzer" brand bike kits were around.. Surprised such a thing is still available. I had a neighbor that used to put them on bicycles. I know what you mean by the photo..but after looking at the engines I wonder...doesn't an 80cc 2 stroke seem a bit powerful for a bicycle?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whizzer_(motorcycles)

BTW: If Skyrider thinks my physical condition requires a mountain bike..well I admit I am 80 years of age, but I am still a working artist/blacksmith. If he has seen the current TV show "Forged in Fire'..he can get an idea of how I amuse myself.

[DisillusionedPrepper]

It's all in the gear ratio Gunner. 80cc sounds like a lot of engine but the final gear ratio, and the torque from that engine sort of cancel each other out.

On a 26" bicycle a 200 lb fella should be able to keep a steady 25mph. Grand kids can be governed at the carb with the twist of the throttle adjuster cable.

Blacksmith eh! Very few things in life impress me as much a a person that can turn imagination into something you can touch. Love it!

[Oldgunner]

Thanks, If I can figure how to post pics here..i try to show some work.

[DisillusionedPrepper]

Love to see some...
In the "Go Advanced" reply, the header of the post box has a paperclip just like attaching to an email.
I also think you can use a host like PhotoBucket, and copy the picture link to your post.
I just attach in the paperclip method to save some time.

[wheelbender6]

I rode a bicycle with an engine kit for about 5 years, running errands and commuting to work at times. It worked well for me because the state law allowed me to ride in the bicycle lanes, which were plentiful.
-Without those bicycle lanes being available, I would have bought a scooter instead, for safety reasons.
-Mounting an engine kit on a bicycle is a great way to teach or learn basic engine mechanics, beca use the kit engines are so simple.
-For most people in most situations, I don't believe a motorized bicycle will be as safe and reliable as a 50cc motor scooter.

[Oldgunner]

I would like to post some pics and I found the "go advanced" by going to the point of editing, however I have never posted a photo that way, and I don't subscribe to a photo sharing site..but I'll keep trying.
OK..I worked at it..here's a photo of myself s few years ago, forging a Bowie knife. This photo was placed in a calendar used for a local fund raiser.