A Few Random Inquiries

[Orange_Blooded]

Hey guys, I had a few questions for y'all about potential (small) modifications to my scooter.

First of all, my seat is incredibly slippery, and when I ride, I just slide down the dang thing and am constantly readjusting myself. Does anyone have solutions to making my seat more grip-y?

Next, as far as making the ride smoother, what is something that I can do to help with that (without buying a bunch of replacement parts)?

Finally, I was thinking about replacing my headlight bulbs to allow me to see better at night. What do y'all suggest?

Thanks!

[bull]

The seat might be slippery from conditioners such as Armorall, but more likely it is you as you shift your body weight to steer.

Look closely at the rear shock, it may be adjustable. If so turn it to a lower setting. You could lower the air pressure in the tires, but I would not recommend it as the lower you go the less power and road speed, plus you have a loss of traction / steering when turning.

There is a great review of lighting possibilities in a "build thread" @ 49cc scoot. Brent the admin provides lots of info on that subject and others and it is not biased.

[Shadowfire]

Originally Posted by bull

You could lower the air pressure in the tires, but I would not recommend it as the lower you go the less power and road speed, plus you have a loss of traction / steering when turning.

A lower tire pressure brings more of the rubber in contact with the road. This increases rolling resistance (decreasing top speed), INCREASES traction/steering ability, and decreases the lifespan of the tire. Higher pressures improve mileage due to the decreased rolling resistance, but likewise reduce traction available for turning.

Like most things in engineering, tire air pressure is a compromise. The motorcycle manufacturers usually err on the side of safety. With tires, that means they will already be set low to improve their traction. Don't go below what the manufacturer recommends.


That being said, you didn't state why you wanted it to ride smoother. Was it jarring, or too bouncy, when you hit bumps? If so, adjusting or replacing the shocks/springs are really the only options for making the ride smoother Is the road noise too annoying? Then, you need to look into different tires. Are you feeling odd vibrations when you apply the brake? Time to check out the disc rotor. Feeling strange vibrations when you start to put on speed? Your tires may be out of balance or damaged.

[Orange_Blooded]

Originally Posted by Shadowfire

A lower tire pressure brings more of the rubber in contact with the road. This increases rolling resistance (decreasing top speed), INCREASES traction/steering ability, and decreases the lifespan of the tire. Higher pressures improve mileage due to the decreased rolling resistance, but likewise reduce traction available for turning.

Like most things in engineering, tire air pressure is a compromise. The motorcycle manufacturers usually err on the side of safety. With tires, that means they will already be set low to improve their traction. Don't go below what the manufacturer recommends.


That being said, you didn't state why you wanted it to ride smoother. Was it jarring, or too bouncy, when you hit bumps? If so, adjusting or replacing the shocks/springs are really the only options for making the ride smoother Is the road noise too annoying? Then, you need to look into different tires. Are you feeling odd vibrations when you apply the brake? Time to check out the disc rotor. Feeling strange vibrations when you start to put on speed? Your tires may be out of balance or damaged.

Thanks for all of the great advice! Basically, the only reason I wanted a smoother ride was just general comfort. Sometimes I need to travel down roads that are subpar and can be pretty bumpy.