Motorcycle And Scooter News

[kz1000st]

I would love to get my hands on a QJ Motors SRV-550, which is the same bike as the 500, but the dealers that carry SSR, the distributor, aren't carrying the brand anywhere near here. I actually found one in stock at a dealer on Long Island. It's only a mere 160 miles from here.

https://www.rideapart.com/news/74379...ould-come-usa/

[kz1000st]

Originally Posted by sc00ter

I think this whole tags on ebikes stems from the cheap ebikes that have battery fires, aka: non-UL certified. DMV could deny your tags if the ebike doesn't show up on the approved list of UL certified ebikes, and riding with no tags will get your ebike impounded. So I can see this tagging as a proposed "safety net".

I doubt they (DMV) will require insurance but if these super fast over 28mph ebikes keep drawing unwanted attention than insurance might be required. Each state has their own rules regarding ebikes (and mopeds 50cc and under) yet the popularity of ebikes can also be viewed as a money grab, like mentioned already.

So far my state has been hands-off ebike regulations. None of my ebikes go over 28mph. I try to follow the rules and not draw unwanted attention, yet I see a few FAST ebikes running around doing stupid stuff so I guess time will tell.

Good luck to New Yorkers on this proposed bill NOT passing!

It's not the fires that have New Yorkers in a lather. It's that they have their heads in their cell phones and walk out onto the street without looking. When they get hit it's all the bikes fault, of course.

It just burns my butt. NYC just rescinded the law making Jay Walking illegal so pedestrians will be jumping out on the street from now on. Years ago my late wife was riding her bicycle through the City on her way to work near Herald Square. The light was green for her when a pedestrian stepped out of the waiting crowd right in front of her. My wife tried her best to miss her but she caught her hand brake (ten speed bike) in the girl's coat. It catapulted her fifteen feet through the air where she landed on her face and she broke her foot during the collision. Bicycle messengers swarmed to her aid, the pedestrian fled and my wife was carted off to Bellevue Hospital.

Of course E Bikes are the villains.

[sc00ter]

I've heard but never varified but isn't New York a no-fault state? I run front/rear cameras on both of my cars for legal reasons but always heard that in New York your'e on your own for most bang-ups.

I watched a bum just walk-out into the street with a shopping cart a few days ago on my way to work. A lady stopped during her turn as to not hit the bum and she almost got rear ended by a roofing truck towing a trailer. The bum just continued on his path of stupidity. I bought a DJI camera with a chest strap for the 2-wheelers but I can't find it! I fear it might have went in the thrift store box! If I find it I might start a "Idiots In Action" YouTube channel. I se so much stupid stuff.

[kz1000st]

Here is a classic case. In NYC a guy got hit by an ebike for some reason and hit the deck. The guy on the bike picked the bike up, shook his head and rode away. The guy on the ground "says" he was pretty hurt, needs therapy to regain mobility and other complaints to the local news on TV making the "Hit and Run", to him, a crime and why isn't the State registering those things so perpetrators can be caught.

Since the other guy just left we don't know his side and probably won't come forth with the threat of the "Injured" guy suing him for millions in pain and suffering. No fault is for motor vehicles as far as I know, not ebike collisions with pedestrians.

Again. Sleep Walking people thinking it's the world's job to look out for them.

In NYC they are all in a lather about 50cc unregistered scooters while many States in this Country don't even require registration or insurance. You don't read about death and destruction there.

[kz1000st]

I would love to be sympathetic....but I'm not. Harley took jobs from Kansas City to pull this stunt and are getting their comeuppance for it.

https://www.rideapart.com/news/74409...-lawsuit-lost/

[sc00ter]

Harley originally claimed this move to Thailand was for the following:

A temporary move to allow them to re-tool their US factory while avoiding loss of production.

Dang, I just drew a blank as to the other reason.

Anyways, outside of rainbow happy biker gangs and really old men who the heck buys a Harley anymore? Indian makes a superior product all around. If my old man butt was to buy one last motorcycle I'd buy a Scout all day long.

I agree with you KZ, I cant have sympathy anymore. I swear that president of Harley is a ringer planted by Indian, out to just ruin Harley. I do feel for the employees who have had their lively hoods affected.

[kz1000st]

Originally Posted by sc00ter

Harley originally claimed this move to Thailand was for the following:

A temporary move to allow them to re-tool their US factory while avoiding loss of production.

Dang, I just drew a blank as to the other reason.

Anyways, outside of rainbow happy biker gangs and really old men who the heck buys a Harley anymore? Indian makes a superior product all around. If my old man butt was to buy one last motorcycle I'd buy a Scout all day long.

I agree with you KZ, I cant have sympathy anymore. I swear that president of Harley is a ringer planted by Indian, out to just ruin Harley. I do feel for the employees who have had their lively hoods affected.

I think I noted it elsewhere but the factory in Thailand will be building the new Sportsters and Pan America. For those of us with a memory for these things the claim was that the reason the Street models didn't sell was "Harley owners don't want motorcycles that are built in India." It was no secret that the engines, at least, were built in India and the rest of the US bike components were built in Kansas City.

If I remember correctly their other reason for the Thailand plant was that they were going to sell the bikes in Europe and Asia. Wink, wink and avoid EU taxes.

Now that it's no secret that Sportsters are built in Thailand how will they sell here? At least Indian Scouts are built in Iowa. But then maybe if Sportsters do sell Chinese entry level bikes will follow.

[kz1000st]

Do you want to spend ten grand OTD for something different? Here it is.

https://www.rideapart.com/news/74548...pecs-features/

[kz1000st]

Good to see Harley is doing well somewhere. You know Royal Enfield was alive and well in India long after the British factory died. Parallel?

https://www.rideapart.com/news/74563...p-partnership/

[kz1000st]

More injuries, huh? It doesn't take more thought to see why. Put more people on anything and it's bound to happen.

https://www.rideapart.com/news/74596...ed-since-2019/

[kz1000st]

Another thing we will never see here.

https://www.rideapart.com/news/74635...oter-unveiled/

[kz1000st]

Maintenance people. The key to long life.

https://www.motorcycle.com/bikes/how...-last-44615566

[sc00ter]

I still put around 8000 miles a year on my scooter. It used to be around 12,000 but now I strictly commute to/from work. The longest I've kept a scooter was a Honda Helix at 60,000. The average is 30,000 miles.

I've heard from several people that 30,000 is the 'Starts to Piss You Off' mileage, since stuff needs attention that most people don't address. Ever do headset bearings? How about rebuild forks? Engine pivot hanger? Hone cylinder and re-ring pistons? Even I dread doing certain things and I have the space to do this kind of work. For me its just easier to buy something new. Now, that being said...

I'm not a fan of all these modern Star Trek scooters. I like real keys, don't need a key fob/alarm, don't need ABS, no traction control or most of the current tech. I'm old fashioned so I'll be stuck with my Buddy 125 for awhile. The Royal Alloy 300 still pulls at my heart strings and the SYM CityCom 300i is a great value and still kinda simple as well.

And if I said it before, sorry. My Buddy 125 gets the best health care a scooter can get. All the services done on time with the best fluids and parts, all written down in a little log book. It doesn't matter what you ride. Take pride in it and learn the basics. Keep it clean as well, makes finding issues like leaks and stuff easier.

[kz1000st]

How many miles on the Buddy these days?

[sc00ter]

I just under 12,000 miles, will be due for a oil/filter change soon. I change the oil every 2000 miles with that Genuine branded oil. My old black Buddy 125 had 40,000 miles on it when I sold it (subtract 10,000 from that because the motor got replaced under warranty from neglect, long story) and my wife's powder blue Buddy 125 had around 26,000 when she sold it. The Buddy 125 is simple, reliable and durable.

I miss the extra power of something bigger sometimes. I find the 300cc +/- 50cc's to be the perfect size for me, but the 125cc Buddy keeps popping back up in my life.

This winter has been crazy. I try not to ride if there is a ice threat. Last night it was in the 20's and when I got in my 'hood a water main broke, flooding the street. The water from the cars going thru it was starting to freeze, so I just jumped on the sidewalk to get home. I saw the city crew fixing it today on the way to work so I stopped and thanked them for making the streets safe for a old fat guy on a moped. They got a chuckle out of that!