Two-Wheeled Folk

[Hydra]

What are you doing this winter? What projects are working on?

It's starting to get too cold to commute, but still warm enough for day rides, and it makes me glum.


My new project also makes me glum:



Previous owner used dykes to cut all the electrical above the bars off, so now I have to rewire and eliminate the systems I no longer need.

It's a Yamaha DT50LC. 49cc, liquid cooled, 6-speed dirtbike. Stocks it's about 7 HP, and by the time I port it and put a bigger pipe and carb on it I'm hoping to make over a whole 10.

[calvynandhobbs]

My bike has been down since last Fall with a no start situation. Just haven't had the time to figure it out yet, but I plan to this winter. I want it ready to go for next year.

[IMG][/IMG]

[Hydra]

I've always wanted to find a set of those wheels to adapt the disk brakes to moped forks.

I spent all yesterday riding through Brooklyn, eating burritos and drinking beer. It was a good comp day.



ROTD:

1989 Derbi Variant Sport

[Hydra]

Also:



I opted to not buy the Ducati, but I did have a cup of coffee

[calvynandhobbs]

The blue bike is a Yumbo 110 with a 4spd semi-auto that I picked up for $75 that has a moped license plate on it. I sold the bike you see sitting in the background after I bought the Yumbo, but that was a fun build. A whizzer frame I found fairly cheap with no motor that I put a 212cc HF Predator with horizontal shaft and a CVT off a go-kart. I even used the belt drive of the whizzer rear wheel with a fat rear tire. I should have kept both so that when one was down I could ride the other.

[Hydra]

That's exactly why I have so many bikes haha.

1982 Vespa Ciao PX - 49cc
1978 Kinetic Soni 2 - 74cc
1978 Vespa Bravo Kickstart - 64cc
1976 Vespa Ciao Deluxe - 64cc
1980 Puch Magnum II - 74cc
1977 Honda Hobbit Kickstart -65cc
1989 Derbi Variant Sport - 49cc
1982 Honda MB5 - 49cc
1989 Yamaha DT50LC - 49cc
1973 Honda XL175 - 174cc
1974 Suzuki TS100 - 98cc

= running
= project
= I'm picking it up this weekend and I'll post a pic when I do.

[loudobbs]

Motoped.com;

[calvynandhobbs]

Those Motopeds are really cool. I am a member on motorbicycling.com, but haven't frequented it in a long time. There used to be quite a bit of talk about motopeds on there.

[Hydra]

Those motopeds are pretty cool. I remember a long thread concerning them awhile back, someone bought one, and we never saw it come to fruition.

For me, they kind of give the illusion that you can use them like a bicycle and a dirtbike. And you most certainly don't want to pedal anything with a motor hanging off of it. I also never looked into how they have the shifter worked out, because I've ridden a few bikes that have pedals and a true clutch, and that is not super easy.

I'd still be interested in hearing some actual, first hand thoughts on how they are.

I think the biggest fault is that they are at minimum $2200 plus an engine ($400 for 49cc on the site). So for $2600 you get an awkward bicycle, and an under-equipped scooter.

[Hydra]

EDIT:

I guess you have the option of 49cc 2-speed auto, or 125cc 4 speed semi-auto.

The first is only rated at 24 mph, and the later at 38 mph.

There's no way I'm spending $2600 on a bike that only does 24mph.

[calvynandhobbs]

That little Whizzer could have been scary fast for what it was. My first pulley wheel was too small and I could barely start without jerking myself and riding wheelies. The happy medium with the correct gearing had good take off with a top speed of 56mph. The Yumbo does a solid 55 but it's better equipped for those speeds.

[loudobbs]

EDIT:

I guess you have the option of 49cc 2-speed auto, or 125cc 4 speed semi-auto.

The first is only rated at 24 mph, and the later at 38 mph.

There's no way I'm spending $2600 on a bike that only does 24mph.

Those speeds are way off. I have gotten my 49cc to 40. It had the 125cc on it when I got it, which I swear would do 80. And I'm 200lb.

[Hydra]

I agree, those speeds are probably attainable.

I just think the motoped is an odd niche product. Neither a bicycle, or a vintage moped, or a motorcycle. It appears to be able to do all three, but not excel at any particular one.

I do think the quality of the bikes, and the engineering behind them are VERY awesome. There are a few people out there making some awesome products for mopeds of the same caliber and it's exciting.

[hippie metal]

Motoped.com;

please dear god resize this

[hippie metal]

will edit later. I hate Macs