Anyone know much about small scooters? I need to get to and from my clinical assignments, and right now my wife and I have one car. Up to now we have been able to navigate, but it hasn't been easy.....and it's about to get harder.
The bus system sucks here in Ocala, if you miss a bus it is at least an hour until the next one. I have been stuck in the rain too amny times to count, and have even walked the 4-5 miles to the car 5 times in the past 2 months....in 100+ degree heat, carrying 35 lbs of books.
Enough is enough.
I COULD buy a cheap car, and hope for the best, but I am seriously considering trying a smal moped. They aren't cool....not at age 39....but they are cheap, efficient, and since I will only need it for about the next 6 months one might work.
The laws in FL are that any moped under 50cc is legal on any road I need to travel on, and you don't need to insure it to register it. You also don't need a motorcycle licence, which would requires 12 hours of instruction and costs about $250.
If it is over 50cc, you need to register it and take the class....but the odds of getting pulled over on one are slim to none unless you are a speed demon or a hot dog. I'd probably take the class to make sure, but I could at least ride it to clinical while doing so.
Any ideas?
Posted by breyerchic04 (Member # 6423) on :
50cc is nothing, the motorcycles Kindergartners race are 60cc.
Posted by fugu13 (Member # 2859) on :
A 49 or 50 cc one will get you around, but you'll generally top out at around 20 to 25 mph (if it has any bulk to it for storage or whatnot); great for getting around a small area (a few miles in radius with lots of traffic lights to even out things for cars), not great for getting even minor distances quickly.
Honda makes some nice ones.
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
I was just on one that had me, at about 200 lbs, going 40 mph. I have heard that there is a lot of variance between brands as far as actual speed. I am not looking to go all crazy, not at all, but I will be driving it about 4 miles to clinical's, and about 2 miles across the street to school.
Posted by fugu13 (Member # 2859) on :
I think any 50 cc model would do you fine, then. They're also generally the ones getting the best gas mileage.
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
I am going to look at one today, but I am alos considering just paying the $235 for the motorcycle endorsment. Then I can buy whichever one seems the best deal regardless of the size of the engine.
I have a guy selling 2 Italian models which he paid $2000 Each) for a few years ago talking to me now. I think they are about 100cc - 150cc, and he is selling them for $600 each, and both have under 2000 miles, and are in good working condition.
Or I could buy a cheap motorcycle, and have it for after school too.
Any of these are cheaper options than buying and insuring another car.
[ July 12, 2009, 10:23 AM: Message edited by: Kwea ]
Posted by Glenn Arnold (Member # 3192) on :
A class b motorcycle is 50cc or less, and a top speed of 30 mph. (By law) This includes scooters and mopeds. In NY, you do need to register and insure it, but you don't need any special permit or license to ride it. I would be surprised if you don't need some kind of registration and insurance, even in Florida.
I used to own a Honda express, and it topped out at 29 mph, and got 120 mpg. That's actually a pretty good speed for traveling anywhere except for highways. The difference in travel time is noticeable, but it's waaaay better than walking. I used to ride it all over the place.
Nowadays I'm riding a Yamaha Virago 250, which can do 85 (not that I'd know) and gets about 70 mpg. I'm very comfortable riding it on interstate highways. Bikes like this can be found used at good prices because people use them to learn on before switching to a larger bike. I see no reason to get a larger bike, since the Virago fits my 6' frame quite nicely.
Regardless of which bike you choose, I strongly recommend getting a windshield, which allows you to ride in a much wider variety of weather. You'd be surprised how much rain you can take if you have a windshield in front of you.
Also, get a set of rear baskets or saddlebags. Don't rely on a backpack. The difference is that the saddlebags allow you to carry stuff without as much preparation, throw it in the bags and go, as opposed to trying to remember where you put your backpack is and will it fit if you're wearing a coat, and can you fit the item in your backpack. Baskets can carry odder and larger items, but they are typically only available for the scooter type vehicles. They are also usually available as accessories for a specific bike, so they are easier to find, at least for late model bikes. Saddlebags are for motorcycles, but unless you've got a Harley, it's tough to find add-on saddlebags with the correct supports to fit the bike. I've got a nice set on my Virago, but it took a while to find the brackets that allow the bags to work.
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
Thanks for the input, and you make some good points.
In FL you don't need insurance if it is under 50cc, but it does have to be registered.
Posted by Glenn Arnold (Member # 3192) on :
Hmmm... Well, I recommend that you get it anyway. I pay $75 a year on the Virago, I gotta believe it can't be more than that for a scooter. That's... cheap insurance. (Sorry)
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
No problem, I didn't say I wouldn't, just that I didn't have to. Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
I am going to look at 2 Moskito's, italian made scooters, tomorrow. They were $4000 new a few years ago, and have less than 2000 miles on them now, and he wants $600 each.
If I buy I'll only buy one. Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
I took a look at those scooters today, and I was impressed.
Most of the scooters I have seen have very little pick up, and don;t seem to move very well at all. The also have poor suspensions, which is a big deal because I am about 200 lbs. The tires are small, and to be honest most of them feel.....cheap.
These were solid. I rode one around a bit in a field that was very bumpy, and this scooter had a lot of pick up. It maxed out with me on it at about 44 mph, but that was on uneven ground, on grass. The owner has a small horse ranch, and use to run a high speed power boat team, and he had some of the coolest toys I have seen in a while. They use to use those scooters for their team, but now they just gather dust.
He bought them new in 2001 for $4000 each, and showed me receipts. One had 1440 miles on it, the other had 1604 on it.
I bought the one with 1440 on it, as it is the one that was in the best shape (they were both in great shape) and was the one I rode.
While I am not completely thrilled at having to ride a scooter, I am happy with the choice I made. Even though they are used, this is a far better deal than the new but crappy ones I was looking at before.
I put $300 down, and got a bill of sale for it. He will drop the scooter off tomorrow at my house since he has a trailer, and sign over the title when I pay him the rest.
Should be fun, anyway. Posted by El JT de Spang (Member # 7742) on :
Let me know how you like it. My roomie and I are talking about splitting the cost of one to get around Silverlake (Los Angeles east of Hollywood). I think here, any moped doesn't require insurance or a motorcycle endorsement.
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
Will do...I would still get insurance though. Working in the medical field I have seem a few people already without insurance, and scooters go 40 mph.........like Glen said, $75 a year is cheap enough to go ahead and buy it.
Posted by El JT de Spang (Member # 7742) on :
Oh, yeah, we'd get insurance. We're just happy not to have to both get motorcycle endorsements to ride the thing.
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
Yeah, that's one of the main reasons I bought this one. The guy was looking for the title, and providing he has it (he does, but I was in a hurry), I own it when he drops it off tomorrow.
I rode motorcycles when I was younger, usually off road, but some were street legal. I could challenge and pass, probably, but the class is $225. Plus, even worse is that is it 12 hours of class, and I can't SPARE 12 hours of study time before finals. Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
Hmmm.....well, it turns out scooters and mopeds don't HAVE titles in FL. And the moped was owned by his company, but he is the CEO.
He filled out all the needed paperwork, and I verified what he said about the title online from the DMV's website, so I'll still buy it.
It turns out that MZ Moskito's aren't Italian, they are German. Minor quibble, but still. Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
This thing FLIES, at least better than I thought it would. I was on a flat road going 44 mph, and I passed a car from the line. Not that the car couldn't have beat me, but still.
Since this is German, the number on the top is km, not mph, so it doesn't go 55 mph. I did have me about 48 mph on another flat stretch, and I weight over 200 lbs. Posted by Glenn Arnold (Member # 3192) on :
What size is the engine?
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
49cc
Posted by El JT de Spang (Member # 7742) on :
How's the ride?
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
I am still riding this thing, although I did have to repair the carb a few times. There was gunk in the gas tank getting into it too, so I had that treated as well.
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