what about the little ones

we started a businesses that is a mile from our house. i have couple mopeds, but think i need something faster to get between the two places. the ride is one mile, two steep hills, country backroad leading to my 1/2 mile gravel drive.

i see lots of "what is the best maxi scoot" threads and "how big do i need" not much on the sub150 arena. going to look at something cheap and used, definitely 150cc or less (have a majesty already) that will set outside most of the time... .ideas? bonus points if my 11yr old can treat it like a dirt bike.

Seriously? Look at second-hand shops and Craigslist to find an old, 1970s-era minibike. Gas mileage won't be a factor; and with a generic Briggs & Stratton engine in there, it'll do just fine with no warmup. And your kid can't break it unless he jumps it or deliberately runs it without oil.

Outside of that...I have no clue. A Ruckus would do you, but Hondas aren't cheap, and even though it looks tough, it's a precision motor vehicle.

A Chinese Ruckus clone would provide cheap, but would break all by itself. No need to have the kid do it.

A dirt bike would be tougher, but will cost more. Perhaps a used dirtbike? I don't know specific models. But then you lose storage space.

"Scooter" and "tough" don't generally go together.

You mention "fast" - that your mopeds aren't fast enough. How fast is "fast"? 150cc gets you about 45-50 mph, unless it's a PCX. A 250 gets you about 60. A Ruckus, is limited to 35-40 mph.

I'd be looking at the Honda CT Series (90-110cc).

I agee with him. Cheap at 500 to 1500 bucks . You could find a elite 125, 150 . Yamaha Riva 180, 200 for that price. Elite 80 are cheap to. Most of the Ct have a low and high range gears. Top out at 45 miles per hour. Dr atv sell parts. TIres are 20 bucks or less . If you can find a 1981 ct 110 onwards I think are 12 volt and have no points to screw with. The Ct can be treated as a off road bike . One guy used one to climb up 21 000 foot high mountain road last year. Ct honda have gone every where hard core BMW GS riders have gone. If the engine burns out you can also buy a china engine that bolts right up for 300 to 400 bucks.
Honda 50cc ruckus is good to. Total ruckus forum for more info

vino 125

A quick check of my local Atlanta Craigslist today had:
Kymco Super 8 (150) - $1400
Kymco People 150 - $1000
Kymco Agility 125 - $1000
Kymco People 150 - $1100

Disclaimer- I do NOT own a Kymco. However, if I was looking for a bit more usability without breaking the bank I'd jump on any of these (after comparing condition, miles, and features I needed) and be done with it.

I'd take a SYM HD200 any day of the week over the above, but they are pretty rare here for under $2k.

I wouldn't go smaller, simply because you noted you had several large hills to deal with, and a decently powered scooter can do a whole lot more than just provide a 1 mile commute.

Or you could look for a small dual sport like a Yamaha tw200 or whatever if you want something that has some off road capability. There are tons of great options, you just have to pick what your priorities are and hunt down the 2 wheeler to fit them. Have fun with your search!

Sachs Madass 125. They're the schizz.

The most bang for your initial investment buck is going to be an older MC such as a Honda 125,175, or a small thumper sitting by the road with a for sale sign on it, etc..

Zuma 50, Zuma 125, Genuine Buddy 125, Kymco Agility 125, Vino 50 and 125. I have seen them all out there for $1200 or less if you look around and be patient and not afraid to lowball. The zuma 125 will cost you a little more.
About the 11 y/o, just get him a dirt bike and he won't be tempted to ride the roads as much.

Vespa\/

Get on trailbuddy.com and look into the skyteam Gorilla z50 replica they have. It's 125cc so its good for 50mph and they can be had cheap. They are very reliable , can be tagged and parts are abundant. Another option is one of the Piranaha branded trail 70 replicas with the 125cc which would be a tad easier for an adult to ride.

Both of these are fine options regardless of the naysayers, and most little scooter shops can order them in and service them.

From your initial post a scooter is not what you want.

thought about the skyteam, i have been watching the thread on here trying to get an idea of durability on those.

i have worked on an eton 50cc and also did carb work on a zuma 50, but wass wanting other's opinions on these little bikes my experience is mostly with bigger bikes.

vino would be appropriate, it is a winery. Anyone have experience wityh a tao tao? seem to be a lot of them about.

They are cheap chinese shit

I have a Kymco People 50. It is a 2 stroke and has lots of power for a 50. I can hit 45 on the flats and it has a fair amount of power on hills. They sell for about $1000 used in my area. Seems like they have decent parts availability. You can add a buddy seat for 2up riding. They have larger wheels and handle well.

The only negative, if you have large feet there is not a lot of room for feet on the floorboard.

Cheers,

~Gd

You arent going to be able to let the kids use any of the traditional scooters suggested as a dirt bike. None of them are made for that.

You need to look into a small motorbike.

No scooter is going to be good for your 11 year old. Get him a dirt bike or mini bike but nothing road legal. As for a scoot any Genuine Buddy will work as will the Piaggio Fly and the assorted Kymcos and Hondas mentioned above along with the Zuma which is the closest to a dirt bike you are likely to get for a scooter.

First of all, what do you mean by "mopeds?" Actual pedal mopeds, or small scooters? Do you need a certain speed to keep up with traffic? If you have steep hills, I don't recommend a small scooter, their CVT transmissions do not like hills. A 50cc 2 speed Tomos moped will easily outclimb my Vino 125, if you back off the throttle and let it stay in first gear. A small motorcycle, say 125cc, with a manual transmission will blow by a 125cc scooter like it was standing still going up a hill. The MadAss 125 should work if it is a manual transmission. If you seriously want something your kid can use as a dirt bike, then a small displacement dual sport is the way to go, just make sure the kid stays off the road with it. No 11 year old belongs on the road, though I was riding a dirt bike on rural country roads at that age.

where we are i was running equipment up this same stretch when i was eight. speed isnt major issue, only going a mile or so but 20mph is too slow; would like 45mph. the mopeds we have are actual mopeds-$30 ragged out slow mopeds that are currently used to run around on the farm.

maybe the original question should have been: From your experience what is the most durable, small cc scooter for short runs and frequent, non aggressive, off roading through fields? i like the rukus but they go for new prices, what else is out there that you have tried?

I just can't see any actual scooter being used off road, or even on semi rough dirt roads. They don't have the frame strength or suspension for it. It can be done, and has been done, but I don't know how long a scooter would last.

45 mph up a steep hill is going to take more power and better gearing than most 125-150cc scooters have. If it has to be automatic, you are going to need more engine displacement to maintain 45 mph up a steep hill. Neither my Vino 125 nor my Zuma 125 will do it, though the Zuma is not far off. Both are hampered by being geared too high for good climbing. I have heard the SYM HD200 will do it, but it's not a dirt bike.

I'm afraid I just don't know of any CVT driven scooter that will both maintain 45 mph up a steep hill, and be usable off road, and survive very long. Another issue with CVT scooters off road would be getting dirt into the variator. Mine have fiters, but they don't look like they would be very effective if actually used in the dirt.

There is one....built with off road racing in mind. They do have the frame strength, so long as you're not trying to jump it like it was a supermoto bike. The Transmission case is baffled and filtered.
The Yamaha Zuma 125

http://youtu.be/t4Pl3OeTmls

http://youtu.be/6QKRo8f9EtI

http://youtu.be/v742zlMfxnQ

I don't see how those "normal" dirtbikes can survive...what with having an open chain that has to be covered with a dirt-attractant

45MPH up a steep hill is no problem, though I did elect to go with a 155cc kit and a re-gear of the final drive so I could ride on the county roads at 65.

The one thing that the Zuma 125 has going against it for an 11 year old is seat height and width. Most adults are on the balls of their feet at a stop.