I've got a 2006 Yamaha Morphous that has been in storage almost the entire time since new. It's got a little over 13 miles on it and I'll be picking it up from climate controlled vehicle storage in AZ next week. I just ordered a 7Jurock screen for it and would like to know what tool I'll need to swap the screen out. Is it a standard phillips head? Anything else you think I'll need for certain? I'll probably ride it from storage to a condo I have in Tempe. From there I might ride it up to WA and toss it on the steamship for a ride north... or I might decide that I hate scooters and peddle it right away in Tempe. Looking forward to trying it out.
Wow- what a cool thing to get! I wonder if any of the systems need going through after sitting for 7 years? Battery, oil change, cooling system, brakes? It's been sitting quite a while....
I'd find out what sized carb jets the Morphous uses, and get prepared to change them. Chances are, if gas has been sitting in those carbs for 13 years, those jets may be gummed up. Remember that the then-new tires had a sealer that made them slippery until rode and worn off. Your bike may have this, and, combined with the fact that old rubber gets harder and less sticky - your tires may be extra slippery.
I've actually had it for a couple years but haven't ridden it myself, ever. First time I'll lay eyes on it will be in about a week. I've got the battery issue under control and the fuel has had stabilizer in it for the last couple years at least so I'm hoping not to have a snag there. I guess overall though it'd be a good idea to do a general service on it just because. Hmmm...
I believe the Morphous is fuel injected. There is a recall on at least some of them. Wonder how many were sold in the USA? http://www.bikernewsonline.com/2008/04/yamaha-scooter-recall-cp250-yp400.htm
According to the Sta-Bil can I'm holding in my hand your fuel should be good for an indefinite period. That's presuming the fuel was treated and the engine run for a few minutes prior to storage. Anyway you've got a cool scooter and what a find it is. LL75 Edit: I just now noticed your post about the possibility of riding it "up north". Been there, done that a couple of times...guaranteed you might find a lot of the roads a bit unfriendly towards your Morphous. Considering it's probably as close to museum status as any other you'll find it would be a genuine sacrifice of a rare model. I hope your kidding...
Not really. I know everyone looks at this kind of thing differently and I can appreciate other perspectives but in the fullness of time I've developed my own. The short version is that I don't keep a vehicle in museum condition for an anonymous future buyer; I buy it to enjoy it. I have few vehicles that others think should be preserved and not enjoyed. For example, the pickup I drove over the weekend is a 1983 and has less than 8000 miles on it. It's not perfect but almost. Some think that's irresponsible but not me. I maintain it very well and enjoy it. I might put 10,000 miles on that little pickup this year and won't feel bad about it. I'll be dead someday and when my time rolls around it will have been more satisfying to know that I've enjoyed my stuff rather than kept it all those years so that some other dude can put it on display. I used to think like that though before my personal hour glass flipped.
Anybody know what kind of fastener that is that holds the windscreen on? Nylon? Phillips? Bring a tool kit and quit being a spaz?
I can't argue with that, it is after all your own property. I wasn't thinking so much of saving it for a future owner but rather not wiping it out on rough roads just for the sake of doing so. If that's what you decide to do then so be it, that's why we own our stuff. I've never been much for trailer queens but even so I still admire older or unique vehicles when I see them. That's all I meant to say, probably could have worded it better. How about this: Run the fucker off a cliff for all I care. LL75
I don't really see anything about the Morphous that is collectible. It is plastic, and has fuel injection and electronics just like newer cars. The era of collectible cars ended back in the '70s. Bikes lasted a little longer. Bikes like a '48 Indian, '68 Bonneville, BSA Gold Star, Vincent, Norton single, etc, are definitely collectors items, and at least in my opinion should be kept in museums. I really cringe when I see someone riding a classic bike or driving a classic car in traffic. If it gets destroyed, you cannot simply go out and buy a new one. There will be one less in existence. To me to be collectible, a vehicle has to mean something, and very little made in the past 30 years does, at least to most vehicle collectors. I own 2 collector cars, which are kept in a locked garage with an alarm, and driven occasionally to a local car show. My transportation is an '01 Chevy Malibu, a total POS, even when new. I don't have to worry about it. It sits out in the AZ sun. It has dings and dents in it. If it gets destroyed, I'll just get something else like it. I do consider my Genuine Stella 2 stroke a semi collectors item. I ride it a lot, but also take care of it. I don't beat it up. Unlike the Morphous, it is real steel, looks exactly like a vintage Vespa, and the big thing is that it is a 2 stroke. A 150cc 2 stroke. There will be no more of those ever sold in the U.S. And it has no electronics or emissions crap. Just look at the prices of vintage Japanese 2 stroke road bikes and vintage Vespas
I've read a lot of your posts [there's a helluva lot of them!] and I like the fact you qualify your statements with "in my opinion". Thanks for doing that Jerry, it makes what you say less challenging so we readers can digest the meat of what you're saying. Frankly I'm surprised you consider the Stella 2T as a collectible but that only illustrates how divergent a group we are. I owned one briefly and somehow it never struck me quite like that but again, that's the difference between individuals. The Morpheus as a collectible....well....not for me but then again there are gobs of older scooters that I feel are butt ugly and miserable examples of engineering. Still saying so doesn't mean I and I suspect a lot of others don't enjoy seeing them alive and running. What's the old saying, Beauty is only skin deep but Ugly goes clear to the bone? Best, LL75
Actually I have under 1000 posts. Many here have 5 or 6 times that. I generally don't consider anything with electronics and emissions stuff on it to be collectible. I don't actually consider the Stella collectible, like I would a real vintage Vespa. I don't really care what happens to it when I'm gone. Neither of my kids want it. But I do want to keep it nice while I'm still around to enjoy it. To me, any 2 stroke road bike is something special. My first street bike back in '76 was a Suzuki GT380 2 stroke. I got it dirt cheap, and it was nice. Look at what those early 2 strokes cost now. I've seen Kawasaki Mach III 2 stroke triples go for $20,000. And they weren't built that great to begin with. If 2 stroke road bikes were still available, then the old ones would not be worth so much. The EPA drove the prices of them up. Just like there are certain items that people think might be banned soon. They bought up all of them in one day, and the price of new ones doubled overnight.
:huh.. What does plastic and fuel injection have to do with anything? What might make it worth something to someone some day is the fact that Yamaha only imported it from 06-08 and sold like a dozen of them. Two of which made it to my families garage. Even scooter owners go:huh when you mention a morphous. So the rareness alone might make it worth something some day. It's also a very unique looking vehicle which is another plus. That's the thing about collecting. You never really know what's going to be worth something. However, I image if someone had a pristine Morphous and held onto it for 30 years and than put up for auction, I would not be surprised if it sold for more than it's inflation adjusted original MSRP.
4 phillip screws fuel injected and from what I know only around 1500 of them sold in the US so maybe some would find that collectible. I love mine, hard to find accessories want something a little larger for longer trips. I find it comfortable and will cruise at 70 easy. Have fun you'll get lots of looks and questions.