Insane scooters

[El Guero]

Okay folks, hear me out on this one:

I just moved to the Iowa City area. Downtown Iowa City basically being a college campus, there are TONS of scooters everywhere. They are even allowed to park on the sidewalk in front of bike racks (which still blows my mind in a city with parking enforcement as anal as this). While I don't have any trouble finding a free place to park my KLR, every time I see a swathe of scooters roll down the road I get ideas about building a 'battle scooter'.

Something mean. Nasty. Maybe even loud. But, I don't know if it is cost effective to do this. And since I weigh about 240 right now (and even if I lose a bunch of weight this summer I will probably still be in the 220 range), it would need some serious juice in order to get me up to speed. Can you get performance expansion chambers for Stellas? What's about the upper speed/power limit of the smaller scoots? I need something that's a sleeper in order not to arouse the ire of the other scooter kids or the authorities

Most importantly, could a project like this be completed over a summer for less than $1500?

[approachbears]

Originally Posted by El Guero

Okay folks, hear me out on this one:

I just moved to the Iowa City area. Downtown Iowa City basically being a college campus, there are TONS of scooters everywhere. They are even allowed to park on the sidewalk in front of bike racks (which still blows my mind in a city with parking enforcement as anal as this). While I don't have any trouble finding a free place to park my KLR, every time I see a swathe of scooters roll down the road I get ideas about building a 'battle scooter'.

Something mean. Nasty. Maybe even loud. But, I don't know if it is cost effective to do this. And since I weigh about 240 right now (and even if I lose a bunch of weight this summer I will probably still be in the 220 range), it would need some serious juice in order to get me up to speed. Can you get performance expansion chambers for Stellas? What's about the upper speed/power limit of the smaller scoots? I need something that's a sleeper in order not to arouse the ire of the other scooter kids or the authorities

Most importantly, could a project like this be completed over a summer for less than $1500?

$1500 means starting with something really cheap and then getting an even cheaper donor scoot. Sure it can be done, but you'll probably have to spend more to make it look and run good. Plenty of big boys like you ride 50cc scoots, but you seem to want crazy speed and noise. That's what will cost you.
Anyway, here's an option: 450cc Honda Ruckus (still a work in progress).
http://totalruckus.com/phpBB3/viewto...56&hilit=450cc

[El Guero]

Originally Posted by approachbears

$1500 means starting with something really cheap and then getting an even cheaper donor scoot. Sure it can be done, but you'll probably have to spend more to make it look and run good. Plenty of big boys like you ride 50cc scoots, but you seem to want crazy speed and noise. That's what will cost you.
Anyway, here's an option: 450cc Honda Ruckus (still a work in progress).
http://totalruckus.com/phpBB3/viewto...56&hilit=450cc

Yeah, I figured there wouldn't be a cheap way about it That ruckus is gnarly but maybe not discrete enough for the scoot I have envisioned. Can the Stellas move pretty good with the big bore kits and chambers?

[approachbears]

I'm not really into the 2 strokes, but Stella's certainly have plenty of umph at 150cc. However, if you actually find a Stella for $1500 or less you've picked up a great deal. The one's I've seen around here start at $2K and go up from there.

If you're into 2 strokes its probably cheaper (and easier parts-wise) to start with a Zuma 50cc. Battlescooter.com, among other places, has tons of Zuma performance parts.

Is the parking thing in Iowa City related to them being 50cc or less? When I lived in Iowa a long time ago it was all about the restricted speed mopeds (one reason Met II's and Spree's were so popular with the teenage crowd).

[El Guero]

Originally Posted by approachbears

I'm not really into the 2 strokes, but Stella's certainly have plenty of umph at 150cc. However, if you actually find a Stella for $1500 or less you've picked up a great deal. The one's I've seen around here start at $2K and go up from there.

If you're into 2 strokes its probably cheaper (and easier parts-wise) to start with a Zuma 50cc. Battlescooter.com, among other places, has tons of Zuma performance parts.

Is the parking thing in Iowa City related to them being 50cc or less? When I lived in Iowa a long time ago it was all about the restricted speed mopeds (one reason Met II's and Spree's were so popular with the teenage crowd).

I am sure the parking thing is supposed to be for fitty's, but there are so many that I have seen 125s parked on the sidewalk. They just can't check them all, and if you aren't advertising displacement how are you supposed to know anyways? As long as you don't park a Burgman on the sidewalk I don't think they care.

$1500 is probably too low of a number, but I don't want to sink a ton of money into a little scooter. There are tons of Zumas around here, but I think a fitty might be a little too small to start with.

[approachbears]

Originally Posted by El Guero

...There are tons of Zumas around here, but I think a fitty might be a little too small to start with.

A 70cc kit will get you up to 50mph. Start playing around and speeds into the 60's are doable without an even bigger kit or a whole engine swap. That speed is about all I'd want to do on a scooter.
http://zumaforums.net will give you some ideas of what a 50cc can do.

The other option is swapping in a generic GY6 Chinese engine, but those are sometimes slower than a kitted 50cc 2 stroke. I've heard some crazy speeds on the Rattler 110cc 2 stroke, but that's a fairly pricey platform to start with. Zuma's biggest selling point seems to be the availability of both what you start with and performace parts.

[Photog]

Originally Posted by El Guero

Yeah, I figured there wouldn't be a cheap way about it That ruckus is gnarly but maybe not discrete enough for the scoot I have envisioned. Can the Stellas move pretty good with the big bore kits and chambers?

Mine's got a 177 Pinasco kit and JL expansion chamber, and it's pretty feisty. Check out www.stellaspeed.com for all the good info. They're funky and fun (the scoot and the forum).

I'm not sure what kind of restrictions are in place where you are, but a kitted 50 might be a fun little buzzbomb project for terrorizing your local streets on a budget. A Zuma is a good starting point, but don't rule out anything based on the Minarelli motor--run it past the scooteristi here if you find something.

About half my (former) commute was through a college campus, and a 50 hauled my ample ass around just fine through the campus and the urban streets around it.

The Ruckus is, of course, an addiction unto itself. www.totalruckus.com

50 might be small for you, but then again, part of the fun is maximizing what an untagged motorized vehicle can do in the grin department.

There are also good deals occasionally on the old Honda Elite 150's and so on. An inmate just scored a 250 for $350.

Also check out www.mopedarmy.com for inspiration.

$1500 is doable. A challenge, but doable, and you'll have a blast.

It's all good.

[Photog]

the fleet...so you can get an idea of what I've used to get around town.

Vento Zip R3i - 50cc - gone but not forgotten and I wish I still had it:


Kymco Super9 - 50cc - neat bike


day trip ride report here.


Stella - aka Hellboy - 177cc's of quirky fun:


MP3 - I love this bike. It's the best commuter I've ever had, loves back roads, and handles superslab 2-up. Brilliant package.

[El Guero]

I like the look of the Ruckus, but I NEED a ring-ding. I don't see the point otherwise

A 50 would be fun if I did live downtown, but I live 4 miles from campus and have to take the interstate or other major streets to get there. I don't think I'd even take the hot-rodded Stella on a 2 mile interstate run though.

I am starting to think this looks like a bad idea, but all the more reason I should pursue it (after I fix the Magna )

[Photog]

I've had the Stella on the interstate before at 65mph...kinda wide open for that bike. It seems to like 55 better, but I'm sure the gang at Stellaspeed have some that are happy to hold 60+ all day long. Mine seems to have a sweet spot at 55 and it doesn't feel stressed at that speed. 50mph on a nice cool evening just goofing off on some back roads is a joy.

Posted 45mph roads are no problem on the stock Super 9...it'll cruise at 40-43 no problem assuming you don't have major hills and flow of traffic isn't insane. Hills and flow of traffic tend to be big factors on the stock 50's.

I could see a 70cc kit on a Super9...you'd be passing cars. There are lots of good 50cc bikes that are begging for a kit.

I like the Aerox 70cc kitted bikes.



wish we got 'em here.

[El Guero]

That Aerox is EXACTLY what I'm thinking, but more 'classic' styling would be better... I want to appear to be a purist

Can scooters do burnouts?

[Hoseman]

[El Guero]

Just found this page:
http://www.teamcalamari.com/dox/prod16.html

I could spend a lot of money real fast

[pookiebear]

guero, I was thinking the same thing for here in Iowa City, a scooter grocery getter for the summer. Lets find some old ones and fix em up. Desert Camo paint jobs.... I got a welder too...........

[pookiebear]

What about one of these pitster pros they are street legal now.


http://pitsterpro.com/bike/overview/id/34
All kinds of mods for that engine and its $1,399.00 too




They even have some china 150 four stroke motards on there Street legal too.
http://pitsterpro.com/bike/overview/id/13