"Patrick Nichols" (pnichols)
04/19/2016 at 19:15 • Filed to: None
11
35|
"Patrick Nichols" (pnichols)
04/19/2016 at 19:15 • Filed to: None | 11
| 35 |
Scooters are big in my neighborhood. You could say I’m one of the cool (22 y/o) kids. Also pictured: pup.
So for some background, I started a new job that is about a quarter mile from my house and felt stupid driving everyday, but also wanted to maximize time at home during my lunch break (because puppy). So I decided the second vehicle to ever be registered in my name would be another scooter (
my mom’s name is on my golf for insurance reasons
don’t worry about it). I bought a 30 y/o, 2-stroke, Italian moped with limited parts availability and no title...
Exterior - 6/10
It has some bad overspray on a rattle can paint job, some weird stickering going on, but I don’t a garage/shed/cover and I’m going to beat on this pretty hard. No rust for now, and I plan on getting a waterproof cover for where it sits on the apartment complex bike rack.
Interior - 1/10
Uhh... it’s the same as the outside. Wait! There is some under-seat storage. You can’t fit much there though.
Acceleration - 8/10
It feels peppier than my old 2008 GY6 scooter, but who knows because the speedometer doesn’t work. I might try to source a new one, but who cares when it’s full throttle all the time anyways. 2-stroke motors have an advantage in both hp/liter and smelling great.
Braking - 1/10
Spongy.
I don’t know if this is worse than it was new though, considering it is 8 years older than me.
Ride - 5/10
Not bad, but I have a feeling that’s more attributable to the desire to keep the shiny fleshy side up. Better than the ride in my dad’s mini.
Gearbox - 10/10
It doesn’t have one. It does have a lever I have to hold down while I pedal in order to get the engine going, but I don’t know what to call it. Simple is better right?
Toys - 5/10
The previous owner did an LED light upgrade which takes this from outright dangerous to borderline irresponsible to drive at night, so kuddos to him. The horn still works so, uh, that’s a thing too.
Value - 9/10
Costs:
$14 gas can (to mix 50:1 2-stroke gas in)
$8 2-stroke Oil (that will last me a couple months anyways)
$12 Bike Lock (because there are no keys)
$7.50 Registration and Plates (God Bless NH)
$0 VIN Verification from a local tire shop before I could register it
$0 Old Hockey Helmet with Half-shield for a helmet
$450 Purchase price
I’d like to see anyone get a solid commuter thing for less than $500, never mind the low running costs. I will have to invest in a bike cover, new license plate mount (possibly put it on a cargo box), possibly some speedometer parts, and I might retrofit some blinkers for convenience/safety’s sake.
Total - 45/80
Engine : 49cc Single 2-stroke
Power : Not much and by the State of NH’s laws less than 2 hp
Transmission : none
0-60 Time : No
Top Speed : ¯\_()_/¯
Drivetrain : RWD
Curbweight : Some. Pretty light.
Seating : I don’t like other people anyways
MPG : Probably pretty good, but who keeps track at a gallon every so often.
Price : $450 at purchase
I’m hoping that others will join me in wrenching and riding on some vintage pedal-motor-things, so I will continue to write about and video my journeys on it. What do people want to see? Mountain mopeding? Grocery getting?
BJ
> Patrick Nichols
04/19/2016 at 19:22 |
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This is good stuff. I’m tempted to ask what’s wrong with a cheap pedal bike, but then I remember that a pedal bike WITH A MOTOR is probably better anyways.
Have fun, stay safe, and make sure those brakes are working properly!
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Patrick Nichols
> BJ
04/19/2016 at 19:28 |
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I thought about a regular bike but there is a considerable hill between me and work... I already question my decision to get an Australian shepherd that needs to be ran ~3 times a day, I don’t need any more exercise. (I don’t actually question why I got her)
shop-teacher
> Patrick Nichols
04/19/2016 at 19:46 |
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Cool!
HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles
> Patrick Nichols
04/19/2016 at 20:03 |
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More scooters! I love mine, though technically it’s not a moped as it’s over 50cc.
RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
> Patrick Nichols
04/19/2016 at 20:09 |
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Awesome! I’ve thought about picking up a larger (i.e. like 150cc) scooter (i.e. non-moped) someday for a zippy commuter bike, so I’ll enjoy your upcoming posts! :)
2-wheels underpowered things good! :P
David Baker
> Patrick Nichols
04/19/2016 at 20:19 |
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Nice moped, I use my 50 mph electric bike as a “work truck” for local jobs. The look on people’s faces when this passes them at 35mph uphill is priceless.
Caleb "If a rally car can do it, so can my Malibu" M. S.
> Patrick Nichols
04/19/2016 at 21:00 |
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Seriously jealous, dude. Nice buy/find! Best of luck, and keep us all updated.
facw
> Patrick Nichols
04/19/2016 at 21:25 |
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That paper seems to have held up well for being 19 years old. Has the look of a 4th grade assignment.
Frank Grimes
> Patrick Nichols
04/19/2016 at 21:34 |
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uh how long does it take to walk 1/4 mile vs get your bike off the rack turn it on and start it out on your helmet etc?
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Patrick Nichols
> Frank Grimes
04/19/2016 at 21:56 |
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process takes about a minute on the scooter and would take about 5-8 on foot. Makes a difference on a 30 minute lunch break and is considerably more fun.
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Patrick Nichols
> facw
04/19/2016 at 21:57 |
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I thought so too. One of the old bills of sale. I’m going to scan the owner’s pamphlet tomorrow.
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Patrick Nichols
> HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles
04/19/2016 at 21:59 |
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There are plenty of people riding around on bored out 100cc GY6's that ride around on “mopeds.” What do you have?
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HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles
> Patrick Nichols
04/19/2016 at 22:07 |
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A 1984 Honda Aero80.
http://oppositelock.kinja.com/i-got-a-free-t…
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Patrick Nichols
> HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles
04/19/2016 at 22:11 |
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Very nice. After getting the VIN verification because it apparently wasn’t in the system, the woman at the DMV didn’t ask about the displacement. She just asked me how fast it goes and I told her I don’t know, but definitely less than 30...
Berang
> Patrick Nichols
04/20/2016 at 08:04 |
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I had a Garelli once. It was really unreliable for me, it kept stalling constantly, and I never could figure out why. Cleaned the carb, cleaned the tank, filter, line, etc.
On the other hand the Columbia and Solex I had were perfectly reliable.
vondon302
> Patrick Nichols
04/20/2016 at 08:04 |
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For 450 That’s sweet. Something new to search for thanks. Ps awesome dog.
SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie
> Patrick Nichols
04/20/2016 at 08:15 |
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So.... Can it rally?
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Patrick Nichols
> vondon302
04/20/2016 at 08:15 |
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Thanks, and yeah I love my dog, even if she was considerably more expensive than the scooter.
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Patrick Nichols
> Berang
04/20/2016 at 08:16 |
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At this price, it might be a nice place to start wrenching and I always have a car here too.
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Patrick Nichols
> SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie
04/20/2016 at 08:18 |
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I might take it on some light trails along the power and gas lines. I’ll be sure to bring the go pro and see how it goes...
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SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie
> Patrick Nichols
04/20/2016 at 08:19 |
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YUMPS!
PartyPooper2012
> Patrick Nichols
04/20/2016 at 08:33 |
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You missed it... She wanted you to ask her if she wanted to go for a ride on your sweet ride. After that, you and her go in the back room of DMV and do things back there... like sort license plates alphabetically.
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PartyPooper2012
> BJ
04/20/2016 at 08:34 |
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I could be wrong, but a pedal bike with a motor still has pedal(s?)
Clown Shoe Pilot
> Patrick Nichols
04/20/2016 at 09:00 |
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1/4 mile commute? At my job you could walk that far just going from one end of the building to the other.
valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option
> Patrick Nichols
04/20/2016 at 09:01 |
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Cool... Thing!? Never been on one of these before, how does it compare to a bicycle? Also gonna rag on you a bit for getting a $12 lock. It takes zero effort to cut that one. Get a U-lock.
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Clown Shoe Pilot
> facw
04/20/2016 at 09:04 |
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Patrick Nichols
> valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option
04/20/2016 at 09:05 |
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U-Locks can be popped with a hammer... all locks are easy to bypass. It’s just a deterrent in a relatively suburban town.
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valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option
> Patrick Nichols
04/20/2016 at 09:13 |
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Yea yea... But how does it ride? That's what I really care about.
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Patrick Nichols
> valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option
04/20/2016 at 09:50 |
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Turning radius is bigger than a bicycle and the gearing before the motor can kick in is really light (so don’t count on going too far if you run out of gas), but the comfy seat and rear suspension make it feel pretty smooth.
TheRealBicycleBuck
> Patrick Nichols
04/20/2016 at 10:07 |
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“$12 Bike Lock (because there are no keys)“
I’m glad you said that ‘cause I’m about to rat myself out. The statute of limitations is long past, so I have no concerns about johnny law.
When I was about 8 years old, my mom was in college trying to make a better life for us. We lived in on-campus apartments, commonly known as married student housing, although she did not qualify for that moniker. One of my buddies, Joseph, lived in the neighborhood behind the apartments.
Looking back I realize that his parents were perfectly stereotypes - his dad was a professor at the university, replete with unkempt beard and strange ideas. They had a Volvo wagon and a VW bus with a pop-top camper.
I stayed over at his house one night and we cajoled his parents into letting us sleep in the bus. That was a novel experience for me. I had slept outside exactly twice - once in a tent, once in a hammock, both on the same camping trip. Joseph’s mom made sure we locked the doors so we would be safe. What I didn’t know was that Joseph had a plan.
I learned that evening that the mesh windows on the pop-top had zippers. Joseph unzipped the window and we made our escape down the front of the bus, making sure to zip the window closed. Joseph knew that his mom would come out to check on us, but would find the doors locked and the windows closed.
What are two kids going to do in the middle of the night? Turns out, not much. We wandered around his neighborhood at first. Finding nothing to occupy our time, we then made our way to the adjacent apartments.
That’s when we found it. The unlocked moped.
We thought it would be fun to try to start it. So we took turns pedaling with all our might for what seemed an eternity. No dice. That’s when we took a closer look at the controls and found the lever.
I knew we had discovered the secret, so the two of us wrestled the moped off the bike rack and pushed it to the sidewalk in preparation for launch. Joseph held it steady while I pulled the lever and started pedaling. After a couple of coughs, it sprang to life! Joseph gave it a shove to get it off the center stand and I was in riding the most powerful piece of machinery I had ever tried to operate on my own. I was in heaven.
It took some time to figure out that the right grip controlled my speed and that the brakes were on the bar. I didn’t have much time to figure these things out since the sidewalk presented two choices - either circle around in a big loop or catch the main sidewalk and head down the street. I took the loop the first time around. Not because I was thinking about giving myself more time to learn the control, but more in fear of where the big sidewalk would lead.
What I wasn’t thinking about was the noise. I don’t know if all scooters are unreasonably loud, but this one certainly was, especially at 2:00 in the morning. Joseph was doing his best to tell me it was too loud by shouting it at the top of his lungs. Kids. Go figure.
So, I redirected to the main sidewalk on my second loop around. I was getting the hang of this! Two loops and no crash. Now I’m going places!
Then came the curb. Sidewalks in those days didn’t end in nice friendly ramps. Sidewalks ended in large cliffs, usually over a slipper metal grate covering what we thought were access points to the underworld. I knew going down the curb was no big deal. Jumping curbs was a regular activity on my bike. I knew I could just pedal hard and drop off the curb. No problem. Wait, these pedals don’t work and the engine is running and this thing is heavy...
What I expected to happen and what did happen were two entirely different things. I dropped off the curb like an anvil. This was somewhat mitigated by the springs that passed as suspension on the front end, but when the back end dropped, the resulting bounce nearly tossed me off the moped. I scrambled to regain both my seating and my balance. I got back in control just in time to realize that evasive maneuvers were required - the curb on the other side of the street was coming up fast.
I managed to turn left before crashing into the curb, but I was scared. This thing was a beast and I was in the street where I was sure to get run over. I decided the best course of action was to get back onto the sidewalk.
I did the smart thing and picked a section of the curb lower than the rest. I knew the grass between the curb and sidewalk wouldn’t present too much of an obstacle and might even provide a softer place to land if things went awry. Unfortunately, I was slow learner and the previous lessons on power, weight, and the different controls had not sunk in. I thought I could just pedal hard and pull a wheelie to get up and over the curb. Once again, I thought wrong.
My puny little arms didn’t stand a chance. Since I was pulling up as hard as I could as the front tire slammed into the curb, I was not prepared to stop my own forward momentum and I kissed the handlebar. This wasn’t some lover’s smooch. This was the equivalent of a baseball bat to the face. The moped and I went down in a heap. Here, I was right. The grass was softer than the sidewalk.
My co-conspirator was there to disentangle the mess. In all the year that sidewalk had been there, I doubt it had ever seen two puny kids put forth more effort than what we exerted trying to get the moped back on the sidewalk and up on the center stand. It took a while, but we were determined. It was Joseph’s turn to ride.
We thought we had the secret sauce. We thought we could do no wrong. We thought it would start. But we didn’t know the voodoo that is a flooded carb and despite Joseph’s best efforts, he couldn’t get it to start. He begged me to try again. So, against my better judgement, I climbed aboard and started pedaling.
It couldn’t have been more than a minute or two, but the burning in my legs and lungs made it feel like a lifetime. Try as I might, I couldn’t get it to start either. This was a mixed blessing. It kept us from getting killed on a machine that clearly was out of our league. It also kept Mr. Chang from reporting it stolen.
As I churned away at the pedals, a Chinese man caught us unawares. He was exceedingly polite and didn’t yell. He just asked one question, “Is that scooter yours?” In a flash of honesty, we answered no. He replied, “then I think it is mine.” We did the only thing reasonable thing that two 8-yr old kids caught in the middle of the night in possession of stolen property could do - we ran.
We ran until we couldn’t run any more. We ducked and dodged and stuck to the shadows. We thought he was chasing us or the police were chasing us or ninjas were chasing us. We were scared and we were in trouble and we wanted nothing more than to get back to the bus. Joseph had the good sense to avoid opening the doors since his mother would hear them shut. So, we helped each other climb back into the bus through the mesh window of the pop-top.
We may not have been caught, but I’m sure Joseph’s parents knew something was up. The smears of sweat across the front glass of the bus was the most damning evidence. They may not have known what we did, but they knew we had been out.
That was both the first and last time I ever rode a moped. That was also the last time we were allowed to sleep in the bus.
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TheRealBicycleBuck
> Clown Shoe Pilot
04/20/2016 at 10:24 |
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Common sight at many of the chemical plants.
Luc - The Acadian Oppo
> TheRealBicycleBuck
04/20/2016 at 10:35 |
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What an awesome story! That was a real fun read.
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TheRealBicycleBuck
> Luc - The Acadian Oppo
04/20/2016 at 10:41 |
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Thanks!
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Frank Grimes
> Patrick Nichols
04/20/2016 at 14:23 |
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But exercise bro! EXERCISE!!! I guess that does make a difference I know what its like to demand and cherish a full 30 min lunch break.
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Patrick Nichols
> Frank Grimes
04/20/2016 at 17:58 |
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The dog gets walked and ran for a total of around 6-7 miles everyday and more on the weekends... I’m not worried about the exercise.