PeakOil is You
THE Motorcycle, Moped and Electric Bike Thread (merged)
Re: Scooter Talk
by eastbay » Thu 14 Sep 2006, 10:57:09
Mine's a four-stroke. I didn't even consider a two-stroke.
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Re: Scooter Talk
by BlisteredWhippet » Sun 17 Sep 2006, 02:10:22
I've been riding the two-smoker. Its very efficient and fun in its own way... but its an insta-smog generator. Could be partly the unknown date of origin of the two-stroke oil in the resevoir...
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Re: Scooter Talk
by Aaron » Sun 17 Sep 2006, 07:27:16
I have one of these...
But here's the trick... it's illegal to ride!
Not licensed for the road... no combustion-powered traffic on sidewalks etc...
Heroic economy on fuel... especially since I can't ride it.link
But here's the trick... it's illegal to ride!
Not licensed for the road... no combustion-powered traffic on sidewalks etc...
Heroic economy on fuel... especially since I can't ride it.link
The problem is, of course, that not only is economics bankrupt, but it has always been nothing more than politics in disguise... economics is a form of brain damage.
Hazel Henderson
Hazel Henderson
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Re: Scooter Talk
by BlisteredWhippet » Tue 19 Sep 2006, 04:14:48
Yamaha JOG!
The only bike named for the exercise.
<pic deleted, scoot sold!>
The only bike named for the exercise.
<pic deleted, scoot sold!>
Last edited by BlisteredWhippet on Tue 24 Oct 2006, 18:20:06, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Scooter Talk
by ScooterJones » Tue 24 Oct 2006, 13:50:00
We love our
150cc 4-stroke. My wife usually uses it for cruisin' around town, but we took it up to the hills a couple of weeks ago to check out the aspens & there were no complaints (& boy did we turn heads)! I know our moped is not one of the bigger named models, but it is a great starter for us. With the gas still being a little bit higher here in Colorado then other states this scooter is ideal. Our daughter is taking her's to college next year & now our neighbors want them! Maybe there are some other locals that would like to hook up for a ride!
150cc 4-stroke. My wife usually uses it for cruisin' around town, but we took it up to the hills a couple of weeks ago to check out the aspens & there were no complaints (& boy did we turn heads)! I know our moped is not one of the bigger named models, but it is a great starter for us. With the gas still being a little bit higher here in Colorado then other states this scooter is ideal. Our daughter is taking her's to college next year & now our neighbors want them! Maybe there are some other locals that would like to hook up for a ride!
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Re: Scooter Talk
by eastbay » Tue 24 Oct 2006, 17:35:18
Ahhhhh yeah. 90 mpg on my most recent fill-up. Nice.
I'm now leaving it on a trickle-charger since it isn't being used as much when it rains. I went to ride it last Saturday after 5 days of sitting and it wouldn't start... yikes. I understand it's ok to just leave the trickle-charger on all the time. If not, someone please correct me.
On another topic:
When I become The Highly Esteemed Leader I will institute 10 years of hard labor internment on anyone who dumps oversized posts on threads. This will be the Law of the Land. There will be no appeals.
I'm now leaving it on a trickle-charger since it isn't being used as much when it rains. I went to ride it last Saturday after 5 days of sitting and it wouldn't start... yikes. I understand it's ok to just leave the trickle-charger on all the time. If not, someone please correct me.
On another topic:
When I become The Highly Esteemed Leader I will institute 10 years of hard labor internment on anyone who dumps oversized posts on threads. This will be the Law of the Land. There will be no appeals.
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Re: Scooter Talk
by BlisteredWhippet » Tue 24 Oct 2006, 18:29:59
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('eastbay', 'A')hhhhh yeah. 90 mpg on my most recent fill-up. Nice.
I'm now leaving it on a trickle-charger since it isn't being used as much when it rains. I went to ride it last Saturday after 5 days of sitting and it wouldn't start... yikes. I understand it's ok to just leave the trickle-charger on all the time. If not, someone please correct me.
I'm now leaving it on a trickle-charger since it isn't being used as much when it rains. I went to ride it last Saturday after 5 days of sitting and it wouldn't start... yikes. I understand it's ok to just leave the trickle-charger on all the time. If not, someone please correct me.
If you have a cheap POS charger it might not have a voltage sensing diode or be faulty (electronics out of spec.) The easy way to tell if this is the case is to find the phrase "Made in China" somewhere on it. Really, the only way to make sure the charger is doing its job is to use a multimeter and measure the voltage. 2.1v per cell should leave a floating charge of around 12.6-12.8 max.
Next is the battery. Probably also Made in China, date of origin unknown. Even new, many of these lead-acid wet cell batteries will underperform. The sub 150cc designs the Chinese were copying had marginal energy systems to start with (not a lot of excess capacity in the design to compensate for a marginal battery.) With no kick start, this means battery must be GOOD.
Off the shelf batteries could be bad and you will not know it until you run into problems. I bought a 7ah battery for a 125cc that is NOT producing enough cranking amps, even though it will show a good charge, after a few days of sitting, it does not have the capacity to turn the starter fast enough. It was an el cheapo 32.99 wet cell from "Batteries plus". They have a good warranty so I will get it tested and exchanged. You might be able to get it load tested at a shucks or sears that has a load tester.
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', '
')On another topic:
When I become The Highly Esteemed Leader I will institute 10 years of hard labor internment on anyone who dumps oversized posts on threads. This will be the Law of the Land. There will be no appeals.
Sorry bout that. I deleted it. Sold it to some fat guy for $250 who wanted something to ride around campgrounds. In a previous life of thrillogy, he piloted an early 80s Gold Wing into a partially open sewer grate and did a superman impression. Was looking for something to build confindence after 20+ years off bikes.
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Re: Scooter Talk
by eric_b » Tue 24 Oct 2006, 18:45:02
Gawd I hate scooters. Really obnoxious.
Seeing more and more of them around campus here. Ever see a fat person on a scooter? Yeah.
They're loud and they stink.
Sound like a mosquito on steroids.
Whatever happened to walking or riding a bike? Sometimes I think I should have been born in the 19th century. I'm in the wrong millennia.
Seeing more and more of them around campus here. Ever see a fat person on a scooter? Yeah.
They're loud and they stink.
Sound like a mosquito on steroids.
Whatever happened to walking or riding a bike? Sometimes I think I should have been born in the 19th century. I'm in the wrong millennia.
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Re: Scooter Talk
by eastbay » Tue 24 Oct 2006, 19:53:03
Eric, mine's almost silent. You're referring to those stand-up types with the tiny noisy engine near the tiny rear wheel. Or you're refering to the 2 stroke which should be banned for producing too much smog and noise.
Blistered Whippet,
Yup. Charger says, 'Made-in-China on it and nothing else. Battery says 'Magna Power' on it so, although it's a New Jersey company, it's probably made-in-China too. It might be less headache to just can the battery, get a new high quality battery and treat it properly. On the other hand, there's about 100 million Chinese scooters in China all running seemingly just fine on Chinese batteries. What do you think?
Blistered Whippet,
Yup. Charger says, 'Made-in-China on it and nothing else. Battery says 'Magna Power' on it so, although it's a New Jersey company, it's probably made-in-China too. It might be less headache to just can the battery, get a new high quality battery and treat it properly. On the other hand, there's about 100 million Chinese scooters in China all running seemingly just fine on Chinese batteries. What do you think?
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Re: Scooter Talk
by BlisteredWhippet » Thu 26 Oct 2006, 16:21:07
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('eastbay', '
')Yup. Charger says, 'Made-in-China on it and nothing else. Battery says 'Magna Power' on it so, although it's a New Jersey company, it's probably made-in-China too. It might be less headache to just can the battery, get a new high quality battery and treat it properly. On the other hand, there's about 100 million Chinese scooters in China all running seemingly just fine on Chinese batteries. What do you think?
')Yup. Charger says, 'Made-in-China on it and nothing else. Battery says 'Magna Power' on it so, although it's a New Jersey company, it's probably made-in-China too. It might be less headache to just can the battery, get a new high quality battery and treat it properly. On the other hand, there's about 100 million Chinese scooters in China all running seemingly just fine on Chinese batteries. What do you think?
I think it has nothing to do with your particular problem.
On a tangent, I could describe the principles and reasoning behind my own 15-year boycott of Chinese goods, but I'll spare everyone.
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Re: Scooter Talk
by eastbay » Thu 26 Oct 2006, 20:55:56
BW,
I made an error. It's a 'battery tender', not a 'charger'.
I took the battery into the local Japanese bike store yesterday and they kindly charged it for me telling me it appears fine. I offered to buy a new one and the guy said save the $$.
I rode it on about 20 miles of errands today and it operated perfectly, but the instrument panel charging indicator guage seems to indicate a lower than desired level of charging.
So now I'm leaving the trickle charger/battery tender on all the time when I'm not running it. This may be the ticket.
But I think you're right. It's a problem other than the battery and I know exactly 'jack' about scooter electronics.
I made an error. It's a 'battery tender', not a 'charger'.
I took the battery into the local Japanese bike store yesterday and they kindly charged it for me telling me it appears fine. I offered to buy a new one and the guy said save the $$.
I rode it on about 20 miles of errands today and it operated perfectly, but the instrument panel charging indicator guage seems to indicate a lower than desired level of charging.
So now I'm leaving the trickle charger/battery tender on all the time when I'm not running it. This may be the ticket.
But I think you're right. It's a problem other than the battery and I know exactly 'jack' about scooter electronics.
Got Dharma?
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Re: Scooter Talk
by BlisteredWhippet » Fri 27 Oct 2006, 04:30:03
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('eastbay', 'B')W,
I made an error. It's a 'battery tender', not a 'charger'.
I took the battery into the local Japanese bike store yesterday and they kindly charged it for me telling me it appears fine. I offered to buy a new one and the guy said save the $$.
I rode it on about 20 miles of errands today and it operated perfectly, but the instrument panel charging indicator guage seems to indicate a lower than desired level of charging.
So now I'm leaving the trickle charger/battery tender on all the time when I'm not running it. This may be the ticket.
But I think you're right. It's a problem other than the battery and I know exactly 'jack' about scooter electronics.
I made an error. It's a 'battery tender', not a 'charger'.
I took the battery into the local Japanese bike store yesterday and they kindly charged it for me telling me it appears fine. I offered to buy a new one and the guy said save the $$.
I rode it on about 20 miles of errands today and it operated perfectly, but the instrument panel charging indicator guage seems to indicate a lower than desired level of charging.
So now I'm leaving the trickle charger/battery tender on all the time when I'm not running it. This may be the ticket.
But I think you're right. It's a problem other than the battery and I know exactly 'jack' about scooter electronics.
WE haven't ruled out the battery. If the people at the bike place didn't "load test" it, charging it tells you nothing. They didn't do squat.
The fact your bike is so new, having this problem....
lets just say its not unprecedented with Chinese scooters...
I'm familiar, having gotten my hands dirty, with scooter electronics.... but not with CHINESE scooter electronics... I'm not THAT dirty. Consider this: maybe that "charging indicator" on the panel isn't accurate... or isn't even a "charging" indicator.
Forget that guage. Lets assume its correct, and the battery isn't holding a charge. This means the charging system is working overtime to maintain system voltage. If the battery is compromised, its doubtful that the situation will improve r.e. having to float charge it all the time.
I will say only that, in your situation, the kick-start you have means the battery doesn't matter as much and as such the bike might be fairly relaible even with a dodgy battery.
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