Category: 2sb News

Beer run

If it’s starting to sound like dealer expo is mostly about booze, guilty as charged. We had a great cheap Cajun dinner at this place Yats, too.

2009 Chicago Motorcycle Show

We’ve threatened to skip the Cycle World International Motorcycle Show the last few years, but we always ended up going anyway. This year, the promise of a new dedicated “Scooter Pavilion” finally scared us out of attending (success frightens us), but 2sb readers Maggie and Sara filled us in on what (little) we missed. Maggie treked up from St. Louis and was unimpressed with the Scooter Pavilion, aside from the Aprilia Scarabeo makeover and Kymco’s new Yager GT300i. (Here’s Maggies complete flickr gallery.) We agree, Maggie, the Yager looks like some good competition for the Sym HD200i (and PGO’s I’ME, if we ever get it here). As far as that other beast, we generally detest tribal graphics, but it works on the Scarabeo. Also: We’re really hoping those pinstripes aren’t standard on the Kymco Grand Vista. Sara, on the other hand, enjoyed Tow-Pac’s booth: “I can’t even imagine how slow a Honda Metropolitan is with a trike kit on it, but it was good for a giggle.” Sara, please be sensitive to people who, for whatever reason, can’t enjoy two-wheeled riding… and, uh, want to go really slow.

We’ve almost finished our Sym writeup from last year’s Dealer Expo in time for this year’s Dealer Expo, which is this weekend, by the way. We’ll be digging up dirt from dealers, seeing new bikes and products, and posting live from the show all weekend, with more in-depth coverage to follow next week.

A winnah…

Polinarchy (Poliana from Philadephia) is the winner of our “When will the Razz fall over?” contest. She guessed Friday, and both Ryan and I were out of town, so we’re not exactly sure when it fell, but we figure it was probably sometime Friday night or Saturday morning. After more than a month with snow on the ground, it all magically disappeared in two days. Poliana wins a $10 gift certificate from our sister site Author illnoisePosted on Categories Chicago, Cold Weather, Giveaways, Scootmoto1 Comment on A winnah…

Small Displacement Hybrid Racing Revealed

MotoGPmatters.com (aka KropotinThinks) reported on the efforts of KTM (warning: poor, resource-burdening flash site) to implement a Kinetic Energy Recovery System on their 125 cc Grand Prix machines. Kropotkin cites a report by the Spanish motorcycle website Motosolo describing a system used last fall in the race at Valencia and again during testing this winter at the same circuit. The system uses a capacitor rather than a battery to store energy during braking and can reintroduce approximately 2.5 HP for use when needed. It may be surprising to find efficiency enhancing technology applied to a class of machines that is already known for being relatively more fuel efficient efficient than other forms of transport but that 2.5 HP could really come in handy when tenths of seconds count.

While exciting new hybrid and electric scooters and concept vehicles have been reported here in the past, they have their challenges and barriers to widespread implementation. One of the biggest problems for both all electric plug-ins and hybrids like the Toyota Prius is the cost, weight and disposal of large toxic chemical-laden batteries. The use of a smaller energy storage unit like a capacitor could be a strategy to not store so much energy where one could drive for extended periods of time without combustion, but to assist a motor at specific points in vehicle use. The energy that normally would be wasted as heat during braking could be harnessed to turn near useless engine applications such as a small four-stroke engine that can’t get out of it’s own way in traffic into a useful machine. Where tenths of seconds count in racing, they may be even more important when that cab driver decides his lane position is more important than your life. The increase in efficiency may allow internal combustion engines to be designed smaller and less powerful knowing that some other stored energy could be used on-demand. One could even envision a 25cc four stroke with a capacitive KERS system that could navigate urban traffic and get 150 mpg!

Consumer Reports on scooters

A disappointing Consumer Reports’ video comparison of scooters accompanies a review in their February issue. Consumer Reports is a trustworthy source, and their findings are accurate, but you just can’t sum up the wide variety of scooters available right now in a 3:45 video. (Thanks for the tip, Matt.)

If you’re looking for a more detailed report, Nathaniel Salzman just updated his Buyers’ Guide, which features very good basic advice. 2sb’s “So You’re buying a Scooter?” doesn’t compare models at all, but there’s some good advice there. ScooterDiva has a good Buyers’ Guide with specs for current models from the top makers, but no hands-on info. Also: POC’s Phil Waters sent us a great writeup comparing many highway-legal scooters, we’ll post that soon.

CWC update, finally… Bob’s Vectrix leads

Well, another cold snap through the northeast last week brought us an almost entirely new top 5 in the Cold Weather Challenge Former leader Colin Doyle was knocked to third place by Bob Hedstrom of Scooterville in Minneapolis (-16°F!) on a Vectrix electric scooter, and on his heels, Tom from Omaha (-11°F), with a second entry, vowing to not let Minnesota take the CWC title. Colin’s down to third, then Luigi G. sits in 4th place at -7°F (with a long writeup in the comments.). Rounding out the top 5 is Stefan from Cleveland, at -6°F. Stefan is clearly delusional from the cold and demanding some Malört.

Say what you will about a Vectrix leading the CWC, I think it’s cool, and Bob’s got two 50cc bikes and two 30+-year-old Vespas nipping at his (cold) ankles, which I see as proof that ANYONE could win this thing.

Read through the comments, we have a lot more entries, and good stories, and try a cold ride, anyone who posts a ride under 32° (and/or the coldest ride in his/her state) gets a prize for participating!

Racer Redding Road Legal On A Piaggio Zip 50

One of the most dramatic events of 2008 British motorsport was the victory by Scott Redding in the 125cc Grand Prix race at Donnington Park. Redding’s win ended an over thirty year drought for Brits in the One-Two-Five class as he set the record for being the youngest Grand Prix winner at about fifteen and a half years of age. MotoGP.com posted a nice report on the Gloucester lad passing his Compulsory Basic Training (CBT) test. Scott can now drive himself around on a scooter. I am fairly sure 50ccs of unbridled 2-stroke fury will make him feel a bit like he’s moving in slow motion compared to his Aprilia RSW125. But maybe he can get some help tuning the bike from his Team BQR mechanics. Mr. Redding is pictured on MotoGP.com while astride a Piaggio Zip 50 scooter. Scott races for Blusens Aprilia. As Aprilia is under the Piaggio umbrella of companies, I hope they set him up nicely with the ‘ped for free.

Vectrix And Soundspeed Scooters Point Shrink Rays At Electric Scooters

This week the Vectrix electric maxi-scooter has proven itself in the CWC and the company has announced a smaller version of the ‘zero-emissions’ (near you) scooter. Autobloggreen says the VX-2 is slightly smaller and likened performance to a 50cc scooter. Top speed is claimed at 30 mph with a range of 45-50 miles. The numbers don’t seem like anything new in the electric scooter world. Old EVT Yamaha Vino clone scooters (warning: sound on page) had similar specifications. The literal lingua franca scooter website, Scooter-Station.com, has a photo posted and reports that the scooter will weigh in at over 400 lbs. Again nothing new in the weighty world of electric scooters.

In more inspiring news, Soundspeed Scooters in Seattle is offering a Lithium polymer battery pack for the EVT 168 (linked above) and 4000e scooters. The Li polymer power plant is supposed to reduce the weight of the scooter by 100 lbs. I’d imagine the battery could also make the proposition of their Electric Vespa conversion system a bit more attractive as well.

The two developments leave a shopper for a small electric scooter with two general choices. Neither choice is an inexpensive option with the Lithium version of the EVT 168 coming in at around 4200.00 and the Vectrix VX-2 at around 5200.00. But it will come down to choosing a novel chassis design with a heavy curb weight or a slightly more svelte scooter with dated, less inspiring design approach.

CWC Update, and another quick contest

Entries in the Cold Weather Challenge have been slow thanks to schloads of snow in the northern U.S., but don’t forget runners-up will be recognized by state, so wherever you live, you have a chance at everlasting glory. One notable recent entry is Clayton from South Korea, who holds third place after a fried-chicken-inspired ride through Namhansansong. Chicagoans scooter through the snow for bibimbap, Koreans scooter through the snow for the Colonel. Who knew?

Anyway, here’s a new mini-contest until we have rideable conditions again: That there photo is CWC cosponsor Ryan’s Yamaha Razz, he did a few doughnuts in his back yard on Jan. 9th and then threw it into that snowbank with the centerstand up. Guess what day and time it falls over (in the comments) and the closest guess gets a $10 gift certificate from Scootmoto.com. Go!

S-No Excuses For Winter Scooter Retirement

Motoblog.it reports on the work at Riminimoto aimed at extending the use of scooters into the winter months. I’m not referring to Seattle San Diego winter. I mean the kind with snow. Riminimoto takes the simple if not original approach by replacing the front wheel with a ski and studs on the rear tire. The example scooter is the MBK Booster (aka Yamaha Zuma). Other examples show the use of the Honda Ruckus and the Honda EZ-Cub. All are likely candidates due to their faux-off road image that has endowed them with the engine configuration or tire profile that is amenable to the use of knobbie tires to accept ice screws. It doesn’t hurt that they are sufficiently masculine in appearance for hardy outdoor types to use.
Continue reading “S-No Excuses For Winter Scooter Retirement”

Man’s Labyrinth: Who Needs It?

Have no fear those sans inner ear! High and low tech solutions are here to save the day. The New Cafe Racer Society shares a self balancing scooter and Tokyo Times (via Gizmodo) brings us a way to not spill one’s noodles. I assume that the former will soon make it’s way into a BMW production model motorcycle and the later will work just as well when trying to carry a pint of beer.