LML (Stella) at EICMA

Silver Streak · Post by **Silver Streak** » Wed Nov 09, 2011 9:37 pm

ericalm wrote:Needs a few more mods, but it can be done…

I see him plunging into the sand, but how far did he actually get?

I've managed to get my Stella bogged down in my steep gravel driveway in a spot where the gravel was kinda deep.

Southerner · Post by **Southerner** » Wed Nov 09, 2011 9:56 pm

The problem with scooters is the small wheels. But that kind of sand would be bad for anything that didn't have big, wide floaty tires.

My first bike:http://www.twistdmetal.com/projects/mini_trail.htm

Not actually mine, but just exactly like it. A small 50cc motorcycle, geared like a tractor. Was good for maybe 30 mph back when I weighed about 150 pounds. The tires aren't huge but are indeed wide. It took me through stuff that you wouldn't believe.

Still, I wouldn't have any objection to taking a scooter down any dirt or gravel road, cow trail, fire lane road, or whatever. As long as the surface is solid enough that the wheels don't sink, it'll go.

After all, the very first scooter design was made to air drop with paratroopers.

babblefish · Post by **babblefish** » Wed Nov 09, 2011 11:17 pm

Southerner wrote:<snip> After all, the very first scooter design was made to air drop with paratroopers.

You mean these?:

LunaP · Post by **LunaP** » Thu Nov 10, 2011 1:08 am

I like a lot of these Star/Stella designs. I adore the two-tone one, even the orange.

Although I can understand why a lot of people are hesitant or feel the shifties are threatened by Stellas getting a CVT model... I feel like it would have a decent/thriving US market. Genuine would then, as I believe our wonderful leader Eric pointed out already, have a stiffer competition with Vespa- vintage-trendy style, twisty for those who prefer not to shift, but more affordable than Vespas.

And good lord, if they sold that pink one with the white stars, I'd go crazy. I'm sorry. I think it's just about the cutest damn thing I've ever seen, and I think I remember swearing I'd never buy a Stella after one of Lokky's Stella's temper tantrums.

AWinn6889 · Post by **AWinn6889** » Thu Nov 10, 2011 1:48 am

Southerner wrote:After all, the very first scooter design was made to air drop with paratroopers.

I actually met a WWII vet when I was leaving work yesterday that told me about these (the ones above). He used one. He also rode a military edition Vespa.. and when he came home, couldn't afford a Vespa, so he bought a Cushman!
Amazing the people you meet in the scooter community!

Post by **ericalm** » Thu Nov 10, 2011 1:50 am

Silver Streak wrote:
ericalm wrote:Needs a few more mods, but it can be done…
I see him plunging into the sand, but how far did he actually get?

All the way across Egypt! There were 2 Italians running the cross-Egypt rally on PX200s. They list all their mods on their site; pretty cool!

viney266 · Post by **viney266** » Thu Nov 10, 2011 2:23 am

I would love a welbike for the collection. One of my dream finds, that and a Kettenhrad and I'm happy

babblefish · Post by **babblefish** » Thu Nov 10, 2011 2:37 am

viney266 wrote:I would love a welbike for the collection. One of my dream finds, that and a Kettenhrad and I'm happy

Lots 'o pics and info here: http://www.welbike.net/Welbike%20Parascooter.html

Replica using a Honda engine: http://home.earthlink.net/~flyboyken/id16.html

Southerner · Post by **Southerner** » Thu Nov 10, 2011 12:41 pm

ericalm wrote:
Silver Streak wrote:
ericalm wrote:Needs a few more mods, but it can be done…
I see him plunging into the sand, but how far did he actually get?
All the way across Egypt! There were 2 Italians running the cross-Egypt rally on PX200s. They list all their mods on their site; pretty cool!

What more proof do you need? Dualsport scooters officially exist!

Southerner · Post by **Southerner** » Thu Nov 10, 2011 12:43 pm

viney266 wrote:I would love a welbike for the collection. One of my dream finds, that and a Kettenhrad and I'm happy

I don't know if you're serious about that last but I have indeed seen them for sale in Shotgun News.

Norm · Post by **Norm** » Thu Nov 10, 2011 12:53 pm

The CVT automatic is based on the PK "small frame" design, which was previously marketed by LML as the "Sensation" in Asian markets.

According to Italian press reports from the show, the new model will be available on the European market in 4-stroke 50cc (4-valve) and 125cc (2-valve) versions.

There are no plans for an automatic PX-based Star (AKA Stella), just the existing 125/150cc 2T and 125/150/200cc 4T (although all the 4T models are moving towards EFI).

Lovelandstella · Post by **Lovelandstella** » Thu Nov 10, 2011 4:45 pm

ericalm wrote:

neotrotsky wrote:... I can't see a clutch lever from this angle...

I don't know if you need to. no foot brake means probably 2 hand levers for 2 brakes.
I could be wrong.
speculation is fun!

Norm · Post by **Norm** » Thu Nov 10, 2011 4:51 pm

Nothing to speculate about, it's a TNG

Southerner · Post by **Southerner** » Thu Nov 10, 2011 6:08 pm

Norm wrote:.................There are no plans for an automatic PX-based Star (AKA Stella), just the existing 125/150cc 2T and 125/150/200cc 4T (although all the 4T models are moving towards EFI).

Well, poo! I wonder if there would be a performance deficit to speak of between a 125 CVT PK and your current 4T Stella?

Witch · Post by **Witch** » Thu Nov 10, 2011 6:11 pm

Lovelandstella wrote:no foot brake means probably 2 hand levers for 2 brakes.
I could be wrong.
speculation is fun!

Kind of a shame there can't be a happy medium. I had an old beater Yamaha Riva 180 for a little while. It was fully automatic, but with no lever at all on the left handlebar. Had a rear foot brake on the right side of the floorboard. I got used to it after about a half a mile. Totally loved that setup.

Of course, having a broken left arm at the time may have had something to do with how much I appreciated it.

k1dude · Post by **k1dude** » Thu Nov 10, 2011 6:43 pm

The question is will any of these bikes ever come to the US?

Post by **ericalm** » Thu Nov 10, 2011 6:45 pm

Southerner wrote:
Norm wrote:.................There are no plans for an automatic PX-based Star (AKA Stella), just the existing 125/150cc 2T and 125/150/200cc 4T (although all the 4T models are moving towards EFI).
Well, poo! I wonder if there would be a performance deficit to speak of between a 125 CVT PK and your current 4T Stella?

Most bikes offered as 125s overseas come to the US as 150s.

An injected, 150cc with CVT should perform as well or better than the 150 4T Stella shifter.

viney266 · Post by **viney266** » Thu Nov 10, 2011 6:54 pm

Southerner wrote:
viney266 wrote:I would love a welbike for the collection. One of my dream finds, that and a Kettenhrad and I'm happy
I don't know if you're serious about that last but I have indeed seen them for sale in Shotgun News.

sorry for off topic, but

^^^ At this time cash is short due to another car purchase, but yes I am serious about a Kettenkrad...Tried to buy one out of shotgun news in fact about 5 or 6 years ago. I was too late. Have you seen one recently? I don't look in there like I used to.PM me a link if you have one. Thanks. I guess I will start looking again.

....Back to LML...

Silver Streak · Post by **Silver Streak** » Thu Nov 10, 2011 7:51 pm

ericalm wrote:
An injected, 150cc with CVT should perform as well or better than the 150 4T Stella shifter.

... unless you include fuel economy as a performance measure.

Post by **ericalm** » Thu Nov 10, 2011 8:32 pm

Silver Streak wrote:
ericalm wrote:
An injected, 150cc with CVT should perform as well or better than the 150 4T Stella shifter.
... unless you include fuel economy as a performance measure.

True, but there should be some modest gains in MPGs from injection. Don't know if it'll match the Stella shifter, but it should still be pretty good!

desmolicious · Post by **desmolicious** » Thu Nov 10, 2011 8:34 pm

Lovelandstella wrote:
ericalm wrote:

neotrotsky wrote:... I can't see a clutch lever from this angle...
I don't know if you need to. no foot brake means probably 2 hand levers for 2 brakes.
I could be wrong.
speculation is fun!

It's an auto.
The cowels are completely different from the shifter Stellas - they are fixed with what looks to be a removable panel.
Plus the spare wheel is on the right side.

Southerner · Post by **Southerner** » Thu Nov 10, 2011 8:37 pm

ericalm wrote:
Southerner wrote:
Norm wrote:.................There are no plans for an automatic PX-based Star (AKA Stella), just the existing 125/150cc 2T and 125/150/200cc 4T (although all the 4T models are moving towards EFI).
Well, poo! I wonder if there would be a performance deficit to speak of between a 125 CVT PK and your current 4T Stella?
Most bikes offered as 125s overseas come to the US as 150s.

An injected, 150cc with CVT should perform as well or better than the 150 4T Stella shifter.

That's good to know. Surely, Genuine will try to get these. It's just too good of an idea to ignore!

scootavaran · Post by **scootavaran** » Thu Nov 10, 2011 11:52 pm

AWinn6889 wrote:
Southerner wrote:After all, the very first scooter design was made to air drop with paratroopers.
I actually met a WWII vet when I was leaving work yesterday that told me about these (the ones above). He used one. He also rode a military edition Vespa.. and when he came home, couldn't afford a Vespa, so he bought a Cushman!
Amazing the people you meet in the scooter community!

Thats really cool!

Roose Hurro · Post by **Roose Hurro** » Fri Nov 11, 2011 1:27 am

ericalm wrote:Okeh, so it's not quite the classic P/PX style. The PK is probably the most '80s of the Vespas (tied with T5?) and not exactly the most highly regarded in terms of looks. But the people mostly likely to buy this won't care.

That's an understatement. And I happen to be one of "the people" most likely to buy this, next to a manual Stella... but I care. It's just... *shudder*... ick. I'd rather take a manual Stella, add an auto-clutch and an electric shifter, eliminate the hand-clutch/twist-shift, move the rear brake to the left grip, and have a nice, smooth floor. When I want to change gears, modulate the throttle, then either flick the left-hand thumb-switch up to upshift or down to downshift... BOOM! a neat customized scoot. Only thing that would hurt is my wallet.

Oh, what some people do for style.........

BootScootin'FireFighter · Fri Nov 11, 2011 12:00 pm

ericalm wrote:
viney266 wrote:I can see that a few folks would want a CVT stella. But Genuine has a very good CVT line-up, with the stella being the sole "shifty"...If I were running that business I would see no reason to bring in the cvt stella... sorry guys

Is "it's a good scooter and we'll sell a shitload of them to people who'd buy Vespas otherwise" not a reason?

I think I found the wifes next scooter. She has been asking me about a Stella or something along the likes of an LX150. A shifty is not the most feasible for us being where we live, so we've kind of stalled the issue. She has become more envious of the Stella after this past weekend in Richmond and was asking more and more. No kidding, she even said she wishes the Stella was CVT automatic. Then she posts me a link about this on facebook a few days ago before I read this post on MB!

The Buddy has grown well on me, but I think she's not a big fan of the style. We'll have to wait and see when they come to the US.

Southerner · Post by **Southerner** » Fri Nov 11, 2011 4:19 pm

I do have to say that the flat-sided covers don't look as good to me as the more rounded ones on the Stella, not that it's a dealbreaker by any means. The Barbie colors definitely are.

Post by **polianarchy** » Sat Nov 12, 2011 4:05 am

GIMME GIMME GIMME GIMME

Of course, I'd scrap the whitewalls and the white seat in favor of black, but yeah. GIVE THIS TO ME NOW!!! Looks like I'm gonna have to start yet another savings fund.

AWinn6889 · Post by **AWinn6889** » Sat Nov 12, 2011 4:50 pm

polianarchy wrote:GIMME GIMME GIMME GIMME

Of course, I'd scrap the whitewalls and the white seat in favor of black, but yeah. GIVE THIS TO ME NOW!!! Looks like I'm gonna have to start yet another savings fund.

I was thinking the same thing!
...I wonder if they'll make it in a nice fuchsia too... hmmm...

Southerner · Post by **Southerner** » Wed Nov 16, 2011 3:19 pm

But of course, this is the proper place for it.

And there's that sidecar, like we were talking about in the Ural thread.

I do like the headlight.

viney266 · Post by **viney266** » Wed Nov 16, 2011 3:33 pm

BootScootin'FireFighter wrote:
I think I found the wifes next scooter. She has been asking me about a Stella or something along the likes of an LX150. A shifty is not the most feasible for us being where we live, so we've kind of stalled the issue. She has become more envious of the Stella after this past weekend in Richmond and was asking more and more. No kidding, she even said she wishes the Stella was CVT automatic. Then she posts me a link about this on facebook a few days ago before I read this post on MB!

^^^ And see?, that is why I don't work in marketing!

LOL

JohnnyScoots · Post by **JohnnyScoots** » Thu Nov 17, 2011 2:45 am

Are you kidding me? That Orange Matte in a 200cc 4T they were talking about in the past few months -- I want that in my mouth (wait..what?)