SAFETY FLAG for 50cc

ferfdom · Post by **ferfdom** » Mon Jun 02, 2008 8:03 pm

My county requires a bicycle type safety flag for 50cc or less... I bought one, but don't know where to mount it.

Has anyone else mounted a safety flag on their Buddy?

ervine13 · Post by **ervine13** » Mon Jun 02, 2008 8:09 pm

ferfdom wrote:My county requires a bicycle type safety flag for 50cc or less... I bought one, but don't know where to mount it.

Has anyone else mounted a safety flag on their Buddy?

That's funny you brought this up, I was just thinking about putting a flag my buddy. Here's the best I found. They are plates that attach to your license plate. Then you snap your flag on to the plate.

I'm assuming this is what you meant about safety flags.

http://www.tagflags.com/products.htm

ferfdom · Post by **ferfdom** » Mon Jun 02, 2008 8:11 pm

My flag pole has to be four feet long, so I think it needs to fly straight instead of at an angle.

ervine13 · Post by **ervine13** » Mon Jun 02, 2008 8:13 pm

Oh I see. If you find it let me know. I would like something like that. I'm picturing a really long one so the scoot looks like one of those remote control cars!!!

Just found another site. It looks like you hook it up to any existing bolt.

http://www.hinesracingf.com/

ferfdom · Post by **ferfdom** » Mon Jun 02, 2008 8:25 pm

YES! That's it! I bought one like this...

http://www.gettysburgflag.com/Bicycle_Flags.php

at a local bicycle shop.

I was just trying to figure out what to bolt it to. The "best" place I found is the bolt that attaches at the bottom of the shock... Not sure if it's a good idea to unscrew to attach a silly flag!

The link above also has a picture of the bracket (it is on the right in a blue square).

Post by **illnoise** » Mon Jun 02, 2008 8:25 pm

scooterworks has small flag mounts for the fender or cowls of an old vespa, i imagine you could find somewhere to put that on a buddy.

You mean like a safety-orange bicycle flag that sticks up high, on a flexible arial, right? I think those might work with scooterworks' thingy.

Bb.

EP_scoot · Post by **EP_scoot** » Mon Jun 02, 2008 8:30 pm

How about to one of the bolts on the rear handle bar?

ervine13 · Post by **ervine13** » Mon Jun 02, 2008 8:47 pm

http://www.hinesracingf.com/

I just talked to one of my co-workers. He says, check any motorsport store.

KRUSTYburger · Post by **KRUSTYburger** » Mon Jun 02, 2008 8:58 pm

Hmmm... This gives me an idea. I still have the small jolly roger I made for my bicycle (before it got stolen), maybe I can rig it on my Bud.

...

Post by **illnoise** » Mon Jun 02, 2008 9:32 pm

I don't know where you live or what the visibility/road situations are, but many of those laws were written long ago when a 50cc bike was lucky to have 3HP and go 30mph. There's a lot of confusion in a lot of states over the definition of a "moped" and horsepower limits and whether they need pedals or not, or whether a modern 50cc scooter falls into the legal definition (or intention) of laws that separate out 50cc mopeds. Your Buddy is twice as fast as the mopeds of a 10 years ago, and has much better brakes and lighting, and there's probably an argument that driving around at 45 mph with a 4' wobbly fiberglas death pole on a spring might be more likely to cause harm than prevent it.

I'm not telling you to break the law, but you might want to look into finding out if it's really necessary.

ryder1 · Post by **ryder1** » Mon Jun 02, 2008 9:39 pm

The Yahama Riva Razz 50cc we bought in 2000 sat lower to the ground than the Buddy 50cc so the flag was a good idea. We had a milk crate on the back so attached the pole to that with plastic ties.

Sitting inbetween cars does help to have the flag to make your scoot visible along with parking spots when cars hide your scooter (If you park in space instead of at front of store-bike rack).

ferfdom · Post by **ferfdom** » Mon Jun 02, 2008 10:44 pm

Here is the definition of a moped according to Jefferson County Kentucky (Louisville).

"MOPED. A motorized bicycle whose frame design may include one or more horizontal crossbars supporting a fuel tank so long as it also has pedals, or a motorized bicycle with a step?through type frame which may or may not have pedals rated no more than two brake horsepower, a cylinder capacity not exceeding 50 cubic centimeters, an automatic transmission not requiring clutching or shifting by the operator after the drive system is engaged, and capable of a maximum speed of not more than 30 miles per hour.
(Ord. 13, 1988, adopted and effective 6/28/88)"

I do see a lot of 50cc with the safety flags on them, but notice the ordinance is from 1988!

ryder1 · Post by **ryder1** » Mon Jun 02, 2008 11:41 pm

Does the Buddy 50cc meet those standards?

Post by **ericalm** » Mon Jun 02, 2008 11:42 pm

$9 from Scooterworks:

Maybe we need MB flags, too. w00t!

ryder1 · Post by **ryder1** » Mon Jun 02, 2008 11:52 pm

Scroll down for Custom flags
http://www.gettysburgflag.com/Bicycle_Flags.php

Not meant for high speeds...does the Buddy classify as high speeds?

I want a florescent pink one when the Modern Buddy design is available.

Artisan · Post by **Artisan** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 2:08 am

You can also get an ATV whip. On ebay or cycle shops, They bolt on from the bottom rather than the side. You can get different colors and LED lighted ones. Also can get a quick disconnect for them.
This being said those whips can be dangerous at speed. They do not call them WHIPS for nothing. You come to a sudden stop and you can get whacked on the back really hard with a fiberglass rod. I know the need to be visable but I'll take debatting this in court over a brain concussion or being knocked off my ride.

Okay everyone lets see I get this right. Years ago when I first got my Vespa there was a big discussion on what is the difference between a scooter and a moped with our state (the Vespa being just brought back in). A scooter you stepped onto. A moped you had to swing a leg over the saddle (like a motorcycle or man's bike) to get onto it. Because of this definition most of the large "scooters" out now technically should not even be called scooters.

maribell · Post by **maribell** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 5:25 am

This thread has the hp listed for the Buddy 50 at 4.7.

Post by **ericalm** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 6:13 am

Artisan wrote:Okay everyone lets see I get this right. Years ago when I first got my Vespa there was a big discussion on what is the difference between a scooter and a moped with our state (the Vespa being just brought back in). A scooter you stepped onto. A moped you had to swing a leg over the saddle (like a motorcycle or man's bike) to get onto it. Because of this definition most of the large "scooters" out now technically should not even be called scooters.

Was this a legal discussion or a rider discussion?

The "classic" definition of a scooter, from what I understand, is a step-through design and wheels at or under 16". There are some scoots at the fringes of this (Piaggio MP3, Gilera GP800), but I tend to think the scooter label can be as expansive as "motorcycle" (which includes dirt bikes, crotch rockets, touring bikes, etc.). Many other scooterists disagree.

Artisan · Post by **Artisan** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 3:51 pm

As I stated this was a discussion with our state so I take it it was a legal one. Piaggio was just re-entering the US market and AZ was trying to figure out how to classify the entering scooters. When I purchased the ET4 at that time I did not need a motorcycle license for it. Now I would. Taking the classes the end of the month so if I get a new scoot I'll have it ready.

toddrw2251 · Post by **toddrw2251** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 4:25 pm

Wow. Strange law. It's only in your county? Kind of like the scarlet letter for scooter riders. I think I would end up just breaking the law.

Post by **illnoise** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 5:44 pm

Yeah, you're well over the HP requirement, you're not riding a legally-described moped. In IL that next class (called "L class" here) goes up to 150 (including 50s that don't meet the moped standard) and you need an L or M-class license, insurance, plates, etc.)

Bb.

ferfdom · Post by **ferfdom** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 6:01 pm

My Buddy does go more than 30 mph, so I guess I don't quite fit into that 20 year old ordinance!

Maybe I will make some kind of suction-cup flag holder for my helmet! That would be awesome! Lol!

brimstone · Post by **brimstone** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 6:04 pm

does one of these count? Leeroy Jenkins swears by his.

http://www.helmetmohawk.com/helmet_mohawks.htm

ferfdom · Post by **ferfdom** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 6:18 pm

Lol! I've been thinking about getting a PINK one!

SAFETY FLAG for 50cc

SAFETY FLAG for 50cc

Re: SAFETY FLAG for 50cc