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cargo weight placement question

Posted: Fri Nov 13, 2009 12:59 am
by Cheshire
How much weight do you think I would be able to safely carry on the foot area for a long distance? Strapped down, of course.

Posted: Fri Nov 13, 2009 1:03 am
by ScootStevie
Probably quite a bit. It's a low center of gravity point.

Posted: Fri Nov 13, 2009 1:07 am
by Cheshire
Maybe in the 100-160 pound range?

Posted: Fri Nov 13, 2009 1:11 am
by Skootz Kabootz
One thing to consider in addition to how much weight... if you are going on a long distance ride, you will want room to move your feet around for comforts sake. When we did the LA to San Fran ride, if I couldn't have shuffled my feet (and butt) around, it would have been miserable.

Also, don't forget to factor that each pound of additional weight will affect your mpg and speed, especially going up hills.

There is a really good chapter on how to load a bike and other long distance considerations in Proficient Motorcycling. A really good read...

Posted: Fri Nov 13, 2009 2:56 am
by UnionZac
What are you trying to carry on your floor boards that weighs 160 pounds, and where are you going to burry them?

Posted: Fri Nov 13, 2009 2:59 am
by Cheshire
UnionZac wrote:What are you trying to carry on your floor boards that weighs 160 pounds, and where are you going to burry them?
I come up with the craziest schemes on occasion.
(an anvil.) :oops:

It crossed my mind that it would greatly expand my search radius.

Posted: Fri Nov 13, 2009 3:02 am
by jfrost2
UnionZac wrote:What are you trying to carry on your floor boards that weighs 160 pounds, and where are you going to burry them?
A body. The ocean.

Posted: Fri Nov 13, 2009 12:29 pm
by KABarash
jfrost2 wrote:
UnionZac wrote:What are you trying to carry on your floor boards that weighs 160 pounds, and where are you going to burry them?
A body. The ocean.
Geeze, I guess I have it easy, since my ex only weighs about 110 the ride to dispose won't be all that bad......

Posted: Fri Nov 13, 2009 2:57 pm
by jfrost2
KABarash wrote:
jfrost2 wrote:
UnionZac wrote:What are you trying to carry on your floor boards that weighs 160 pounds, and where are you going to burry them?
A body. The ocean.
Geeze, I guess I have it easy, since my ex only weighs about 110 the ride to dispose won't be all that bad......
Dont forget you need concrete blocks to tie down the body so it sinks like Scott Peterson did back then with his wife Lacey. Those add some weight too. :(

Posted: Fri Nov 13, 2009 8:40 pm
by Cheshire
I'm serious. It's within the weight limit specs of the scooter and shouldn't affect speed terribly much. It's less than or equal to the weight of a passenger. In my favor, the weight's low and distributed over both wheels, so it's well inside that stability triangle thingit they went over in MSF class.
What I'm not sure about is, while that's less than the weight of a passenger, it's not as dispersed. The weight will be over a smaller contact area: more weight per square inch.

I'm not asking just for the single instance. As I'm learning blacksmithing, I'm wondering about the feasibility of being able to pick up found metal when I'm out on my scooter. If this kind of cargo hauling could potentially compromise the integrity of the frame, I'll resign myself to dashing home, getting the car, and hoping it's still there when I get back to it, or staying within a smaller search radius for things like this and passing up great deals that the cost of gas in the car make not-so-great.

If it was a motorcycle, it wouldn't be an option. The weight would have no place to be but up high, making it top-heavy regardless. Scooters, however...they're step-through.

Posted: Sat Nov 14, 2009 12:12 am
by easy
lot of weight concentraded on maybe weakest part of frame

Posted: Sat Nov 14, 2009 1:28 am
by Skootz Kabootz
Cheshire wrote: As I'm learning blacksmithing, I'm wondering about the feasibility of being able to pick up found metal when I'm out on my scooter.
This sounds like a situation that might be perfect for one of those scooter trailers...