Need help on Rattler 110 vs. Roughhouse or 50cc Buddy

Taz · Post by **Taz** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 3:24 pm

Hi all!

I need feedback from some of you Rattler 110 owners and Roughhouse or 50cc Buddy owners. I live in a state where it is very advantageous to have a 50cc scoot. They are considered mopeds here and you can park them in a bike rack. That will save me an easy $100/month.

What I am concerned about is how much slower is an unrestricted 50cc Roughhouse or Buddy than the 110 Rattler. I need to be able to cruise mid 40’s so as not to be a target for cars. More is a plus but not necessary. I am 230lbs.

It seems like a 2 stroke 50 is one of the best options as with a big bore kit I could also get more horsepower. The key is I need to keep the scoot quiet so finding a decent pipe that is still quiet could be a challenge.

Any thoughts between the 50cc scoots and the Rattler 110? If I could park the 110 for free it would be a no-brainer for me. I thought about slapping 50cc scooter stickers on a 110 but they issue special license plates for mopeds and the cops have gotten wise to checking the plates when you park.

So I’m sort of torn here which way to go. There is a conflict between the intellectual and emotional component of buying the scooter. The heart says buy the 110, the brain says save a ton on parking and buy the 50. But if I go with a 50, there are other companies to consider such as SYM. I rode one their 50’s and was really impressed. Great scoot definitely more room than either a Buddy or Roughhouse.

Thanks in advance for any feedback!

brimstone · Post by **brimstone** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 3:50 pm

tuff choice, i have the rattler and i cruise at 45 easily with a little more throttle to go too. as for noise, it's a two stroke so it's gonna be loud regardless of which one you get. there's plenty of spots that i park mine, that aren't "legal" but i've never had a problem, at least here where i live. it is a bigger cc, so the gas won't be as good as the 50's, but i get a solid 65-70 every tank and i'm about 240 lbs. good luck, i think you'll have a blast with whatever you get.

Taz · Post by **Taz** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 3:55 pm

Thanks for the info. I've owned a lot of 2 strokes so I am familiar with them and I love the sound. Unfortunately my neighbors don't love it quite as much as I do.

The stock pipe is quiet enough. I would want to get a better tuned pipe without making it "too" loud. I rode a kitted out PGO Naked which is what Genuine bought to make the Roughhouse and it was very quick.

It had a 70cc kit on it, big carb, rollers, pipe, etc. It ran great BUT it was loud. Almost as loud as the MX and road race 2 strokes bikes I raced with expansion chambers. It was almost as loud as an open pipe Harley except with that higher pitched ring-ting-ting that seems to annoy people less appreciative of a well tuned 2 stroke.

Mrs.Spaceman · Post by **Mrs.Spaceman** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 4:37 pm

I ride down a lot of hilly 45 mph roads with my Roughhouse, BUT I weigh 115 lbs. You will most likely have problems with people getting impatient behind you at stoplights unless you start adding some performance parts. My husband weighs about 230 and couldn't come close to keeping up with me when I had everything stock. Top speed is pretty much the same if we ride side-by-side flattened down as close to the seat as we can get. Sitting up, wind resistance takes over and he slows down. The cops around here don't know the difference between a 110cc and a 50cc, and I've seen one person on a Rattler with no plates (no plates required for a 50cc in Indiana). Will the dealership let you ride around a Roughhouse to see if it's enough power for you? I think with the 70cc kit you'd be ok, but then technically you'd have to register it. You could probably get away without.

As far as noise, mine is nice and loud with the Prima exhaust. I prefer it that way. It's easier to tell if my air/fuel mixture isn't quite right, and I think it helps with safety. If my neighbors are going to hate me because of noise, it would be more likely the cause is the Porsche 944 with a V8 engine swap and open headers my husband is currently working on, so I'm not too concerned. No one has ever told me it's too noisy, and if they do I will tell them "tough $#!t."

nissanman · Post by **nissanman** » Tue Aug 12, 2008 2:01 am

In CT you need to register your scooter if A: 50cc or over (thus the 49.5cc engine size) or B: goes over 30 mph. A de-restricted 50 that can go over 30mph better have a plate or you could get a ticket for un-registered vehicle. Of course the cop that takes the time to pull over a 45mph scooter should find some real crime to worry about, but that's another issue.

ScootLemont · Post by **ScootLemont** » Tue Aug 12, 2008 3:38 am

sounds like you might be better off with the 110 to me
My rattler 50 (with prima pipe, roller change, jet change) will cruise at 45mph (actual) at WOT but I wouldnt want to do it every day.
Mine tops out at 49mph (on the gps) 54 on the speedo - but any trip up hill, I will loose speed to about 40mph
I am 210lbs
I only ride on the 45mph streets once or twice a week (& thats by choice)
If you are looking to do 45mph every day - I would think the 110 would be a better fit.

Taz · Post by **Taz** » Tue Aug 12, 2008 4:50 am

Thanks for all teh feedback so far. I rode a restricted Roughhouse and Buddy 50's as well as a Rattler 110 today and a Buddy 125.

The 110 is very quick and would likely encourage me to get a few tickets. I pretty much need to with a 50cc scoot to take advantage of the free parking in the area.

My best option under the circumstances will likely be a Buddy with a big bore kit and see how it performs with the stock pipe until I can find a quiet one.

One thing I didn't like about the Rattler was it seemed to have a lot of engine vibration. It was definitely quick but not as quick as the 4 stroke SYM HD 200. That is definitely the fastest stock scoot I rode that was under 400cc's.

My heart says buy the rattler but my head says get the Buddy. It looks like more of a sleeper and it will blend in better and not attract as much attention from the cops. There are some definite negatives though as I wish it had bigger wheels and tubeless tires.

Taz · Post by **Taz** » Tue Aug 12, 2008 5:45 pm

I ended up putting a deposit on a SI 50cc Buddy that should arrive in a few weeks. I want my GF's feedback before finally picking it up as she may hate the colors.

as for any mods I'll likely just leave it stock and ride it for a while and see if it is good enough as is for what I need to do. I want to keep the warranty intact. I want to keep the warranty in tact as long as possible especially for a commuter bike.