Scooter types

VinylDoctor · Post by **VinylDoctor** » Mon Dec 24, 2012 10:23 pm

I wish genuine would make a trike style scooter.
the generic chinese companys do.
lets get a quailty trike!

Post by **ericalm** » Mon Dec 24, 2012 10:33 pm

What the heck for?

Drum Pro · Post by **Drum Pro** » Mon Dec 24, 2012 11:08 pm

Me want a 200cc Stella...

viney266 · Post by **viney266** » Mon Dec 24, 2012 11:54 pm

Drum Pro wrote:Me want a 200cc Stella...

^^^ Build one

. I did ( well 180 anyway)

Dooglas · Post by **Dooglas** » Mon Dec 24, 2012 11:59 pm

VinylDoctor wrote:I wish genuine would make a trike style scooter.
the generic chinese companys do. lets get a quailty trike!

Have you ever ridden a scooter or motorcycle trike? They have a fair amount of rolling friction so they require a fairly large engine to perform. They also don't lean so riding them is an unusual experience and they do not corner well at speed. Now, the MP3, on the other hand, is a way to get 3 wheels on the ground and still mostly ride like a conventional scooter or motorcycle. Mechanically complex and expensive, however. You certainly don't want Chinascoot quality in a design like that.

sc00ter · Post by **sc00ter** » Tue Dec 25, 2012 12:19 am

My wife has a balance issue and since she has never ridden a two wheel scooter or motorcycle the leaning issue does not apply. We too have looked at the IceBear trikes but decided that adding a Tow Pac to the Buddy 125 should be fine to learn on. If power is an issue I will just add a BBK to the Buddy. Just saving the money for the kit, its the same price as a IceBear 50cc trike. At least the Buddy is reliable. If she rides and enjoys it then we are looking at a Harley Tri-Glide next. Or a CanAm Spyder.

tortoise · Post by **tortoise** » Tue Dec 25, 2012 12:36 am

ericalm wrote:What the heck for?

Helping vets, one scooter at a time

Wolfhound · Post by **Wolfhound** » Tue Dec 25, 2012 12:49 am

Trikes are great for old guys like me!! That said, so are side cars. I have
an Icky Bear 09 model that I ride to the mail box and around the property. It is good for what it is and for this use. my reccomendation is AAOC. Go with the Tow Pac. You ride a trike pretty much like a sidecar. Slide your butt to the opposite side from your turn. Keeps the wheels
on the ground. My Stella/Vespa sealer tells me that the MP3 is being discontinued for 2013. Evidently did not sell that well.
I also have a TGB R9i with a Cozy side car. They have to be set up correctly to void low sped front tire wobble and excess tire wear. May
switch the sidecar to the Stella in the future.

Post by **ericalm** » Tue Dec 25, 2012 1:10 am

tortoise wrote:
ericalm wrote:What the heck for?
Helping vets, one scooter at a time

Even if Genuine were to import one, it wouldn't have the features of this thing such as ABS and a place to stow a wheelchair. That's a very specific market (and a worthy one), but I don't think it would make a lot of sense for Genuine to enter it.

PGO does make a 3-wheeler, though, with the same engine as the Buddys.

The MP3 is not a trike a rides like a motorcycle/scooter, requiring the same abilities and skills. It's not fully discontinued in the US. They're not importing any this year because there were so many left unsold from the past 3 years. Several manufacturers/importers have skipped entire model years like this due to poor sales. The MP3 will likely return, but it may be a new MP3 or a version of the Yourban sold in Europe.

Wolfhound · Post by **Wolfhound** » Tue Dec 25, 2012 3:04 am

At one time I wanted an MP3 but they were a lot more than I had to spend
on one.Vespa Marietta said that they were not a good seller but a great
bike.
Eric, who is PGO?

Drum Pro · Post by **Drum Pro** » Tue Dec 25, 2012 3:33 am

@Wolfhound: PGO makes the Buddy line of scooters in Taiwan.

Dooglas · Post by **Dooglas** » Tue Dec 25, 2012 3:42 am

sc00ter wrote: If she rides and enjoys it then we are looking at a Harley Tri-Glide next. Or a CanAm Spyder.

Gosh, I guess, but a factory Harley trike or a CanAm is in the 20-30K range (or more). I think I'd just get a Mazda Miata before I would do that.

sc00ter · Post by **sc00ter** » Tue Dec 25, 2012 4:41 am

A guy at work had a Tow Pac on a Suzuki motorcycle and said the Tow Pacs sucked. When I asked him why, he said that the kit needs to be set up 100% correct. Well, my car motor runs poorly if its not tuned 100%. My road bike rides crappy if its not 100%. So whatever, he just didnt put 100% effort into his kit, and got poor results. And a car, no matter how small, is still a car. I like two seater sports cars also, but I love bikes more. And besides, its for her. If thats what she wants, then thats what she will get. I will always have a scooter to kick around on no matter what we end up with. Scoots dont cost to much nor do they take up much space.

Wolfhound · Post by **Wolfhound** » Tue Dec 25, 2012 5:20 pm

Thanks, DrumPro. I have 3 TGBs made in Taiwan and the quality is very
good. Scooter, you are on the righ track. Sidecars improperly installed
will eat tires on the tug and the hack and make handling bad. Installed
correctly and ridden correctly hacks and trikes are great.

sc00ter · Post by **sc00ter** » Tue Dec 25, 2012 5:29 pm

Sidecars are even worse. This guy at work had the Tow Pac outrigger wheels on his bike. Now he has a sidecar. Have yet to get his opinion on it. I rode a sidecar rig once, a Ural, and did not get the propper how-to before taking off. Didnt wreak it but it was dangerous to a novice like me. Have since done some reading and even have a little spiral bound book on sidecars from White Horse Press. Would love to get some rig time in now that I know what I did wrong last time. My wife said NO to a side car after reading the Ural review awhile back in Motorcycle Consumer News.

Stormswift · Post by **Stormswift** » Tue Dec 25, 2012 5:49 pm

I would love an MP3 but they are just way out of my price range likee all the other better quality trikes and I hear repair and maintaining the bike is pretty expensive. If they are no longer being imported the price will drop but the parts? ...... I think I will wait for a Burgman or Honda or maybe another type of piaggio....

Wolfhound · Post by **Wolfhound** » Tue Dec 25, 2012 6:00 pm

Once you get the hang of it sidecars are OK. Somewhere I said to shift your weight to the opposite side of the turn. I mis spoke. Slide your weight to the side you are turning. Left turn left slide and the reverse. You are putting weight on the side that might fly up. Flying the hack and going on two wheels is done by a lot of riders for the fun. Too sharp a turn to the right will bring the nose of the hack down and that can be a real mess if it hits the road. The Ural has corrected a lot of manufacturing problems
in the last few years but still require some tinkering now and then. If you get a side car get some info from the sidecar forum on riding one.
I agree with your wife that a trike would be the better ride for her.

Wolfhound · Post by **Wolfhound** » Tue Dec 25, 2012 6:12 pm

Stormswift, I am with you on the MP3. Too rich for my blood and upkeep can be expensive. Neat rigs tho. Think I will stop with My Stella 4T. It is fun to ride, will accept the Cozy hack if I want to change over from the
TGB. 5 rides is enough, may start selling them off!! (Now when have I said
that before???

)

Stitch · Post by **Stitch** » Tue Dec 25, 2012 8:59 pm

viney266 wrote:
Drum Pro wrote:Me want a 200cc Stella...
^^^ Build one . I did ( well 180 anyway)

With enough sip parts you can make a 200cc.

Southerner · Post by **Southerner** » Tue Dec 25, 2012 11:16 pm

Dooglas wrote:
sc00ter wrote: If she rides and enjoys it then we are looking at a Harley Tri-Glide next. Or a CanAm Spyder.
Gosh, I guess, but a factory Harley trike or a CanAm is in the 20-30K range (or more). I think I'd just get a Mazda Miata before I would do that.

My thoughts exactly. The cost of the larger triked bikes is such that the Miata looks like a bargain, especially used. And the mileage is the same or better. Plus 4 tires o a car cost less and last much longer than 3 on a trike.

That said, I have a neighbor with a trike kit on a Sportster and he seems to love it. Doesn't seem to suffer performance-wise either.

I've seen trike kits on Burgman 400s and they seem to work well.

Haven't spent much time with 3-wheelers on the street but I did ride them offroad before the 4-wheelers came out. They performed well but are very different animals from the 2-wheelers. 3 wheels does NOT mean they won't turn over.

Wolfhound · Post by **Wolfhound** » Wed Dec 26, 2012 12:13 am

The CanAm looks great but only gets 30-33 mpg. And they push the envelope a bit on cost.

Modern Buddy

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