How Safe Is Your 50cc Scooter

How safe is your scooter really.

After a few weeks looking over and riding it, here are my thoughts.

On buying one check the nuts and bolts, sounds funny but it is true.

Found bolts where lose even as far as the throttle cable as well.

The bike only has 150k's on the clock, since new.

Ran like a dream when new but started to have starting issues, like there was no automatic choke there anymore.

Would also drop revs when slowing down, almost felt like it was starving for fuel.

Picked up a wrecked scooter, as you can see they fold up easy.

Good for taking on planes as luggage and yes before you ask, Road Rat had to take the bent one for a little ride. Small issue on bumpy ground, seems to bottom out.

Hit a little bit of a rise and both wheels were off the ground for some reason.

I had the job of dismantling it and a few things started to worry me.

The engine and wheel are one whole thing, held on by a bolt in the chassis.

It has a single tubed frame that goes from motor to the handle bars which as you see in the picture folds easy. They are like the ones you would get on a cheap push bike.

Chassis also bent in three places, but around the seat has two tubes and they had to be there for the shocks to bolt on too.

A pin fell off the bike and can't find where it had snapped off from.

Forks snapped no problems at all, for a bike that can get up to 50 km/h. It could be a death machine.

If you want to ride this on the road then take life insurance first.

You see young boys and girls riding these things at high speed down the road. All it takes is someone to open their car door.

Made by a country with a high safety standard (not).

Just my thoughts on these types of bikes, not the earlier models made by well known brands.

When scooters were stronger and could take a beating, but was also fun.

Oh.. Yes, sorry to my mates mum, I did do the donuts on your lawn.

Couldn't you see the smile on my dial, when I said it wasn't me.

Anyway, Road Rat signing off.

I think I have some lawn to reseed now.

Wellington woman sets new record

Wellington Rider Vicky Streifer became New Zealand's fastest woman on two wheels, after setting the new time on the fast roads in the Wairarapa.
But she was not alone, having been joined by a number of other fearless riders who were all out to break national records.
The road proved to bumpy for Malcolm Breadmore, He had planned to nudge his Suzuki 1500 over the 200 mile mark - that is 321 km/h.
"It's just too dodgy," Breadmore said. All of the bikes are getting airborne and you get a lot of headshake when that happens.
And that makes it interesting."
It is even more interesting on three wheels . The sidecar team broke the national record by three seconds. And while the riders have conquered the fear of speed, 38-year-old Streifer found racing has some unusual side effects.
"The only trouble I have is breathing, she says. "By the time I hit the trap I'm holding my breath."
While there is a lot of money involved, much like their hero - Burt Munro - there is a lot of Kiwi ingenuity.
The plan is now to follow Munro's tracks and test drive some flatter South Island roads.

Heard in rush for world records

Five months and a hell of a lot of money later, Tauranga businessman Paul Heard is about to start his record-breaking journey around the world.
Heard's grand plan is take a Ducati Desmosedici RR, a bike closely modelled on Casey Stoner's 2007 championship winning motoGP bike, and break the outright 1000cc world production land speed record in various countries around the world.
He' starting in New Zealand this weekend at the Cliff Hanger Promotions Flying Mile in Featherston and hopes to break the existing record of 311 km/h, set last year by American riding an MV Agusta in Bonneville Utah.
The bike was uncrated a couple of weeks ago and is pretty much ready to go. The engine was pre-run in at the factory.
If all goes according to plan by August 2009 he will have set at least 10 country speed records.
Also in each country reset the world production motorcycle speed record.
We wish him all the best.

Compulsory headlights on Motorcycles

What do you think? Lights on or off.
Soon there might not be a choice with the Ministry of Transport looking at introducing compulsory headligts on Motorcycles by the middle of next year.
Compulsory headlights on motorbikes could combat fatalities

Loose Unit

When towing motorbikes behind cars or any type of vehicle please take note.
Don't trust anyone, I mean anyone..
Truck drivers are told to secure loads on their trucks, but as I found out the hard way. Don't trust them, check and double check yourself.
I noticed he didn't lose his bike at any point, but at 80km/h my bike seemed secure but still watched it's every move from the rear window.
Just about home and just passed a cop and few little corners left.
At 50km/h she got the wobbles on and watched in slow motion.
Then gone, hit the tar and was my pride and joy that I had built and resprayed over a year.
Like losing a pet, I couldn't look.
Undid what was left of the so called motorcycle ties, advice...
Never use the motorbike ties that bike shops sell as they slowly release themselves.
Son got out and pushed it home and had to watch as it was bleeding black stuff and crying clear liquid.
All I could think of was getting it home and putting it out of it's misery.
So now have to get my tool kit out and make her stronger and better than before, even gave her a new heart, frame and forks etc.
Even went to the lenghts to build her another trailer, with more tie down pins.
It is common thing when someone tows your bike for you as they aren't worried as it isn't theirs.
Might use 2 ton tie downs too.
So beware bike owners, that is why they call it DIY.(do it yourself)
Or grab some tissues.
Blue bike dropped and Red bike with new heart and new respray now.
Few months of sweat and tears.