Talk About: Old Peds/Scooters

[BorniteIdentity]

I do quite fancy having an old Moped/Scooter about the place.  I'm not going for the full Phil Daniels, but I do like the idea of being able to buzz about the country lanes on something 2 stroke in the summer. Plus they're infinitely easier to store than a bloody car.

What would you recommend?  I quite fancy the lols of something like a Honda Melody but, at 18 stone, I reckon it'd probably just about manage 20mph!

 

[Sham]

I've almost certainly missed posts somewhere that would make this obvious, but what kind of licence do you have?

[sierraman]

What about one of those Slovakian Tomos pedal and pop things they used to sell in the Grattons catalogue and Argos. My brother had one. 

[tooSavvy]

Do they still sell [*chinesium clone ?] Monkey Bikes 🤔

I've seen Utoobz of a buzz bike looks like a petrol Genny with a wheel each end...?? 🤣

[reb]

I have a honda PC50 outside my house, it's barely capable of propelling my 11st frame up to 20mph. It does get there surprisingly quickly though!

I lack the license to ride it on the road, and I doubt it'd make it up the hill to my house from town anyway, so I just ride it endlessly back and forward along the farm track that leads to my house from the road. Surprisingly good fun.

[wuvvum]

I know I'm probably biased, but you can't go far wrong with a Mobylette.  Cheap to buy, mechanically simple and an abundance of tuning bits still available if you decide you want to go a bit faster.

[mk2_craig]

Are you talking sub 50cc or does the licence/budget situation facilitate acquisition of a Honda Clunk90/Yammy Townmate?

[warch]

I've never ridden anything smaller than 125cc or that wasn't a actual bike and always quite fancied it, especially a scooter, they look like fun to ride and rather comfortable.

[SiC]

@Fabergé Greggs is one of our residential scooter nerds. 

I've always fancied to blat around on an old Vespa or Lambretta. 

I like to not destroy my legs though and I'm undoubtedly bound to come off after doing something stupid. 

[Cavcraft]

A Melody/Passat/Love will pull you about no danger to around 30mph-ish. They're also quite well built and reliable, though prices are edging upwards. If you want a geared one, then probably (but not definitely) the cheapest way to go would be something like an Aprilia RS50 but they're mega 'needy' and less reliable.

[SiC]

Presumably BI will have to do his CBT anyway (due to age/licence) and jump straight onto a 125cc equipped vehicle. 

[Sham]

I'd be looking at some of the older Italian 125s with this criteria, yea.

[BorniteIdentity]

42 minutes ago, mk2_craig said:

Are you talking sub 50cc or does the licence/budget situation facilitate acquisition of a Honda Clunk90/Yammy Townmate?

I will take a test because, in time, I do fancy the idea of something like a Maxi Scooter etc.

[tooSavvy]

Car..1 / Bike..0

I made my choice early in life (intending it be a long one.... )

🚙💨

[bezzabsa]

6 minutes ago, tooSavvy said:

Car..1 / Bike..0

I made my choice early in life (intending it be a long one.... )

🚙💨

But its way more "fun" on a bike.... just treat ALL other road users like theyre out to kill you and you'll be fine!!

Been a bikist since 18, took test at 28 (cough cough) owned 900cc and50cc and just about everything inbetween... But mopeds are so much fun cos it feels like you're riding 100% all the time, but at speeds that don't always mean instant death..plus the fun of 80+mpg is always good

remember the days of shoving 50p in the tanks and that lasting a week!!!

[tom13]

Honda Vision NH80 would be cool.

I have never had one but I would quite fancy a 125 Innova for just general fun and the look a nice ride.

Yamaha Townmate is a cheaper C50.

If you go for Old German, Czech you will get a bit more for you money and reliability is pretty good.

Gilera DNA for Motorbike/Scooter vibes.

[junkyarddog]

Can't go wrong with a Honda 50.

I'd love another one.

[wuvvum]

1 hour ago, tom13 said:

Honda Vision NH80 would be cool.

I had one of those as a commuter bike for a while - nice and light but slower than most modern 50s, I think the top speed on the flat was about 38.  NH125 a much more useful bike, will buzz along at 50 and gets up to speed quite quickly too.

[Back_For_More]

I'm just going over my roffle win Passola.... Needs a fuel filter housing and should be good to go. 

I have a couple of 60s NSU Quicklys in Belgo and have been through a few chinesium scooters as runarounds. 

Always a good idea.... Easily covered/stored and grin inducing.  I tend to find I get more and more stupid the more time I spend on them though..... Always want /need faster 

[Sham]

4 hours ago, bezzabsa said:

But its way more "fun" on a bike.... just treat ALL other road users like theyre out to kill you and you'll be fine!!

Been a bikist since 18, took test at 28 (cough cough) owned 900cc and50cc and just about everything inbetween... But mopeds are so much fun cos it feels like you're riding 100% all the time, but at speeds that don't always mean instant death..plus the fun of 80+mpg is always good

remember the days of shoving 50p in the tanks and that lasting a week!!!

Seconded - cars are no fun to drive anymore for 90% of the time, bikes really are for 100% of the time (get decent gear and even rain and cold is fine), and traffic is irrelevant when you can filter in town and go from 40mph to 70mph in the blink of an eye on the open road.

Just ride as if no one has seen you, and you'll be fine.

And 70mpg average from a 650 is awesome. My lad gets 100+mpg from his 50cc.

[Matty]

Sure that @Fabergé Greggs @Dick Longbridge and @Dave_Q will be along to kick my arse shortly but if you want to enjoy riding, get a bike. Easy and 2 stroke like a small 70s jap or even a bantam would do exactly what you want but actually ride well. 15 years ago i built a Servetta (lambretta) Jet 200 for my dad. Rapido kit, clubman pipe, all the gear. Stunning to look at, wonderful noise. Yet i hated riding it. Vibrates like riding a 6 foot dildo and those tiny wheels dont suit either handling or fucked roads.

Sorry scooter lads on here. They're cool as fuck. But in the corner of the front room as an ornament 😜

[Six-cylinder]

Peugeot 50cc!

[Dave_Q]

39 minutes ago, Matty said:

Sure that @Fabergé Greggs @Dick Longbridge and @Dave_Q will be along to kick my arse shortly but if you want to enjoy riding, get a bike. Easy and 2 stroke like a small 70s jap or even a bantam would do exactly what you want but actually ride well. 15 years ago i built a Servetta (lambretta) Jet 200 for my dad. Rapido kit, clubman pipe, all the gear. Stunning to look at, wonderful noise. Yet i hated riding it. Vibrates like riding a 6 foot dildo and those tiny wheels dont suit either handling or fucked roads.

Sorry scooter lads on here. They're cool as fuck. But in the corner of the front room as an ornament 😜

No offence taken mate, different strokes for different folks.

One problem with any sort of 2-stroke bike from the era Bornite is probably interested in that they are mega coin now due to the spotty yoof of the time being the monied midlife crisisers of today.

Stuff that is still vaguely budget in the scooter world would be the more uncool early Jap bikes like this little Vision 80: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/115801598563

Honda Helix/Fusion/Spacy 250 pretty cool if doing a full or A2 licence, can be picked up relatively cheap: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/155558816622 https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/256082174395

One of the last remaining "classic" Vespas that can still be fairly cheap is the PK,  the "scene" doesn't rate these as highly as the earlier smallframes yet: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/195780170771

If you do like the look of the metal bodied scooter then LMLs are alright, but make sure it's a 2 stroke as there are 4 stroke versions out there. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/325523168246

[Matty]

2 minutes ago, Dave_Q said:

No offence taken mate, different strokes for different folks.

Exactly that. I desperately wanted to like it, I suppose coming from bikes I expected it to be a similar experience. Still cooler than a polar bears nuts mind.

[Dave_Q]

Worth clarifying the licence situation as there have been changes over the years. 

• Passed car test before 1 Feb 2001 - have a full AM/moped/50cc licence already - do not need to do CBT (but it's advisable), no L plates and can carry a pillion
• Passed after 1 Feb 2001 - need to do CBT to ride a 50cc but only once - then get full 50cc licence as above (no L plates & can carry pillion)
• 125cc - everyone needs a CBT to ride on L plates, and need to retake CBT every 2 years
• Full licence - needs CBT + motorbike theory + 2 part practical. Get A1 (125) A2(47hp/500ish cc) or full A licence depending what bike you do the tests on.

[stuboy]

I'm gradually plugging away at my moped of 10 years that's been off the road 3/4 years...

[Timewaster]

Couple of guys I work with, around my age have given up the sports bikes for the simpler life of classic scooters.

Main reasons:

Slower speeds = potentially less death.

Ability to bimble about without dressing up like a fettishist power ranger first.

Tinkerable mechanics.

However, both have ended up getting professional rebuilds, resprays, endless mods ....

Spending fist fulls of cash and never actually riding anywhere.

Expensive shed ornaments.

 

The AS way would be a shonky scooter with gaffer tape plastics from Facebook marketplace.

 

 

[Dave_Q]

9 hours ago, Timewaster said:

The AS way would be a shonky scooter with gaffer tape plastics from Facebook marketplace.

I was assuming that BI would be less bothered about newer stuff, but for a starter 2 stroke 50 a Vespa ET2 or the ubiquitous Piaggio Zip can be had as marketplace bargains.

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/2435241076643374/

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/4777442149047031/

For a fun fact, I believe at one point around 2001 the Zip was the biggest selling bike in the UK.

Either should do a strong 30 and even 40-45mph derestricted (which 99% already will be)

[Cavcraft]

11 hours ago, Matty said:

Sure that @Fabergé Greggs @Dick Longbridge and @Dave_Q will be along to kick my arse shortly but if you want to enjoy riding, get a bike. Easy and 2 stroke like a small 70s jap or even a bantam would do exactly what you want but actually ride well. 15 years ago i built a Servetta (lambretta) Jet 200 for my dad. Rapido kit, clubman pipe, all the gear. Stunning to look at, wonderful noise. Yet i hated riding it. Vibrates like riding a 6 foot dildo and those tiny wheels dont suit either handling or fucked roads.

Sorry scooter lads on here. They're cool as fuck. But in the corner of the front room as an ornament 😜

Standard/not stupidly tuned ones are fine, once you get used to them. Agree that rapid ones are not, had a mildly (around 15BHP) tuned Indian GP 200 that was great if you were full tilt everywhere, but horrible below about 45-50mph as it kept sort of surging and wouldn't keep a steady beat. They're all certainly different to a moped or motorbike though, as you say.   

IMHO, they're more of a weekend fun thing rather than a daily commuter, though people do use them as that.

[Dave_Q]

Apparently quite a bit of ^that^ can be due to the reed valve inlet + mega carb combo on the big power ones, the fuel starts to pool in the inlet on idle. Mine is still on the case inlet and a sports 125 kit with ported cases, probably only around 10hp but still plenty to get well off the 50mph speedo.

This popped up, looks pretty good if you don't mind jigsaw format: https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/203213639262342/