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Messages - revsin

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General Discussion / Re: How does a 250cc cruiser compare to a 250cc scooter?
« on: December 07, 2017, 01:30:23 AM »
What is your budget? Do you have riding experience? How tall or short are ya?

I'm a bit of a modest giant at 6'5" so motorcycles are a must for me and even then I'm limited on what I can ride comfortably. Second hand motorcycles can be had pretty cheap if you're patient and know what to look for. Got my Vstrom for $1,300 and my Versys 1000 for $3,000. Both were good buys and I could have certainly paid a lot more for either example if I got in a rush. But my method is just be patient and wait for the right bike at the right price.

My opinion is consider getting something with easy to source parts. Also, keep the valve clearance checks in mind. I've had some Hondas that required it every 5,000 miles and I ended up adjusting valves 6x's a year. That gets old! My current line up of steeds require checking every 20-25k miles. Some bikes eat tires up quickly, had some only last 3k miles, others last me 15k+. So take your time, do your homework and buy with your head and your heart will not ache.

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General Discussion / Re: How does a 250cc cruiser compare to a 250cc scooter?
« on: December 03, 2017, 03:07:01 AM »
Quote from: PaulF on December 02, 2017, 11:17:20 PM
Sounds like someone has their priorities right.   ;D

https://photos.app.goo.gl/mHxeqvZXjKMw2kXy1  my top box is for CostCo beer runs.

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General Discussion / Re: How does a 250cc cruiser compare to a 250cc scooter?
« on: December 02, 2017, 04:10:16 AM »
250cc Motorcycle
Pros:
A 250cc motorcycle will be faster off the line. Gives you some options for gearing with different sized sprockets to cater around what kind of riding you will end up doing. Lower your RPM at cruising speed or wind up faster for urban riding. Your wheelbase and rake will be different so it's a bit harder to navigate tighter areas, but will be more stable when going flat out. Big wheels let ya tackle rougher roads with a more planted stance. 250-300cc naked/sport bikes will let ya grab the tank with your knees and lean it over with a lot more confidence. If you ultimately want to graduate to riding big bikes, a 250-300cc motorcycle will offer the most analogous experience you'll need to jump up to 650s safely. You're up higher and you're easier to see (but remember you're still invisible), but you can also see over cars easier and what's around you. Changing rear tires is way easier! More engaging to ride, ya feel in control of everything and some people dig that.

Cons:
You'll often lose cargo carrying convenience. Lets say you're often going to get stuck in snail's pace stop'n'go traffic, your clutch hand will start to get tired. Your passenger will be less comfortable as there's not a lot of seat on the pillion of most motorcycles and can't think of any 250-300cc bikes with a decent seat with passengers in mind. Depending on where you live you may not have a lot of options. Here in the USA we're enjoying a bit of a resurgence of small displacement bikes, new/old Honda Rebel, CBR, CRF, Versys 300 (my pick), TU250 and a handful of others. But finding something you like AND that you fit comfortably in your price range is tricky. They hold their value as they're temporary stepping stones for people to learn on. When ya find a used  one don't be surprised if you're the 18th owner and who knows how well it was taken care of with that many generations of noobs and their mistakes piling up. Chain maintenance is mandatory and it gets old. I ride my wife's 150cc around and even tho it's a slug compared to my Versys 1000 and V-Strom 650, not having to mess with gears and the clutch I'm actually faster in congested areas like parking lots and our neighborhood on her scooter.

Get ya a garage and fill it with all sorts of bikes, it's gonna happen eventually!

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General Discussion / Re: Stripped the head off my drain bolt
« on: November 21, 2017, 11:03:47 PM »
Quote from: ole two wheels on November 21, 2017, 12:11:10 AM
Revsin, tell me I didn't hear you say you used a torch, as in acetylene and oxygen???? I hope you meant, as in propane. If you put the blue tip wrench on that alloy, you're braver than me.

No, just plain ole blue bottle propane torch. After all, I was only trying to drain the oil with gravity. Not create a pressure cooker bomb full of molten oil!

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General Discussion / Stripped the head off my drain bolt
« on: November 18, 2017, 05:27:41 AM »
Well that was annoying, went to change the oil. Got er up, put on the appropriate socket and..... stripped the bolt head into a nice useless chunk of Chinesium.

Pretty sh**e quality metal me thinks, but I mostly gotta blame the dude before me for cranking it down too tight. Got it off with some channel locks and a torch. Bolts ruined of course but another is on it's way and shall be here Sunday.

But let it be a lesson to be learned: know your strength and don't use it on your drain bolts!

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General Discussion / Re: Miles or KM?
« on: November 08, 2017, 04:25:29 AM »
Our 2009 People 150 reads KMs on the odometer, would venture to bet yours does too.

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General Discussion / Re: New Kymco People 150 owner
« on: November 06, 2017, 03:44:09 AM »
Quote from: Ernestt on November 05, 2017, 05:40:41 AM
i'm 6 foot 5 and weigh 266 and have owned some scooters smaller than that one but i didn't keep them long

I've been riding it over to vacant parking lots for the wife to get some seat time learning to ride it. More I ride it, more comfortable I've become on it and feels less sketchy to me after getting some new tires. My knees are still in the way of the bars and my feet don't fit on the floorboards. But I gotta admit it's pretty fun to ride in a clown-car kinda way.

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General Discussion / Re: New Kymco People 150 owner
« on: November 03, 2017, 02:55:24 PM »
Quote from: Mr. Paul on November 03, 2017, 09:45:50 AM



Yeah most scooter rear wheels are a little challenging to change. It gets better once you get used to it. You can expect to get 5000 miles + on that rear tire but with your wife's weight, you will probably get much more. Good job sir. It wouldn't hurt to run a little Seafoam through it to clean the fuel system IMHO. The jets in these small carbs are so very small that it is very easy for them to get obstructed. Good old ethanol. Please let us know how she likes it.

Bought another carb just cause it was cheap and just in case I have any problems I'll have it on hand. Seafoam every new-to-me ride.

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General Discussion / Re: New Kymco People 150 owner
« on: November 03, 2017, 03:14:24 AM »
Got around to replacing both tires on it today as I noticed that someone had plugged the rear tire in the past. Didn't like the idea of a blowout happening.

Front tire, no big deal.

Rear wheel? What a pain! Oh well, done and over with. But I didn't expect I'd have to take apart that much to change a dang tire.

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General Discussion / Re: New Kymco People 150 owner
« on: October 31, 2017, 01:00:47 AM »
Quote from: Mr. Paul on October 30, 2017, 08:18:35 PM
The People is a great little bike! I believe what you experienced was the result of the bike being too small for you.  The People 150  weighs 250 lbs (half the weight of your Versys) so it is expected to get blown around some, but the big wheels really help to keep things in line. I have ridden thousands of miles on mine with no stability issues. I am 6 ft. tall and around 200 lbs. I do recommend you replace the stock mirrors with some aftermarket ones that are taller and more in your wife's line-of-sight.  Also adjust the rear shock pre-load to its softest setting. That will help to lower the seat height for her.  It is the perfect  grocery getter and errand runner! You would be amazed at what you can carry on the seat and on the flat floorboard. Please post if you have any other questions or let us know how she likes it!

Comforting to hear, I should have figured it was more to do about me than the machine itself. It's always that way!

This was once in the possession of a 14 year old girl and she put on 7,900km on it, so it's gotta be fairly ride-able to rack up that kinda mileage. I suppose I am just too much man for it! Finally something I'm too much man for!

Thanks for the tip on the rear suspension, thought about it when I took a look at it. But wasn't sure if it'd really affect the height or just the dampening. Now I know!

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General Discussion / Re: New Kymco People 150 owner
« on: October 30, 2017, 07:47:25 PM »
Quote from: CROSSBOLT on October 30, 2017, 03:29:59 PM
You got her weight right, Rev? 5'4" and 89 pounds? Regardless, I am but one here with riding experience but I always have an opinion! Regard that for what it cost ya! Welcome! Yer in the right place. SOMEONE on here has an answer, guaranteed! Getting blown around on the road affects EVERYONE to one degree or another. Just gotta roll with it. Also anticipate. This is independent of size or weight of rider or machine or combination. First, BOTH of you go to the Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) Basic Rider Course (BRC). Second, you get a machine that is at LEAST 400 pounds and big enough for your size so you can appreciate what she may be feeling. Get helmets and ARMORED riding gear that is outrageously visible (see posts by Stig). Pointers on dealing with road cuts, rail crossings and trucks will be dealt with at the BRC. Watch out for old guys in Buicks!

Karl


Yeah, that height n' weight is correct, like I said she's tiny. I've been riding motorcycles as my 99% form of transportation a long time, half a million miles and counting. So I certainly wear all the gear all the time, as will she. She'll also be doing an MSF course.

I think my expectations have been skewed by my motorcycle experience, sure my 1000cc VStrom squiggles a lil bit when being passed by a dump truck. Bit more so on my Versys 650. But nothing as severe as this scooter does. The frequency, amplitude and duration of the oscillations caused by the wake of air by a passing vehicle is a lot more severe.

I'm not gonna be riding this scooter, it's for her. I got my bikes, this is her toy.

I'm still curious as to what the cause is for this effect. What's making it so much more pronounced for me? Is it my mass being greater than the total of the scooter itself?


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General Discussion / New Kymco People 150 owner
« on: October 30, 2017, 03:54:54 AM »
Hey ya'll, hailing from Huntsville, AL.

My wife is disabled and we're sharing our only car these days. Most every dry day I ride a motorcycle to work, but there are times I take the car. So I bought her this Kymco People 150. So she won't feel so trapped at home, give her some freedom to just ride down the street and get some milk, grab some coffee, whatever she wants to do.

I must say I really didn't enjoy riding it home for her. To be completely fair, I'm way too big to ride this comfortably. My feet won't fit on the floorboards. No amount of adjusting the mirrors made them the tiniest bit useful as I'm 6'5". Had to ride in home at night 71 miles in the cold, all while hunched over with my head sticking out past the headlight (exaggerating)!

Was most uncomfortable... to add to my woe a lil more the air filter was apparently very dirty as it'd start to bog down at 40mph indicated. Slight hill and anything above 3/4 throttle to WOT would bog it down.

But not all moaning! Got a new air filter, spark plug, changed the oil and set the idle with an induction tachometer. Did a few laps around town and looks like I can get it up to 65mph indicated reliably. Fairly impressed as I'm 280lbs.

Fit'n'finish seems good, everything is easy to work on for the most part and seems like a solid running machine now.

What I'm concerned about is how squirrely this thing is going down the road. A strong breeze or a passing car makes me squiggle on the road going in a straight line.

I've been trying to use some logic to rationalize why this is happening. My size is getting the center of gravity up too high? My height is making the center of gravity too far forward as well? I got my knees sticking out in the wind as my feet don't fit and I'm just creating a big sail to throw me around? But I'm not sure, gotta say it's pretty scary to ride. All my experience is on motorcycles, there are similarities for sure... but a lot of differences too I found. So I really dunno what I should expect when it comes to it's handling, stability, ride quality, etc.

Looking to get some input from some seasoned riders on what I should be expecting about how stable this will be for my wife (who has never ridden anything before).Possibly from someone of similar height'n'weight to my wife. She's 5'4" and 89lbs. She's also smokin' hot so don't want her to get hurt riding this!

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