New Kymco People 150 owner

[revsin]

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!

[CROSSBOLT]

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

[revsin]

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?

[Mr. Paul]

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!

[CROSSBOLT]

Completely mistook your two-wheel experience, didn't I? The People 150 is a very light, big wheel scooter. No scoot I know has a steering damper. Also, I would think your size and weight would be a stabilizing effect. The only thing missing is the connection between rider and the fuek tank on a motorcycle. That is a huge contribution to stability, in my opinion. Maybe that difference is what you noticed when the wind got frisky.

Karl

[revsin]

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!

[GLV55]

I will second what Mr. Paul said. Great little scooter that rides smoother than most 150 cc machines because of the bigger 16" wheels. I am 5' 6", 155 lbs., and yes, I did experience some buffeting from other vehicles and strong winds, but I never felt like I was in any danger. When oncoming vehicles approach, I just move over to the white line away from them and it reduces the effect by quite a bit. No doubt you have more stability from your heavier motorcycles so you probably noticed that effect more than usual. Putting the shocks on the softest setting also helps smooth out the ride considerably. The People will be a fantastic ride for your wife - I wish her many happy and safe miles on it! (Wish I could still ride mine....*sigh*...see my signature line)

[Mr. Paul]

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!

Yes sir, you are just too much man for a People 150 it seems. As usual, I am "just enough man!" Say, I think I'll get a T-shirt made. 

[revsin]

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.

[Mr. Paul]

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.

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.

[revsin]

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.

[Ernestt]

i'm 6 foot 5 and weigh 266 and have owned some scooters smaller than that one but i didn't keep them long

[revsin]

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.

[Mr. Paul]

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.

Kind of like this? 

https://thefagcasanova.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/bike-bear.jpg

[stuo]

 Scooter windscreens are mounted on the handle bars and especially if you have a big screen a gust of wind or a passing truck can cause that instability. My R1100RT windscreen is mounted on the body so I was not ready for the "blown around" effect on my scooters. It's part of the charm of our steeds, heh heh.