Yager for Cannonball?

[Driller]

OK, Yager owners. I need your opinion about the suitability of the Yager for running the Scooter Cannonball.
I am flirting with making the rally next year and am trying to narrow down a mount for it.
For those not familiar with the SC, it is a coast to coast scooter run that usually takes 10 days. Each day is about 300 to 375 miles. Mountain ranges are crossed and some long stretches across hot places are on the route. Displacement is limited to 250cc. A handicap system is applied taking age and displacement of the scooters into consideration. The winning bike  last year was a Honda  Elite 110!  Several Vespa gt200's were contenders.
On paper, the bike checks a lot of boxes that would make it a competent  entry. Fuel injection and liquid cooling are first on the list. The larger fuel tank and filler location are next. It appears the Yager has enough range to require only one fill up for most legs of the run.
If the Yager can maintain an honest 60mph it might have a strong enough handicap to contend with the 75mph Vespas. The winning Honda despite a lower top speed had an amazing handicap and the rider is a wild man.
I have a Movie 150 that is a splendid scoot with many of the pluses of the Yager but not what I consider the advantages of fi and lc.
A Yager is available close by for a price that makes abusing it for over ten days and 3000+miles acceptable.
Feel free to weigh in with opinion based on your experience with the Yager. Please, don't tell me I am looney thinking about doing this...I know I am, anyway.

[tortoise]

The winning bike last year was a Honda Elite 110!

DaBinChe ride report.

Cannonball 2016 discussion.

[Driller]

Yep, Bin is a "riding machine". Wish they could decide on a route. That could determine if I really want to do this. Bill L now has my gt200' that might be running next year.
Question is, do I want to beat up the Movie ,the Morphous or go with the Yager?

[ScooterWolf]

If I still had my Yager, and had learned about this event I'd jgo for it in a heartbeat. You can read about my suggestions on allowing all scooters to compete on the Scooter Cannonball Run 2016 board.

I say go for it. Yagers need to represent. I rode mine for 5 years nearly everyday close to 25 K miles. That's about once around the world. Only had to change the battery due to the seat not being closed, and had some roller weight issues in the first year. Other than that she was unstoppable.

Go for it!

-Wolf

[tortoise]

Fuel injection and liquid cooling are first on the list.

The optimal configuration is definitely an asset . . but it would be interesting to see more "non-competitive" endurance entries with significant challenges like bottom-tier air-cooled GY6 variations.  There is a documented case of a used Znen 150cc completing a San Francisco to New York cross-country . . so it can be done!  Dongfang is offering some 168.9cc models.

[BettinANDlosing]

The optimal configuration is definitely an asset . . but it would be interesting to see more "non-competitive" endurance entries with significant challenges like bottom-tier air-cooled GY6 variations.  There is a documented case of a used Znen 150cc completing a San Francisco to New York cross-country . . so it can be done!  Dongfang is offering some 168.9cc models.

I don't get it, why can't any Chinese importer get their grammar right? Seriously the headquarters is in Cali and you can't get Ann American to proofread the main outage on the website? I just find it very funny, and have a hard time trusting a brand that doesn't even care to get their main webpage reading correctly.

[tortoise]

why can't any Chinese importer get their grammar right?

On the other hand . . .
In the context of durability and reliability, "they are what they are" . . but this TaoTao ATV video is very well done!

[bman]

Yager got second place in the 190cc categoy in 2010.
http://www.scootercannonball.com/results/2010Updates.php

[Yager200i]

Does the Scooter Cannonball allow modified scooters?

If so, put 15% taller rear gears in, put 8.5 grams of 0.6 micron tungsten disulfide in the engine oil and 1.75 grams in the gear oil, pump up your tires to 40 psi, put in 1000 RPM clutch springs, and drop in a Pulstar HE1HT9 spark plug. It'll hit 85 MPH and *still* get ~75 MPG. If you take it easier on the throttle, you'll be getting in the 90 MPG range. Drop 200 ml of acetone and 200 ml of water in with your fuel, and it'll have more than enough power for anything you want to do (only do that with E10 gasoline... with straight gas with no ethanol, you have to use less water).

If you want to get fancy, drop in ceramic or hybrid-ceramic bearings in your wheels and rear gears to lower friction... the thing will roll so easily it's not even funny. You can still cut bearing friction a good bit just by mixing in tungsten disulfide with your grease, though.

Even with the taller gearing, it'll still have plenty of oomph to pull up steep hills. Mine will do 68 MPH up the interstate hills around here, and can climb the steep hills in the Oakland Hills at only 5000 RPM without breaking a sweat.

I did all the above to my Yager. It cruises at 65 MPH at 6750 RPM. If I used the OEM belt (which is ~1 mm wider) instead of the Gates Boost+ Kevlar belt, I'd be hitting 65 MPH at 6500 RPM. Red-line on this bike is 8000 RPM, and the rev limiter is at 9200 RPM... so a hard break-in of the engine to get good ring seal means you'll  have plenty of headroom for a higher top speed.

[Driller]

I appreciate the feedback and encouragement. The deal on the Yager went away. There just aren't any others close enough. 
The dates and rough route have been released and it looks favorable for making this one. A Scarabeo 150 is coming home Tuesday. After some shakedown rides the decision will be made between the 'Beo and the Morphous for the trip. Hope the Aprilia can deliver like the Yager promised.

[KymcoRockr]

Ffiguring out what Malossi makes that fits on it, and then I think they are going to see what else they can get for it.

[AMAC1680]

Only thing that would have made me think twice about a Yager would be durability. Mine had a bit of a overheating issue. Not good when running top end all day.

Good to see the cannonball folks did the right thing and is keeping the classes in place. I know there are some that want maxis but there's zero challenge ridding a 300,400,500 cc scoot in this event. Its a iron butt small scoot rally, love it !

Ill ride the first few leg or two just for a hoot as it starts just up the street. For me I'd just assume take a month and take the long way.

Good luck my friend.

AMAC

[Yager200i]

Only thing that would have made me think twice about a Yager would be durability. Mine had a bit of a overheating issue. Not good when running top end all day.

Really? That's odd... mine almost never has the fan come on. I felt the warm air flowing through those vertical slits near your lower legs only twice so far, both times on the same ride, on a warm night, during a 40 mile or so run, pulling up a steep hill of a few miles in length at full throttle. Apparently the rest of the time, the forward motion of the bike is enough to keep the coolant cool. When I get the new electric coolant pump circuitry installed, it'll control the fan, as well, so I'll have feedback on when the fan is on.

[ScooterWolf]

Still don’t really understand the Scooter Cannonball refusal to allow Maxi scooters into the race? It’s an endurance race, so speed isn’s a factor. It’s about managing other factors -- gas, distance, endurance, routes, among many. Speed is actually a liability if you are pulled over for a ticket, or cause unwanted engine and tire problems which translated into lost valuable time.

I’m currently reading The Man Who Would Stop at Nothing. It’s very revealing on the culture of Long-distance Racing.

- Wolf

[AMAC1680]

I have no horse in the race. I've never rode in it nor do I plan to ride in it.
As an endurance race those that started the cannonball have made the decision that maxis of any size don't equate to the small scooter vision they had when it was founded.

I tend to agree. The maxi by design was built for long distance rides. Larger wheels, more ponies, protection from the elements and all the things that make them easy on the body. Can't say the same for most of the small scoots the run this event. It's a private group of people that started the thing, financed it early on and put in the work to keep it going. I see nothing wrong with setting their own rules.

My hats off to them for what it took and takes to put the ride on.

AMAC