(Part 2) Best products from r/scooters

I definitely would not have a test ride of someone else's scooter be your first experience.

I recommend everyone, even if you never plan on riding a motorcylce, to take the Motorcycle Safety Foundation's Basic Rider Course. It's a 2.5 day course that will teach you everything you need to know to ride safely and it does it in a relatively safe, controlled environment. Depending on your area, they may even offer the Scooter Safety Course. Having to learn how to operate a manual bike at the same time may seem intimidating, but operating the controls is one of the easier parts of the course. The majority of it is how to handle the bike when things go wrong and that is something that translates directly to scooters as well.

Since you are looking at a freeway legal vehicle, you will really be doing yourself a favor to be properly trained. I have had incidents while riding that I know would have resulted in a crash had I not taken the course.

If you don't have a center in your area, I would recommend picking up the book Proficient Motorcycling. It won't replace hands-on instruction, but it will teach you the concepts that you need to understand.

Also, if you want a learner bike, go with something in the 150-200cc range. Buy it used and once you feel comfortable, you can sell it back for basically what you paid for it and purchase a bigger scoot.

Good luck and ride safe.

I have some recent experience that may be helpful....

Short version: this exhaust fit perfectly on my 150cc GY6 TaoTao

Long Version:

Got a 2015 TaoTao AMT150-A from a guy on craigslist for a steal. It had only ~300km on it when I got it and the guy was practically giving it away at a price I just couldn't pass up.

4 weeks or so after bringing it home the flange that mounts the stock exhaust pipe to the engine snapped off during a ride. The crappy build quality of the scooter resulted in several of the exhaust's mounting bolts to get stripped and they loosened enough to allow too much play in the pipe whenever I'd hit a bump. Eventually this flexing caused it to break and I had to find a replacement...

I first bought this pipe and muffler set on Amazon for $79./

That was a mistake... The exhaust did not fit on my scooter right off, I had to bend the pipe an inch and a half by putting it in a vise and carefully heating it with a blow torch and bending the pipe to the correct angle. There was also a mounting bracket welded to the pipe that I had to cut off since it was angled such that it would have to go through the oil filler pipe on the side of the engine.

Once I got it on it looked and sounded great, plus I noticed a higher top end speed and overall better performance. That lasted for about 3 weeks until the weld where the lower bracket was attached to the pipe, right where the muffler bolts on, snapped off during a ride leaving a dime sized hole in the side of the exhaust.

I repaired the hole with some high temp fiberglass tape and repair putty, then fabricated a new bracket to clamp around this area and secure it to the frame. I was worried about how sound this would be but everything worked great for quite awhile.

Eventually though this failed as well when the entire muffler cracked off the pipe during another ride one night. At this point I gave up on this exhaust and went searching for another for a proper replacement.

At this point I did a bunch of searching and found this exhaust which has been absolutely perfect so far about 6 months in. It didn't require any modification to the pipe, bracket, or bike at all to mount it and is firm with no movement at all many months later. I did lose some of the performance increase that I got with the earlier exhaust but considering all the problems I had with that one I'm happy to accept that.

When I bought it I got it from Amazon but I can't seem to find it anywhere on there anymore, looks like the reseller that I got it from, Maxpro Llc, hasn't maintained their Amazon store front.

I can't vouch for other scooter models and styles but on my TaoTao this exhaust fit perfectly.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Club-motorcycle-MC-305/dp/B000L9U4CE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345909311&sr=8-1&keywords=motorcycle+lock

its cheap but I have ha great sucess with it.

I first use a Kryptonite lock but then I tried this one and like it more. It is big enough to fit around any fence/pole/whatever you want to lock it to. I have a Honda Ruckus so I just loop it around my seat frame, and also just close it around the seat frame when I ride so thats nice too

It is good for being used as just a tire lock as well as locking it to a pole

Cheers!

Here is a tuning kit

> do the weights matter if I get some stage six one or some generic ones

Unless you are racing a decent set (of 6) is probably $10 or you can go fancy and get $15 ones. NCY weights are more like $20 but I'd consider that high end fancy schmancy.

It's worth noting that your weights should be inspected/changed every 1000 or so miles anyway, so if you bought used it would probably be good to go ahead and change them. Here is a very good GY6 service manual too BTW

You will likely also (arguably) need a torque wrench for reassembling the transmission and a clutch holder. If you don't have these you can get by using other methods or a strap wrench

Its worth noting there are also sliders that you can use instead of rollers. If it makes any difference probably has to do with the slope in your variator and the design of the slider. There are many, many different combinations.

I found one source that says:

> "for every .5 grams heavier , it seems as if you loose about 250 rpms or so. Maybe a little less. "

but I cannot say if that is accurate or not.

You might also be able to change your variator to get a little bit more difference as well. As with changing weights its something some people seem to swear by and others say does nothing. Either way companies like NCY make nice parts that may be lighter and generate less/dissapate more heat, last longer, and offer a smoother ride than stock parts. If you go this route you can usually do it one piece at a time.

I'm still pretty new to all this though :-O so by all means if someone sees I said something inaccurate let me know!

Yeah, that's realistic.

You can get a cheap ones online.

https://www.amazon.com/TaoTao-50cc-Sporty-Scooter-Green/dp/B015NKNB52/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1491241855&sr=8-1&keywords=50cc%2Bscooter&th=1

$500 with free shipping in like new section.

Taotao scoots usually work pretty well as long as you service them properly. (easy $25 toolkit does the job)

You'll want a helmet, a half helm is good enough, leather gloves and thick ones for coldish weather. if it gets really cold you'll regret driving it, even 2 miles. Gear should cost you about $100.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001TK7CYM/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

those are some great goggles.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001URVKS8/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

good cold gloves

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0024GIWDK/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

helmet

the rest is up to you.

I like my LS2 Strobe modular helmet for winter riding. It’s super comfortable and the modular features are really nice to have. Only downside is it’s pretty noisy on the highway from wind even with the vents shut. I think it was only like $140 on Amazon. I wear a generic black 3/4 when it’s above 50 degrees, if I wear one.

EDIT: The XXXL I got is $209 now, the large is $239. Might be a D/C model or something, the only sizes listed are L and XXXL.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0176G7ZAI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_dRmQDbTJQTFQK

I'm guessing you need something like this.

I'm linking that one because it includes three different angles, you'll probably have a better idea of which one would fit the best. Changing stems would probably be a better solution.

I use RAM Mount hardware for my phone and camera, When I'm not riding the bike it's easy to remove the attachments and leave the bases in place. They also sell locks you can put on the knobs to keep people from operating them.
http://www.rammount.com/part/RAM-KNOB3LU

I'd recommend some saddlebags for shopping, It's no fun wearing a heavy backpack while riding, You can get inexpensive saddle bags that are for large dogs off amazon for pretty cheap
https://www.amazon.com/Stansport-Saddle-Bag-for-Dog/dp/B000HJJHXK

Alarms with pagers are not that expensive actually!
https://www.amazon.com/Gorilla-Automotive-9100-Motorcycle-Paging/dp/B00J3QM4OC/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1485296833&sr=8-1&keywords=gorilla+alarm+with+pager

I'd recommend always locking your bike to a large immovable object, 50cc bikes are small and light and easy to pick up and toss in a van or truck if they are untethered.

I have never had my bike messed with or moved in a parking lot, I always make sure to park near the back of the space so drivers see my bike, If I'm shopping and the store has a cart corral that doesn't take up a full spot I'll park my bike in those spots with the carts.

Oh for pants if you can't afford motorcycle specific ones I'd go for a set of 'Firehose' pants, they are more durable than denim.
http://women.duluthtrading.com/store/womens/work-clothes/wm-fire-hose/work-clothes-fh.aspx

There was a guy who used to ride with my club that was handicapped and had a handicapped plate on his scooter, he always parked in the reserved spots and never had a problem doing so.

While it isn't a full-face helmet, I have a Sparx FC-07 that I really like. Sparx is sometimes called the "high end of inexpensive helmets." I find the fit and finish to be excellent. It's my favorite of the 5-6 helmets I've owned. It isn't still sold, but the HJC IS-33 is similar, and is listed by some random lawyer as being one of "The 5 safest motorcycle helmets of 2014." (I have no idea where he got that.)

Look Snell and DOT safety approval.

I will go from the top down,

My helmet:

[1] http://i.imgur.com/9W7xG.jpg

I put "cat crap" on the visor to keep it from fogging. Works great and keeps me relatively warm.

I have ordered this snowmobile balaclava:

[2] http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002MQAWOY

I dont think I will need it for another month, I also have a neck warmer from my snowboard kit.

I have this jacket:

[3] http://www.amazon.com/Joe-Rocket-Motorcycle-Large-Tall-851-4015/dp/B0025YIK2Y/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1320407840&sr=8-2

I wear it with a hoodie under it and it keeps me warm. I have a really heavy DNA coat (I'm a snowboarder) that I can wear if it gets extremely cold, but to date I havent needed it.

Gloves:

[4] http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001UROUJO

They work ok, still new so I am getting the feel for them.

Pants:

[5] http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/1/1/41/37261/ITEM/Frogg-Toggs-Classic-Tekk-Toad-Pants.aspx?WT.ac=SLIsearch

I bought a cheap pair of wind proof/water proof pants. I havent needed them yet, I keep them on the bike in case I get caught in rain @ work.

Since I now live in the Shenandoah Valley I dont really need to get extreme like the people that live in the north. The nights get pretty dang cold though.

Throw some of the purple saddlebags on it and we have a winner!

Here's where I bought them: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00WH72HXW/ref=od_aui_detailpages00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

DaBinChe is the master for anything Elite 110 on YouTube. Took me 20mins to swap these out and get everything buttoned up. This one is helpful for this project: https://youtu.be/_d3BIHE9yP4

http://www.amazon.com/Proficient-Motorcycling-Ultimate-Guide-Riding/dp/1620081199