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Post by tentantoes on Sept 24, 2008 21:55:00 GMT -5
Hi all, I'm trying to learn about scooters and am getting more interested in a 50cc. I live in a small town and wouldn't really need to go over 35, so saving on insurance and registration is appealing. If I went with a 50cc I'd prefer a 2 stroke but I'm not having much success finding them online. The stuff I'm finding is as expensive as the 4 strokes! I live in the FL panhandle so it's not like I'm near a big area with a good used market either. Any advice on where to fine one?
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Post by w8tlftr on Sept 25, 2008 6:29:08 GMT -5
You can look at Ebay, I got my 2 stroke from there, because of emissions some companies do not send two strokes to the States anumore , like Piaggio for example, if you can find a used Piaggio thats in good condition its worth the purchase, but theres Yamaha Zuma, or Vino I believe is a two stroke, I think the honda rucus is too,point is if I were like yourself looking for a 2 stroke find a popular brand name, don't waste your money on a chinese no name brand.
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Post by Karl on Sept 25, 2008 8:33:06 GMT -5
Any particular brand or price range you're wanting to stay in? Of course the Japanese, Korean and Italian makes are best but if you want a good Chinese make, here are a couple of recommendations I have: I bought my Strada RX8 from Valley Scooters www.scootersus.com/stradaRX8.htmlYou can also get them from here store.scootertronics.com/strx849sc.htmlThe prices went up a little but I got mine at the scootertronics price. It's not the smallest of scoots and not quite the medium size but it's well made and reliable. |
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Post by tentantoes on Sept 25, 2008 11:40:10 GMT -5
I'm not particular to a brand, but as for price I thought that I could find a 2 stroke cheaper than a 4. Since I'm seeing 4 strokes for around $800 I was hoping for closer to $600 for a 2 stroke. Guess I was way off! I'll just have to keep searching for something used I guess.
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Post by 90GTVert on Sept 25, 2008 12:40:50 GMT -5
The cheapest scoots I see are usually 4 strokes. I do have a few other ideas for you though.
A friend found a deal for a brand new Geely for $500 with scratches and some other small damage. Maybe ask any dealers you come across about damaged scoots, just be sure it's cosmetic damage only.
The dealer I got my scoot from is in a beach town, so they also rent scooters. They sell all rental scoots once they reach 800-1000 miles for good prices. Check into that in your area. I would think Florida's beach towns would have plenty of rental places.
One more thing that some dealers help with is used scoots. Any dealer that works on scooters is very likely to know many scooterists in the area. They also notice when a customer mentions thinking of getting a new scoot, and if they can help the customer sell off their old scoot they are pretty likely to get a sale. Another friend of mine had a dealer help him locate used scoots. He bought one new before the dealer ever located one he liked, but he only gave it a few days and the dealer came up with 2 scoots for him to take a look at.
Long story short, see waht local dealers, shops, or rental spots can do for you. You never know.
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Post by tentantoes on Sept 25, 2008 13:42:05 GMT -5
Hey now there's a great idea, because Panama City Beach is just down the road and they've got several rental places. I'm sure those scooters rack up the miles pretty quickly, so I'll start checking into them and making some calls. Thanks!
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Post by tentantoes on Sept 25, 2008 13:58:59 GMT -5
Just called a rental place and they've got used scoots ranging from $400-1000. The names she rattled off were Yamaha Razz, Honda Metro, Gator, Magnum, Vino, and Thunderbikes. Any suggestions on which ones to really think towards? I don't know if these are 2 strokes or not, but for those prices I'll have to consider them!
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Post by hardd1 on Sept 25, 2008 15:14:36 GMT -5
500 -600.00 is going to get you a used scoot....the 2 stroke is an excellent choice...easy to maintain and about 25% faster than the 4 strokes
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Post by jayhawk on Sept 25, 2008 17:06:01 GMT -5
The thunderbike is made by ADLY...they made my Lambretta Due50. Both scoots have the same engine but different frames/looks. No problems in 3 months, it's a 2 stroke, de-restricted it'll hit 45mph+ and it is a Taiwanese scooter with a 2 year warranty.
Eric
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Post by motomech on Sept 25, 2008 17:15:37 GMT -5
I'm not particular to a brand, but as for price I thought that I could find a 2 stroke cheaper than a 4. Since I'm seeing 4 strokes for around $800 I was hoping for closer to $600 for a 2 stroke. Guess I was way off! I'll just have to keep searching for something used I guess. Buying one of the few remaining two-stroke scooters is something akin to buying a bikini for your girlfriend, not much material for your hard-earned cash. In all fairness, the two-stroke scooters are higher quality that the run-of-the-mill four-stroke offerings. |
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Post by motomech on Sept 25, 2008 17:22:43 GMT -5
Just called a rental place and they've got used scoots ranging from $400-1000. The names she rattled off were Yamaha Razz, Honda Metro, Gator, Magnum, Vino, and Thunderbikes. Any suggestions on which ones to really think towards? I don't know if these are 2 strokes or not, but for those prices I'll have to consider them! The Yamaha Razz was a cute little scooter sold in the '80's. But it is a single speed, and 30 m.p.h. is about it. The Honda, of course is a fine scooter, but they probably want top dollar for it. The Vinos are a real popular scooter with lot's of hop-up potential. A great source for 50cc two-stroke scooters in general, and the Vinos/Stratas in particular, is this site; www.provoscoot.com |
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Post by kaintuckdave on Sept 25, 2008 22:01:08 GMT -5
The Vino was 2 stroke till 2005 or so I think, then they became 4 stroke.
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Post by ooopseyesharted on Sept 25, 2008 22:04:51 GMT -5
The zuma and the vino are the 2 strokes to get.
upgrades available all over the place.
Gotta love that 2 stroke screamin through a race pipe. I know my neghbors do.....LOL
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Post by jtl on Sept 26, 2008 14:13:16 GMT -5
You will be very lucky to find a Zuma or a Vino for less than $1000 unless it is high miles and/or in tough shape. I am new to this, but I have bought 3 scooters in the last month or so and sold one. When I bought my last one which is a Zuma ( the wife has a Vino) I looked for a couple of weeks and most people wanted over $1600 for 04+. I called a person on Craigslist 5 minutes after they posted the scoot and bought it for $1200. They told me they could have sold it 10x before I got up to Tampa to pick it up. Zumas in particular are like gold right now. I did see a low mileage Vino in Tampa a couple of days ago, I think it was an 04 with very low miles and $1400 but negotiable. Good Luck in your search.
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Post by tentantoes on Sept 27, 2008 7:43:19 GMT -5
Talked with several of the scooter rental places in Panama City Beach and one has '05 Vinos for $400. Who knows if they're just really rough or if they're just really wanting to turn their fleet over, or both. They also Honda Metros for $600, Gators for $5-600, and Thunderbikes for $400. Another place had Streetcruisers for $350 (I don't know what these are), and '07 Gators for $450. I know that since they're rentals they're bound to be pretty scuffed up, but I'm going to check them out anyway. I'm particularly interested in that the '05 Vinos since they're the 2 strokes.
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Post by jayhawk on Sept 27, 2008 9:24:19 GMT -5
Personally, those are great prices...if they seem to be in good shape, I'd snap one up. If it were me, I'd stick with a Vino, Metropolitan or Thunderbike. However, the metropolitan 2 is supposedly much more sluggish than the original model.
Eric
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Post by hardd1 on Sept 27, 2008 12:28:06 GMT -5
you could also look for a Baccio 50cc scoot.....they make 4 different 2 stroke models...they are very popular in Fla as they are distributed by Mod Cycles in Miami, Fl
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Post by motomech on Sept 27, 2008 21:04:06 GMT -5
At those prices, I would suggest that they be looked over pretty good, they may have been under-water at one time.
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Post by tentantoes on Sept 28, 2008 7:42:46 GMT -5
Yeah I'm curious as to if they're all scraped up with ripped seats and everything, but I've got to check them out. These places stay so busy during the summer that they might be willing to slash the prices just to turn their stock over. They may also be trying to get rif of their 2 strokes. I'm not sure, but I'm going Wednesday to check them out. Any check lists of what I should be inspecting on each scooter when I get there?
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Post by Karl on Sept 28, 2008 8:23:42 GMT -5
I hate to be pessimistic but I'm thinking that they've been wrecked and scratched up. Probably missing some turn signals and such.
I'm curious to know what condition they're in. Let us know what you find.
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Post by tentantoes on Sept 28, 2008 11:40:09 GMT -5
I'm expecting much of the same myself, so unless they're demolished I shouldn't be too let down. I'm not in this for style so much as for the gas savings. And thankfully I enjoy fixing things up and can often see past what is to what could be, so perhaps that will play into my favor. I'm very mechanically inclined so taking on a project car has never bothered me, I've fixed up 4 vehicles and turned a profit on them. But I don't have any experience with scooters, so I'm not as certain what to look for mechanically.
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Post by jtl on Sept 28, 2008 15:59:47 GMT -5
If you can find an 05 Vino that isn't in pieces for $400 buy up all of them. One nice thing about the Yamaha's is the availability of parts, oem and aftermarket. The plastic is real easy to replace and not overly expensive so if the damage is purely cosmetic don't worry. As far as Vino vs Zuma and since I have both. I have to say I like the Zuma better. It is much "beefier" if that is even a word. All things being equal and stock the Vino is faster but lets say more delicate. It has smaller tires and weighs 40lbs less. I feel less comfortable going over rough streets at 40mph in the Vino.
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Post by tentantoes on Sept 29, 2008 12:44:19 GMT -5
...If it were me, I'd stick with a Vino, Metropolitan or Thunderbike. However, the metropolitan 2 is supposedly much more sluggish than the original model. I'm leaning towards the Vino and Thunderbike. You're right about the Metro, limited to 25-30mph. I found a site where a guy documented his attempts to get his Metro II up to speed with the Met 1, and he had good success, but it involved changing the computer and gearing among other things. I'm not looking for that kind of project. I have to say I like the Zuma better. It is much "beefier" if that is even a word. All things being equal and stock the Vino is faster but lets say more delicate. It has smaller tires and weighs 40lbs less. I feel less comfortable going over rough streets at 40mph in the Vino. I've ridden a Zuma and liked it and I can see where you're coming from about the beefiness, but none of the places I called mentioned a Zuma. Thankfully the roads here are pretty good, so I should be fine. I just made arrangements to head over on Wednesday, so I'll let you know what happens. I'll also try to take pictures of several scooters they're offering at these low prices so maybe it'll help someone in the future who tries this same rental shop route. Thanks for all the advice! |
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Post by jtl on Sept 30, 2008 7:23:00 GMT -5
The Vino would certainly be an excellent choice like others have said lots of upgrade potential and readily available parts. One thing to remember if you try out a rental and it seems slow it is probably due the restrictor in the muffler. Very simple to eliminate and makes a world of difference. I would also do something with the wheels, and tires if I used mine more often. They just don't seem to be very substantial.
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Post by ooopseyesharted on Sept 30, 2008 8:31:04 GMT -5
wow. what a great deal for a vino.
there is a place locally that is going to be getting rid of 20 zumas in november. I am friends with the owners son and told him i would buy them for the right price.
Open my own scooter rental business....LOL
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Post by jtl on Sept 30, 2008 12:56:07 GMT -5
wow. what a great deal for a vino. there is a place locally that is going to be getting rid of 20 zumas in november. I am friends with the owners son and told him i would buy them for the right price. Open my own scooter rental business....LOL They are certainly a desirable scooter. They must be a rental operation to have that many. The 09's are 4 stroke and expensive. buy all of the 2 strokes that you can if the price is right, detail them and make a few hundred dollars per scoot. |
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Post by rallyrrr on Sept 30, 2008 13:20:12 GMT -5
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Post by tentantoes on Oct 1, 2008 6:43:14 GMT -5
Called one of the rental shops again yesterday and asked specifically about Zuma's, and he said he did have them for $500! This was the same shop that had the Vino for $400, so that's the first and hopefully only place I'm going to this afternoon. I'm so glad they have both so I can check them out and see which one is a better fit for me. I'll let you know what turns out. Thanks so much for all the advice given!
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Post by 90GTVert on Oct 1, 2008 8:52:26 GMT -5
Good luck. Get us some pics if you buy scoot.
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Post by tentantoes on Oct 1, 2008 21:51:13 GMT -5
Wellllll, it wasn't so profitable of a trip after all! I called 5 rental shops yesterday to confirm they would be open today, and when I got over there NONE were open! Not only that, but 2 of them had shops that appeared to be out of business, 1 of which had their phone disconnected between yesterday afternoon and today! It was a trip of 1.5 hours, and if I didn't have to be over there for something else already then it really would have bummed me out, but as is all I can do now is get a laugh out of it.
Although it was closed I did get to inspect the scooters of the one shop that I was most interested in that said they had several Vinos and Zumas....wow. They did have them, but only one of each style. The Zuma was in several pieces, so that one was out. The Vino was in one piece, barely! I expected the seat to be shot, and it was. In addition, all the plastics were broken and barely hanging on with zip ties and duct tape. It looked like it had both rear ended something as well as been rear ended. It didn't look like it had been dropped on it's side a bunch because there weren't a lot of scratches down the sides, so I don't know what in the world happened to this poor thing. There was lots of rust on the metal parts I could see underneath the plastic, and it only had 1 mirror that was rusted in place. It was kind of humorous really.
They also had several other makes including an equally nasty Thunderbike. They did have a few '07 Gators (I could see Jonway on the plate under the seat), and they weren't in very bad shape, but I just didn't like the style enough to try to track down an owner.
On an interesting side note, almost all of their scooters had the left hand mirror missing. Oh well, I had a fun afternoon in the truck with my family, and we got to pick up our tickets to Sesame Street Live (woot woot!)! I'll just start saving my money for a new scoot I suppose.
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