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Post by pinkscoot on Oct 20, 2017 11:21:47 GMT -5
Culcune, I agree that the engines are sound its the fit and finish. My Znen reminded me of an old MGB I had, I would tighten everything regularly and would know if I missed something when it fell off.
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Post by FrankenMech on Oct 20, 2017 14:55:23 GMT -5
I am exactly your size and have a 50cc, but I agree with pinkscoot. A 50cc is illegal on the highway here. For highway use look for 200cc+ or you will get creamed. Nobody runs 55 on the highway, they run 65-75MPH here. KC is a river city so getting across the rivers is difficult if you can't run fast. There are only a few ways across the rivers and you would have to push your scoot or get arrested.
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Post by AtariGuy on Oct 20, 2017 17:59:36 GMT -5
I tossed a "keep and modify" - if its a toy, keep it. They are tons of fun to ride and modify! I priced a boatload package of parts on amazon for about 150. That includes a 50mm big bore kit with head, A9 cam, 20mm carb, variator, clutch, and taller gears. It'll be another 150 for a good HD crank, but you can still run the package while you put aside a few bucks toward a crank later. Modding the 50 is a fun way to make a great performer out of a basic 4t bike. Keep it and toy with it, and consider adding another scooter to the garage too - yama smax machines are capable and light so thats not a bad second machine down the road if you do find you fall in love with scootin. And a 2 stroke!
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Post by RollingThunder on Oct 20, 2017 18:22:08 GMT -5
I tossed a "keep and modify" - if its a toy, keep it. They are tons of fun to ride and modify! I priced a boatload package of parts on amazon for about 150. That includes a 50mm big bore kit with head, A9 cam, 20mm carb, variator, clutch, and taller gears. It'll be another 150 for a good HD crank, but you can still run the package while you put aside a few bucks toward a crank later. Modding the 50 is a fun way to make a great performer out of a basic 4t bike. Keep it and toy with it, and consider adding another scooter to the garage too - yama smax machines are capable and light so thats not a bad second machine down the road if you do find you fall in love with scootin. And a 2 stroke! This is just a toy and has nothing to do with daily transportation. Spending a couple hundred on it is really not a big deal to me, but I want to make sure I spend a couple hundred on the right machine. There's no point in dumping money into it if it can't or won't work for me. I also will be riding alone most of the time and could be a long distance from my house, so having something that won't self destruct on me in the middle of nowhere is really important. Right now I'm not very confident in it so I have yet to drive it very far. I did find a incorrectly advertised 2 stroke Tao Tao for $425 about 4 hours away. It looks like it's in decent shape, but so did my $20 parts machine in the ad.  |
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Post by AtariGuy on Oct 20, 2017 20:53:09 GMT -5
that's curious - i don't think i've ever heard of taotao making 2 strokes lol but i've been surprised by scooter packaging before
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Post by RollingThunder on Oct 20, 2017 21:41:35 GMT -5
Upon further inspection, it really isn't a two stroke because I can see the dipstick. The guy put a two stroke performance pipe on a four stroke!  Check it out: appleton.craigslist.org/mcy/d/150-cc-scooter/6333540332.htmlThere's also a Genuine Rattler in the same area for $400, but after reading how odd of a machine it is, I think I would be better off staying with something more common in the long run. The Genuine Roughhouse looks like it would be right up my alley, except for the price. |
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Post by 90GTVert on Oct 20, 2017 23:28:03 GMT -5
If you get lucky, maybe you can find a Yamaha SMAX used. 155cc that is high quality and outruns the GY6 scoots. Not sure that it's good for modding though, and it does weight 300lb... but it's not 500lb or more like some maxi scoots. Look up some reviews on it. I couldn't find much negative, aside from some complaints of leg room.
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Post by ThaiGyro on Oct 21, 2017 5:26:07 GMT -5
taking the 'Chinese' and expected lower quality into account I hate sounding like a "world snob", but please do not lump the Taiwan people into the same package as the Chinese. Yes Taiwan was forced to become a China "republic", but, in fact, they are very different. (Though similar ancestry) My belief is that Taiwan has quite high regard for international standards...and for a very long time. (Look at NCY versus mainland quality...I could list hundreds of variances) I have friends in Taiwan, Hong Kong and the PRC. I would buy anything from Taiwan first. My Taiwan friends would NEVER buy China products, out of principle or quality. Just food for thought. |
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Post by lostforawhile on Oct 21, 2017 8:03:59 GMT -5
Culcune, I agree that the engines are sound its the fit and finish. My Znen reminded me of an old MGB I had, I would tighten everything regularly and would know if I missed something when it fell off.  I was a kid when my dad had his MGB GT, and if anything fell off, my job was to run back and get it |
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Post by AtariGuy on Oct 21, 2017 14:09:44 GMT -5
dammit! mine was the only vote on modifying it - keep it, modify it, buy a 2 stroke, have 2 scoots - double the win!
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Post by lostforawhile on Oct 21, 2017 23:57:33 GMT -5
Realistically you want at least a 150. Watching that video Brent posted, and getting passed by 18 wheelers is not my idea of fun. I ride on the four lane all the time like that, 45 zone, but everyone including the trucks is doing 70 |
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Post by greginisn on Oct 22, 2017 0:21:12 GMT -5
Be extra careful when passing any trucks. While riding my old Yamaha 250, years ago, I passed a sheep trailer and didn’t give it the room I should have. One of the sheep had to pee as I was passing and with my poor lane positioning I got totally sprayed! Yuk! Greg  |
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Post by culcune on Oct 22, 2017 1:51:55 GMT -5
taking the 'Chinese' and expected lower quality into account I was stating that buying a Chinese made Taotao would require taking lower quality into account. TGB, and I am sure other brands from Taiwan, are far and away up there in quality. I would probably put TGBs scooters' quality up there with Yamaha. Again, it was the Chinese brand Taotao I was writing about. I hate sounding like a "world snob", but please do not lump the Taiwan people into the same package as the Chinese. Yes Taiwan was forced to become a China "republic", but, in fact, they are very different. (Though similar ancestry) My belief is that Taiwan has quite high regard for international standards...and for a very long time. (Look at NCY versus mainland quality...I could list hundreds of variances) I have friends in Taiwan, Hong Kong and the PRC. I would buy anything from Taiwan first. My Taiwan friends would NEVER buy China products, out of principle or quality. Just food for thought. |
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Post by lostforawhile on Oct 22, 2017 10:52:14 GMT -5
Be extra careful when passing any trucks. While riding my old Yamaha 250, years ago, I passed a sheep trailer and didn’t give it the room I should have. One of the sheep had to pee as I was passing and with my poor lane positioning I got totally sprayed! Yuk! Greg I call your sheep and raise you one chicken truck, we have Sanderson farms. Another reason to wear a full face helmet. www.youtube.com/watch?v=qg4psqXicRs |
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Post by collinsd84 on Oct 22, 2017 14:11:46 GMT -5
A 50 suites me fine, because I never have the need to go on a highway.
My riding is in an urban area surrounded by residential areas.
The scoot comes in handy for a run to the diner, convenience stare, and a large CVS 3 miles away.
It is mainly a fun toy, but it is hard to believe I commuted on a scooter for 5 years at one time.
My current scoot is a Taiwan made Lance PCH 50. I've considered selling it, but now I'm going to keep it after discovering its high quality, and dependability.
It has only been in the shop twice since my wife bought it for me in 2012.
Before that I had a Chinese KeeWay F-act 50 that did 45.
I commuted on that everyday for 5 years with some highway use.
Have to admit that was blast until everything wore out on it. Lol!
I sold it as a parts scooter that some kid revived, and hopefully enjoyed it as much as I did.
Any highway use I suggest the 150, however to 50 is much more economical and more nimble.
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I was a kid when my dad had his MGB GT, and if anything fell off, my job was to run back and get it 
