UM Xpeed 50 r

[jimh]

My mileage registers in kilometers and reads18,000km. Multiply by .62 and you get 11,160 miles. This is a surprisingly well made and tough little Korean scooter. Definitely built for the long haul, imo. So, what's next, I ask myself...no doubt that next year it may get a larger bore; a little extra horsepower may just be the ticket but meanwhile, I'll be riding.

[90GTVert]

Riding is what it's all about, and you are doing well with a 50. Around here, if you can do 40MPH reliably it's not bad. I just like to be able to get to about 50MPH for crossing Dover Bridge.

[jimh]

I've ridden across Dover Bridge twice now, going to Easton and back to Denton. It can be a little hairy with impatient cagers on your butt.

[90GTVert]

I cross that bridge on 70% of my rides. If you ever rode T2 across you would think you needed a 99cc. Instead of watching your mirrors and regulating your speed to get a gap... just pass the cars if you have to and get in front of them. ;D That's actually where I got hit by the hay bail last year. I was just past TJs heading to the bridge, right at the beginning of the marsh. Broke a belt on the Sunle just before the bridge too late to stop and had to go across at as low as 18MPH. The state keeps promising a new bridge, then spending money on roads that lead to Ocean City instead.

[jimh]

I hear you! There is just no room on that bridge for us scooterists, that's why I take the whole lane at WOT; thankfully, It's not too long unless you've broken a belt or your spark plug decides to crap out on you. I know where you wiped out at the marsh, every time I go by it I think of you and watch out for hay bales or junk falling off someones truck. Maybe we need to consider larger bikes?

[90GTVert]

I definitely want a 150 that I could tag. I have one sitting in my garage that belongs to a friend. He pretty much never rides it, but doesn't wanna sell it. If I can ever talk him out of it at a good price I'll get my license and do a little work to it. IIRC he rode it 20 miles or so last year. That was one ride to Hurlock and aroudn there and back with me one night. That's it. Otherwise it collects dust. Then he wants it to run so I charge it up and do whatever to get it running. Then he never rides it anyway and it sits again and so on. He's supposed to be moving it to his new house and garage soon. wish he'd just take a little money for it and stick to his CBR600RR. Anytime he is supposed to ride the scoot he ends up on that. Not that I can blame him, but it sucks watching the thing sit when I would be riding it or modding it until it broke belts or something. lol

Were you legal on your 150 or sneaking it in as a 50 like every other 150 I see around here? Even the folks I've talked to with their M license around here just ride it and hope to get away with it. I think I would enjoy riding in the actual lane of travel instead of running over junk and having people swerve at you and all that stuff on a 50.

[2strokd]

Now that i think about it, that shoulder riding you guys have to do is probably why you get so many flats Brent.
A 150 four would be cool for those long cruising days. Any kinda distance at over 50...

[90GTVert]

Definitely kills tires riding on the shoulder. One day I split a tire wide open with a clam shell of all things. When I ride nothing but back roads where I can stay in the lane of travel I get way less flats. It doesn't help that I like top explore sometimes. If I can get out on a nice summer night I end up just riding around areas I've never really checked out... often where there is new construction. Usually end up with a screw or nail in a tire.

I'd honestly say that riding a scooter faster than maybe 30MPH on the shoulder is a bad idea period. I don't heed my own advice, but I know I should. ride enough miles on the shoulder and you will surely see why. the low speed is just an easier way to avoid stuff and cars get weird if you ride at their speed on the shoulder sometimes. I've had people try to run me off the road (seriously swerve at me not just playing around or something... what's wrong with some people?). A deer running out in front of you and a car beside you at 50+MPH is a scary experience. If someone tries to pass and doesn't have room... cars won't notice you and swerve right into your lane so they don't get hit by the passer. There are just so many reasons it's a bad idea to travel on the shoulder, especially at speed.

That said, I wrote to my delegates when they were talking about banning riding on shoulders of certain roads in MD. Without riding on shoulders and not being allowed in the regular lane in some spots, it would be hard to get around in this area.

[jimh]

I must admit, I did ride the 150 illegally but was never comfortable...always looking over my shoulder and just plain feeling sneaky; I don't like doing the wrong thing which is why I jumped at the chance to unload it. The guy I traded promised a title but never came through.

[jimh]

Hey guys, all summer during the high heat and humidity my scoot has been running terrible; slow takeoffs after warmed up, only wants to run at wot, just no variation in throttle. Now on those days in 70's and low 80's with low humidity, she runs like a scalded dog with proper throttle response. What I've done is switched back, temporarily, to the stock muffler. This gives me the bottom end needed for excellent takeoffs up to 30mph. 30-40 is slower coming on but at least I'm able to ride and enjoy scooting during the dang heatwave. Sometime in October I'll switch back to the Technigas but for now, at least I'm mobile. Hope you all are having a good summer.

[90GTVert]

That sounds like a pretty good idea. Much easier than constantly trying to tune for weather changes. This humid summer has kept me from wanting to ride nearly as much as well. I wanna see cooler temps, but you gotta be careful what you wish for. lol

[jimh]

I hear that...I've complained all summer about the heat, this winter I'll be crying about the cold and snow and swollen joints; getting old sucks.

[jimh]

Here is one for you guys, can you tell me what the effects of running 15x12's in a variator meant for 17x12's would be? I think I know but would like to hear it from people I trust.

[90GTVert]

That's a good question. Since the diameter is the same, the top speed or takeoff shouldn't be affected. I would think you might hear some additional noise at idle from the rollers moving around. Perhaps you would run a risk of the rollers getting out of place with extra room to move?

[jimh]

I have noticed rattling at idle...would 2mm make a difference in how far the vari opens?