This is social media, not a magic 8-ball simulator. π
With zero context of you and your circumstances, you're only going to get responses equal in value to rolling a die or flipping a coin.
this post was submitted on 23 Jan 2025
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All signs point to yes
Any reason you can't use a regular bike?
Not universal advice but most people could use more exercise.
They oughta call it a lessped
Since you provide zero additional context to your question as to your current transport situation or geographical area, I have to believe that you are doing fine as is, and therefore conclude that there is no need for it.
My recommendation is thus:
"No, you shouldn't"
Since you provide zero additional context to your question as to your current transport situation or geographical area, I have to believe that you are doing fine as is, and therefore conclude that there is no need for it.
'My' recommendation is thus:
"HELL YA BROTHER"
Only if you get a Rickenbacker 4001 and start hitting kids with it.
Hi I'm a weirdo who lives in a Philadelphia suburb and whose main transit mode is 50cc scooter (even in this fuckshit cold ass weather).
Some advice:
- practice tight and quick turns without tipping over
- wear helmet and high vis always
- ride like you're invisible. assume that nobody sees you
- wear bandana/scarf tucked into bottom of helmet & collar of shirt/jacket. insects can get sucked up into your helmet otherwise...
- get anti fog helmet shield and if you wear glasses get some anti fog cleaning wipes
- get a cover and use it (i store mine in the seat trunk)
- make sure you know a mechanic who can work on it if you can't do it yourself
- have backup transit for dangerous weather (I'm lucky to live in an area with bad but usable public transit and Lyft)
- don't underestimate wind
- put high octane gas in it. it's such a tiny engine that the extra energy density makes a noticeable difference in acceleration
I spend $2/week on gas, $240/year on insurance, and have spent less than $200 on mechanic's fees (oil changes, etc.) in 3 years of owning it. I have been crushing my debt with the money saved not having a car. It's a powerful way to save money if you're willing to sacrifice comfort, item/passenger transport capacity, and to some extent reliability
I am with you 100% and you're living the dream. I am jealous, but my present commute would never accomodate this :(
Higher octane gas is not more energy dense than normal gas. Octane is a measure of the fuel's ability to resist combustion. Some more highly strung engines require higher octane fuel. Others will run fine on "regular", but have sensors that enable them to do things like advance the ignition timing, change cam timing and phasing, etc to make more power with higher octane fuel. The final camp of engines is optimized for regular fuel and putting higher octane fuel in them won't measurably impact performance (power, fuel economy), but it might make the engine sound a little nicer due to reduced pinging. Not that you would even hear that in a modern vehicle thanks to all the optimization and sound deadening.
But! At $2/week in fuel you have very little to lose. If it's fuel injected and has coil on pack ignition, it might even be able to take a touch more power by running more aggressive ignition timing.
I keep going back and forth about whether I'm imagining it gives better performance or it actually does π
I vaguely knew "higher octane" didn't mean higher percentage of 8-C hydrocarbons but definitely believed the misconception that it was higher energy density. Hm.
It definitely doesn't have much in the way of sensors (though it does seem to adjust the idle speed in cold weather through some mechanism). It has spark plugs and a carburetor so no dice on coil on pack ignition or fuel injection.
The mechanic I took it to did say he thought it would run better in cold weather with higher octane fuel but didn't elaborate.
There's very little to run at your fuel consumption rate, so go for it!
It's probably a difference of ~20Β’ when I fill it yeah, lol. And doesn't seem to be causing any knocking or other ill effects so no change at worst and real/perceived improvement at best yeah
Knocking is usually pre-ignition and higher octane fuel will reduce that. Knock sensors are one of inputs to the engine control algorithm's "how much can I mess with timing" game.
Why not an eBike? I'd always prefer that over a moped personally.
Fat bikes are basically that
As someone who picked up an eFat last summer, I really regret not going for moped or shelling out for eMoto like surron.
The main thing that bother me is that I thought bicycle parts would be largely commodified and interchangeable, but what I've met instead was a lot of gatekeeping and ridiculously overpriced parts. For example, rear suspension is still somehow a luxury on bicycles while being an essential piece on pretty much every motor vehicle and even modern electric scooters and EUC's out there.
Another is that all that extra weight makes it a terrible as a bicycle, to the point I don't really want to pedal like ever.
This combined makes the pro of being able to ride the sidewalks pointless - I'd be much better off driving the road.
But then, from a motorcycle perspective, I got a fraction of range and speed for the same price, for the pro of being able to store it in my apartment... But I kind of have to, because unlike motorcycle, there's no alarm, no ignition key, zero security features, and the battery dies in the cold so I can't even keep it in my garage.
There is another pro that I don't need a driving license... well, technically I do because the power rating falls into moped range, but nobody ever checks that, so people commonly get away with 5kV+ eMoto's and supercharged mopeds just as well.
I'm thinking of getting an e-bike. Any suggestions on where I should start researching e-bikes?
If you have a decent bike shop nearby, I'd recommend going there and asking for advice on what to get. You should also be able to go for short test rides there on any bikes that interest you. Before buying, also research the bike online to see if there are any common issues or complaints with it.
At 50cc an e-bike isn't much slower. I've been eyeing some electric unicycles and although they're expensive the range and speed can be quite good. As someone else mentioned though be aware of the insurance implications.
What speeds are normally done on the roads you would be riding it on? Up to 50-60km/h you would be ok with 50cc, if traffic normally flows faster than that then get a larger displacement bike/scooter. Bikes are a more enjoyable method of transport than your average car but it's noticeably less fun (and more dangerous) if you can't at least keep up with traffic.
Make sure to allocate some money for protective gear as well as a bike. If you're sensible bikes are nowhere near as dangerous as some people like to make out but if something does go wrong some proper bike gear does make a big difference.
An ice cream sandwich would be substantially less expensive, and youβd look a lot cooler riding that than a moped.
Mopeds are like fat chicks, really fun to ride as long as no one sees you.
At 50cc I would get an e-bike, mine can travel at similar speeds and it's a fun ride, very maneuverable. I consider a scooter only if I could afford one that was reliable, preferably stylish and could hit 45 mph easily because then it could comfortably run on the 35 mph streets around here.
But sure, if you want one and it fits your transportation needs, why not?
At 50cc I would get an e-bike
Agreed. The e-bikes have reached around the same performance, maybe more.
Keep in mind the battery lifespan tho. They degrade drastically overtime. This is one thing that keeps me on ICE.
I have a moped, but it's 110cc instead, can travel 80 km/h easily, max out at around 100 km/h.
Keep in mind the battery lifespan tho. They degrade drastically overtime.
For most people the batteries will outlast the bikes. After 30,000km or so, you may have to exchange the battery. My 2020 eBike's battery hasn't noticably gotten worse.
They must've improved while I wasn't looking, then. I'm glad to know that.
What about ebikes?
I've been thinking about purchasing an e-bike (I just sold my car because I never use it). Do you have any suggestions where I should begin researching for the quality of e-bikes?
where I should begin researching for the quality of e-bikes?
I would start here.
Thanks, I'll give this a read.
If you're in a city sure. Those tiny scooters have been pretty popular it seems. Out in the corn fields less so, when every little hub of a few small shops is at least 5 miles apart that might get a bit annoying.
I just got back from thailand and i definitely want to get one for getting around my city
Depends on your location. Some cities are downright hostile to vehicles with fewer than 4 wheels and you put your life on the line every time you go out. Make sure your city has adequate road infrastructure and driving laws that take 2-wheel vehicles into account.
Some cities are downright hostile to vehicles with fewer than 4 wheels and you put your life on the line every time you go out.
Even in cities where they're common...
I lived in Hawaii where they're all over, and even tho I'm basically a giant I rode one too. One day I was a couple cars back from a 4 way stop, and there was a woman on a scooter a few cars ahead. I'm tall enough I could see over cars on it, so I saw her wait her turn, slowly pull out into the intersection...
And the truck to her left just guns it, hits her pretty hard, and then just drives off.
She did everything right and just got demolished.
I call them mopeds too, and Iβm in California. A scooter, to me, is a two wheel vehicle with a flat platform you stand on and handlebars sticking up in the front. A moped has a seat.
Depending where you live and your financial situation. Itβs good for picking up girls at that age, or impress the boys. Donβt get one if donβt need one. Donβt get one if you canβt afford one. And if you get one, take 49cc because the insurance is cheaper.
Where you are makes a huge difference. The last city I lived in was actively hostile to bikes of any kind. The medium-sized city I live in now has over 200 miles of dedicated bike paths, many of them completely separate from roadways. The community matches the infrastructure and is quite friendly to bicyclists.
we call them mopeds here, too
There is a local perception that people only ride these things when they can't get a license for whatever reason. The common term is "liquorcycle" (with cycle pronounced like sickle).
And don't worry. If an American war-rig mangles your body because the driver was going a little too fast, or not paying attention, they'll probably get a ticket.
Wait do you not need a license to drive a moped in the US?
Some states don't for small engines.
https://www.genuinescooters.com/pages/scooter-and-motorcycle-laws-by-state