50cc's to Mt. Mitchel

[KG4CGC]

So I started out yesterday at 06:30 to ride up to Asheville and join a group to make our way up to the Blue Ridge Parkway. We headed up past many a vistas and made it to the top of Mt. Mitchel. While there we also hit Hwy 80 to get our pictures made on a notorious curve by a roadside photographer called Blind Kenny. Blind Kenny posts his wares on the web and you can purchase them through his website.

People gathered in this group from places as far flung as Canada but most from from NC, SC, Georgia, Tenn, Virginia and a guy from Michigan. They stayed at the Motel6 in Asheville for the 4 day event which is still ongoing as I type. I participated in the Friday festivities. While the ride up the Parkway was cool, 30 of us rode from the motel to Hendersonville via Hwy 25. They were going to attend a shop. One of the guys is a fabricator and recently moved to Hendo to live and set up shop. He was taking apart his brand new Zuma that had an odd breakdown while we were on the parkway.

A lot of these bikes are highly modded and while a stocker runs damn near silently, some of the noisefrom these bikes would make a Harley rider hang his head in shame. (loud exhaust comments aside) Imagine a group of 30 scooters running down Business 25 through a few town on a Friday evening through traffic. It was priceless! The looks and reactions alone from the local drivers was a sight all its own. Too bad I don't have video of that.

At the end of the day I got home at 23:10 with 246 miles exactly added to the clock. Ran flawlessly and spent less than 8 bucks on gas.

Here's a crappy cellphone shot of my Ruck at the restaurant parking lot at Mt. Mitchel.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/551736_10150900743643473_444939301_n.jpg

Here's the album taken with the better camera.
http://s25.photobucket.com/albums/c79/bebop5/The%20Con%202012/?start=all



I'm looking for the photographer from Hwy 80. Will post it up later.

EDIT: http://www.blindkenny.com/index.html

[NQ6U]

Kewl, looks like a good time, Charles.

Damn, I miss my old Beemer. Been having motorcycle dreams lately.

[kf0rt]

Some of those look too small to be street legal.

[KG4CGC]

Some of those look too small to be street legal.

Street legal but not for the interstate.
My route to Asheville took me over 2 mountains. Ceasar's Head has very tight twisties that fold back on themselves until you reach the summit. The other side isn't quite as bad and rolls into NC. Soon after you head into Dupont Forest before hitting the Crab Creek area and flowing into downtown Hendersonville. From there hwy 25 takes you into outer Asheville where I hit the Blue Ridge Parkway to reach Tunnel Rd for a short straight shot to the gathering area.

There is a couple of shops and fabricators in Colorado which have specialized products and services for the Honda Ruckus. Two of my parts came from your area.
The pink one has a 150cc motor and is tagged and registered as a motorcycle.

[N8YX]

Check out some of the mainland Japanese work with these machines. I thought the custom Harley crowd was obsessive...

[KG4CGC]

Check out some of the mainland Japanese work with these machines. I thought the custom Harley crowd was obsessive...

If I had EFI like the Japanese on theirs, every change made would be plug and play.
The stuff they do to not only Rucks but scooters in general in Japan is mind blowing.

http://i.cdn.cnngo.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/inline_image_624x416/2010/07/15/_MG_8420.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j305/bradthreee/MC1.png

[n2ize]

Do you think could make it from my neck of the woods all the way down to your neck of the woods on a 49cc moped from 1978 with no title or plates ???? I've had a recurrent dream of riding the thing from my house all the way to the Adirondacks and the Canada border. Maybe I'd have better luck if I point it south towards the Mason/Dixon line. Too many steep hills up north and the ol' Peugeot is not a good hill climba.

[KG4CGC]

Do you think could make it from my neck of the woods all the way down to your neck of the woods on a 49cc moped from 1978 with no title or plates ???? I've had a recurrent dream of riding the thing from my house all the way to the Adirondacks and the Canada border. Maybe I'd have better luck if I point it south towards the Mason/Dixon line. Too many steep hills up north and the ol' Peugeot is not a good hill climba.

First of all, comply with all your state's regulations regarding your ride. Second, Google maps is your friend. Plot a route that stays off of interstates. There's a guy currently riding from Minnesota to Mexico right now as I type. There is a guy who rode a Rucks from East Coast to West Coast and here's a guy who rode a Metropolitan from Maryland to Los Angeles.

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/tstories/vandyck/001330.php#001330

[n2ize]

Problem is I need a title to get plates and I have no title. So it's an off-road bike unless I can find an alternative.

[KG4CGC]

Problem is I need a title to get plates and I have no title. So it's an off-road bike unless I can find an alternative.

http://moped2.org/laws/new-york.htm

You're not doing anything with it now, file for a lost title.
You could always dip into your pen budget and get a new(er)(ish) one.

[NA4BH]

You could always dip into your pen budget and get a new(er)(ish) one.

LOL

[KG4CGC]

Blind Kenny pics are up!

http://blindkenny.photoreflect.com/store/Orderpage.aspx?pi=1VLV004W000140&po=140&pc=167
http://blindkenny.photoreflect.com/store/Orderpage.aspx?pi=1VLV004W000065&po=65&pc=167
http://blindkenny.photoreflect.com/store/Orderpage.aspx?pi=1VLV004W000063&po=63&pc=167

[KB3LAZ]

Scooters are super popular here and so are customizations. I see more scooters here on a daily basis than I have ever seen bikes at bike night back in the states. The 50cc scooters are uber popular with the ladies and high school or college kids. 125cc is the main squeeze so to speak. Larger scooters do show up such as the 250, 300, and 400 but not very popular.

You want to talk about variety, damn! There are so many brands of scooter around here its unreal. The pricing ranges significantly as well. New you can go as low as 800€ for a 50cc to 10,000 for a 400cc.

Also ever popular are 125cc motorcycles. Unlike with the states it isnt the cc rating that makes you need a motorcycle permit. Its the HP. I think anything under 12.5BPH is no license of any kind needed. (I dont recall) We also have cars that are the same way. However, anything that is under this mark is forbiden for interstate use or use on a road with a speed limit over 80KMPH.

I was thinking about a honda 250vtr, however I found something else I like better.

http://www.kymco.co.uk/zing_125_motorbike

UK link so it is in English. MSRP in Spain is 2500€ however there are a few shops that have NOS of a previous years model for 2000€. Also, a few places are running specials for the newest model for 2500€ but you get helm, gloves, boots, armored jacket and pants. Which is a hell of a deal. On the cheap end that is 800€ in riding gear.

Also, a friend of Pilar´s has one that is a year old he wants to sell off before he moves to Ireland. 1000€. Thinking real hard about picking it up. (Got my official job offer on Friday. xD Only have to wait for my residency card to start. That is about 5 weeks away.)

PS, It looks like you have a lot of fun with that little ruckus. Im glad you enjoy it. =)

[w2amr]

If I were to get involved in this sort of activity, I might go for one of these adorable little numbers.:lol:
http://imgc.classistatic.com/cps/blnc/120519/147r1/04467m2_20.jpeg

[n2ize]

.
http://moped2.org/laws/new-york.htm

You're not doing anything with it now, file for a lost title.
You could always dip into your pen budget and get a new(er)(ish) one.

Geeze... It's easier to own and register an aircraft than to own and register a motor scooter in NYS.

I got this bike for free, it was given to me by a friend who had it in his garage and wasn't using it. I spent some time fixing it up, added on new tires & tubes, fixed the headlamp, put on a new taillight, added on a new mirror, etc. I think it needs new brakes... the last few times I rode it the brakes were squeaking something awful. I ran it on a mixure of gasoline and outboard motor oil which it seemed to like. Problem is it's in my parents garage and my Dad has it successfully buried it under a tone of wood and assorted junk. I can't even see the thing, but I assume it's buried under there somewhere. The mess is so monumental and overwhelming I can hardly find the motivation to clean it. Tons of stuff needs to be sorted and thrown out and the problem is most of the stuff isn't mine. And finally, when I do get it out of there I don;t know what kind of shape I'll find it in. Gonna have to flush out the old gas thats been sitting in there for years, clean the tank, probably needs new tires again, etc. Well, we'll see when I yank it out of there. :)

A new bike might be nice but, I am thinking, if I am going to invest in an entirely new bike I may as well get a full size motorcycle, register it, get my motorcycle license and take it from there.

[n2ize]

If I were to get involved in this sort of activity, I might go for one of these adorable little numbers.:lol:
http://imgc.classistatic.com/cps/blnc/120519/147r1/04467m2_20.jpeg

Hey George, you'll really shake up the town when you are out riding around on that thing !! :lol:

[NQ6U]

If I were to get involved in this sort of activity, I might go for one of these adorable little numbers.:lol:
http://imgc.classistatic.com/cps/blnc/120519/147r1/04467m2_20.jpeg

Feh. I'm not into that sort of macho posturing.

[w2amr]

Feh. I'm not into that sort of macho posturing.
It takes a special man.:lol:

[kf0rt]

If I were to get involved in this sort of activity, I might go for one of these adorable little numbers.:lol:
http://imgc.classistatic.com/cps/blnc/120519/147r1/04467m2_20.jpeg

Have you been hanging around the playground again?

[NQ6U]

It takes a special man.:lol:

Hello...

[w2amr]

Hello...Indeed.:mrgreen:

[N2CHX]

Very cool, Charles! Love your scooter, it looks badass.

[KG4CGC]

Very cool, Charles! Love your scooter, it looks badass.

Thanks, but let's not tell George. ☺

[KG4CGC]

Kewl, looks like a good time, Charles.

Damn, I miss my old Beemer. Been having motorcycle dreams lately.

Brother Carlo, you should do it. Find something you like that you can work on and find a group that's based on that brand and just ride. You can learn a lot about maintenance from others and usually these internet based groups are not clubs in the formal sense and cost nothing to join.
In the coming months I may go for a motorcycle license. It'll be cheaper on insurance than a car and lower maintenance costs are always a plus.

[N2CHX]

Thanks, but let's not tell George. ☺

You talkin' about my George or some other George? :dunno:

[KG4CGC]

AMR George.

[N2CHX]

AMR George.

Ah, OK.

[KG4CGC]

Ah, OK.

But now we know someone's name who was before nameless to the rest of us ;) LOL!

[N2CHX]

But now we know someone's name who was before nameless to the rest of us ;) LOL!

Yeah, except we broke up. Oh well. Onward and upward.

[KG4CGC]

Yeah, except we broke up. Oh well. Onward and upward.

Dang gurl. You a wild child!

[N2CHX]

Dang gurl. You a wild child!

Never to be tamed. :evil:

[N8YX]

Yeah, except we broke up. Oh well. Onward and upward.
Inward and outward? :chin:

[KG4CGC]

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c79/bebop5/Bike%20Parts/984f37e0.jpg

[N2CHX]

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c79/bebop5/Bike%20Parts/984f37e0.jpg

Nice! Who's that sexy guy?

[KG4CGC]

LOL! Chick Magnet! LOL!

[N2CHX]

LOL! Chick Magnet! LOL!

I like a man with big.... tires.

[KG4CGC]

I like a man with big.... tires.

The better to slam that pavement.

[KG4CGC]

After the Clown Apocalypse, The only thing left running aside from the military will be the Honda Ruckus.


http://i1103.photobucket.com/albums/g461/drewfinnie/TRCONTEST1.jpg

[KG4CGC]

If I were to get involved in this sort of activity, I might go for one of these adorable little numbers.:lol:
http://imgc.classistatic.com/cps/blnc/120519/147r1/04467m2_20.jpeg
http://i670.photobucket.com/albums/vv66/drowsports/Tom%20Goes%20to%20the%20DROWSports/P7102000.jpg