AMERICANS: Would you buy a 125cc motorcycle for the street?

[ProDigit]

Originally Posted by Andy_T

I would also say go electric!

I certainly find the Taiwanese Gogoro scooter (which is unfortunately not yet available for normal purchase outside of Taiwan and some other select places) very interesting.

I was riding a KTM Duke 200 (27 hp) for 3 years when I was living in Malaysia, simply because it was the smallest/most affordable "big bike" and I liked it a lot. (Everybody else was riding the more affordable ~125 cc Honda Innova type step-through bikes or scooters as more practical solution)

However, I only used it for commuting, and did not often feel the urge to just go out on the road for a fun trip on it (which I now feel more often on my CB 600 as I am back in Europe).

To get an equal of a 125cc in electric, you'd have to get a 5kW bike, which is close to $16k. It makes no sense at all!
You can get a 50cc replacement scooter by getting a 1600W electric scooter, but you'd not be able to go any faster than 40MPH, and range is still very small on those things.
If they're having Li batteries, that last long, they will probably have a higher price tag as well.

[jkv357]

Originally Posted by Daschicken

Sadly so very true. Its the speed LIMIT, people! At least don't tailgate people going the speed limit, pass when you can and get over it.

64 mpg doesn't sound so great for a 125, but looking on fuelly that seems correct.

True - theoretically.

In reality, traffic flow is much more important. The less difference there is in speeds between vehicles the safer it is.

I lived in the Chicago metro area and the limit was 55 in some sections of the tollway. Traffic was consistently doing 65 to 70, with some going a lot faster than that. If you drove 55, especially on a cycle, you'd be roadkill in no time.

Even though it's not politically correct, it's safer to be overtaking than be overtaken on a cycle (within moderation).

[woodsrat]

Originally Posted by jkv357

True - theoretically.

In reality, traffic flow is much more important. The less difference there is in speeds between vehicles the safer it is.

I lived in the Chicago metro area and the limit was 55 in some sections of the tollway. Traffic was consistently doing 65 to 70, with some going a lot faster than that. If you drove 55, especially on a cycle, you'd be roadkill in no time.

Even though it's not politically correct, it's safer to be overtaking than be overtaken on a cycle (within moderation).

Very true.

I had an Indianapolis police officer tell me he'd quicker write up someone following the 50 MPH downtown interstate speed limit for "obstructing traffic" than he would someone for exceeding it.

So exactly why do we have speed limits? Revenue generation.

[nathan298]

Currently at 37,000 miles on my Honda Grom (95% of which are at WOT, AT OR above redline.) I ride it absolutely everywhere. 20 states, 2 countries, and still counting. It's my daily driver when it's not below 20 Fahrenheit and it isn't pouring rain. I absolutely love this little bike, it's dead reliable (air cooled shouldn't worry you) and fun in all environment other than the interstate...haha. MPG never drops below 90, and you should be able to get close to 125-150 with some hypermiling. Maintenance is cheap too. Top-tier Michelin tires are $50 each, and oil changes are 1 quart of oil and no filter.

[Daschicken]

I do understand the issue of speed differences, and in non congested situations I am certainly not adapting the safest method(car, not bike). Now, when it slows down in the lane next to me I try to keep the speed difference around 20 mph or less, meanwhile the sheeple will gladly keep a 70 mph speed difference. It just takes one person to pull out without looking and the situation goes to hell in a handbasket real quick.

Originally Posted by woodsrat

Very true.

I had an Indianapolis police officer tell me he'd quicker write up someone following the 50 MPH downtown interstate speed limit for "obstructing traffic" than he would someone for exceeding it.

That would piss me off to no end, and I would not hesitate to challenge it in court. That being said, a 50 mph speed limit on an interstate sounds like it would be ignored by literally everyone. There are electronic speed limit signs on my highway commute that will change depending on time of day(traffic), and when I am coming home with light traffic there is often a 45 mph limit on a section of highway. I gladly ignore it, as does everyone else. I believe the next speed limit sign(MAYBE a mile up the road) usually reads 65 mph.

Originally Posted by woodsrat

So exactly why do we have speed limits? Revenue generation.

How about this? I pay my taxes, maybe get a $200 tax stamp for supressor registration, and that's it. Those *******s aren't taking any more of my money. There are plenty of ****ty drivers out there using their phones, not paying attention, and overall not taking driving seriously, go steal their money.
(Not arguing, just ranting)

Originally Posted by nathan298

Currently at 37,000 miles on my Honda Grom (95% of which are at WOT, AT OR above redline.) I ride it absolutely everywhere. 20 states, 2 countries, and still counting. It's my daily driver when it's not below 20 Fahrenheit and it isn't pouring rain. I absolutely love this little bike, it's dead reliable (air cooled shouldn't worry you) and fun in all environment other than the interstate...haha. MPG never drops below 90, and you should be able to get close to 125-150 with some hypermiling. Maintenance is cheap too. Top-tier Michelin tires are $50 each, and oil changes are 1 quart of oil and no filter.

If I wanted a grom I would have one already. No oil filter also doesn't excite me. I am planning to build a separate oil filter apparatus for filtering oil from engines that are unfortunate enough to not have their own filter, but haven't decided on details yet. Should I just cut open an oil filter and pour the oil into the cartridge, collecting what comes out, or do I pull an oil pump/filter assembly off a car/bike and use that to filter oil?

$50 MICHELIN tires sounds pretty awesome though.

[woodsrat]

Takegawa sells remote oil filter setups for the little horizontal motors.

[saturndude]

I commuted on a 1970 cb100 for many years until 5 years ago. It was an awesome bike and got about 90mpg and maxed out at 67mph

Now I have a Suzuki sv650 that I commute with, splitting lanes both ways everyday down the 101 and 405 freeways, I feel comfortable at about 30-35mph when traffic is not moving. I have a narrow box no wider than me, no bar end mirrors keeps me narrow, about 18" wide. I always go faster than traffic for safety, 90+mph when traffic is moving fast.

Going easy I get 55mpg.
I never get under 45mpg no matter how hard I ride.

6 gears, liquid cooled v twin with about 90hp that gets 55mpg easily (could do much better if driven for hypermiling I bet) got mine for $1300 used, dead reliable (now at 70k miles with just regular maintenance), weighs under 400lbs.

I also have a 50cc Aprilia scooter that is liquid cooled, fuel injected, oil injected, air injected, 100mpg, 63mph

Add in the grom with potential for knobby tires and I feel like the market demand would be lacking

Don't get me wrong, I agree the XL175 is basically my ideal bike.

But for a few less mpg, my SV is faster than a lambo
I think there is probably just enough market to support I slightly cheaper alternative to the grom, I don't even know, there may be?

[Frank Lee]

Yes I'd buy one.

[ProDigit]

Originally Posted by nathan298

Currently at 37,000 miles on my Honda Grom (95% of which are at WOT, AT OR above redline.) I ride it absolutely everywhere. 20 states, 2 countries, and still counting. It's my daily driver when it's not below 20 Fahrenheit and it isn't pouring rain. I absolutely love this little bike, it's dead reliable (air cooled shouldn't worry you) and fun in all environment other than the interstate...haha. MPG never drops below 90, and you should be able to get close to 125-150 with some hypermiling. Maintenance is cheap too. Top-tier Michelin tires are $50 each, and oil changes are 1 quart of oil and no filter.

Hypermiling on a small bike does very little, since it has no weight to keep it rolling.
Believe me, I've tried, I used to have a roketa m05 127, a 4 SPD manual motorcycle, which I geared from the 44 tooth rear sprocket to a 34 tooth the smallest I could equip it with, and the max I could get out of those air cooled bikes is 100-125MPG.
It got 96MPG on the highway doing 55-60mph, depending on the wind.
And 120 mpg doing 40mph at 3k rpm.
Any heavier gearing, and the bike would accelerate slower than a 50cc from a stop.

But anyway, I think they should put a temp sensor and a fan on that air cooled cylinder, and increase the compression ratio. It would make more sense than a watercooling system.

[jkv357]

Originally Posted by saturndude

Now I have a Suzuki sv650 that I commute with, splitting lanes both ways everyday down the 101 and 405 freeways, I feel comfortable at about 30-35mph when traffic is not moving. I have a narrow box no wider than me, no bar end mirrors keeps me narrow, about 18" wide. I always go faster than traffic for safety, 90+mph when traffic is moving fast.

Going easy I get 55mpg.
I never get under 45mpg no matter how hard I ride.

+1 on the SV!

The newer (2007 and up) engines are dual plug, and do even better on gas.

2nd Gens (2003- 2007) are F.I. which helps as well, but generally most SV650 get over 50 no matter where you ride if you are just cruising.

I've seen over 60 on occasion with my 2006, but normally get about 55 everywhere.