electric scooter options?

[Cobb]

Well, thats likely my progression in this venture. I would start off with a new gasser as the used ones Ive seen locally are trashed and need work. New ones at the Honda dealer are 3 grand.

Ive riden a bmx as well as schwinn bikes and cant see going 15+ mph on a continious bases alone the sidewalk and feeling safe. Ive riden mopeds, mini bikes, trail bikes that are gassers and felt fine.

Id get one on ebay from China and shake it down. Since I plan on getting rid of my insight, that will leave my sidekick as my other form of transportation. Seems any attempt to service the sidelick results in breaking,stripping hadware so I would need a back up to get parts, hardware, etc where I live.

Once I shake down the moped to be an alternative source of trnaspostation and I had the money I would consider buying parts like an E wheel hub motor, batteries and such to make it electric. Of course I got to make sure I can plug it in where I want to go, otherwise I would be best to keep it gas as there is a station on every corner.

I am not convienced all together this eco or green stuff is all its cracked up to be. Seems the Insight has its battery problems if NOT used, an oll change is double what a regular one is and for the cvt you got to change the fluid too at the same time. Now the state of VA wants to charge hybrid owners 100 bucks a year to off set the gas tax and I only drove 40 miles a day when I had a job.

Did I mention I have a defunct enginer plug in kit? It died after the company went out of business.

[sendler]

The Native electric scooter is about the cheapest one that might hold up at $5000.
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Electric Motorsport EV Parts
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The Kymco Super8 150 is a good deal for a gas scooter capable of 60mph at $3000. The HondaPCX150 is really nice at $3500.
The CBR250R is a great machine that can get 70 mpg at 80 mph for $4300. The new Ninja300 is even faster at $4900. CBR500R will carry two and still get 70 mpg as will the NC700x. Then come the full sized electrics from Zero, Brammo, and Vectrix. $8-12,000. A good DIY Ebike conversion for $1000 will get you 20 miles at 25 mph with some peddling.

[Cobb]

Jesus Christ, for those prices you could get a nice used vahicle with much cleaner emissions. You could do a partial EV conversion of your current vehicle.

I think Ill stick with my 800 dollar cheap chinese one. If it sucks Ill sell it for parts for a few hundred. If it rocks Ill use it and maybe do the ev switch over one day or buy a second one to make an ev and sell the drivetrain?

[sendler]

The best deal on a used scooter that is anything like highway worthy would be something like an old Honda reflex for $1500. If your good at cleaning carburetors, you can buy 20 year old motorcycles for $800.

[P-hack]

For $800ish you can get an actual (used) motorcycle, 125 will work, 250 is enough to keep up with the hiway. Scooters don't P&G well at any speed.

I've got a 24v pedal trike 350w, but the routes to the store are nerve wracking at slow speed. I have an old 80cc yamaha that I have a largeish 1.5hp 24v motor I hope to put in it. It's a weird bosch series thing with separate forward and reverse field terminals. Easy regen I guess (umm, I have to think about that). Will probably require making a custom swingarm and a lot more than 24 volts. But it was cheap, and I've a box of laptop batteries though the bms side is buggin, so I might go cheap pile of SLA for now. But yah, you have to scrap for parts and fabricate and be resourceful and whatnot if you want cheap.

You may want to start with something more than 50cc for legal reasons though if you don't want 50cc/moped restrictions (hoping I can get 45mph). Otherwise an SLA e-bike is dirt cheap and just fine.

[bennelson]

I just recently found out about FLUX scooters.

They are based out of Madison, Wisconsin. Their scooter is a 50cc replacement, all battery electric, with a removable Lion pack. The target market is sort of city/apartment dwellers. It is designed for moped licensing, meaning that you typically wouldn't need a motorcycle license, but top speed is limited as well (which again, is just fine if you are only in the city anyways.)

I test-scooted one (only just briefly around a large parking lot) and thought it was very nice.

It's $1999 USD.

I actually shot a video interview with one of the guys, but haven't had a chance to edit it yet.

Click the link below for their web page.
Flux Mopeds | 100% Electric Mopeds

[Christopher Jordan]

Originally Posted by Cobb

I think Ill stick with my 800 dollar cheap chinese one.

I got a "cheap chinese" 3-wheel electric scooter about 2 years ago on Craigslist. Pretty embarassing how slow it is, but it was $800. and it saves my Ranger from many unnecessary "joyriding" miles. They are sold new for about $1300. but that slow 12 mph top speed keeps me away.

I was hoping that by now Corbin would have that newer model (NOT the Sparrow) available (it has been 2 or 3 years- and even the Zap PU is fadin away here).

My cheap chinese scooter will last a while - I hope.

[ftm1776]

I put together a small solar charging station on my garage roof. A little less that 400 watts in panels. 4 big deep cycle batteries. An MPPT charge controller and a 600 watt pure sine inverter........along with my Hill Topper 250 watt hub motor, I have a pretty neat solar/human hybrid bicycle used for short trips. I'd like to move in to a little larger motor for more speed, say 35 mph, for easier traffic blending on the way to the store. No real traveling intended. I'm looking around..........If gas gets in short supply I can still get around somewhat...

[Christopher Jordan]

Originally Posted by ftm1776

I'd like to move in to a little larger motor for more speed, say 35 mph.

My Chinese scooter trike has been good at everything- except speed Top speed is about 12 mph (20 kph on speedometer).

I saw two EW-36 scooters for sale on Craigslist boasting 18 mph. Looks almost identical to my Handy Trike but they are faster. I wanted one but it had some bad reviews. Mine is great to go to and INTO Safeway or Ace Hardware without the problem of license or registration, but that limit is 20 mph for EVs in CA. with no legal issues. Any higher requires license/insurance/registration/helmet. 35 mph is only a dream for me until I use my Ranger (that PU is a pain in the wallet for me).