This is gonna be Fatmans Scooter

[Rob218]

Originally posted by CasingBill
Thats Big Pimpin' .....

Spread that Cheese.

Hey..Why a scooter? You know with the driving here in SC you'll probably get killed riding it.

[phantomhitman]

i have the same question as above

[cphilip]

Originally posted by Rob218
Hey..Why a scooter?

Just something I am into rebuilding and restoring and...well enjoy messing with. A hobby to some extent. Finding them and fixing them and... Fun to ride as well.


You know with the driving here in SC you'll probably get killed riding it.

I know. Anything on two wheels will get ya killed pretty fast! Watch out for me would ya?

[pbguy888]

How fast do those bad boys go? IS it like ridin a motoercycle , or is it like those annouing mopeds that go 20 mph in the middle fo the durn road and wont let you pass em

[cphilip]

Originally posted by phantomhitman
i have the same question as above

Ok I will flesh it out some for you.

Scooters are basicaly a style of Motorcycle. Made popular right after WWII. Designed to utilize some of the things left over from the war by companies in Italy that were precluded from making anything that could be used for war anymore. Since they were in with the Germans. Now they wanted to utilize a Monocoche body that was becoming popular with Fighter airplanes near the end of that war. They wanted them to be small wheeled to be more manuverable on city streets. And they wanted them to be "Curb fixable" with spare tires and all. And they wanted them to be comfortable so a Woman could ride them in a skirt. Plus they wanted them to shield the rider from mud and from hot pipes. Many of these things plauged Motorcycles of the time and made them impracticle for regular transportation. So since they needed something to build and post war europe needed cheap transportation.... the Scooter was designed. It fit so well it took off and grew all through the 50's and 60's and even into the 70's. Then Regulations and differing needs sort of died out here. But still those needs are met in third world countries where they still thrive. However recently there has been a resurgence in wants for them. And so collectables are forming. The ones I am looking for are the near 20 year old ones. Not yet collectable but will be. Cheap now and easy to get parts for and slowly rusting away in many a barn or backyard.


Now the Scooter as a machine has several things over the Motorcycle. It is more manuverable. Generaly anything with less than 16" wheels could be a scooter. There are several other things it needs to have to realy be a scooter. A sit upright style seating and pass throught leg shield. The motor should be enclosed and behind the rider. After that its pretty much wide open.

Scooters around today are all the way up to 800cc. And thes back in the early days were 90cc then up to 125cc and then later (like mine) 200cc. Most of the Italian ones pretty much end in that range. They are not really so much for touring although some light touring is done. they are more for Urban transportation. These will do around 65 mph. Which is pretty wild on 10" wheels! They are gear shifted on the handle bar. These are four speeds. Manual.

[cphilip]

Originally posted by pbguy888
How fast do those bad boys go? IS it like ridin a motoercycle , or is it like those annouing mopeds that go 20 mph in the middle fo the durn road and wont let you pass em

these I am doing are 200cc 2 strokes. They will do 65mph pretty easy. People do hop them up and hit 80 with them.

Yes its very similar. It is basiclly just a styler of motorcycle. You have to lean into curves at higher speeds and throttle out of curves just the same.

Big difference is your more upright like on a touring motorcycle and you shift with the left grip Clutch is a lever and whole handle rotates to shift gears) not your foot. And your right foot has a pedal brake for the rear. Your right hand is throttle (twist just like any motorcycle) and front brake lever.

Moped is really a bike with pedals. Or used to be. However lately many states consider it to be any "style" look as long as its 50cc or under and does not shift. It cannot go over 30mph either. Those three things is the specification. It can look like a Scooter, look like a bicycle or even look like a "motorcycle" but as long as it meets the definition of a "moped" anymore it is one. Very few states properly use the term Moped anymore.