Weldangrind. This is for you.

[katoranger]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Harley-Chopper-Scooter-Rigid-Springer-Kikker-/270677655222?pt=US_motorcycles&hash=item3f05a53eb6

[Weldangrind]

Those are pretty cool; too bad we can't ride 'em in Canada.

BTW, I think that's a guy I know from another forum.

[Jim]

Is that the sort of idea you're going for with your project?

[Weldangrind]

It was. It has changed about three times now. The latest vision is a street tracker, but Son of Weldangrind isn't sure he wants to ride a 50cc anything. I'm tryin' to tell him that it means freedom with a learner's license, but he's not sold. No big deal. If he doesn't like it, I'm sure that somebody else will.

[katoranger]

Well, I like it.

Surprise that he doesn't want something to ride. I couldn't wait to have that freedom.

[Weldangrind]

Me too! I had a Vespa moped at 14 (he'll be 16 in March), and I put 7000 km on it in two summers in Alberta. For the unfamiliar, summer in Alberta is rather short.

He's more worried about the perception of other kids. I tried to tell him that even if kids bug you about it, I'd bet that they would all want to ride it. I'd do my best to make it look pretty cool.

Again, I don't think I'll have any trouble selling my creation, so I might build it anyway. I sure have enough junk laying around to do it.

[katoranger]

I was never cool. :roll: Geek/Nerd. Didn't care either. Who else thought a diesel chevette was a great car.

Anyway that bike is cool.

[Weldangrind]

I think it is too. I'm trying to figure out his claims about it being registered as a Honda. I thought that Kikker Hardknock bikes had legal registration in the US. That bike is clearly a Kikker.

[katoranger]

IL is one of the stickler states I think. He appears to have used a honda engine from a honda of some sorts and used the engine number to register it.

[Jim]

He might change his mind once you have it done ;)

[Weldangrind]

I think you're right Jim. I think that Son of Weldangrind visualizes the guy on the scooter when he thinks of a 50cc bike: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7hmYmQ778w

We'll see.

[katoranger]

You found the vid of me on my scooter. 8O :lol:

You build the bike with the 50cc now. Later swap something bigger in place and you have an economical cruiser.

[Weldangrind]

Exactly what I was thinking Allen. That said, he doesn't want to ride anything less than a 200. :roll:

Maybe this bike will be for me. :D

[FastDoc]

Cool is in who a person is, not what he rides. 8)

I was/am also a self proclaimed geek. I had a 50cc Moto Guzzi moped when I was 15. Kids thought I was uncool, but they all wanted to ride it. :P

[Weldangrind]

I agree with you Doc. Maybe Son of Weldangrind will come around once the bike is rideable.

[Reveeen]

The "deal" is this: insured scooter @ 14, @ 16 you hopefully have 2 years insured accident free (fingers crossed) and cheaper insurance on something "real" than you would otherwise have. LOTS cheaper!

3rd class riding always beat 1st class walking here.

[Weldangrind]

Agreed. Unfortunately for Son of Weldangrind, you can't get a learner's permit at 14 in BC. He would have been all over it then.

In BC, you may obtain your learner's at 16, and then get your class 5 shortly thereafter, on a graduated licensing program.

[Reveeen]

Agreed. Unfortunately for Son of Weldangrind, you can't get a learner's permit at 14 in BC.

They do some sort of test here at 14 that allows operation of a scooter/moped, it is not a learners, or beginners.

[Jim]

Actually Reveen has a very good point. You should go through with this, and insure it in SOW&G's name. Insurance on something like that should be very cheap, and it will help him build up a discount. Without an ICBC discount, you spend a ton of money, if he can get it out of the way with minimal investment that would be a great idea.

[MICRider]

Me too! I had a Vespa moped at 14 (he'll be 16 in March), and I put 7000 km on it in two summers in Alberta. For the unfamiliar, summer in Alberta is rather short.

He's more worried about the perception of other kids. I tried to tell him that even if kids bug you about it, I'd bet that they would all want to ride it. I'd do my best to make it look pretty cool.

Again, I don't think I'll have any trouble selling my creation, so I might build it anyway. I sure have enough junk laying around to do it.

Speaking of perceptions of cool... I was at a show and shine a few years back with my Shadow. Lot's of really nice iron there of all different brands. The bike that got the most attention though was an old scooter, I think it was a Vespa and it was all beat to crap. Faded paint and rust, he even had to fiddle with it to get it going when we all left. The fellow that was riding it must have been about 16 and he had an ear to ear grin the whole time he was there. Heck, he got way more attention than all the rest of us with our shiny bikes :D

Cheers,
Stew

[Weldangrind]

Actually Reveen has a very good point. You should go through with this, and insure it in SOW&G's name. Insurance on something like that should be very cheap, and it will help him build up a discount. Without an ICBC discount, you spend a ton of money, if he can get it out of the way with minimal investment that would be a great idea.

That was my plan Jim, but ICBC says it's unneccessary. Apparently, you work towards your 40% discount from the moment you have your "N". You don't need to insure a vehicle or even drive at all.

Nevertheless, if he's gonna ride it, he's gonna insure it in his name.

[Weldangrind]

Me too! I had a Vespa moped at 14 (he'll be 16 in March), and I put 7000 km on it in two summers in Alberta. For the unfamiliar, summer in Alberta is rather short.

He's more worried about the perception of other kids. I tried to tell him that even if kids bug you about it, I'd bet that they would all want to ride it. I'd do my best to make it look pretty cool.

Again, I don't think I'll have any trouble selling my creation, so I might build it anyway. I sure have enough junk laying around to do it.

Speaking of perceptions of cool... I was at a show and shine a few years back with my Shadow. Lot's of really nice iron there of all different brands. The bike that got the most attention though was an old scooter, I think it was a Vespa and it was all beat to crap. Faded paint and rust, he even had to fiddle with it to get it going when we all left. The fellow that was riding it must have been about 16 and he had an ear to ear grin the whole time he was there. Heck, he got way more attention than all the rest of us with our shiny bikes :D

Cheers,
Stew

I always loved the lines of the classic Vespa scooters, but mine was nowhere near that cool. It was a 1981 Vespa Grande moped, and it couldn't get out of it's own way. You had to pedal it to start it, because there was no kicker or electric start. The center stand was really flimsy, so I had to lean it up against a pole when I parked it. The '81 didn't have an injector, so I had to have a jerry can full of premix at home. The rear brake always came loose at the backing plate, and even gobs of Loctite wouldn't hold it. It was a bear to warm up on a cold morning, because as soon as you twisted the throttle, the choke released and it stalled again. It ate spark plugs at an alarming rate.

I loved it with all my heart. :D

[Jim]

That was my plan Jim, but ICBC says it's unneccessary. Apparently, you work towards your 40% discount from the moment you have your "N". You don't need to insure a vehicle or even drive at all.

Nevertheless, if he's gonna ride it, he's gonna insure it in his name.

I didn't know that, I thought you actually needed something insured... Huh. :)

40% makes a huge difference. I think ICBC could be a good thing, but I don't think it is right now, rates seem pretty high compared to what people seem to pay in the USA. On top of that, if a young person (16ish) gets one of those jobs with Gordon Campbells "training wage" or even the low min wage, I don't know how they could afford to insure a vehicle paying 40% extra.

[Reveeen]

I have no idea what insurance currently costs, I'm a member of a group, so PL/PD costs me $400/year (passenger vehicle/light truck) a scooter costs me $50.

PL/PD cost me, at 16, $1800/6 months (1968), on a $1000 wreck I rebuilt

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lotus_Elan

[katoranger]

I have no idea what insurance currently costs, I'm a member of a group, so PL/PD costs me $400/year (passenger vehicle/light truck) a scooter costs me $50.



That is pretty good. I pay about $75 for liability on a bike. Doesn't matter too much what size.

Also about $400 a year for the liability on my truck. The other car about the same and the van more since it has full coverage.

If it lived in a rural area it would be alot less.

[Jim]

I have a 43% discount, and a $1500 sunfire, and the basic insurance costs me around $100 a month.

[katoranger]

Yikes. It is about $30 a month for basice on my truck. The 97 buick about the same.

[Jim]

Our insurance is run by the government, and they take money out of the insurance profits for general revenue, that way they can give personal income tax cuts for good PR even though they're really just shifting the tax from income to user fees...