How to dramatically lighten a China bike?

[Boatguy]

Originally Posted by GypsyR

I'm just hanging in here because I'd really like to see what the final selection is and how/if it works out. Thread's kind of deteriorating though.

A little bit. We’ll get it back on track. It’s already back.

Really leaning toward the Orion at this point.

[Megadan]

Originally Posted by Boatguy

A little bit. We’ll get it back on track. It’s already back.

Really leaning toward the Orion at this point.

I think the Orion is the right bike for you as long as you can register it.

[Boatguy]

Originally Posted by Megadan

I think the Orion is the right bike for you as long as you can register it.

It does say on the website that it comes with an MCO that says “motorcycle”.

I’m thinking that should do the trick.

In my state, it was not even easy to register the Xpect. They did it, but they just had to use “misc. motorcycle” as the type, since using the VIN didn’t produce any model they could use on the registration

I’m assuming it would be exactly the same process

[Mikd]

I picked this up this summer. It's light, cheap, gets close to 100mpg, cruises easily as 55mph even with a passenger and just plain works. The 14 inch wheels are helpful with bumps and light offloading. Top speed is about 65. It's a Vertacci 200 (168cc).

[Boatguy]

Originally Posted by Mikd

I picked this up this summer. It's light, cheap, gets close to 100mpg, cruises easily as 55mph even with a passenger and just plain works. The 14 inch wheels are helpful with bumps and light offloading. Top speed is about 65. It's a Vertacci 200 (168cc).

That’s pretty nice for speed and I have to admit I am a bit jealous of the built-in cargo areas on scooters. Seems really nice for getting groceries and doing errands. That’s basically what it would be for me. Just a small “car” that can go 100 miles (fill ups ok) and come back the next day. Street legal and able to keep up with traffic.

However, not sure how much the Vertacci 200 weighs. Could you post that? I did a search and I’m coming up with a lot of different numbers for this one

[Megadan]

Originally Posted by Boatguy

That’s pretty nice for speed and I have to admit I am a bit jealous of the built-in cargo areas on scooters. Seems really nice for getting groceries and doing errands. That’s basically what it would be for me. Just a small “car” that can go 100 miles (fill ups ok) and come back the next day. Street legal and able to keep up with traffic.

However, not sure how much the Vertacci 200 weighs. Could you post that? I did a search and I’m coming up with a lot of different numbers for this one

232lbs dry weight on the Vitacci Clash 200 EFI. I was heavily considering one last year so I did a lot of research.

[Boatguy]

Originally Posted by Megadan

232lbs dry weight on the Vitacci Clash 200 EFI. I was heavily considering one last year so I did a lot of research.

Thanks for that. I did see that number in some places.

A bit of a weight savings but not huge weight savings compared to the Orion.

This stuff is never easy ha ha

It seems like the perfect thing just never exists does it?

[Megadan]

Originally Posted by Boatguy

Thanks for that. I did see that number in some places.

A bit of a weight savings but not huge weight savings compared to the Orion.

This stuff is never easy ha ha

It seems like the perfect thing just never exists does it?

Pretty much, yeah. The art of compromise is most often exercised against life itself.

[Boatguy]

For the record, the goal was to end up with the absolute lightest street legal bike possible that can go 100 miles one day, then turn around and go 100 miles back the next day. Being high up and visible is pretty important to me too.

I thought I could take extra stuff off the xpect to accomplish this, so the original question was about lightening a China bike.

As it turns out, it’s basically the frame I would have to take out or something ridiculous like that. All those little things don’t add up to much change in weight unfortunately. I wasn’t aware of this. With cars and boats you can take a lot of stuff off and it still works. With a motorcycle? Not so much.

So the discussion evolved into something that is different. Which is just finding a motorcycle that was already built to be as light weight as possible.

I don’t see anything wrong with that. The goal is being achieved.

I asked an unanswerable question from the beginning.

The thread has turned out great in my opinion. I have the right choice I think. The Orion. I have to go pick up my xpect out of storage and winter is coming so I don’t know when I’m pulling the trigger on this Orion, but I think it’s the one.

No problems with the direction the thread has went. Even though it’s a new bike, it solves the problem

[XLsior]

Achieving visibility via the motorcycle being bigger won't do much, drivers in general are not tuned to 2 wheelers or just don't care...at least in western nations where motorcycles are the minority

a blind spot is a blind spot.

being a banana rider does little but a bright colored helmet will stand out depending on the background environment. Unless you ride in the snow anything but black...

Use the driving light...use the full lane and move about (safely)...As my riding instructor implied when he gets informed by other motorists that they see motorcyclists shifting about on the lane...His response was
"So you saw the motorcyclist"

Basically assume everything on the road doesn't give a sh!t about you, so ride expecting that you don't exist.

[Boatguy]

Originally Posted by XLsior

Achieving visibility via the motorcycle being bigger won't do much, drivers in general are not tuned to 2 wheelers or just don't care...at least in western nations where motorcycles are the minority

a blind spot is a blind spot.

being a banana rider does little but a bright colored helmet will stand out depending on the background environment. Unless you ride in the snow anything but black...

Use the driving light...use the full lane and move about (safely)...As my riding instructor implied when he gets informed by other motorists that they see motorcyclists shifting about on the lane...His response was
"So you saw the motorcyclist"

Basically assume everything on the road doesn't give a sh!t about you, so ride expecting that you don't exist.

Of course. That’s like life on a motorcycle. But that’s not what I’m talking about though.

What I’m talking about is actual visibility.

I don’t know if you have ever driven near Groms before, but you can’t see them. They’re too small. You can’t see them past the hood if you are close like at a stoplight or on the side of your vehicle. They are too low.

That’s a risk I’m not willing to accept.

it’s hard enough being seen in the way that you are talking about it never mind literally physically not being able to be seen.

A taller motorcycle makes an incredible difference because people can see you when they look out the side of their car and over their hood.

[XLsior]

So what your saying people need smaller cars...

But I get it... the whole monkey class small wheel street legal motorcycle does not bode well when eat gets eaten by soccer moms and urban lifted pickups and 4wds...

in the urban zones the fit in with corner shops and 1 way streets. or basically SE Asia. where the 125cc reigns supreme.

My biggest issue with them is the tiny wheels and rural potholes...

[Boatguy]

Exactly. Here are a few pictures. It was one thing for me to just kind of talk about it from experience driving near them, but look. These are the typical vehicles in the United States next to Groms.


You actually and literally cannot see these things when you are driving. Way WAY too risky

And the last picture with the crash? It’s one of the smallest pick up trucks made. The Ford ranger. And you still can’t see the grom from the driver’s seat

[flopsweat]

It's one thing I've noticed the dual sporters have over most other bikes, our heads are above the roof of at least most sedans. Weird to pull up next to a guy on a lowered cruiser and you're basically standing vertically while he's in a leaned back recliner (and usually revving at the stop for no reason).