Trail Buddy/Skyteam

[BKABQ]

http://www.ecselfstorage.com/bk/bike001.jpg
http://www.ecselfstorage.com/bk/bike002.jpg
http://www.ecselfstorage.com/bk/bike003.jpg

[FastDoc]

A street legal 125 with passenger pegs.

Cool. 8)

That's what I like. :P

[katoranger]

Electric start. Front disc brake. It is just asking for a plane ride.

[FastDoc]

You bet except:

1. Looks heavy with all the doo-dads on it and
2. New=expensive.

Very intriguing though....

Doc does need a Chinabike someday. :wink:

[katoranger]

With the rack and extras i probably adds 20lbs.

[Weldangrind]

I love it! A doodad removal fest would certainly make it more plane friendly.

[katoranger]

The honda ct has an airbox under the seat. That adds a pound or two.

I would ditch the e-start, fenders, rack, possibly swap the exhaust out.

The disc brake may be a nice upgrade and worth the couple pound weight penalty.

BKABQ would you be able to find a scale to weigh your bike? Should be about 165lbs.

[Weldangrind]

If you ditch the e-start, you could also switch to a lighter gel-cell battery. Small LED signal lights would help also. This could be a lightening project, SamM style! :lol:

[BKABQ]

Okay, I'm a noob when it comes to the mini world, so what does "plane" or "plane friendly" mean?

The MCO shows the bike at 204lbs.
I am assuming it's close to that considering I've loaded, and unloaded, it in the cruiser a few times now.
This is how the bike looks new from the factory/dealer, probably won't stay that way for long ...lol.
I do plan on doing some mods to make it go faster, although I'm not really sure how fast it goes now.
I could go with aluminum wheels instead of the steel, probably a carb change out, and maybe even change the sprocket for a bigger one?

I've said in another post here that I have had it out on my street, just a few times.
My street is less than a 1/4 mile long, from dead end to the next street, and I can get it up to around 45mph in 3rd and just click to 4th (for about 15 sec.) when I have to slow it back down.
My weight is around 165.
Like I said, I'm new to this whole small bike thing.
I used to have a full size street 125cc back in the 80's.
I believe it was a Suzuki GN125.
Now that thing would do 60 - 70 easy.
So I imagine these aren't that far off.

Any tips you might want to pass along would certainly be appreciated!

[Weldangrind]

Sorry, you're catching up on an old discussion. Doc has a small airplane, and he's had his eye out for a small bike that could fit in the plane. That allows him to have wheels when he gets to his destination.

That little 125 can be a rocket, if properly prepared. Once you're bored with it, you can swap in a 140cc race motor. :D

[katoranger]

As for plane friendly. Weight is a concern. He needs to lift it into the plane at the hanger. And then when in the plane he only has so to plan on the weight of cargo and passengers to calculate fuel needed etc.


No on to more speed for you.

Start with the basics. Intake and exhaust. You already have a pod filter so a free flowing exhuast would free up a fractional hp, but be louder.

You would need a larger carb or larger jets in current carb.

Sprockets. Smaller rear, larger front. Sounds like it goes pretty good already. 45 mph is cruising on one of those. 55 is probably maxed out. I am sure you can coax more, but remember the little brakes and wheels you have.

Also remember if you gear up too much you will lose offroad ability.

So build it according to the type of riding you want to do. Sounds like toting it in the car works ok to get you to a riding area.

www.dratv.com has ALOT of good info. Plus all the parts you would need.

[Weldangrind]

You might actually have a catalytic converter in the exhaust pipe (although I doubt it), so you might get a considerable increase in power with a free flowing exhaust. As Kato says, it will be louder.

I think it's awesome that it fits in your PT Cruiser. :D

[SpudRider]

That's a nice little bike! When, and where did you get it?

Spud :)

[FastDoc]

AND what did it cost...

[BKABQ]

Well, I got it originally around March 20th.
I'm still not able to ride it ...see registration issues.
But hopefully that will be all cleared up soon.

It's from http://mytrailbuddystore.com/
They're a USA dealer for Skyteam.
http://www.skyteam.cn/pro-sec.asp
The bike is also known as a DAX 125.
They not only sell the bikes but also offer all the parts you would need too.
Cost was 1600.00 with liftgate service.
I could have gotten it for less on some other sites; like killermotorsportz, powersportsmax, scootergasmotor, or a few others that are out of CA.
But I didn't find many favorable reviews on those companies.
I felt that they sell too many different bikes to really concentrate on selling them properly.

Trail Buddy concentrates on about 3 - 4 different models, that's all.
I couldn't find any bad reviews for Trail Buddy or the Skyteam product.
Plus the fact that TB replaces some of the cheaper parts (carb) for better parts before they ship it out impressed me.
I couldn't find anyone else doing that.

When I first started looking I was really interested in the reverse trikes ...mainly this one: http://www.powersportsmax.com/product_info.php/cPath/227/products_id/14902
But I just couldn't find that much info on them and what I did find, again, wasn't favorable. Alignment problems among other issues.

[FastDoc]

That seems like a fair price. :D

The reverse trikes.... I have only heard bad about them. Poor handling, ride, and performance. :cry:

I know that's a generalization but I bet its accurate. :wink:

[Weldangrind]

I'd like to take a reverse trike for a spin, but I'm not interested in buying one. Two or four wheels for me.

[BKABQ]

I wouldn't mind buying a CanAm, but not any off the chinese market.
But the CanAm's are just too expensive for me.

I thought I had heard some news somewhere about a street legal quad coming out, but I could be wrong????

Isn't CanAm trying to get one through?

[FastDoc]

Quads can be 'dualsported' in some states. MT and ID come to mind, there may be others.

I have ridden my quad on the street (private road) and they are really poorly suited for pavement.

The CanAms are interesting. When I get to the point I can't ride a conventional bike anymore I could see doing one of them. Much better dynamically than a trike.

On the other hand I start asjing myself, 'What's the difference between a CanAm and a small convertible roadster?' Say an MX-5 or an old TR3, Spitfire, or TR6. :idea:

[SpudRider]

You can't get a license plate for an ATV in Idaho. ;) However, you can plate an ATV in Montana. :D I knew a fellow who used to ride his Polaris 500 ATV to work on Interstate 90! 8O

P.S. I agree with FastDoc; the ATVs are not designed to handle properly on pavement. ;)

Spud :)

[Weldangrind]

I saw dualsported atv's on the street in Montana and Wyoming, but it was my understanding that they're limited access vehicles, meaning no highway use. Similar laws to a golf cart, except you can ride it to Walmart.

[SpudRider]

I haven't checked the Montana law recently; perhaps it has changed. ;) However, the fellow I met in Idaho had a Montana license plate still attached to his Polaris ATV. He told me his ATV was treated the same as any other licensed motor vehicle, and he used to ride it to work on Interstate 90 in Montana. ;)

Spud :)