minimac wrote: I just passed on a '88250 Helix. It was a nice, clean, taken care of scoot w/11k.It was priced fairly @$1K, but the guy won't move at all. Going to look at a CL125 for $500, and a cb100 for $425 tomorrow.
Wow, if someone would list a good helix at that price around here, it'd be sold in no time. Maybe the Cincy area is just bad for scooter prices, like it tends to be for car prices.
Dug up this old thread to update it. We ended up buying a Honda Elite 250 with 8k on it for $800. Mrs. Mini loves driving it and I can't believe how much fun I have riding it. On the trip home(after buying it) I ran on the expressway at a steady 65mph and had no problem keeping up, and ahead, of traffic. A few times I opened it up and hit 73 indicated mph. I think I had a smile pasted on my face for the entire 180 miles. Gas mileage has been pretty consistent @ 65-68mpg, but I tend to run it a bit hard. This winter, I'll play with it a bit to try to get better gas mileage.
Scooter to Goldwing? covering all the bases?
I know you said stay away from them but I'm wondering about the grassroots potential of cheap Chinese scooters. There will be a lot of used broken ones on the market. 
From everything I've read, some of the China scoots are better than others. I would research them. There are quite a few good scooters that we can't buy here in the states, i.e. Honda ANF125i, that would probably be good sellers. I'm really becoming obsessed with scooters and possibly streamlining one. I can see the day coming when I'm probably going to sell the 'wing and concentrate solely on scooters, possibly building my own. Snowdoggie, you're right about the broken ones- I'm starting to see some pop up on the market. Most of the broken ones I see have bad motors and/or can't get parts, but I found a site that sold new Chinese motors for stupid cheap money. How hard could it be to swap in an old cycle motor?
There are some decent chinese scooters, and some bad chinese scooters. I don't think I've seen a good one yet.
Off the top of my head, avoid 50cc 4-strokes, the 2-smokers are much better. The qlink commuter 250 has decent running gear, but expect 10k mile engine life, not the 20k+ of the helix it copied. On any of them, expect the plastic fitment to be poor when new, crack, deform, and fade rapidly. If you plan on removing panels, don't count on getting them back on. They are so brittle you'd swear they are made of pasta.
Strip the plastic off and chuck it. Replace some of the cheesy parts with Honda parts and make a cheap pit bike? Start a $210 Scooter Challenge.
There has to be a use for these.
I have a couple of old Honda CT 90 frames behind the house. I'm wondering if any of these Chinese parts would fit. What about a Chinese motor?
Any chance that you have a CT90 engine kicking around?
Woody wrote: Any chance that you have a CT90 engine kicking around?
Only the one I am using for the restoration and I want to keep that. That's why I'm wondering if there is a cheap Chinese replacement. I could use it to make something out of one of these empty frames.
Ever seen the Sachs madass 50, it has a manual transmission ad 16" wheels. They have a 125 version too, but the 50 doesn't require insurance, while still fitting a 160cc engine swap.
Me want.
They look even cooler in person.
that MADASS is pretty cool.... I would love a 50 with a swapped engine
This, with one of those hot 160cc pit bike motors would kick ass.
Dig the down pipe.
minimac wrote: Dug up this old thread to update it. We ended up buying a Honda Elite 250 with 8k on it for $800. Mrs. Mini loves driving it and I can't believe how much fun I have riding it. On the trip home(after buying it) I ran on the expressway at a steady 65mph and had no problem keeping up, and ahead, of traffic. A few times I opened it up and hit 73 indicated mph. I think I had a smile pasted on my face for the entire 180 miles. Gas mileage has been pretty consistent @ 65-68mpg, but I tend to run it a bit hard. This winter, I'll play with it a bit to try to get better gas mileage.
Good choice on the Elite 250. Should last you as long as you'd like to have it, and probably longer than that, even.
a little ot but what the heck, mods can delete if its inappropriate.
anyone want an old razz to play with? no papers (lost em) hasnt run since 199??? probably just needs a carb and some tlc..i want it gone, first one to show up in port saint lucie fl 34983 with $75 or something I like worth $75 gets it. email for razz
Bummer, your 4 hours away or I'd probably pick it up.
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