Anyone into old dirtbikes/mopeds? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

DieselPaul · #1 05-12-2011, 10:17 AM

I suppose technically this is a motorcycle, but I feel like such a pretender calling it that haha.

I work a part time job as a valet that is 1.5 miles from my house, or 1.8 miles from my house, depending on which restuarant I am working. 1.5 miles and 1.8 miles is not far enough to get my gas cars into closed loop it seems and I use a lot of fuel just driving to and from work. So I considered walking, the walk to work is pretty easy when it is nice out. However I don't get off until midnight or 1 am and often have $100+/- in cash on me, and my trek home would involve use of high street downtown. I had two guys follow me to and from the bank to make my deposit the other night which really killed the whole walking idea.

So I thought, why not pick up a scooter? I can take a "back way" off of high street with less traffic and only ad a .1 of a mile or so to my "commute" It seems even on the low end tiny little scooters and bikes get 40mpg+ and it'll be fun to ride to work in the summer.

My girlfriend has a '64 Vespa Allstate, very cool, but projects seem to run $750-$1000, plus $1,000 in work. A Ducati Monster is $2,500 in the condition I was looking at, if I'm spending $2,000+ I'll buy a real bike. I wanted to spend $750 or less. I found some scooters on craigslist in that range, but recalled my grandfather had a 2009 49cc electric start 2stroke that only had 100 miles on it, so I called him to offer to buy it. Turns out he gave it away... *****in. But he did say at his other house which is only 45 minutes from me there may be a bike or two in the shed.

Enough ramblings about my rationale.

So, to the real question.

Here is what I found, a Yamaha MX 100 the safety warning stickers say '82 on them. Actually relatively straight, cylinder isn't rusty, fuel tank is rusty internally but all the fairings are there, chain isn't locked up, gearshift works, etc. Pretty good for having been parked around 1985. However this version of the MX does not have headlights or tailights and has a "off road only" sticker on it. Some quick ebay/googling reveals some MX's did have headlights and taillights, and a friend at the title bureau is pretty sure with a serial number she can get my a constructed title.

So can I retrofit a light kit to a bike like this? It does not have a battery, it just appears to have a stator (is that the right term?) like the vespa, which also has a headlight and taillight. There is a NOS kit on ebay with factory parts for $299, I'd like to spend substantially less. As long as I can come up with a bracket that doesn't involve drilling into the frame I'm not opposed to using an LED tail for less draw and more light, the real goal isn't even legality, its the whole not getting hit thing.

So, does someone sell a light "kit" or where would I find switches and whatnot to do such a conversion?

Pics of the bike,
as I got it,

after a quick wash in the bed of the truck

The electrics

MS Fowler · #2 05-12-2011, 10:21 AM

I'd love to find a couple of affordable mopeds for getting from the RV to the flea market at Hersey every fall--(its a couple of miles). But the prices have escalated to where that no longer seems reasonable.

DieselPaul · #3 05-12-2011, 10:29 AM

Well this kid who lives in the neighborhood (artsy trend neighborhood) rides a beatifully restored Honda Trail90 with US Mail burlap saddle bags. It sold me on the idea of a little mini-dirt bike for my commuter, so I got on ebay... projects are BID over $800 with days to go... Restored ones seem to be $2k!

I don't know what this MX is worth, but I bought it right haha, I've got $44.14 invested so far, fuel and buying my girlfriend dinner.

The Piaggio/Vespa mopeds with the pedals are always down around $300, they are junk in my opinion but I have friends who love them. May be worth seeing if you like them, they don't seem to appreciate.

lutzTD · #4 05-12-2011, 10:42 AM

seems like it should work although sourcing all the lights might be expensive. Maybe look up Ohio code to see if the 100cc is small enough but Im assuming it will follow motorcycle rules not moped rules.

and do stay off High Street at midnight if youre walking my brother still has the scars from chain snatchers there

DieselPaul · #5 05-12-2011, 10:49 AM

49cc is the limit for motorcycles, my girlfriends vespa is a 150cc so she too has to get her license.

My plan was to use cheaper aftermarket lights and switches. And not drill any holes, just make some brackets so it could all be removed if need be.

engatwork · #6 05-12-2011, 10:50 AM

I've got a 50cc Yamaha Jog scooter and a 110cc Kawasaki KLX110 pit bike. I like the Jog alot and actually do take it into town occasionally. I have just had to replace the carb on both vehicles

I assume from ethanol in the fuel. They were only about $30 new off of ebay.

lutzTD · #7 05-12-2011, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DieselPaul

49cc is the limit for motorcycles, my girlfriends vespa is a 150cc so she too has to get her license.

My plan was to use cheaper aftermarket lights and switches. And not drill any holes, just make some brackets so it could all be removed if need be.

depends on the inspector. they may not like aftermarket since it will not be obvious of their specs. make sure they are all DOT approved and it should be OK. that being said things have changed a lot. ive seen motorcycles on Orange County Choppers that would never pass when I was younger

TheDon · #8 05-12-2011, 11:12 AM

I would have bought a bicycle.

DieselPaul · #9 05-12-2011, 11:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lutzTD

depends on the inspector. they may not like aftermarket since it will not be obvious of their specs. make sure they are all DOT approved and it should be OK. that being said things have changed a lot. ive seen motorcycles on Orange County Choppers that would never pass when I was younger

As far as I know there really is not sort of inspection in my county, unless there is something different for bikes, none of my cars have ever been through any kind of inspection.

#10 05-12-2011, 12:04 PM

When I was a kid, I had a street legal Suzuki 100 "enduro" bike. It was good for non-highway driving.

Angel · #11 05-12-2011, 12:24 PM

I had an old Suzuki TS250 - 250cc 2-smoke, 5spd, clutch was worn out so it'd only get to 55 before the clutch started slipped. guy at the parts desk said that there were only 7 clutch plates left in the US, and I needed 11 IIRC =)

Craig is right - if it says "Enduro", it probably has headlights and taillights.

It is very possible to retrofit your bike with lights and have it titled appropriately, but you might be spending a fair amount of time wiring things up (DOT headlight? brake light switch for both the pedal and the lever ?)
I'd recommend fixing or trading your current Yammie, and finding an enduro (street/trail?) or other bike of the same vintage that already has lights (and a speedometer...)and electrics installed- if those dont work it much easier to jury-rig fix those, than invent your own switches on a bike that never had them before.

that being said, if you have the junkyard time, many of those bikes sold both ways - so your offroad bike probably has factory switchgear for everything you'd want. finding all those pieces may not be easy...

Remember also that parts are going to start getting tough to find for 80's jap bikes, and are mostly hard to find for 70's bikes (in my limited experience). Not impossible....but the prices may reflect this.

There is a good bike junkyard near Logan(?) Ohio, but I forget the name...

Other than that- Heck yeah ! get a bike and beat it ! that's what they are good for. I LOVED the idea that I could just kick my engine to start it (no batteries, no starter motors, no relays to fail....)

-John

tbomachines · #12 05-12-2011, 12:33 PM

See attached. I had an old Honda CT70, the transmission blew up and cost too much to replace. I stuck an old lawnmower engine on it and this was the result. The lawnmower engine is long gone but I still have the frame, hoping to throw some small engine in it eventually. Problem is these can't be registered (over 50cc, under 250cc) and can't be ridden on the sidewalk so they're doomed to be pit bikes.

cscmc1 · #13 05-12-2011, 12:58 PM

I had a number of mopeds and scooters over the years. The Lambrettas very finicky and expensive (the Ferraris of the vintage scooter world), but the P-series Vespa was dead-reliable once it was sorted. Expensive to get it "sorted" though. Vespa moped was just fine, too, as long as I remembered to turn the gas petcock off every time I parked it.

I have an old Hercules moped out in the corner of the garage. I need to get it sorted!

cscmc1 · #14 05-12-2011, 12:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tbomachines

See attached. I had an old Honda CT70, the transmission blew up and cost too much to replace. I stuck an old lawnmower engine on it and this was the result. The lawnmower engine is long gone but I still have the frame, hoping to throw some small engine in it eventually. Problem is these can't be registered (over 50cc, under 250cc) and can't be ridden on the sidewalk so they're doomed to be pit bikes.

Those are a hoot! A family friend had a pair we used to ride when I was a kid. Man, those pics bring back memories!

lutzTD · #15 05-12-2011, 01:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DieselPaul

As far as I know there really is not sort of inspection in my county, unless there is something different for bikes, none of my cars have ever been through any kind of inspection.

I think the issue is that in order to be street legal it needs a license. Since it was not originally a street bike it does not have a title. You will need to get a builder title which will require some sort of inspection.

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