50cc and 60mph...How?
Kudos to MO for writing about a fun, viable, cheap, and practical form of urban transportainment.
Zumas stink. The motor design is at least 20 years old, which is why it's so slow. Also, they're made in China (if they built a plane would you fly in one?). Also, Yamaha dealerships charge WAAAAAY too much for freight and set-up- sometime $600 or more! Now that "$1699" scooter is $2300! But because the Japanese manufacturers have set up a virtual monopoly in most parts of this country, they can package this crap and sell it, because nobody thinks they have a choice!
That's not America! That's not even Canada!
I sell Derbi and Malaguti 50's in my city, and these bikes rock! Stock, they are slow, but it's because the evil DOT makes the manufacturers restrict the exhaust and inlets on them. Why? I'm not sure. Why they restrict an 8hp bike to 5.5 hp when they allow a 132 hp bike to stay at 132 hp is beyond me. With modern suspension and tires, scooters are stable and safe in all weather and road conditions at speeds up to 50+mph.
But with a 1/2 hour spent derestricting (for off-road use only, of course!) our Derbis and Malagutis will do 50+mph. The liquid cooled models will hit 60 and sometimes beyond!
But the Euro models are way more expensive, right? Wrong!!! The Derbi Atlantis (I've done 57 on my wife's) is $1899! And it has a Piaggio powerplant! And with a $600 upgrade to 70cc (off-road use only, of course) you will be terror-bombing your local burb at 70+ mph, with brakes, suspension and tires that make the Zuma look like poop!
Check out
www.derbiwest.com or
www.malagutiusa.com for all the details and available models.