Scooter, Moped, Bike motor, motorcycle....

[BiggJawn]

I'm afraid we'll see $3 a gallon by Labour Day.
The problem is, at that price with a 22 MPG vehicle, my take-home pay won't.

I used to ride a motorcycle, gave it up after 25 years and 250,000 miles because my freeway commute every morning frazzled the hell out of me.

How about we discuss the pros and cons of the various high-mileage modes of transport.

[StopTheMorans]

1. chicks dig guys on mopeds

:thumbsup:

[BiggJawn]

16. At 48 years old, that's not really a concern anymore...

<sigh>....:(

[brainshrub]

2. At $4 the American economy goes "pop."

If we had a president who was competent, he would be spearheading an effort to wean America off it's dependence on oil for heating and transportation.

We have the worst possible president to deal with this crisis.

[jeff30997]

3. One word:

Segway.

[matcom]

4. i'm considering a scooter

seriously. just don't really know what to buy (or how to get groceries home on one)

[GOPisEvil]

5. A lot of them have space under the seat.

A couple of small bags of groceries would probably fit.

I'm considering one, too. I'm tired of burning all that gas just running errands that don't require my car.

[matcom]

6. what kind are you looking at?

and what are we talking $$ wise?

[GOPisEvil]

9. I have always been impressed with Hondas.

You can get into a brand new one for under 2 grand.

http://powersports.honda.com/scooters/

[Dastard Stepchild]

27. Honda Scooters are great...

I have many city pals that swear by them.

:thumbsup:

[Maddy McCall]

10. You can get a decent scooter for around 1500 to 2000.

Probably a good used one for half that.

[qnr]

11. I have a Yamaha Zuma, love it. Groceries are easy..

Get two net bags, tie a handle from each together. Load them up evenly, close the tiestring. Drape them over the seat like saddle bags. Put other groceries on the back of the seat, if necessary (especially cases of beer, soda, laundry detergent, etc.). I have a cargo net kind of thing that (a net made of bungie cords) I use. I drape it over the groceries on top (or the seat), put a hook in each outside grommet on the bags, and then hook the remaining two hooks to the cargo rack behind the seat. You won't believe the amount of groceries I've carried home.

Main problem with this is that when you get home you have to get it on to the stand - which can be fun sometimes.

Edit: Punctuation.

BTW, all of this (bags, net, extra bungies) takes up very little space, and fits under the seat.

[Maddy McCall]

7. Well, in case the "end-times" of life as we know it hits....

I have a two-seater go cart, an electric scooter (no, it's not a Little Rascal) and an 80CC Yamaha dirtbike.

I don't think that any are street legal, though.

[In_The_Wind]

8. Trike!

high purchase price just like a car but great on gas, safer than 2 wheels & some (like mine) have a trunk>

[happyslug]

12. Three words, Trailers and Side cars.

For some trailers to be hauled by a Motorcycle:
http://motorcycletrailer.com/donkey/index.html


Motorcycle Sidecars
http://www.libertysidecars.com/

[Ready4Change]

13. At some price point, lifestyles must change.

We are, in effect living a free energy lifestyle right now. Long range, high speed, daily commutes are the norm in many areas, and are only possible due to the relative cheapness of gas.

At some point, people are going to have to give that up and only accept jobs closer to where they live.

That will be amazingly disruptive to the American lifestyle. Many businesses, like 7-Elevens, exist ONLY because of peoples mobility. Huge megastores, like Wallmart, only exist because a large number of people can afford to travel some distance to reach a single, large store.

The only way to maintain our current lifestyle is to find some energy substitute for gasoline.

(BTW, I'm not defending the current lifestyle, although I admit I enjoy it. I'm just commenting on the winds of change that are coming.)

(edit: just realized I didn't speak to the topic. Sorry about that.)

Regarding transport with smaller gasoline engines, they make some sense for a while. But, they aren't as effective for longer trips as a car is, and they just extend the lifespan of a gasoline burning society. They don't solve it's problems.

As gasoline becomes scarcer, the practical commuting distance gets shorter, and the size of engine needed to make that commute shrinks. At a certain point pedal powered bikes will take over, as they will be just as fast and WAY less expensive.

So, which vehicle, cars, motorcycles, scooter, moped, bike you choose really depends on your commute distance, nothing else.

All imo.

[BiggJawn]

17. Not exactly living La Vita Grasse now, as it is.

Relocating closer to work is not an option, as my girlfriend owns her house Free and Clear (an asset that I think will be of some signifigance in a coupla years) so it's 15 miles one way, non-negotable.

Changing jobs is not an option because there's NOTHING within walking distance that pays what I'm making now. We are the "bedroom community" for the next city 15 miles away.

We own no SUV's. No Boat. No Airplane. No "toys". We don't joy-ride. Besides the daily commute, we take one trip to town on Friday for the week's shopping and one trip a week to the dental school 70 miles away (prices are 50% of "reasonable and Customary" here)

I'm not really concerned with being in the vanguard of the replacement for gasoline, Yeah, I know, how fucking non-global of me, but I'm just trying to minimize my consumption to an affordable level that will allow me to do REALLY selfish shit, like eat, and buy medicine, and keep from getting frostbite when I'm asleep this winter... IOW, I'm worried about survival. Let the guys with the PhD's and 7-figure incomes worry about replacing gasoline. that's why THEY make the Big Bucks.

[Ready4Change]

21. Ok.

First, many cars exist that get better than 22mpg. Sell whatever that is and replace it with a use Civic or Corolla. That should get you up to at least 30mpg, effectively reducing your gasoline costs by a third.

If you need to keep the 22mpg vehicle (sounds like you're rural, maybe need a hauling vehicle?) but want an inexpensive option for your 15 mile commute, you'll need to examine the roads that commute is over. If they aren't good for mopeds or scooters then you'll have to go for a motorcycle. But, if there are ample shoulders, or decent alternate, less busy routes, a slower vehicle could work.

Being somewhat rural, I'd guess a light motorcyle may be your minimum choice. Not being a motorcyle rider, I can't speak about what a good choice there might be.

[BiggJawn]

24. We're coming to same conclussion

Light motorcycle. Nothing HUGE, just capable of keeping up with the rest of the traffic. (at least until the SUV Bushies feel the pinch and start taking their kid's toys to work)

Yeah, a hauler is needed for the present. And my girlfriend just bought a new Civic that gives her only 30 MPG, compared to her old 1500 that would squeeze 47 out of a gallon. She's NOT happy with that...

Sorry if I was snarky-sounding, But my intent in the OP wasn't to look down the road to what we should leave our grandkiddies with, but looking into the immediate future as Energy begins to outstrip my ability to pay for it.

[Ready4Change]

28. I was a bit off topic, too.

I pegged my eyes on the future, rather than your original question about immediate needs.

I've a Honda CRX which I should sell in todays conditions, but which I'm keeping because, at some point, getting 40+mpg with an all paid for car might be REALLY nice.

I've also been looking over my house, wondering how much of my electric needs I could meet with solar panels. I figure, as petroleum costs rise, demand will shift to other fossil fuels, so costs of those will rise as well. Seems to me that planning to ween myself from both petroleum fuels and the grid is a worthwile venture at this point, so I can be ready to implement those plans more quickly later.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

14. In Taiwan, scooters are the most common form of transportation

Crossing the street there, you feel as if you're about to be run over by Hell's Angels, but the Taiwanese certainly save on gas.

The downside is that I've heard that scooters are more polluting than cars per gallon of gas.

[trof]

15. On 2 lane county roads I'd last about a week.

I never got into the motorcycle thing as a kid, but I've always thought a Vespa would be fun. If I could get from here to a grocery store, I'd consider it.
But alas...it would turn a 15 minute trip in to a half hour, each way, and I'd dodging big trucks all the way.
:-(
However...neighborhood car pools might work.
"OK guys, Tuesday is Winn-Dixie day. Wednesday it's Lowes."

[BrotherBuzz]

18. I'm old enough to have fantasy dreams of the Whizzer

and today it may become a reality for me...



What's more, I've still got the bicycle for it. Who says childhood dreams can't come true?

[BiggJawn]

19. That's what I've been considering, too.

I knew a kid who had one of those in "As Found" shape when I was a kid. He never got it going, AFAIK. I recall it had a 1948 MC tag on the back of it.

[BrotherBuzz]

22. My memories are of the older teen tearing around on one...

circa 1958. Way cool. There was another type of motorbike that my buddy actually had, and I got to spin around on. I don't know the name of it, but a small kicker motor was mounted above the front wheel, and had a simple lifting lever for disengaging the power. Simple and relatively safe to operate. Either way, I think one of these might just be the ticket for me to run errands in my small town. Varooooom...fun with fossil fuel on a budget.

[BiggJawn]

25. That would be the old "Velo".

I think they're still made in Eastern Europe, and they've been marketted under many a nameplate. I remember a neighbour had a "Puch" with the motor on the front wheel.

I'm not sure the "Whizzer" would qualify as a moped under most state's laws, what with that 148cc engine, even with the CLAIMED 25 MPH top speed...

[merh]

20. I'm getting a scooter as soon as I can.

I don't care if I am that funny lady on the scooter, gas is just too damned expensive! :argh:

[Chicago Democrat]

30. Get a cool scooter.. Classic Vespa's Make it beautiful and loud.

are very sturdy. Or get new one.. they are cheap...


Dangerous, so make it very very very gaudy or loud and distinctive. I caused many accidents because some were distracted, but I was always seen.


I like chrome.

[merh]

31. Heck, have you seen this one - I think it is what I will get

complete with windshield & sound system

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

23. Honda... very solid, very dependable

low theft rate, high milage... can be had cheap at least now, I am sure the price will rise with demand.

[LSK]

26. just become the next CEO of EXXON

I hear they are looking:

"It is obscene that Lee Raymond has been allowed to take ExxonMobil for about $600 million over 12 years.
And it raises the question of what Boston-based fund managers, who control the purse strings, plan to do to stop this legalized looting of American private investors.
As we reported last week, Raymond, 67, will retire this year as Exxon chairman and CEO with around $520 million in shares, options and a pension fund, at least $45 million more in past option profits, and tens of millions on top of that in salary and other goodies.

It works out to about $47 million a year since 1993. "

http://business.bostonherald.com/businessNews/view.bg?articleid=97212

[Chicago Democrat]

29. Scooter!!! Mine is a 79 Vespa

Great for California or Arizona or Florida...

OK (only half a year) in Northern States.