Any tricks to triggering stoplights on a small (50cc) scooter?

[qnr]

There have been times when I've had to do strange things. Like walk it across the street, for example. Or when I make a right turn, and turn into parking lot and back out, when all I wanted to do was turn left. Sucks when you're not heavy enough (I guess) to trigger the sensor.

[guitar man]

1. Hell, I have trouble

triggering them on my 500lb Sportster, it can be a real pain. If there isn't a bunch of left turning traffic, sometimes I'll pull up and motion the car behind me, if there is one there, to pull up far enough to trigger the light. Be careful not to put yourself out in the intersection when there is a bunch of traffic moving through.

I do know that some ABATE chapters are proposing a "dead red" law that allows motorcyclists to proceed through the intersection once they have determined it is safe should the bike fail to trigger the light.

[qnr]

2. Yeah, I do that too. In some places, I can pull into the bike lane temporarily

to allow them to pass me. The "dead red" law sounds good. The only time I ever tried to pull through one was after waiting for an inordinately long period of time... a car finally pulled up on the other side of the light, but when it got a green, I didn't. Since there was no other traffic, and the lights in the the crossing lanes were red, I pulled through. Unfortunately, the headlights in my mirrors turned out to be an oncoming police cruiser :( Just got a warning though.

[Robb]

3. Find the "crack" in the pavement

...where they cut it to put in the sensor. And put down your side stand, this adds metal for the sensor (it responds to metal, not weight). Then give a little "blip" on your electric starter -- more for it to sense, electromagnetically speaking. :)

Finally, call your county or city road and bridge folks, and tell them they need to adjust the sensor. They usually will, eventually.

[kiahzero]

4. I'll have to give that a shot.

The lights in Charlottesville suck... generally I just avoid the intersections in question, though.

[qnr]

5. ok, thanks, I'll experiment on a deserted one some night! n/t

[Gidney N Cloyd]

6. I think putting down the side stand cuts my engine. (I'm fairly new to this)

[Robb]

7. It shouldn't

My Kawi has a "feature" it took me a good spell to figure out; if I have the stand down, put it in gear, and start to let out the clutch, it kills itself.

Actually, not too terrible an idea, now that I know what the heck was happening.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

8. I'll have to test it.

I know the side stand has to be up to start the engine but maybe it won't actually kill the engine if you put it down while it's already running.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

9. Tried it. Putting up the side stand does kill the engine.

[Robb]

10. That's an odd one.

So in order for the engine to be running, you have to be sitting on it? How would one adjust things off the bike with the engine running without the side stand?

What are you riding?

[Gidney N Cloyd]

12. It's a megascooter-- Honda Reflex.

Continuous velocity trans instead of a clutch, so maybe that's the reason it's different from how a motorcycle reacts. I'm pretty sure I can have the center stand down and run the engine, if I need to.

[kiahzero]

11. Did you have the clutch fully engaged?

Maybe you should try shifting up to Neutral before kicking it down?

My Kawasaki Vulcan 500 does the same thing, but it doesn't turn off if I have the clutch fully engaged or I have it in neutral... it only kills the engine if it's in gear and you try and come off the clutch.

[Rob H.]

13. I *think* that's to comply with U.S. regs

I know the reason Vespa scooters (GT, GTS, LX, all of which have CVTs) aren't sold with sidestands in the U.S. is because there's no provision to cut spark to the engine when the rider puts the sidestand down.