An Open Letter to Would-Be Builders
Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2012 4:27 pm
To Whom It May Concern:
This is an edited copy of a response to a Noob Forumista who PMed me with an enthusiastic request for help in building himself a road-ripping scooter:
Builds don't Happen, they GROW from trial and error using upgrades gathered over many months. The payoff doesn't happen overnight by screwing on a whole bunch of parts at once. My Elite started at stock, maybe 39 MPH. Install vario, belt and tire, got to 42. Installed gears, got to 49. Installed a big block with a mild pipe, got to 58. Taller gears, bigger carb, hotter pipe got over 60. Fine-tuning and a few blown engines later, got to 71. Install, trial, tune, learn. report, repeat. The fun is in the learning, and learning isn't an event, it's a process. You build from what you already know, and get better.
Parts came from many sources; VT cycles, DayWOT on eBay, other eBay sites, used stuff from other members, SIP Scootershop in Canada, the scooter-center.com in Germany and many others. I encourage you to read on the Forum and take the bits that make sense for your particular build. There is a wealth of knowledge, as well as an amazing willingness to help others here - IF you know how to ask. Don't come in swingin' and demanding someone else "prescribe" what you need. Demonstrate that you've tried to get informed yourself, explain what worked and didn't work, and why you think it happened. OFFER to help the Noobs yourself if you know something, but don't spout off someone else's opinion you heard and represent it as fact if you don't KNOW it to be true.
My own specs are in my sig line mostly. The scooter works well for ME. They may or may not be of use to YOU, depending on what you have in mind for a build. The parts can be purchased from the vendors above. Good luck and remember, If at first you don't succeed Rome wasn't built in a day when the tough get going for two in the bush.
Most important is the "Fun" part. Enjoy.
This is an edited copy of a response to a Noob Forumista who PMed me with an enthusiastic request for help in building himself a road-ripping scooter:
Builds don't Happen, they GROW from trial and error using upgrades gathered over many months. The payoff doesn't happen overnight by screwing on a whole bunch of parts at once. My Elite started at stock, maybe 39 MPH. Install vario, belt and tire, got to 42. Installed gears, got to 49. Installed a big block with a mild pipe, got to 58. Taller gears, bigger carb, hotter pipe got over 60. Fine-tuning and a few blown engines later, got to 71. Install, trial, tune, learn. report, repeat. The fun is in the learning, and learning isn't an event, it's a process. You build from what you already know, and get better.
Parts came from many sources; VT cycles, DayWOT on eBay, other eBay sites, used stuff from other members, SIP Scootershop in Canada, the scooter-center.com in Germany and many others. I encourage you to read on the Forum and take the bits that make sense for your particular build. There is a wealth of knowledge, as well as an amazing willingness to help others here - IF you know how to ask. Don't come in swingin' and demanding someone else "prescribe" what you need. Demonstrate that you've tried to get informed yourself, explain what worked and didn't work, and why you think it happened. OFFER to help the Noobs yourself if you know something, but don't spout off someone else's opinion you heard and represent it as fact if you don't KNOW it to be true.
My own specs are in my sig line mostly. The scooter works well for ME. They may or may not be of use to YOU, depending on what you have in mind for a build. The parts can be purchased from the vendors above. Good luck and remember, If at first you don't succeed Rome wasn't built in a day when the tough get going for two in the bush.
Most important is the "Fun" part. Enjoy.
