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Can My Aero Hit 200MPH for $50?

Posted: Mon Mar 02, 2009 11:00 am
by Wheelman-111
Greetings:

Only if I rent a Cessna and throw it out the side...

It started small - just jackhammer the amber resin (AKA The BEAST :twisted: out of the fuel system and try to get it to run in stock condition. Got that done, underwhelmed at 35MPH and change and a long time to get there. This sent me searching for improved impetus.

There is a Vast Scooter Conspiracy (VSC) out there. They control the minds of Scooterphiles from a secret location somewhere on Oahu. They feed the habits of helpless Scaddicts like myself, who aspire to Speed. Well, OK aspire to go somewhat faster...

The first tast is (almost) free. 'C'mon, it's just a $40 Keli variator, what harm can it do? Pretty soon it's " Maybe I can interest you in a Contesta bore kit...".

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Next thing I know I'm sourcing carbon laminate and carving reed valves,

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porting intake manifolds, installing temperature gauges, scrounging Google with obscure part numbers of no-longer-in-production exhaust systems (the LeoVinci 4447) and figuring out how to clear the fat(ter)Metropolitan tire,

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and generally squandering all my free time and limited mental energies trying to improve what Honda-san has wrought.



Including purchase price, licensing and all told, the VSC has "forced" me to spend about $1,600 on a bike that'd sell for (if I'm lucky...) $500. No matter. I've had about $1,100 worth of fun.

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Posted: Mon Mar 02, 2009 12:39 pm
by burnt_toast
:shock:

If it makes you feel better, I've been in this same predicament for years and probably spent double maybe triple that on several different scooters

but dang dude 1600 seems steep! I built my ministroked Corsa for about 400 bucks cheaper..

Posted: Mon Mar 02, 2009 12:55 pm
by dgsoles
I think I've spent a total of $300 on my Spree, and that includes the $180 purchase price...however, I have not modded it yet, I just got it running and brought it back to stock. I guess we'll see about the mods this summer.....

Posted: Mon Mar 02, 2009 1:35 pm
by nysnowborder
yeah ive spent about 600 total on my 87 elite s

Posted: Mon Mar 02, 2009 2:03 pm
by jesse1234
ya I'm at $600 total (400 purchase) on my 99 sa50..... probably will call it quits around $800 or so

Posted: Mon Mar 02, 2009 6:10 pm
by Wheelman-111
Greetings:

The biggies were the Bore Kit, the Legendary LeoVinci Pipe, added to the high-ish purchase price for a scooter that wasn't running - to help an old pal. Nickel-and-dime stuff like a bucket of carb cleaner - $50 at NAPA - and other shop/re-usables like tools add up quick. If you kept a file I think you'd find you're underestimating. It's normal for addicts to minimize their problems in the Denial Phase... :)

Posted: Mon Mar 02, 2009 6:27 pm
by devenex
I'm at around $400 for the Aero right now but I have almost everything partwise, but its going to take ~$100 to get it titled+registered in Oregon.

Granted I'm not going for more than a OKO variator in terms of performance parts...for now.

Posted: Mon Mar 02, 2009 6:41 pm
by scooterwerx
hey im not addicted! i only have, uh, a couple hundred or so in mine, i think.....

Posted: Mon Mar 02, 2009 8:50 pm
by burnt_toast
I never accounted for purchase price in my figures.. :shock:

Nor do I care to do that.. hahah

Posted: Mon Mar 02, 2009 10:23 pm
by SayTen
Gah...I can already feel that $1000+ price coming. As Of now I just ordered a variator and installed it. Next it's 9:1 gearing. Then the expensive sh*t comes into play. Like a bore kit, carb, exhaust, plug, etc.

It's very east to get crazy. So many things to make it go faster! sure in the end the scooter wont be a 50cc. And just about every part on the d*mn thing will be from some after market store. But the truth is. It's fun. And what kind of price can you put on fun?

The Price of Fun

Posted: Mon Mar 02, 2009 11:38 pm
by Wheelman-111
Greetings:
What price fun? In my case, about $1,604. And counting...

Posted: Tue Mar 03, 2009 12:22 am
by SayTen
I've put prorbably (plus price of the scooter) $520 into my scooter. Thats with new tire, battery, fuse, paint, mirrors, and a variator. So from here I could only add about $520 more.

The point being. In a way it's a hobby. For me. Like how some people put gobbs of skrillah into model planes and RC cars. But my hobby makes me go 40mph+ now and I can only get faster.

In a world where nothing comes free or easy. You have to have such things in life to give you time to let go of reality. I mean when I'm wrenching away on the ol' war machine. I forget about problems in life and focus on getting the d*** thing either running better or faster.

And all in all. I willing to pay for something that gets me to and from where I work on a $1.50 worth of gas. Plus the benifit of enjoying my time spent forgeting about life BS while working on my scooter. Now that's is the price of fun and I myself am willing to send a few $'s in that direction.