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Messages - VintageBlueSmoke

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46
Yamaha and the rest raised their prices of 2-strokes so as to not steal sales from the awesome 4-strokes that they all spend so much money promoting.

47
Open Forum / Is This the Future?
« on: July 25, 2013, 10:59:47 AM »
Sorry, didn't finish typing that correctly. They use $42 12 VOLT batteries in series. The 12.5 has 2 and the 36V 16 has 3. (Obviously the 20.0 at 48 volt uses...4.)

Yes, there are heavier batteries. They are the same ones used in your kids plastic ride on toys. The little Oset 12.5 is like 48 lbs total. Almost double that for the 20.0. I'm sure the Zero's batteries are lighter. They better be for $2500.

48
Open Forum / Is This the Future?
« on: July 25, 2013, 09:15:33 AM »
With the RC cars, we replaced brushes but never bothered with stators or bearings. They were just too small. But yeah, all that same crap that goes bad in your car's alternator and starter is the same in any electric motor.

I was just at the Zero site brushing up (pun intended) and batteries are still $2.5k+. Althought the bike is priced at $9, this years incentives (tax break) are only 10% up to $2.5k. There is another incentive in play for 30% refund on charging equipment (which iis $600+ for the Zero and requires a seperate connector - not included.). Also charging up to 95% can be done in 1 hour. Guess you still need that second (and maybe third) battery if you go to the races. I guess Bush was a little 'greener' than Obama (pun intended)...

I didn't find parts information for the Zero. I did for the Oset however. Motors are less that $150 (biggest 750w) and controllers are $50. Also amazingly is that every part to include the wiring harness and frames are available for sale. The Oset doesn't use fancy plastic powerpacks. They use $42 12 batteries in series and have a canvas/nylon bag that mounts in the frame. Gas Gas and Beta electric bikes are much the same. Now Oset has the 2.0 - an 20" trials bike for bigger kids. That is the size of your standard BMX bike. That sounds just right for me!

49
Open Forum / Is This the Future?
« on: July 24, 2013, 04:46:48 PM »
Zero states 50+ Hp (which is good to go for any mere mortals like us) and 70 fl-lbs of torque  :o, OMG!

It clearly has enough beans to clear triples.

But it weighs too much, costs too much (re purchase),  and only has 9" of travel. Not a real MX bike yet -- despite the model being named "MX".

I could be wrong...but according to the "special" showing Jay Leno's Zero, the you tube infomercial from Australia comparing it to 125's, and my own checking it out for possible "someday" purchase...it is lighter than a 125. It is about $10k (all prices here are US) but also had Bush's $4k tax break - that because (like all Bush plans) was not thought out well and allowed all the dealers to cash in on all the bikes delivered and then sell the Zero at less than $6k.

Here is the problem (currently) though...Although a new battery would last a moto, it takes 6 hours to charge to you'd need minimum 2 batteries (which does not include practice or other qualifying sessions). Each additional battery is/was when I checked $2.5k...and like all these battery powered toys, the batteries lose efficiency over time so you'll be replacing them often.

Having gone down the competitive remote control car road, I can compare what it takes to run these things. I was in a competitive group, but by no means national caliber. We would use 1 new motor for every main event. It would then be relegated to a qualifying motor. We would then use it for 3 events qualifying and relegate it to a practice motor. If I remember right, a motor was about $50. Batteries were pretty much on the same schedule except that they were only used for a single qualifying event. we assembled our own batteries from cells but I think you could buy completed for $50.

Without advancement in battery technology or a drastic fall in prices, and correlating it to my RC car experience - my estimate for a season was $6 for the bike and an additional $15k for the batteries. And that is conservative hoping the motors are repairable/replaceable under warranty. Think about your equivalent fuel costs and see if it compares.

50
I hope the tools at LL do something really stupid and DQ him...for having too much fun at their expense. Hell, I am having so much fun watching this story that they should DQ me!

(Note: I love Loretta Lynn and their contribution to our sport, but I also know that the "powers that be" have only a self serving intrest in it.)

51
General Two Stroke Talk / Emig-WTF??
« on: July 23, 2013, 02:30:48 PM »
Quote
What really sad is if the Manufactures really wanted to build the sport...

The thing is, most of the manufacturers (the big 4) already have suitable parts supply to do just this. In the case of Yamaha, take the big wheel YZ85, insert a DT125, sell it in the Yamaha pink of the '90's with maybe a daisy on the tank and every non- race wife would have one. Sell the same bike in blue for the boys and you have a great "too big for a kid" beginner bike (much like the XR200).

Kawasaki created one of the best "all round" bikes ever with leftover parts. (The KDX line).

I don't necessarily agree with KTM's chosen line up. I might do it a bit different, but by mixing parts and having a product geared toward everyone is a better business plan than gearing to to a select few.

52
Open Forum / Is This the Future?
« on: July 22, 2013, 05:33:33 PM »
Having ridden my sons Oset 12.5, I can say the application of power is...strange. There is a lot of wheelspin at first, basically because it is immediately at whatever speed the potentiometer (throttle) is turned to but then it is steady at that and locks up. You can squeeze the power on but it takes (a lot of) practice to get it right.

53
Technical / Hard to find neutral after bottom and top end rebuild
« on: July 22, 2013, 10:57:07 AM »
The extra neutrals were left out and used in old Zundapps and Sachs...

 ;D

54
General Two Stroke Talk / Motocross Numbers font???
« on: July 22, 2013, 10:55:53 AM »
...and from the AMA Pro Racing rule book...

Appendix F
Number Fonts
6" Black
Eras Demi ITC
Impact
Arial Bold
Arial Black
Verdana Bold
Tahoma Bold
Franklin Gothic Demi
Century Gothic Bold

55
Open Forum / Is This the Future?
« on: July 22, 2013, 10:49:05 AM »
hello welcome to wallmart. scooters to your right my man.

Meet you there? We'll set up a course and see if we can pull off 2 45 minute motos? Extra points for kills of course...

56
Open Forum / Is This the Future?
« on: July 22, 2013, 09:31:41 AM »
Rather ride an e-bike than a 4-stroke...just sayin'.

57
Open Forum / two stroke girls...yep...hot!
« on: July 21, 2013, 01:06:48 PM »
They are hot but it might take more than 2-strokes...

 :P

58
General Two Stroke Talk / Emig-WTF??
« on: July 21, 2013, 01:05:09 PM »
Quote
( but then what would we **** about )

Emig-WTF??

60
Open Forum / Freaky sunday
« on: July 21, 2013, 11:24:31 AM »
Had one on Pico (another of the Azorean islands) this weekend too. I won'der if they are related?

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