Bad-ass scooters

Saw a Sachs MadAss in the East Village today. The looks blew me away.

Peirspeed's Sachs MadAss

With its fuel tank built into its oversized frame and no superfluous plastic anywhere to be seen, this has got to be the toughest looking scooter/trails bike on the market. It’s sort of a BMX bike mated with a moped. The MadAss is available in 50cc and 125cc sizes and is fairly unique in featuring manual shifting, as on a motorcycle, rather than an automatic or CVT transmission. Though a bit pricey – I was quoted $2500 for the small one and $2800 for its big brother when I finally found a dealer who stocked them – these bikes seem to have a lot going for them, including disk brakes front and rear, low curb weights, and lots of suspension travel for off-road excursions. Both models supposedly top 80 miles-per-gallon.

Seat height is pretty tall at almost 33 inches, so shorter riders like me may have problems flat-footing it at stop lights. That, and a reputation for sluggishness seem to be the major drawbacks for this German-designed, Chinese-built bike. U.S. distributor Peirspeed should build up its dealer network right now!

There are some other scooters that excel in bad-assery. These are my favorites.

Yamaha Zuma $2300

Yamaha Zuma

These small, knobby-tired machines are ubiquitous in New York – delivery people love their ease of use, traction, and ability to handle Manhattan’s war-torn streets. They can get more than 120 miles to the gallon, which also helps their appeal – with a 1.5 gallon tank, their range rivals that of many full-sized bikes. At a bit over 200 pounds, the Zuma is a bit porky for a 50cc, but that’s one of their few faults.

Honda Ruckus $2150

Honda Ruckus

Like the Zuma, Honda’s Ruckus is another tough little machine featuring fat, grippy 10-inch tires. I like the bike’s naked styling, low 29-inch seat height, and feathery curb weight (well under 200 pounds). It’s a bit underpowered, but otherwise works great for well-kept rural areas and zipping around urban traffic.

TNG Baja 150 $2700

TNG Baja 150

Another “naked” scooter is the TNG (Twist N’ Go) Baja 150. A 150cc engine is pretty large for a scooter, and it has no problems motivating the Baja’s 250-pound-plus girth.

Piaggio MP3 500 ($9000)

Piaggio MP3 500

These are actually scary looking – a rare trait in a scooter. Their three-wheel design makes them much less likely to tip than other bikes, and that, plus a 90-mph top speed, excellent wind and rain protection, and plenty of lockable storage, makes them suitable for long-distance cruising.