# santa cruz motoped



## bergs (Jul 8, 2009)

anyone seen these yet? i searched and nothing came up.






http://www.motopeds.com/main/


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## SHIVER ME TIMBERS (Jan 12, 2004)

just what we need................................

*NOT*


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## veloreality (May 10, 2009)




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## saturnine (Mar 28, 2007)

wouldn't a 117lb bike destroy the trails?


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## primefocus (Feb 11, 2007)

wow, that would be a 317 pound lip blasting P.O.S.


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## BRMBA MONKEY! (Aug 9, 2007)

Gotta love how they're riding a motorcycle in the bike lane:nono: I really don't know what I'd say to someone on bike trail if they were riding one of those:madman:


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## spazzy (Aug 15, 2004)

Looks like it would spruce up my commute...Wait I dont have to spend almost 4k for a moped, hell my truck is barely worth that. I can get a used one for 500 bones.

Agreed, should they get tickets for "driving" in the bike lane?


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## kenbentit (Jan 2, 2003)

Ticket depends on the local laws. Just read an article in a Canadian 'zine debating this. Here in Phoenix you can ride one of those pedal assist bikes (electrics) in the bike lane but I don't know what the police would say about this one....


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## giantsaam (Dec 10, 2006)

In colorado I know it is anything under 50cc is considered a motirized bicycle therefore allowed on shoulders and in bike lanes.


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## bdamschen (Jan 4, 2006)

Seems like it'd be a pretty fun woods dirtbike to me. 117lbs is pretty light for a moto...


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## Carl Hungus (Nov 29, 2005)

Saw these guys riding in the shoulder on Empire Grade a couple weeks ago. I'm not anti-dirt bike per se, but don't we have enough problems up there already as far as unwanted attention goes?


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## joshed (Jun 12, 2007)

Already out there tearing up the local trails huh? This is something we DO NOT need.


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## Cantil3v3r (Jan 14, 2009)

there are so many people who try and find the 'one' bike that will do everything. at least that arguement is staying inside the biking world...is this supposed to be the 'one' ride for those who are confused between mx and dh? realistically if i wanted a motocross bike or a dh bike i would buy one but i sure don't need a crap attempt at both


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## bdamschen (Jan 4, 2006)

joshed said:


> Already out there tearing up the local trails huh? This is something we DO NOT need.


Josh-

I may have already seen these on a trail that shall go unnamed, they were bombing down with the motor off. At first I was a little ticked to see them out there, but they didn't tear up the trail any more than a DH bike would.

Talked with em for a bit, and they're nice enough guys with respect for the trails around here.


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## bdamschen (Jan 4, 2006)

Cantil3v3r said:


> there are so many people who try and find the 'one' bike that will do everything. at least that arguement is staying inside the biking world...is this supposed to be the 'one' ride for those who are confused between mx and dh? realistically if i wanted a motocross bike or a dh bike i would buy one but i sure don't need a crap attempt at both


Yeah, I think that's what they already make crf 150's for...


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## Munin2889 (Jun 24, 2006)

I think, for those of you who are saying that they would tear up the trails because they are too heavy, are forgetting that a larger rider on a regular downhill bike can weigh that much or more. If you take a 180 lb rider, probably near the average, and put them on a 117 lb bike, that's under 300. Add 20 lbs of gear and it's still ~320. I'm 260 to start out with, add a 40 lb DH bike and 20 lbs of gear... and it's the same weight. 

I'm not advocating the use of them on mountain bike specific trails, just saying that that argument against them doesn't really hold up.

Dennis


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## rideactionsport (Jan 29, 2007)

I think the biggest problem with those would be noise. that thing probably has a pos little chinese motor that is loud as hell. And, realistically, whose going to ride down trails with the motor off.

If i were even thinking of buying something like this i'd go with one of those zero bikes. racer x did a few write ups of them and said they were pretty fun


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## bdamschen (Jan 4, 2006)

Zero bikes are super fun, and the new ones coming out are fast. I got a chance to ride one of those a few weeks ago and it rips.

Realistically, you're never going to ride the motoped nor the zero on a mtb only trail with out worrying about getting busted by a ranger, locals complaining about noise or "some guy on a motor cycle" to the cops or angry hikers/mountain bikers trying to stop or yell at you because they think you're tearing up the trails.

Shoot, I had a friend jumping his DH bike in the back yard of his cabin get the cops called on him because one of the neighbors looked out and thought they saw a man on a motorcycle riding through the backyard. 

Where those bikes would be fun is on some tight and twisty ohv trails. It would be rad to have a fast and extremely flick-able moto to rip through the trees. I can think of a few trails up in Hollister hills that these would be fun on.


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## StinkyFTW (Jun 29, 2008)

Imagine trying to pedal that b!tch. Looks like a failed attempt at a pit bike, and then some genius was like, "I know! lets give it PEDALS and BIG WHEELS. PERFECT."


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## Memo (Aug 8, 2006)

KTM already has an electric bike for 2011....this will be the first electric moto from a big brand.....that will unite bikes and motorcyclists...










"The EV Enduro prototype has a 7 Kw (9.5 hp) electric motor that develops 40 Nm (29 ft/lb) of torque and carries lithium ion batteries capable of lasting one hour under full load. Full recharge takes one hour. The battery pack and electric motor together weigh 17kg, but this is offset by the removal of the motor/gearbox, cooling, fuel and exhaust systems, giving the bike a total weight of 90kg (198lbs)."

It still sounds a little hard to believe it as a good option..90kg....one hour...9,5hp ???...I'll better keep the giant and the exc ktm


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## Brown_Teeth (Jan 15, 2004)

Memo said:


> KTM already has an electric bike for 2011....this will be the first electric moto from a big brand.....that will unite bikes and motorcyclists...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Its a joke for those that can't, but it might work for them so party on dudes with no legs!:skep:


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## Mr. Blonde (May 18, 2008)

The biggest problem is clearly with public perception of the biking/moto demographic. The average Joe will not draw a distinction between this and every other rider out there. It will go over VERY poorly with opposing activist groups. In the end there will never be enough market support to win any political battles. By the time it's over the damage done to our community in terms of public perception is already done.


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## Carl Hungus (Nov 29, 2005)

Mr. Blonde said:


> The biggest problem is clearly with public perception of the biking/moto demographic. The average Joe will not draw a distinction between this and every other rider out there. It will go over VERY poorly with opposing activist groups. In the end there will never be enough market support to win any political battles. By the time it's over the damage done to our community in terms of public perception is already done.


Exactly. Take these bikes (Zero, Motopeds) to Hollister or the sticks where they are appropriate, not trails where it's already of sketchy legality to ride plain old mountain bikes.


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## bdamschen (Jan 4, 2006)

Memo said:


> KTM already has an electric bike for 2011....this will be the first electric moto from a big brand.....that will unite bikes and motorcyclists...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Uh... the zero is 17.4 Kw, 23 hp motor with 50 ft/lb of torque. The battery lasts 2 hours and can be swapped out for a fresh one super quick. Full recharge time for a battery is less than 2 hours. The whole bike weighs 156 lbs. I don't think I'd take the KTM over the Zero


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## Lelandjt (Feb 22, 2008)

Yeah, but the zero has crappy suspension, ergos, small wheels, ect. Basically those guys have the battery/motor thing dialed and need to put it in a decent chassis. The KTM sounds too heavy, like all the parts are straight off a 125SX. KTM needs to trim the fat a little and get the motor from the Zero. I don't think any of the upcoming or current lightweight trail bikes (electric or gas) are quite there yet and I'm ready for a new moto so I'm gonna get another standard enduro bike (KTM 300XCW). However, I bet this is the last gas dirt bike I ever buy.
You guys who are talking about perception should see the difference in the looks on peoples faces when I pass them with the motor on or off. It seems that for many hikers and bikers the noise of a moto is the thing that ticks them off the most so electric is the way of the future.


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## Memo (Aug 8, 2006)

Lelandjt said:


> Yeah, but the zero has crappy suspension, ergos, small wheels, ect. Basically those guys have the battery/motor thing dialed and need to put it in a decent chassis. The KTM sounds too heavy, like all the parts are straight off a 125SX. KTM needs to trim the fat a little and get the motor from the Zero. I don't think any of the upcoming or current lightweight trail bikes (electric or gas) are quite there yet and I'm ready for a new moto so I'm gonna get another standard enduro bike (KTM 300XCW). However, I bet this is the last gas dirt bike I ever buy.
> You guys who are talking about perception should see the difference in the looks on peoples faces when I pass them with the motor on or off. It seems that for many hikers and bikers the noise of a moto is the thing that ticks them off the most so electric is the way of the future.


very true.....electric motorcycles/bycicles some day could "do" more than their ancestors but but they'll have a lack of noise everyone will miss...for good or bad. I'd say the future is a motorcycle converted in to an electric one, bycicles....it's just impossible to replace them in that way.


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## iridemtb (Mar 25, 2008)

Suprised no one has mentioned these:

http://www.derbi.com/int/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=146&Itemid=283

http://www.fxbikes.com/fxproducts.html


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## Lelandjt (Feb 22, 2008)

I hadn't checked up on the FX in a year. It looks like they made some good improvements. With a quieter exhaust and larger displacement (to make up for my altitude and the quieter, restrictive exhaust) it could be perfect. A 2-stroke motor would be nice for improved power/weight and much less engine braking. I'm gonna investigate more before getting the KTM 300XCW.

I still prefer the idea of an electric bike because it's silent and impervious to the effects of altitude. We have a lot of singletracks in my area that don't specifically say "no-motorized" but they get a lot of hiker/biker use and I think that I'd get less stink eye on a silent bike. In fact, if I dressed in an open face helmet and shorts a lot of hikers wouldn't notice that it's not a mountainbike.


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## noparking (Apr 28, 2009)

I really hope I never see one of those on the trailer around here.


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## singlesprocket (Jun 9, 2004)

then there is this...

http://www.erockit.net/en/


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## MTN MAN (Feb 6, 2008)

does anyone remember the tidal force wave crest electric bikes? they were like 2 grand and they had a mountain bike that went like 30 mph and charges itsself when braking or going down a hill. what happend to those things they just suddenly went out of buisness


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## Duzitall (Feb 4, 2004)

I saw an 86 year old man on a Zero MX on top of some hills here in So Cal. He was with a group of 50ish year old men that were on bikes. It's really the only way the old dude could get to the top of the hill with his son and their friends.

The Zero was pretty trick. These things may become a problem because of A-holes but I say more power to that old dude.


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## iridemtb (Mar 25, 2008)

Lelandjt said:


> I hadn't checked up on the FX in a year. It looks like they made some good improvements. With a quieter exhaust and larger displacement (to make up for my altitude and the quieter, restrictive exhaust) it could be perfect. A 2-stroke motor would be nice for improved power/weight and much less engine braking. I'm gonna investigate more before getting the KTM 300XCW.
> 
> I still prefer the idea of an electric bike because it's silent and impervious to the effects of altitude. We have a lot of singletracks in my area that don't specifically say "no-motorized" but they get a lot of hiker/biker use and I think that I'd get less stink eye on a silent bike. In fact, if I dressed in an open face helmet and shorts a lot of hikers wouldn't notice that it's not a mountainbike.


I don't know much about moto bikes, but couldn't you just re-jet it so it works better in high altitudes.


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## Duzitall (Feb 4, 2004)

iridemtb said:


> I don't know much about moto bikes, but couldn't you just re-jet it so it works better in high altitudes.


You can re-jet to use less fuel to compensate for less available air but less fuel/air means less power so that's why you need to force feed or increase the powerplant size.


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## Lelandjt (Feb 22, 2008)

What this means is that the sub 150cc 4-stroke engines in these new ultra-light dirtbikes don't have enough power to climb many of the hills here in Summit County (elev. 10,000-13,000ft). A similar sized 2-stroke, 200+cc 4-stroke, or electric motor is necessary in my unique area.
I emailed FX asking about 2-strokes but they never answered.


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## Iceman2058 (Mar 1, 2007)

This picture from FX's website really says it all:


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## FloridaFish (Mar 29, 2004)

Iceman2058 said:


> This picture from FX's website really says it all:


nice, barb wire on the fork stanchions is a great idea.


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## chewymilk99 (Nov 26, 2008)

I'd take one of the gas powered ones. I just wouldn't go anywhere near the MTN bike trails with it. There are miles and miles of open ATV trails and fire roads here in PA and something like that would be awsome.
I also like to road trip all the time and if one of these things were street legal? I would jst chuck it one the bike rack and when I park the car at the hotel I could easily explore the place where I am with this.
I just went to Atlanta a few mnths ago and this would have been sweet.


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## Fantaman (Nov 7, 2009)

iridemtb said:


> Suprised no one has mentioned these:
> 
> https://www.derbi.com/int/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=146&Itemid=283


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