I know one way to make a vehicle faster is to make it lighter. Just wonder if there is discussions on making scooters lighter as well.
I have a mountain bike awhile back that I worked on and I was able to get different components made from aluminum or titanium or other mixed alloys to lighten it up.
Other than the batteries for a scooter what are the other components that could be changed out for lighter ones? Or maybe there are no lighter parts? Or maybe the parts are DOT certified so they need to have a certain strength?
Interesting question. Most of the plastic body covering could be removed if you didn't want to ride in the rain. As to the rims and the frames I suppose there are metals lighter and stronger than steel, but I'm not sure where you'd get parts made from them. Scooters use a lot of steel because they are designed to be cheap. I think you would have better luck converting a dirt bike. With them weight is everything and some of the better (more expensive) ones are pretty darn light.
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Full time ebiker
BionX and Wilderness Energy
"we must be the change we wish to see in the world"
Lightening your scooter is not the only way to make it faster. In fact its not even the easiest or cheapest way to make it faster. Have you given any consideration to the aerodynamics of your machine? In the 1950s, large farings were added to racing motorbikes in order to improve their aerodynamic profile. Heres a good example from a Moto Guzzi 500cc V8 (yes, a V8. In a bike. In 1955 :jawdrop: ) :
The fairings were so effective that the bikes could reach speeds far higher than either the tyre or brake technology of the time could handle. Therefore these so-called 'dustbin' fairings were banned.
If you were to add such a fairing to your bike, even though it would increase the weight it would decrease the aerodynamic drag and make your bike faster or more efficient.
gyro_gearloose & RedRum,
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No way. I had mountain bikes and was just use to buying expensive light weight parts to lighten up my bike. So, I got curious if there was such things going on with electric scooters. But as mentioned before, it's about low cost. Performance doesn't factor in with expensive light weight parts unless it's in large quantities. The scooter companies are more lightly to just though in a bigger motor and more batteries. Reminds me old cars from the 50's-70's. Built like tanks, and to make them go faster, make a bigger engine and just add a bigger gas tank. It's too bad the scooter industry is not as big as it could be in the US. Every home could use a scooter to zip to the local grocery store install of driving a car. At least for those small trips. Oops...I'm starting to babble on. You get the point.
Have been riding Lepton-E scooters for quite awhile , mostly during the day with the sun shinning , although it only goes up to 30 mph , a little faster downhill . The wind at those speed and the cool temperature in CT can chill you rapidly to a point that it is very unconfortable .
Sometime , going home later in the night really agravated the situation .In addition bugs and other depries , do a real number on the face .
Being thinking very seriously about a windshield for the scooter , does anyone have one ?
What would the effect be on the handling and performance of the scooter , I do not mean a low one , but one that will block the brezze while sitting straight up ( maybe 20-25 " tall over the headlight ,JC Whitney has some at reasonable price .
I do not particular care about how it will look , more concerned about confort and no degradation in the already slow scooter .
Any comments either pro or con is greatly appreciated .
Andre
HEAT & LOSS & INEFFICIENCY RELATED DIRECTLY to IMPEDANCE