Originally posted by: Tommunist
This is a nice looking ride. Any idea what the fuel consuption is like? The price seems a little higher than I'd like though (around 3 grand new)...
EDIT1: Does $2400 for a used 2006 with 1300 miles seems fair? That seems really pricey to me compared to 600 dollars more for a brand new one.
EDIT2: In general - how long can one expect a 49cc engine to last? For instance I kind of assume most car engines can make it to around 200k without any HUGE issues. Would expecting a life of maybe 50k be reasonable? 60k?
1)
This link [mpt.org] has a short review of the SR50. They claim 112mpg. I recall one of customers getting around 100mpg. These things sip fuel. They are direct injected and very efficient. And there's no premixing fuel and oil. There is a separate oil tank under the seat, all the mxing is done for you.
They are a bit pricey, but the Japanese companies don't sell anything comparable at the same pricepoint. You migh also check out scooters from Piaggio, another Italian company (but I am less familiar with them).
2) The blue book retail value on a 2006 is $2085. $2400 is definitely overpriced, considering you could pick up a new one for $2750 or so. Check around on cycletrader.com and craigslist.
3) The motor itself should last for quite a while, as it is in a relaxed state of tune (i.e. it is not stressed like a pocketbike or motocross bike). Plus, being a 2-stroke, a top-end rebuild should be relatively inexpensive (no valvetrain to worry about). Only problems I ever saw with them were a few electrical gremlins. I can't comment on how many miles you'd get out of it with basic maintenance.