Posted: 6/1/2026 1:47:48 PM EDT
[Last Edit: swampfoxoutdoors][Edited]
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Think you can do it? The 49cc Challenge is simple. Use a 49cc scooter, moped, or mini-bike as your primary transportation for five days. Rules Your 49cc machine must be your main vehicle for all normal daily travel. Drive it to and from work each day. If you're retired, use it for your normal daily errands and activities. Once you arrive at work, you may drive any vehicle required for your job duties. Honor system applies so have fun and document your adventure. Bonus Points Post photos of your daily rides. Share fuel mileage, routes, weather conditions, and any challenges encountered. Show off your machine and any modifications. Challenge Decal If we get 10 or more participants, custom 49cc Challenge decals will be produced and mailed to everyone who participates and successfully completes the challenge by me. This is not a site sponsored function or fundraiser. Just some guys goofing off. The goal isn't speed, it's proving that a 49cc machine can handle real world transportation while having a little fun and camaraderie along the way. So whos up for it? Im on day 1. At 4.8Mi one way, going home for lunch so 19 miles a day on a Honda Ruckus Attached File |
| Unpossible. I-95 and SR-70 don’t play like that. At 70ish mph, it takes about 45 minutes each way. At 49cc power levels, it’s suicide. My errands involve hauling 200 - 300 pounds of brass shells around. Hard pass from me. |
10/22/14 I stand with Canada
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Where I live in upstate NY, I’d be killed on the first day. So no dice. If I was at my beach house? Easy peasy, I rely on the scooter almost entirely and I could easily do a week on my Metropolitan and then a week on my Ruckus.  |
You should move to the right lane, where the rule of vehicle and traffic law still exists. You will not survive here. You are not a wolf, and the left lane is the land of wolves now.
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Originally Posted By fttam: Where I live in upstate NY, I’d be killed on the first day. So no dice. If I was at my beach house? Easy peasy, I rely on the scooter almost entirely and I could easily do a week on my Metropolitan and then a week on my Ruckus. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/287916/IMG_1801-3772016.jpg How well do you like the metropolitan compared against the ruckus? I see them come available quite frequently being between 3 large colleges. |
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Well day 1 was a success. Total was about 30mi. 3 trips to town. 2 for work and one for a Fire meeting. Attached File |
| I'm not sure one that small could haul me up the hills between home and work - at least at a speed high enough to avoid 'gentle assists' from an F250. |
Disclaimer - OP is bad at knowing things, and might catch on fire.
Vet - Op MMAMA
Every other species kills off their stupid......we cater to them. -- spin-drift
Nobody ever called 911&said I just did something smart. -- TheFlynDutchman
Vet - Op MMAMA
Every other species kills off their stupid......we cater to them. -- spin-drift
Nobody ever called 911&said I just did something smart. -- TheFlynDutchman
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Originally Posted By swampfoxoutdoors: How well do you like the metropolitan compared against the ruckus? I see them come available quite frequently being between 3 large colleges. I’ve actually had the Metro for longer than the Ruckus. Mine is a 2005 with about 8k miles on it (I’ve put about 6k of them on there just beach blitzing since I’ve owned it). They are largely the same thing, same base frame and same engine. But the Metro has smaller wheels and tires and because of that accelerates a little faster and actually handles a little better (I drag hard parts when I’m cornering like an idiot). There’s a large underseat storage that’s lockable, unlike the Ruckus so if you’re making stops it’s a little easier to live with and secure things. The Ruckus is better on lousy road surfaces and the larger and heavier wheels and tires store more energy so maintains speed on hills and whatnot. The Metro gets ever so slightly better mileage than the Ruckus, but with both at about 100mpg WFO there is not much in it to bitch about! I did put an LED bulb in the Metro which really made a huge difference in nighttime riding. |
You should move to the right lane, where the rule of vehicle and traffic law still exists. You will not survive here. You are not a wolf, and the left lane is the land of wolves now.
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Well I’m on day 2 of this adventure. Late night last night with a fire call so was dragging this morning. So far been to work already and back to lunch on it. Only thing I’ve got to complain with so far is riding the same (short cut) roads back and forth every day. I’d say 40% of my commute is dirt roads going to town. Have seen probably 15 deer, 4 snakes, and 2 ground hogs. |
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Day 2 completed with bonus points of bringing home a new gun on the scooter. Attached File |
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Day 3 success. Got off early so no back home for lunch trip. County bladed the main dirt road I travel on and man is it sketch now. Had been running 30 on it now having to go slow. Attached File |
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As an apartment dweller I don't have a safe place to store it. Some moped motors have good aftermarket support for horsepower improvements too. My drive to work is about 14 miles and any moped/scooter that can hit 45mph and stay there will be fine for the city route I can use. |
The “Three Stupid” Rule: “Do not go to stupid places, with stupid people, and do stupid things”
Religion is a handy device for keeping the philosophically deficient in line.
Religion is a handy device for keeping the philosophically deficient in line.
| My son played in the Florida band so we went to some games in The Swamp. Anyway, they had a pair of brothers who played O-line. IIRC, they were about 6’3” and 320 pounds. It was a humorous site to see them heading out after a game. The two of them riding on one pitiful little scooter…… |
10/22/14 I stand with Canada
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I've done it in the past along with bicycle and e-bike commuting. However since I have nowhere to commute to anymore I am out. Have fun everybody. ETA; I swapped out the drive pulley with an aftermarket one, top speed went from 28mph to 37mph. It was worth the cost and an easy swap. |
If you think I am sexy now just wait until you find out I have full medical and dental.
Personal pronouns are; Bro/Dude
Personal pronouns are; Bro/Dude
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Originally Posted By GaryM: I've done it in the past along with bicycle and e-bike commuting. However since I have nowhere to commute to anymore I am out. Have fun everybody. ETA; I swapped out the drive pulley with an aftermarket one, top speed went from 28mph to 37mph. It was worth the cost and an easy swap. I’ve been looking at those. Seems like they are made of aluminum. Day 4 is in the books. My commute has gotten a little rougher. The county has plowed 2 of the 3 dirt roads I take to town. Now it’s pretty sketchy to ride on them. One has been ridden on some and pack back down. The other is super soft. Small update, got a rear rack for the scooter. Looks good and was an easy install. Attached File Attached File |
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Smallest bike they sell here is 110cc. 50cc would get you killed. That says a lot for a country that predominantly uses them for work/travel. "The smallest readily available, road-legal bikes you can buy new or used in Thailand have 110cc engines. There are almost no commercially produced 50cc road bikes, as they struggle to keep up with the country's general traffic flow and steep hills." "Approximately 87% of households in Thailand own at least one motorcycle or scooter. Because cars are heavily taxed and often unaffordable, over 69% of all passenger commutes in the country rely on two-wheelers. This gives Thailand one of the highest rates of motorcycle ridership in the world." |
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Originally Posted By swampfoxoutdoors: I’ve been looking at those. Seems like they are made of aluminum. Day 4 is in the books. My commute has gotten a little rougher. The county has plowed 2 of the 3 dirt roads I take to town. Now it’s pretty sketchy to ride on them. One has been ridden on some and pack back down. The other is super soft. Small update, got a rear rack for the scooter. Looks good and was an easy install. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/424008/IMG_8561_jpeg-3773536.JPG https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/424008/IMG_8562_jpeg-3773537.JPG Now ya need a milk crate on the back |
You should move to the right lane, where the rule of vehicle and traffic law still exists. You will not survive here. You are not a wolf, and the left lane is the land of wolves now.
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Originally Posted By mustb123: My son played in the Florida band so we went to some games in The Swamp. Anyway, they had a pair of brothers who played O-line. IIRC, they were about 6’3” and 320 pounds. It was a humorous site to see them heading out after a game. The two of them riding on one pitiful little scooter…… We were dropping our son off to start his freshman year at UF. Girl got squished right in front of The Swamp. No helmet, inattentive driver, bad luck, DRT. |
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My kid and his GF have been riding to and from the beach everyday on my two scoots for the last week. Jealous. |
You should move to the right lane, where the rule of vehicle and traffic law still exists. You will not survive here. You are not a wolf, and the left lane is the land of wolves now.
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Originally Posted By fttam: My kid and his GF have been riding to and from the beach everyday on my two scoots for the last week. Jealous. Nice. A buddy of mine got one a few weeks back and we have been riding dirt roads and around town. I purchased some LED lights for mine and they sucked. Something about the depth of the bulb and the lens’s was off so the beam pattern was junk. LED High beam Attached File Stock high beam Attached File |
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Originally Posted By killingmachine123: OP, what kind of gas mileage do you get on that hog? I've often thought about making my ~15 mile commute to work through the country on a scooter. I really don’t know. I don’t think it’s as good as the advertised amount. Google says 1.3 and it lasted me a week. I need to sit down and add up all my miles from that week. I drove it every day to work. And then 2 day me and my buddy drove around in the afternoons. |
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Originally Posted By killingmachine123: OP, what kind of gas mileage do you get on that hog? I've often thought about making my ~15 mile commute to work through the country on a scooter. I get an easy 100mi to a tank in my Metro, and 90mi in my Ruckus. They have 1.2 gallon tanks, I usually fill up about one gallon exactly. And they are always WFO. |
You should move to the right lane, where the rule of vehicle and traffic law still exists. You will not survive here. You are not a wolf, and the left lane is the land of wolves now.
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Buddy who has a ruck came by work today. He adjusted the sliders in his and is now getting 42-43mph and he’s about my size if not a little bigger. Attached File He’s the assistant chief for a local PD. So the tag is pretty funny. Attached File |