Paolosio

Hi there, Its been years since this uber awesome post. I am just about to buy a scooter and need to fathom how i can carry my rd bike on the scooter and also to help me buy the right scooter. I am a rd bike racer and need to transport it to races up to 100mi from my house. Your solution is amazing and the best i have found. Do you have an details/design how you made the platform. Many mnay thanks in advance and in case you get this. Thanks. Paul

cat0020

Well, it's now over 5 years since I've used the same setup to carry bicycles on my scooter.

My Chinese scooter now has over 16k miles on the odometer, and I am still using the same rack to carry my bicycle without red flag, LEO never give me any problem and never even had a close call.
While carrying a bicycle on the scooter, motorists tend to see me stand out from other moving traffic.

I have been riding motorcycles for over two decades now, longer with bicycles.. I've learned a few tricks to make myself more visible in traffic even without the extra red flag or reflective gear, simple maneuvering in lane can attract driver's attention without being intrusive.

BTW, I wouldn't want to ride a scooter to carry my bicycle after a grueling road race, much physical effort is required to safely operate a motorized vehicle on street.. especially with the amount of distracted drivers on the road. Every time I stop at a traffic light and look around the drivers, more than often I can see one or two looking at their cell phones.
I know I give it all while racing bicycles, after a race I would need some nice R&R, don't need the extra stress of operating a scooter and watch out for distracted drivers on the road.

IDK02

Awesome of you to give a five year review. Looking into building something similar for my small 50cc.

jefnvk

For everyone talking about red flags, actually read your state laws. Michigan does not require them until a load projects more than four feet.

EDIT: ZOMBIE THREAD.

cat0020

Be careful with smaller/lighter weight scooters, with additional weight of a bicycle/rack/gear; that may effect the weight distribution of the scooter, front end (steering performance) of the scooter may greatly change.

Scooter may handle completely different once you have the bicycle mounted on the back.
Just be aware of it when you take it out for a ride the first few miles.
In addition, the higher the speed you travel, aero drag increase can likely effect the handling even more.

I know my 250cc scooter handles differently when I am carrying the bicycle, I should probably put some counterweight across the step-thru part of the scooter, like a 40 lb. bag of furtilizer.

Ogsarg

If you stay on side streets and don't go over 40 or so, I wouldn't worry about the weight. Go to China, Taiwan, Vietnam, or many other Asian countries and see what people carry on scooters. A bicycle is like carrying an extra water bottle in comparison.

I have a Yamaha 125 with a very large top box and have carried 40 pounds in it at max speed, which is about 55. It's a 2001 so has the small wheels and funky old suspension that is nothing like what modern scooters have.

cat0020

I grew up in country where 2-wheel vehicles outnumber cars, my 17 y-o older sister would carry me (at 7 y-o) standing on floorboard & my other older sister (at 12 y-o) on passenger seat of a 50cc scooter and zip among a sea of scooters.

My first bicycle was my sister's 3-speed old traditional bike with centerstand, that I stood on non-drive side of the bike within the front triangle, couldn't even pedal full circle to propel forward.

VegasTriker

I tried this in the 1970s with a Honda 350 motorcycle and a 29# Fiorelli 10 speed bike. Mounting it behind the seat wasn't a problem but it changed the weight distribution significantly, seriously reducing the weight on the front tire.. The bike weighed 375 pounds without rider. It was OK on dry roads but I bet it could be downright dangerous on wet roads. The one trip I remember was about 50 miles and speed limits on rural roads was 70 mph. The effect on handling, particularly steering would probably be worse on a lighter scooter.

cat0020

I've carry far heavier loads on the back of my different motorcycles, maybe more compact in size than a bicycle & rack, but definatly heavier.
I strategically placed my bicycle rack as much forward as possible, without the handlebar of the bike digging into the back of my head.


On the scooter, the rear shocks are mounted near the rear of the scooter, not far in front of the bike rack mounting location,
designed to carry human passenger, much heavier than a bike rack & bicycle:

I can easily carry counterweight to compensate for the weight of the rack/bicycle, large section of floorboard/footrest can easily carry sand/water bag as ballast.

I rarely operate the scooter above 45 mph anyway. The handling difference while carrying a bicycle is easily compensated by just paying attention.