My new-to-me BigRuckus: LETDOWN

[The PacRat]

I am sorry you got a bike you are not enjoying, but your thread made me feel a lot better.

I had been lusting for a BR and could not justify the price, compared to what else is available at that range. Ended up with a cheap Helix and it KICKS ASS.

At least if you decide you really don't like it, you can easily sell it.

[CaseyJones]

Originally Posted by The PacRat

I am sorry you got a bike you are not enjoying, but your thread made me feel a lot better.

I had been lusting for a BR and could not justify the price, compared to what else is available at that range. Ended up with a cheap Helix and it KICKS ASS.

At least if you decide you really don't like it, you can easily sell it.

Yeah. That's why I took a chance on it.

Seems the opinion is, it's somewhat out of tune or mal-adjusted. Don't know where I'd start; or what could be so wrong on a low-mileage machine like that.

I do think I'll play with it awhile before giving up...give it, say, a year. While I'm doing that, I'll try to Ruck-ize my clone...stuff a bigger engine in there. I need the BR as a model, of how to get a radiator in. I'm thinking this winter, I'll do it as a project. My VOG should have about 10,000 miles on it...mostly depreciated; I can make it a donor then with a clear conscience.

[Forde]

how fast did you expect a very heavy 250cc auto scooter to go? get a gear up maybe.

everyone else is getting low 70's at a max and you are getting 65 and your a big fella, maybe a couple mpg of it is due to scooter needing a tune up but its not that much less than anyone has got really.

[Bronco638]

I'm still a little perplexed by the "highway speed" thing. My wife's Reflex will do 70-75 mph but I'm not sure I'd want to be out there (in Chicago traffic) on an expressway (interstate, divided highway). However, I wouldn't hesitate to take the Reflex on "lesser" roads (speed limit @ 55-65 mph). Just keep to the right side of your lane and watch your mirrors. Let faster traffic pass and enjoy the ride. Shoot, if a couple of inmates (Underbone & Underboned) can ride SYM Symbas (Honda C70 Passport clone) from the Pacific NW to NC (and then across Africa, India and to SE Asia), your BR should be just fine.

However, if your commute doesn't involve "lesser" roads, I can see your issue.

[The PacRat]

Maybe you should take a look at a Helix? They definitely do over 70mph, parts are plentiful and the sky is the limit for modding, even BR style modding (and they're CHEAP). Take a look at a few of these...

[CaseyJones]

Originally Posted by Bronco638

I'm still a little perplexed by the "highway speed" thing. My wife's Reflex will do 70-75 mph but I'm not sure I'd want to be out there (in Chicago traffic) on an expressway (interstate, divided highway). However, I wouldn't hesitate to take the Reflex on "lesser" roads (speed limit @ 55-65 mph). Just keep to the right side of your lane and watch your mirrors. Let faster traffic pass and enjoy the ride. Shoot, if a couple of inmates (Underbone & Underboned) can ride SYM Symbas (Honda C70 Passport clone) from the Pacific NW to NC (and then across Africa, India and to SE Asia), your BR should be just fine.

However, if your commute doesn't involve "lesser" roads, I can see your issue.

Well...the BR, in its current shape, tops out at about 65. That's wide-open.

My Xingyue XY300 will do over 78 wide-open...verified with GPS. That gives plenty of reserve on the freeway.

Now, neither is really intended as a freeway cruiser. But...I have a 35-mile commute (hoping to shorten it with a home purchase closer to work) and about eight or nine miles are GREATLY aided by using the expressway. Otherwise, it's surface streets with the lights maniacally timed so that the light will drop red on you every time. Panic stop after panic stop...and cops abound just to catch the guy who tries to slip on a fresh red.

The rest of the way it's country road. But that nine-mile leg HAS to be by freeway. Like I said, the 300 does well; and I expected the 250 to do reasonably well...maybe pant a little harder. And it seems the Reflexes out there do just fine at that speed.

Sounds like it's mine. Have to get a shop manual...start with a valve adjustment; then work to the carb...

[elite1]

Originally Posted by The PacRat

Maybe you should take a look at a Helix? They definitely do over 70mph, parts are plentiful and the sky is the limit for modding, even BR style modding (and they're CHEAP). Take a look at a few of these...

Dude....I want that Helix......badass......

[TheReaper!]

Both our BR's will do 75mph wot , that said I weigh 200 and my son weighs 180 .
Don't kid yourself that extra 50 pounds makes a big difference . That said I've
owned a lot of them and wouldn't ride one without rejetting the carb and installing
a jcosta and a Bitubo rear shock . If your CVT belt has a few thousand miles on it ,
it helps quite a bit . If you have a new belt , a stock variator and stock jets your BR
is going to run for shit .

TheReaper!

[CaseyJones]

What do you rejet to? Leaner or richer?

Who has the parts. etc?

What do you change in the variator? Lighter or heavier? Slider or roller?

[TheReaper!]

Originally Posted by CaseyJones

What do you rejet to? Leaner or richer?

Who has the parts. etc?

What do you change in the variator? Lighter or heavier? Slider or roller?

Casey , read my review on Motorcycle.com . All the what , where info is in the review .
http://www.motorcycle.com/forum/moto...us-review.html

TheReaper!

[Bronco638]

Originally Posted by CaseyJones

...Sounds like it's mine. Have to get a shop manual...start with a valve adjustment; then work to the carb...

Yeah, I agree. Something is not quite right.

[mjhoward]

I'm a bit surprised at the top speed even being a heavy scoot with a 250lb rider. I've ridden 2-up on my KYMCO PS250 (~400lb worth of rider) and had it going 75mph with room to spare. I've heard of guys getting theirs up to 90MPH solo. The MPG's doesn't surprise me at all though. I think mine gets ~65MPG with a mix of easy throttle and spirited riding. I know another guy that had a heavy Piaggio 250 and his was around 60MPG.

It's a bummer that it isn't everything that you hoped it would be but if it is something you plan to keep for a long time, I wouldn't think twice about putting a few bucks worth of mods into it to get it the way you want. The thing will last a long time if you treat it right.

[bbishoppcm]

A properly running Reflex or Big Ruckus should easily hit 80mph... a Helix will hit 72... and as most Helix owners have realized, they can do much more than that, and some have even hit 79mph. These bikes were designed to easily handle freeway use, and they are faster than the original Volkswagen Beetle, school buses, most commercial vehicles, U-Haul trucks.

[btcn]

Well thats too bad at the price!

BUT, how about instead of all that work stuffing that there Chinese 250 engine in the 150 Clone Ruckus, buying a Helix 250 engine and stuffing it in the 150 cc clone? Just the bike you like, with Honda engine and 78 MPH?

You can also try to fix the BR as well as you said. As others has said it should run 70-75 MPH normally. And how accurate is the speedo? You says you done GPS'ed it? Usually Honda scoots are just about dead on accurate in my experance.

[CaseyJones]

Originally Posted by btcn

Well thats too bad at the price!

BUT, how about instead of all that work stuffing that there Chinese 250 engine in the 150 Clone Ruckus, buying a Helix 250 engine and stuffing it in the 150 cc clone? Just the bike you like, with Honda engine and 78 MPH?

You can also try to fix the BR as well as you said. As others has said it should run 70-75 MPH normally. And how accurate is the speedo? You says you done GPS'ed it? Usually Honda scoots are just about dead on accurate in my experance.

Yeah. Obviously it's been sold instead of fixed or set right...on the one hand, relatively big return on a sale; on the other hand, an uncertain result.

The Helix engine won't fit in the clone. The Helix engine sits upright; I need the Reflex engine.

I was gonna stuff in the VOG engine as it's also horizontal and it's a known quantity. it starts and runs, strong and fast.

No question about the speed. I put a permanent GPS mount on the BR; and a cigarette-lighter power-plug under the seat. Had it for several hours, as I was home-shopping in a 75-mile radius.

The speedometer is about three mph fast at 60. My references are actual speeds.