I quit vandwelling, or living in any vehicle. Why?

[gcal]

Well I have lived the CRVL way for a while. But over the past few months it came to me it doesn't make sense for me to live in a vehicle. I am able bodied enough I do not NEED a van, truck or even car to live how I want. And that being reliant on such a machine limits me greatly getting to truly remote campsites.
Maintenance, insurance and registration cost are astronomical even if you don't drive the thing. Fuel, tire, oil, coolant, tune ups. Oh my, just to keep my truck legal and safe was roughly $1000 a year. Then gas, even at 50mpg(my last motorcycle) is a killer on long moves.

Now boots and calories are still expensive, I am thinking a 4 stroke 50cc scoot is the way to travel for me, bicycles(yes even quality ones like the specialized or Klein I had) are shockingly expensive to keep moving.
Again anything with tires limits your ability in the back country but ease of travel on smooth terrain is a trade off.

The old time hobos used to travel the country with nothing but a backpack. It can be done. I wonder if a 50cc would be worth bothering with, tho. They seem to have a top weight capacity of 250#'s. By the time you substract your weight and any tools and spare parts you need to carry, how much have you got left for your stuff? You will probably be straining it at full capacity at all times, which will make it more prone to breakdowns. Those things are not made for fulltime, constant use as a station wagon. 

You won't be able to go on main, high speed roads. Your range may be dangerously limited. You will end up looking like an itinerant vagrant, with things hanging clumsily all over it, inviting unwanted attention from both civilians and police. You will have all the inconvenience of having to take care of a vehicle without getting many more benefits over backpacking from a vehicle that small.

Personally, after trying various kinds of camping and rv travel, we find that a well maintained hardsided something works best. We don't like having to worry about mosquitoes, bears, theiving packrats, mooching squirrels, rain, cold, sweltering heat, damp electronics, charging our electronics, or a safe place to sleep off a bout with the flu. We would also find it very difficult to do temporary work out of just a tent or a sleeping bag. But then, we are us and you are you. We are old, arthritic and spoiled. If you can try whatever lifestyle choices you want without closing off your options to make other choices, later, you might as well do so. Do try, tho, not to trap yourself in any particular choice because you have closed off your options to go back.

 

[ZoNiE]

 

[Sabatical]

[emoji14]

That looks like about 600lbs...one tough scooter!

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[minimotos95]

On a scooter I was thinking simply wearing the frame pack while riding, not the safest thing to do but a solid pack is the same as a good passenger in effecting the dynamic.
Myself and gear weighs roughly 235lb but I still need a few key pieces of gear an E tool, 30 more rounds and a USB solar panel(leaning towards the Renogy 14w). I carried heavier loads both on my Honda spree and that Yamaha 50. One nice thing is for a lot of the horizontal cylinder air cooled 4 stroke bikes is you can get heavy duty springs or shocks off the shelf.

The military tent isn't small(or light) it's a true 2 man tent, designed for 2 soldiers and their gear. I think it was right at 10' peak to peak and 5-6' wide for the 6 foot center section that's straight.

I was thinking about this last night and am now not so sure about a scooter because unless I get a bike trailer traveling by scooter restricts me from having a canine companion. With a bike trailer I would lose a lot of capability where the road turns to a trail. Something with a conventional gas tank I could try to train a dog to ride but without a home base to work out of I don't see it as feasible. I would really love one of those Asian trike trucks with the Honda style 4 stroke, it would be near perfect. I've been watching Craigslist for a few weeks and haven't seen one so even though there is some around it's not feasible to find one.
I may just keep the money from my truck selling and try travelling on foot first. I'll see how the next few days play out. Regardless of mode of travel I want to be headed to the Q by the crack of dawn January second at the latest.

 

[Every Road Leads Home]

Actually I have owned two Kymco's including current one...if it weren't for concern about parts and availability, I'd certainly recommend it. I know that whatever small town you might find yourself in, you'll be able to get Yamaha and Honda parts. Perhaps Kymco is similar, I really haven't looked into it...

My theory on parts now a days is you can pretty much get whatever you need shipped where ever you need it.  Granted you may get stuck in a small town for a few days but heck, that's all part of the adventure right?  And not being in a rush is kind of paramount to scooter travel.  

Not going to lie, this thread is making me want to take a scooter trip.  There's something to be said for being forced to slow down and enjoy the sights.

 

[ArtW]

That is much larger than it looks on the site I checked, so thanks for clarifying
I can carry a fair bit of stuff in my scooter's underseat storage and glove boxes, but never tried to carry a tents or even a break down cot, though I know some motorcyclists who do
A dog could certainlt complicate travel, but honestly a bicycle trailer will go anywhere a scooter will, they really don't have a lot of ground clearace
Making the bike trailer legal, that's another question

 

[ZoNiE]

You can always upgrade...

 

[RVTravel]

The asian folks scooter looks photoshopped...not real. Some people have done cross country trips on those honda ruckus..cool looking bike.

 

[minimotos95]

There was a couple that did cross Canada on a Yamaha c3, two up with some camping gear. It was a few years ago and they were turning out miles over a matter of a couple weeks... Let me find s link

http://scootercanada.weebly.com/
11 days 3000 miles 2 people on a 4 stroke 50cc scooter. When I first read about it I saw it a testimant to the reliability and under estimated payload of the c3.

 

[flying kurbmaster]

I have a fair amount of experience travelling on scooters, I have travelled the length of NZ several times   Vespa ET4, Vespa GT200, vespa PX200, vespa super 150 I have gone from Melbourn to Port Douglas and back again vespa PX200, I have travelled  through Italy 2  up on a Piaggio hexagon 250  , gone up the Alaska Highway, across Canada down to Tenessee and back up to Ontario, on GT200, carrying all my cooking gear food, sleeping stuff, tent and change of clothes here is a shot of my set up on the Alaska Highway,  I  boondocked or camped  at campgrounds on all these trips.
In my opinion it is false economy to think that running a scooter is a lot less expensive then say a van. Good scooters are not cheap, parts are expensive, maintenance is often and can be expensive, tires don't last and are not cheap, small cdisplacement bikes don't go that far before needing to be rebuilt or replaced, I have seen people do the math they came up with that running a scooter is about as cheap as a small car. So you really have to be into scooters to do this sort of thing in my experience.

 

[towhee]

Minimoto,

It's inspiring to hear your can do attititude and experimental nature. Thanks for inspiring me to think more broadly. Life offers many possibilities. Each choice has joys and difficulties. I look forward to seeing you at RTR
I'll be in a silver Previa with a bright pink trike (human powered) on the back.

 

[USExplorer]

Props to you. I have considered further minimizing my lifestyle, but I still want my steel-and-glass cave to hide in when the weather turns ugly. $1000/yr (or $3/day) is a small price to pay for that, even if far more money goes into filling its tank. It takes a special kind of person to go where they like without dragging a two and a half ton shell with them all the time.

 

[minimotos95]

Well, I am committed now. The little kid in me couldn't pass up the price on this with all the adult friendly mods. Paperwork to be registered will be mailed out Monday and hopefully will show up after I finish going through the bike head to toe.

And here I thought I would wind up on a conventional scooter. I missed my tiny motorcycles.

 

[Goshawk]

You can always upgrade...

Am reading a persons blog who does this exact setup. Works for them.


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[Vagabound]

ERLH:. I've taking a few really cool trips by scooter. It doesn't have to be very far to be fun. I'd highly recommend it.

----------

Regarding parts availability for Kymco scooters, I contacted the company several months ago and asked for a list of dealers in the US. They provided it and I have attached it here.  In addition to getting the dealers' help in person if you're in the right place, as has been said, I'm sure parts can be mailed anywhere.

Vagabound


View attachment Dealer List-Kymco-Aug 2016.pdf

 

[29chico]

Well, I am committed now. The little kid in me couldn't pass up the price on this with all the adult friendly mods. Paperwork to be registered will be mailed out Monday and hopefully will show up after I finish going through the bike head to toe.

And here I thought I would wind up on a conventional scooter. I missed my tiny motorcycles.

Those are good motors.  What displacement is it and what frame does it reside in?   I like the S65 a lot.

I personally prefer the next step up in size to the 90cc motors.  Partly for the more power but mainly for the ability to properly service the points w/o pulling off the flywheel.

 

[minimotos95]

05 crf50 chassis with bone stock motor. And it will stay that way until it gives me problems.
My last Honda happened to be an 05 crf70 setup for the road, same thing but a little bigger.
Yes a 10" wheeled z50/xr50/crf50 is "too small" but I am fine with that.

CDI vs points on these I don't really care more for one or the other either way, the CDI system is so simple.
Every single part needed to build a brand new 50 including frames is available off the shelf, OE replacement parts are everywhere.  The only negative for me is it costs $150 to upgrade to a 4 speed, I'm okay with 3 but 4 could let me better utilize the limited power
I will be under $600 into it all gone through, cleaned, lubed, setup, registeted with some spares. Should be done by the end of the year, the only unknown is CO DOR mailing the tag

 

[FrozenTundra]

I lived off the back of my Honda CRF250L tent camping for about 6 weeks and 6000 miles miles last year.  Got mid-60MPG even loaded down with a TON of crap.  Goes 55mph all day long(if you need to) without getting buzzy because of the 6th gear.  Will go 60+ at need.  

I rode it out of Fort Valley down the Beltway into Washington D.C. with semi trucks blowing me around.  At the same time you can overland or traverse all but the nastiest single track, as long as you don't expect to do it like a hero-maniac.   Then just push it(or power walk it) in to the bushes, camouflage it(tarp), set up tent and go to sleep.  

From remote 4 wheeler trails to 6 lane freeways, I don't think there is a vehicle that lets you explore more places LEGALLY than a DualSport motorcycle.  Sucks when you're soaking wet for a week straight though.  I plan to sell it and buy a van.  


To the OP, I'll bet you're going to have some pretty awesome adventures on your little Honda!  ADVrider.com forum has some amazing resources for adventure travel on bikes.  There is a huge thread over there called "minimalist adventure travel" (250cc's or less).  They also have an amazing network of people all across the country that are willing to help in case of breakdown or even let people camp or couch surf.  Great mechanical advice as well.  I really recommend signing up.


Happy Trails!

 

[eDJ_]

If I'm not mistaken there were some scooters like this one:

That were built with 90cc motors.   This could be a game changer for anyone wanting to travel some on a scooter where they would be carrying some cargo with them. 

I don't know who manufactured them, or if they were even sold in the States.  But if you did find one or swapped motors on one you may be able to travel light.  

I'd figure a plastic tarp that could be strung up between trees for a canopy and under it a Jungle Hammock,
sleeping bag,  Back pack with extra clothing, bath towels, personal care products,  flash light, small radio, Cell & charger,  Tablet Computer/keyboard, canteen,  etc.   It wouldn't be much more than back packing with a scooter though.  But if you were to only be interested in back woods living where you could travel secondary
paved roads and go out of the more rustic roads a ways to camp it could be a solution.

 

[Vagabound]

Regarding the tarp idea ...

I went on a long motorcycle trip one time and decided not to bring a tent for weight reasons. Instead I brought a large but lighter tarp. At night I would put the motorcycle on the center stand, and throw the tarp over it, using the motorcycle as center tent poles. In other words, the motorcycle was the high point in the tarp tent triangle.   I would generally weigh down the outside edges of the tarp with some wood or rocks laying around.

In addition to keeping the motorcycle dry and nearby at night, that design also provided two usable spaces; one on each side of the motorcycle under the tarp. I stored things that I didn't want to get wet under one side, and slept on a camping mat with a sleeping bag under the other side.

This thing was very simple, easy, and quick to set up and tear down, and worked like a charm. Word to the wise - - watch out for the footpeg when you sit up suddenly in the middle of the night. If you do happen to forget, the bump on your forehead will remind you the second time. ;-)

Tom