Opinions needed, please.
 

I am on the verge of purchasing a Tomberlin MadAss scooter. It's the 49cc version and the guy is offering it to me for a great price.

Anybody know anything about these bikes? I really am having a hard time finding information on them. Although, it does appear that they are made in China... :) - I might be wrong though.

the 4 strokes are very slow, maybe 30mph? I guess it depends on you uses for it.

I think those are very cool little units for buzzing around town. I found this vid of a MadAss with a 70cc kit on it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5BIl8xHrhg

There's definitely a four speed in the video, which means that it doesn't qualify as a scooter (at least where I live), so you'd need a motorcycle licence for it. With that in mind, I wouldn't hesitate to drop in a complete 125 engine, rather than increase to 70cc with a big bore kit.

I'd promptly lose that catalytic converter too.

Fairly neat, probably @ less than 50cc licensed as a moped (or "noped" to be specific), larger motor, up to 180cc a bolt-in, though reliability becomes questionable over 125cc.

I'd buy one if the price was right.

Easily upgradable engine wise. Reveen is right about the 125cc being the largest displacement and still be reliable.

Does WV title them or do they count as scooters. With a 125cc 50mph should be easily possible.


Allen

I drove the 4 hours to the man's house today to purchase this bike. He straight faced lied to me about the condition of it over the phone. This bike is in pretty rough shape with hardly anything still working other than the wheels. :( Some people can't take care of anything.

I have faith in this bike, however, and would like to put some money into it to get it into decent shape again. The fellow was asking $400 for it and I ended up getting it for $100. I would like to invest the saved money back into this bike and get it running and looking good.
I will post some (very sad looking) pictures of this bike in days to come. Thank you for all of your responses, gentlemen!

That's an amazing price. You can resurrect any bike when you're in it for that little.

Awaiting pics. :D

Sounds like a fair price for a project. You can now build it to your specs.

Where the heck is that thing? Maybe mine is already missing it but I can't seem to find it.

If you look at that video link I posted above, you'll see it as a bulge in the exhaust pipe, just downstream of the cylinder head (in the short vertical section). There is a decent shot of it from 00:50 to 1:05.

Oh, okay I see it now. I though it may have been the thing running up under the frame in this picture. Mine doesn't have it, I think it may be the air intake?
http://site.razorsedgemotorsports.co...madass-500.jpg

Nope, a catalytic converter (usually) converts unburned hydrocarbons to carbon dioxide and water. It can also convert carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide, depending upon the design. If you don't see a bulge in the exhaust pipe, there's no cat.

that thing looks awsome for scooter, i wouldnt mind having a scooter that looks like that..

Okay, so where are the pics?

http://s894.photobucket.com/albums/a...dra681/MadAss/

I had taken the seat off prior to the pictures. I am recovering it, which is turning out to be very difficult due to the seats unusual shape. I'll figure it out, though.

The oil that came out of the engine doesn't look too bad, surprisingly.

One of the pictures shows a busted headlight, which looks like it will be hard to find or rig a replacement.

The scariest part of this bike, to me, is that the ignition is missing and there is no key. I don't know anything about ignitions (or any electricals for that matter). Also, it's got a locking gas cap that will wiggle around since the key is missing.

What is left of the ignition? Is there a connector that the ignition plugged into, or have the wires been cut?

When you say that the gas cap wiggle around, does that mean that the key lock has been damaged? Can you open it?

BTW, it sure looks like there's a cat in that pipe.

http://i894.photobucket.com/albums/a.../madass005.jpg[/img]

Maybe a 150cc

http://www.tboltusa.com/store/piranh...her-p-904.html

Here is some people that may offer some specifics for that?
http://www.drmadass.com/


I think you could put some money into that and be able to get it back out of it, the Madass sell for $2,700.00 new.

My suggestion for the headlights. They look like some of the driving lights at walmart.

I have a keyswitch for you. It was under water though. Matching gascap and helmet lock also.

The exhaust. Get a nice flowing pit bike exhaust to go with the 125cc upgrade. Forget the e-start too. It doesn't take much to kick a 125.

$500 should have you rolling nicely.

ive been running fog/driving lights on my quad since i got it. they work nicely and all my old friends would always ask me to get in front of the pack of kids who where riding because i had the super lights..

i am switching to smaller set of driving lights from walmart, just gotta decided which ones i want first.

http://www.chinariders.net/modules.p...080&highlight=

somebody else had one of those on this site?

The ignition wires have been cut and are twisted together.
The gas cap wiggles around from not being locked. it cannot be locked without the key. I don't think that the key lock has been damaged, but it's sorta hard to tell, but thankfully it is stuck in the UNLOCKED poition, so I can still add gas.

Also, I decided to go with this engine. Just bought and paid for it a few moments ago. What do you guys think?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...#ht_3493wt_930

looks good, its a lifan so it should be a solid motor..

plus you earned 5 bucks in ebay bucks..

Cool! 8)

I don't think you'll be disappointed with that 125. I think that you have kick start only and a manual clutch with your existing engine, so there won't be any difference. You might have to remove the flywheel from the new 125 so you can transplant your existing stator to the new engine (easy).

This looks like a good choice for a flywheel puller if you don't have one: http://cgi.ebay.ca/Flywheel-Puller-H...item4cf19935e9

How many ignition wires are twisted together? Do you just leave the wires twisted together and shut the engine off with a kill switch?

Looks like a good deal on a complete engine.
Buy the way, what is the story behind this bike? Is it titled?

That is a pretty good deal with everything included like that.

If you haven't been www.dratv.com for parts. Plus wiring diagrams that may be helpful.

What does the gas cap look like. This lifan one may fit and I have a key for it.

Allen

I will probably be asking for some more advice when I get to the fly-wheel procedure. :)
I believe there are only 2 wires twisted together for the ignition. I have not had the engine running yet (broken coil, stripped hole for the spark plug, no kick start lever, no battery) so I have not had any reason to untwist them, yet.

I thought so, too.
I got this bike from a guy that told me it was in "showroom condition". After driving over 4 hours to his house, I saw that the bike was not only showroom, but to be quite frank, a POS. I got it for $100 down from his asking price of $400, just for the sake of already having been there with the truck. I have heard from many people that these bikes never came with titles because they were 49cc and did not need registered. I have also heard that doing a title search on them is relatively quick and easy, but I have no idea about that.

That website looks like it may have a lot of useful information. Thank you, Allen.
The gas cap, on the other hand, is extremely unusual and I tried fitting the gas cap from my parts GY5, to no avail. I think I'm going to have some trouble with that in time to come.

I suggest modding the gas cap to accept any key. You should be able to remove the tumblers.

With that new engine get a better air filter and exhaust.

Not sure what you do about titling it.

speaking of gas caps, you might want to think about trying to maybe a keyed vented gas cap..

not having a gas cap vent can cause a weird suction problem.. let me try to explain this.. the motor sucks the gas from the tank with the aid gravity.. but as with suction you have to have some kind of air flow in, in most cases that is.. in this case if there is no air flow coming behind the gas ( from the cap, and behind meaning on top of the gas in the tank) the motor will work harder for less fuel.. you could drill a hole in the top of the gas cap and put a small air tube plastic peice in there.. like what you would find to extend fish tank air hoses.. then buy a vented no spill vent hose off ebay for 1.99 plus 4.99 shipping

I'm going to try to remove the tumblers inside the lock. That is a great idea I never thought of. I will certainly get a better air filter, but I sorta like the stock exhaust. I will probably just take the cat out, as suggested to me before.

Yeah, I like the way that pipe looks as well. If you have access to a welder, just draw an index line down the length of the cat, then cut it in two and gut the stuffing. Line up the index line and weld it back up.

Yep, great way to justify a MIG welder. :D

I was riding around at lunch and a scooter store over by the University had a Madass out front. Appeared to be a new one. It was yellow.

They look bigger in real life, in my opinion. I never expected them to be so large.


Update: Just got the old engine pulled off with some help from my neighbor. Next I am going to take it all apart to paint it (using Valspar Tractor paint, Allis Chalmers Orange) then rewire everything with the help of some people that know what the heck they're doing...cause I sure don't.


I have another question, though. The label that says the general info pertaining to the bike (ie. displacement, type of brakes, etc.) can I remove that label to paint the frame or should I just mask it and paint around it? I would like to get this bike back to street legality, of course if I can get the title situation figured out, and I have read that a state trooper has to come and inspect the bike before it can be registered. I did not know if the trooper would need to see that sticker?

Better to err on the safe side. I'd tape it off, and be sure to tell the DMV and the Trooper that you changed the colour.

Excellent colour choice, BTW. :D

On the wiring: I wouldn't change much. Take the time to swap the flywheel and stator plate from your existing engine to your new engine, and everything should be painless. The new engine is not likely equipped with a lighting coil, so the original stuff is a better idea.

Also, if the ignition currently consists of two wires twisted together, it should be very easy to pick up any old keyed switch from a China bike parts supplier, Tractor Supply or JC Whitney. Like this one: http://www.jcwhitney.com/all-purpose...wx?filterid=j1

Personally.....I would not go any farther until you have the title sorted out, it would be a damn shame to get one's hard work seized, without even a thank-you!

(mask around any existing number plates)

That's true. The possibility exists that this bike was stolen at some point.

oh, crap. I never thought of that.

In Canada, we have a website where we can run a VIN and see if it comes back stolen. It's designed for use by people who spot suspicious cars in the neighbourhood, but it works well for CL purchases too.

Maybe you can find a US site like that.