Onboard Minibikes: part deux.

Hi Rob,

There are some fantastic new bikes coming out of China. Apparently super rich Chinese tycoons are now manufacturing high quality bikes as 'vanity' products which can match up to the Japanese standards; had to happen eventually.

I think the Honda Minbike weighs 120kg, Vs the 66kg for the Sky bike.
 
Have you looked at Di Blasi?

http://www.diblasi.co.uk/Folding_Mopeds.asp?Prd=R7&Pag=Prodotto&Lng=en

We had one of these when I was a kid, and i used to drive it round the roads at 14 wearing a cricket helmet, as my dad had started making the first ever such helmets in conjunction with Dennis Amiss. Eventually the fuel tank split from jumping too many piles of bricks on it, but up until that point it was great. Super light weight and folds up into a bag. No gears or clutch to worry about, just twist the throttle and drive. Writing this has made me think I might get another one! :D
 
Nick_H said:
Have you looked at Di Blasi?

http://www.diblasi.co.uk/Folding_Mopeds.asp?Prd=R7&Pag=Prodotto&Lng=en

We had one of these when I was a kid, and i used to drive it round the roads at 14 wearing a cricket helmet, as my dad had started making the first ever such helmets in conjunction with Dennis Amiss. Eventually the fuel tank split from jumping too many piles of bricks on it, but up until that point it was great. Super light weight and folds up into a bag. No gears or clutch to worry about, just twist the throttle and drive. Writing this has made me think I might get another one! :D
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Yes I have ridden one; shame oh shame, around Porto Banus.[forgot to bring my gold medallion!]
There were two brand new ones on a boat that I was on; twichy little b'trds, kept on cutting out, very very slow,impossible to start. Hit a bump and you'll be off the road.

Can't quite remember which was worse ,Porto banus or the Deblasi!;)

All IMO, of course. Only had a 30 minute trial on them.
 
This new scooter is just available; bored out from 50cc to 100cc, seems to tick all the boxes.
55mph max speed [claimed!], 104kg.

All the 'youths' seem to drive the Pugeot scooters. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BRAND-NEW...005&prg=9589&rk=4&rkt=6&sd=171291102848&rt=nc

The advantage with a scooter is that you can bring a 20 ltr container between your feet, and they also have room for a helmet under the seat which will take a bag of groceries. You can also buy a helmet 'box' to fit behind the rear seat which will take even more stuff.....;)


The old 50cc ones are useless, far to slow to keep up with traffic.
 
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Robg71 said:
I think i can carry that :D
Haha, maybe not these days.....
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In the old days, I used to load fertilizer in 50kg bags into a seed drill no problem; it involed humping bags from a trailer by bear hugging them, then stepping up a couple of feet and emptying them into the hopper.....

.....the Eu reduced them to 40kg, thank God. Now at 57 I struggle lifting a 25kg OB up onto the deck.:ambivalence:
 
rustybarge said:
Yes I have ridden one; shame oh shame, around Porto Banus.[forgot to bring my gold medallion!]
There were two brand new ones on a boat that I was on; twichy little b'trds, kept on cutting out, very very slow,impossible to start. Hit a bump and you'll be off the road.

Can't quite remember which was worse ,Porto banus or the Deblasi!;)

All IMO, of course. Only had a 30 minute trial on them.
Click to expand...


We have had a diblasi R7 since 2001, bought at the london boat show.

Yes with the small wheels take a bit of getting use to, to the extent of lifting a foot off the foot rest will induce a turn.

very easy to start and drive, goes at standard max moped speed, even has a variator gear system to get the best out of its small power plant.

Only problems since new,

1 rear inner tube split on a long recover car ride (moved boat to a slipway etc) 2007

2 Stand spring fractured (2013)
 
I tried a Di Blasi for a while as well, but although ultra-portable, it was just too weedy for a JTB-sized pilot. I've got a couple of Tmax scooters now, completely not portable (220kg each) but they are v quick and huge fun to ride.
 
Robg71 said:
220kg..... Eek....
You can buy proper bikes that weigh less than that....
Im actually shocked they make scooters that heavy....
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:D yeah but 500cc, 100mph twist-and-go. They are hilarious to ride, although it's a bit too easy to ground them out when cornering. You're right though, my R1200GSA isn't much heavier.
 
Robg71 said:
Shame its not an NSR500 twist no go... :D
I like the idea though. I take it you dont put them on the boat. Just left in the marina.....
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Yep, I use one for the run between the airport and the boat, perfect for the Riviera traffic, and you can ride it right up the quai and park right by the boat.
 
david_bagshaw said:
We have had a diblasi R7 since 2001, bought at the london boat show.

Yes with the small wheels take a bit of getting use to, to the extent of lifting a foot off the foot rest will induce a turn.

very easy to start and drive, goes at standard max moped speed, even has a variator gear system to get the best out of its small power plant.

Only problems since new,

1 rear inner tube split on a long recover car ride (moved boat to a slipway etc) 2007

2 Stand spring fractured (2013)
Click to expand...

That's a very positive report, my first impressions may well have been wrong; I only mucked around on them for half an hour.

I'll put them back on the list!
 
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