Honda Ruckus in the City
I found myself creeping along the alley which runs through the center of State College to avoid the more aggressive traffic on College Avenue.
There’s nothing like a 50cc scooter to amplify your understanding of the road. Wondering whether the speedometer will 35mph or if a few less potato chips would make help top speeds, a ride on a little scooter seems to unfold in slow motion. On the Honda Ruckus I could feel the desire to move, to rush, to get somewhere faster, quicker, get through traffic, leave things behind me, get away, get out in front, do anything other than wait for the scooter to get me to my destination.
It’s humbling to be at the bottom of the motorized kingdom. Only pedestrians and non-competitive bicycle riders go slower. Even my Vespa GTS has an engine five times bigger. I’ve found new respect for the small scooter and moped riders I see around town. And for guys like Walter Muma from Michigan who rode his moped nearly 12 thousand miles to Alaska and back, I can barely image the patience he must possess.
Every rider should periodically ride one of these little machines. They demand an entirely different focus and behavior than almost every other two-wheeled machine. Slow speeds force a focus on traffic flow, drivers, routes, and personal behavior. Like pulling over to let everyone pass. Or waiting for really big openings in traffic to pull onto a highway.
The Road Less Traveled
For the first couple days I took the roads less traveled. Aside from a super slippery seat on the Ruckus I found myself liking it more and more. As one of the machines in the Kissell Motorsports pre-owned category I found myself thinking about writing a check for $1200 and taking it home.
Ruckus in the Alley
For rides around Boalsburg, through the streets and alleys to the post office or the Boalsburg Chocolate Company, what could be better.
Ruckus Year Round?
As the temperatures descended in the 20s I began missing my heated gloves. I didn’t do any research on the capacity of the Ruckus to support electrics. Watching the kids play ice hockey in the cold I was remembered a time when I was impervious to the cold.
A Little Tank
The Honda Ruckus is a little tank. I was surprise how solid it felt after first thinking of it as a glorified minibike, one of those WRENs from my youth. That would be the 1960s for me when I used to lay on my bed in my room with a copy of Boy’s Life dreaming of selling stationary from the Cheerful Card Company to earn enough money for a minibike, air rifle, and X-ray glasses.
The Ruckus has big, almost knobby tires, and they didn’t slip once as I began “riding through the woods.”
I rode through a lot of familiar territory with a 10-mile radius of home and found the little scooter up for anything as long as I was willing to accept such slow speeds. I’m certain the experience with the Ruckus has sharpened by riding wits. I’ve never thought mastering the machine was nearly as important as mastering my mind on the road and the scooter forces the issue. I know my place in the roadway kingdom. Easy to forget on a motorcycle that can propel a rider far ahead of the four-wheeled world.
Cutting through a field used mainly by dog walkers and kids taking a shortcut home from school I stopped to look at Mount Nittany, the iconic hill that Penn Staters pay allegiance and provides the namesake for the Nittany Lions. As a platform for exploring the Ruckus is great. And it is so unassuming that no one paid it any attention.
If you need people to look at you while riding cross this one off your list.
Here I am, 56 years old, and finally I have my minibike. At least for a few days. And it was as fun as I always thought it would be. Why didn’t my parents let me get one?
I like the looks of the Ruckus. It has the same rugged ugliness of a Jeep. And I bet it will go more places. If you have the time.
On the way back to Kissell’s to pick up my Vespa I stopped to photograph the little beast in front of the big mural along Calder Alley. It reflects the spirit that is ignited by this machine. Or any other small scooter I suspect.
I believe spending a riding life on big motorcycles leaves a rider incomplete. That little kid inside us doesn’t really connect with horsepower. It wants something else. Standing outside the window with the BMW S1000 RR looking out the window I was glad I had the chance to tool around on a Ruckus.
Thanks for your review on this jeep on two wheels. I have never ridden something smaller than a 125 scooter, and found that being already rather slow. In today’s (Vancouver) traffic I would not dare to ride a 50cc bike. It is good do have enough umph, when you need it to get away from crazy cagers. If the Ruckus would come in 125 or 150 cc it would be worth considering.
Wait! Did you say “highway”??
What a lovely nostalgic piece… the photo of Ruckus/Tank is classic!
There is a fellow in the New York Scooter Club that probably weighs about 260, and the Ruckus his ride of choice. He looks a bit gorilla on a tricycle – you’ve got to love it.
So many toys, so little time… thanks again for your poetry…
Great photography and words as usual Steve! I really like the way you place your ride in the frame.
Your write-up on the Ruckus brought me back to the mid-to-late 60’s riding around on a borrowed Honda 50 with the guys I grew up with. At the time we thought we were going pretty fast just wearing a t-shirt, jeans and tennis shoes. We’d ride them on the street as well as off rode. I think the largest bikes at the time were 250cc. My parents wouldn’t let me have one either.
A photo of you on the Ruckus would’ve been nice!
“Slow speeds force a focus on traffic flow, drivers, routes, and personal behavior.” This statement seems true to me, but then, I’ve never ridden anything larger than a 125cc on the street. I admit I wish the “Big Ruckus” had been more of a sales success. A “Big Ruckus” with fuel injection sounds like a really good idea to me.
~Keith
Good write up!
An excellent review..if you ask me, I think the 50cc scooters should be banned and made legal for off road use only and I say this only to protect would be riders who wouldn’t require a special M/C licence or training…besides they just can’t put up or kep up with traffic…not an ideal situation for safety
I’ve always liked the utilitarian look of the Ruckus and have always imagined it to be a fun little thing. Thanks for confirming this, Steve.
Oh, and I hope it’s not too late to wish you a Happy New Year.
Dear Steve:
I have a cigar lighter at home that packs more than 50cc’s.
Yet your story had a profound affect on me. I too read “Boy’s Life” and “Popular Mechanics,” and thought of selling “Grit” (Whatever the hell that was.) to get the mini-bike, the spider monkey small enough to fit in your pocket, or the sea monkeys (which had to be the biggest scam ever).
I too dreamed of having a mini-bike, that I could put camping gear on, to ride to distant places.
I saw my first and only Honda Ruckus in November. A grizzled gentleman of difficult circumstancs rode one up to the front door of the liquor store. It was the mini-bike of my dreams — on steroids.
But unlike you, I had no desire to get on it. I have a good idea what that seat will feel like… I have a good idea what a 50cc engine would sound like trying to get me moving.
And now I have a good idea of what my mini-bike dream would be like, havng read your piece today.
Fondest regards,
Jack • reep • Toad
Twisted Roads
It sounds crazy but I swear I have more fun on small displacement bikes. This weekend one of the local clubs I ride with did a ’50cc ride’, I showed up on a borrowed Honda Elite E and was the only rider who actually had a 50, The next smallest bikes were a Buddy 150 and a Riva 180. Everyone else had a 250cc bike for the ride. I think I had more fun going 35MPH than everyone else did on that nimble quick Elite.
Thank you for the review. I like the concept of the Ruckus but would like it more if it had more than 50cc. My son has a mini bike with knobby tires and a B&S engine. With more power it would be a blast.
Did you really take it out on the highway?
Richard
If you like the look of the Ruckus, but long for more power:
http://www.peirspeed.com/madass125.htm
You made me long a little to have my humble Piaggio Fly 50 back for even a little while. There was much to be said for that different perspective the smaller scooters demand. I enjoy the speed on the 250, but I there are times when I can look at a particular something that I’m riding past and know that I’d have preferred the same view with the throttle maxed out at 35 mph.
– Joe at Scootin’ da Valley
Great post. First you get good, then you get fast.
Thanks to this post, too, I finally figured what is holding my photography back. I need to move!
I mean, I can’t just go ride a few minutes and find a tank, a bright mural, and a motorcycle dealer.
By the way, if Steve Kissell sees your offroad pictures you will be writing him a check!
I just wanted to point out that if someone was really keen on riding the 50cc scooter but felt he/she needed that extra boost once in a while to keep up with traffic or to take it up above the restricted 35mph, an aftermarket upgrade kit can be easily installed to upgrade the engine to 70cc. The upgrade kit, depending on quality is not very expensive nor is it too difficult to install… Obviously there will be some issues with the bike being legal at this point but chances of ever being caught are minute unless you get into an accident causing bodily harm or death in which case the insurance company might check the bike.
Many 50cc scooters in Canada have been upgraded to 70 cc but are still registered as 50cc vehicles.
Food for thought
Sometimes we really have to stop and smell the roses. A slower pace through life would help us appreciate life more, it’s small details, the ones that we don’t really notice when we’re fast-paced. Personally, I love taking it slow and enjoying it at the same time.
The Ruckus is an odd phenomenon to me. The Metropolitan by Honda has all the classic looks and ease of use of the best of the small scooters, while the ruckus is an empty frame with nowhere to put a packet of milk. Yet the Ruckus is seen as the better machine thanks to twin headlights and big tires.
conch, there are all kinds of clever storage solutions for Ruckuses (Ruckii?), but the one I like best is the nylon bag that fits perfectly in the space underneath the seat.
A Ruckus is a Metropolitan with no bodywork and fat tires. Yet the Ruck is priced higher than the Met. Go, Honda…
__Orin
Scootin’ Old Skool
Thanks for the review of the Ruckus Steve. It took me back to when I was a kid and rode a little 49cc Suzuki. It took forever to get that thing going but man was it fun. Your picture of the Ruckus in front of the mural is amazing. But then again almost all your photographs are. Once again you’ve inspired me my friend.
Thanks,
Ronman
SonjaM: I would probably not attempt the road with the Ruckus if I lived in a high traffic area. My situation allows for lots of alternative, quiet paths to most places I want to go.
claudia: Our highways are often lightly traveled so it’s an option.
Thanks for reading. I appreciate the comments.
Mike: I always miss making self portraits with these things. I either need to run into someone who can shoot the picture or have a tripod. Next time.
The Ruckus would be the perfect first bike for a kid. Just don’t see any riding. Besides, I remember kids with minibikes on the road in neighborhoods illegally when I was on a kid. No one said a word. Today, I think someone would call the police.
Circle Blue: There is a lot of benefits to riding slow. Most of the time when I express that idea if falls on deaf ears. Thanks for the support!
sergeibelski: Thanks! Love the picture of you on your Web site with the orange jacket, bomber hat, and huge Canon lens in the snow storm.
Baron’s Life: I certainly don’t think someone should be allowed to ride a 50cc scooter on the road without a license. I’ve heard the logic — it doesn’t go any faster than a bicycle. But in fact it does and you can join the flow of car traffic in a lot of situations.
Any motor vehicle should require a license. And motorcycles should require extra training in my book. And probably more that I won’t go into now…
Chip: Happy New Year to you too!
Mr. Riepe: I remember the Grit. It was always looking for paperboys. Started publishing in Williamsport in 1882 and did so until the 1990s when they got bought up by a magazine chain. The Grit is still around as a bimonthly mag.
I think you need to climb aboard a Ruckus Jack. I think you may find it infinitely more comfortable than the K Bike and far more attractive to your target audience. Appearing like the grizzly bear on a circus bike will only add to your boyish charm.
John: Having fun on two wheels is an easy target. A lot of guys put a displacement requirement on their fun. Too bad. These things are a hoot.
RichardM: I did take it on the highway — US 322, PA 45, and PA26. I yielded to a good many drivers by moving to the shoulder to let them by except on 322 where there was a passing lane.
I didn’t get on I99 though since there is a horsepower requirement that the little Ruckus doesn’t meet. And I am no scofflaw…
claudia: I looked at the Madass videos and info. Steve at the Scooter Scoop did a review too. Cool little machine.
But I am content with my Vespa GTS 250ie. The perfect machine for me.
Joe: You understand the attraction to the little scooters. But it is nice to have a few more alternatives with the slightly bigger machines.
irondad: I live in Disneyland. Around every bend, over every rise in the road, a scenic vista appears. Five minutes, five pictures…
Hah!
Craig Kissell never said anything about staying on the road. At least I don’t remember that conversation…
Baron’s Life: It’s amazing how many upgrade and performance options there are for scooters. It makes my head swim.
I never worry about it since I seem to be content with things just as the manufacturer set them up.
Cynthia: Yep. Going slow and smelling the roses is what scooter riding is all about for me.
Conchscooter: You can jam a lot of stuff under the seat — it has a nice little metal mesh to keep things from falling on the road.
Not as nice as the Vespa though.
Orin: I’ve seen a Ruckus with a topcase cobbled onto the back. Ugly in a Ruckus kind of way.
Ronman: It definitely triggered a lot of kid memories for me. At the end of the day though, I want to ride and create some new ones!
Glad you liked the Ruckus adventure.
Dear Steve:
Shot down in flames by a guy on a Vespa… Oh, the indignity of it all.
reep