Plymouth Motor Sports

Sales of motorcycles, scooters surge with gas prices at $4

As the summer of 2011 approaches, switching from a four-wheeled commute to a two-wheeled version is a surefire strategy to minimize the pain at the pump.

Dealers say interest in motorcycles, gas-powered scooters and bicycles is high as commuters look for ways to keep their energy costs under control.

The Motorcycle Industry Council, an Irvine, Calif.-based trade group, said sales of gas-powered scooters were up 50 percent in the first quarter of 2011 compared with the previous year. Sales of major brand motorcycles rose 7.2 percent.

International Motor Sports in Rockland has sold 250 gas-powered scooters already this year, owner Tom Murphy said. That represents a 65 percent increase from the same time a year ago, he said.

“Most of the people who buy them use them for commuting, not for fun,” Murphy said.

International Motor Sports sells three brands of scooters with average prices around $800. Most have a 1.5-gallon gas tank and get 80 to 100 miles per gallon.

Sales of new motorcycles increased significantly this spring at Pilgrim Power Sports in Plymouth, General Manager Jeremiah Ellis said.

“They’re buying them for gas-saving purposes,” Ellis said. “It’s easy to justify it because most of these bikes do get an average of 40 to 50 miles per gallon.”

Ellis should know. When gas prices topped $4 a gallon in 2008, he began commuting by motorcycle from Sandwich to Plymouth from March through November. He saved $250 a month.

The dealership’s most popular model is the Kawasaki Vulcan 900, which Ellis described as one step up from an entry-level model. The models sell for $7,500 to $8,200.

Gas prices have prompted more interest in scooters this year at Weymouth Honda, said Paul Mitchell, general manager of the dealership’s motorcycle division. But prospective buyers are often put off when they learn that under Massachusetts law, Honda scooters are categorized as limited-use vehicles and restricted to a maximum speed of 40 mph. Operators also must obtain a motorcycle license.

Bicycle shop owners say their repair business has increased since March as more riders take long-neglected bikes out of storage.

“It’s not uncommon for people to do a four- to six-mile commute on a bicycle,” said Dave Letourneau, owner of Rockland Cycle. “And on the South Shore, pretty much everyone lives within a few miles of a train station.

FS: '92 Plymouth Laser RS AWD Turbo: $2011 Classifieds forum ...

I bought this car and have been slowly accumulating the parts required to make it a very competitive $2012 Challenge car. I have practically everything. Unfortunately I have to move 3 states away soon and can't justify moving this hobby car. I already have 4 other cars I've got to move. I've got to draw the line somewhere

A Laser is a DSM (think Eclipse/Talon). The Plymouth variant also happens to be the lightest of the 3 "brands" of DSMs. This one is kind of the pick of the litter for Challenge goodness, in that it's the lightest type of AWD turbo, it doesn't have a sunroof, and it's got the highly desirable 6 bolt engine and 4 bolt rear axles.

Here's what I've installed on the car already (all within the last 100 miles).

All 4 brake rotors (4) Kumho v710 225/50/16

I also have a stock fuel pump that came with the car. Car had already been upgraded to a Walbro 190. Included in parts is the original 14b turbo and 1g O2 sensor housing. I have also already performed the power steering pump mod to keep it from going dead in slaloms at high RPM.

My plans for the car were to strip it down to about 2700 lbs, install the parts and make somewhere between 275 and 325 horsepower. Properly done and with some time spent dialing it in, it should make for a very good performer at the Challenge.

Car has 100,5xx miles

Single worst thing about the car is that the transmission grinds into second when cold, but I have a quart of Pennzoil syncromesh fluid included with the sale. This stuff is reported to be the magic elixir for this particular trans with this common symptom.

Also, the throwout bearing makes noise, but a new one is included in the clutch kit that comes with the car.

A/C doesn't work due to a leak. Funny story. OK, funny for you - not so much for me. I've gotten the A/C to work with refrigerant installed, but it leaked out. I traced it to o rings at the condensor, replaced 'em and it worked for a while, but was dieing again so I went to add some dye to trace it further. My recharge tool's valve blew apart spraying dye all over the compressor making it impossible to trace for leaks at the compressor. I got so disgusted I quit the job for the day and have never bothered to look into it further.

I'm pretty sad to have to post this listing, because I was really looking forward to competing at the Challenge this year ( even got the hall pass from my wife about a year ago ) but I've gotta do what I have to in order to deal with the relocation.

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